CHAPTER XIX THEODORE ROOSEVELT'S SONS 7ITH the precept and example of such a father and mother it would naturally be ex W pected that Sagamore Hill would give an ideal family to the nation. So deeply did the great patriotic spirit of Theodore Roosevelt sink into the souls of the children, that all four of his sons, one of his sons-in-law and one of his daughters-in-law volunteered in the service of their country in the world war, and the other son-in-law served his country as a member of Congress. The four sons—all that he had -went to the front at the earliest possible moment. All are Harvard men-kindly in spirit, game sports, good riders and sure shots, with splendid characters, intelligent Christian gentlemen; and fighters from way back. There would have been no rope strong enough to have kept those boys, raised on Sagamore Hill, out of the army. In each one was a love for his country stronger than his life. LIEUT.-COL. THEODORE ROOSEVELT, JR. Theodore, Jr., not only carries his father's name, but presents many of his father's characteristics. He is not as large as his father was toward the last, and wears no mustache, but in his facial expression, his movements, his warm hand-shake, his polite demeanor and mental virility he reminds one very much of his father. He was born in 1887. He went to Groton Preparatory School and graduated at Harvard in 1909. He is fond of sport, and accompanied his father on a number of hunting trips in the United States and in Canada. He married Miss Eleanor Alexander in June, 1910. They have three children-Grace Green, Theodore, Jr., and Cornelius Schaack. Like many of his New York City ancestors, Theodore, Jr., selected a business life. He first entered the mills of the Hartford Carpet Company; did successful work there and went out to San Francisco to represent the same company. In 1912 he returned to New York, to join the firm of Bernard, Griscom & Company; after. two years with them he became a partner of Montgomery, Clothier & Tyler. Lieut.-Col. Theodore Roosevelt went to France as a Major, in command of the First Battalion, Twentysixth Infantry, with the first expeditionary forces in the summer of 1917. Later he was placed in command of the regiment with the rank of lieutenant-colonel. He was dangerously gassed, but fortunately was brought back to life. He was with his famous regiment in every battle until the last days of the war, when he was wounded by a machine-gun bullet in the leg in the fierce fight in the Argonne Forest. He refused to be taken from the field, however, until his boys had cleaned out the enemy's machine-gun nest that was doing such murderous work. Then he was taken to the hospital, and at the earliest moment of convalescence he insisted upon going back to the front with his regiment and remained with it until the signing of the armistice. He returned with his regiment from France early in March. He gave this unstinted praise to the New York and all the American troops: "No young man |