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IN SORROW'S HOUR

So Vice is Victor! Lowly lies the head

That bore, uncrowned, the burden of the State;
The hand that ruled, unsceptered, chill and dead,
Moves men no more in council or debate
The voice that swayed shall nevermore again
Speak words of wisdom. Struck by dastard blow
From one he harmed not, falls a king of men,
And all the nations mourn Columbia's woe.

What crime was his that thus the hand of hate-
Held forth in Judas guise as that of friend
In peaceful hour-should shatter hopes so great
At one fell swoop? 'Twas this, that till the end
He served his country, faithful, fast and true;
With single eye her cause he daily sought,
And when he saw what duty was to do

He went and did it-with no selfish thought.

And thus to fall! The Anglo-Saxon race
Indignant starts, and in just anger cries

For vengeance stern. Such deed, done in such place
Is crime against the Freedom that we prize
Dearer than life-the Freedom that has nurst
Within her hallowed breast a hellish brood,
Whose fury turns and drives its fangs accurst
To her own heart, in vipers' gratitude.

"O, stricken Sister! in this hour of woe,"
Britannia whispers, "be it ours to share,
Our hearts are one, our flags together go,
For Freedom we have dared, and yet will dare,
Thy standard dropt another hand shall raise
And bravely bear; while by McKinley's bier
Yet closer bound, we'll front the future days
For Freedom still, without a thought of fear."

CHAPTER XX

VICE-PRESIDENT THEODORE ROOSEVELT

Just before the final change for the worse in the President's condition his physicians had announced that he was on the high-road to recovery, and many of the visitors who had been anxiously watching and waiting for the outcome departed for their homes.

Mr. Roosevelt hastened to the Adirondacks where his family were quietly living in one of the cottages of the Tawahus Club at the foot of Mount Marcy. The thought of his sick children induced him to go. Before leaving Buffalo, however, he arranged with two persons in whose cool judgment he felt he could trust, to telegraph to him if any change should take place in President McKinley's condition.

Mr. Roosevelt on arriving at Mount Marcy arranged with his wife and a party of friends for a 5-mile tramp over a rough trail to Colton Lake, where they were to camp for the night and return to the Tawahus Club cottages next morning.

They had not been gone more than three hours when a mounted courier rode rapidly into Tawahus Club with messages to the Vice-President stating that President McKinley was in a critical condition. The messages had been telegraphed to North Creek and from there telephoned to a point ten miles south of Tawahus Club. Extra guides and runners were at once deployed from the club in the direction of Mount

Marcy, with instructions to sound a general alarm in order to find the Vice-President as soon as possible.

When Colonel Roosevelt was reached and informed of the critical condition of the President he could

THEODORE ROOSEVELT

scarcely believe the burden of the messages personally delivered to him. Startled at the serious nature of the news, the Vice-President, at 5:45 o'clock, imme

diately started back for the Tawahus Club, from where he traveled the thirty-five miles to North Creek, the northern terminus of the Adirondacks Railroad, by relays through a dark night and over the roughest roads.

Not until he dashed up to the special train at North Creek shortly after 5 o'clock, a. m., did he learn that President McKinley had passed away at Buffalo at 2:15 o'clock. Mr. Loeb, his secretary, was the first to break the news to him. The new President was visibly affected by the intelligence and expressed a desire to reach Buffalo as soon as possible.

ROOSEVELT REACHES BUFFALO.-Buffalo was reached about 1:30 o'clock that afternoon. An escort, consisting of the signal corps of the Fourth Brigade, New York National Guard, commanded by Colonel Chapin, had been provided. This was supplemented by a platoon of mounted policemen. Mr. Roosevelt was driven at once to the house of Ansley Wilcox, a fine old mansion of the colonial style situated at 641 Dela

ware avenue.

As soon as he entered, Mr. Roosevelt was told it had been planned for him to take the oath of office at once. This agreement had been reached at the meeting of the cabinet held in the forenoon at the Milburn residence. Mr. Roosevelt failed to recognize it as an agreement. He declared he was not ready to take the oath yet. He was here, he said, more for the purpose of paying his respects to William McKinley than of qualifying as Mr. McKinley's successor.

"But, Mr. President," he was expostulated with, "everything is in readiness. Don't you think it would be far better to do as the cabinet has decided?"

"No," retorted the President. "It would be far worse. I intend to pay my respects at William McKinley's bier as a private citizen and offer my condolence to the members of the family as such. will return and take the oath."

Then I

In the face of such an emphatic stand by the new chief executive all arguments availed nothing, and Mr. Roosevelt had his way.

PAYS HIS RESPECTS.-Mr. Roosevelt left the house at 2:30 o'clock and entered his carriage alone. As the coachman started the horses the mounted policemen and the members of the signal corps wheeled in to act as his escort to the house. Instantly he stopped the carriage, stood up and shouted: "Get back, I want no escort. I will have no escort. I am now on a mission as a private citizen."

He had some difficulty in convincing the national guardsmen that they were not wanted. Finally they broke ranks again and wheeled to their former position alongside the curb, while the President drove swiftly up the avenue to the Milburn residence.

On his arrival there he was ushered into the presence of Mrs. McKinley, who was so grief-stricken that she was not in condition to receive callers. Mr. Roosevelt, therefore, expressed his deep sympathy in the fewest words and immediately departed.