theodore roosevelt-第5章
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； 〃and I am sure it did me good； but only in the general effect； for there was very little in my actual studies which helped me in after life。〃 * Like nine out of ten men who look back on college he could make no definite estimate of the actual gains from those four years； but it is precisely the indefiniteness； the elusiveness of the college experience which marks its worth。 This is not to be reckoned financially by an increase in dollars and cents； or intellectually； by so many added foot…pounds of knowledge。 Harvard College was of inestimable benefit to Roosevelt； because it enabled him to find himselfto be a man with his fellow men。
*Autobiography； 27。
During his youth his physical handicap had rather cut him off from companionship on equal terms with his fellows。 Now； however； he could enter with zest in their sports and societies。 At the very beginning of his Freshman year he showed his classmates his mettle。 During the presidential torchlight parade when the jubilant Freshmen were marching for Hayes； some Tilden man shouted derisively at them from a second…story window and pelted them with potatoes。 It was impossible for them to get at him； but Theodore； who was always stung at any display of meanness and it was certainly mean to attack the paraders when they could not retaliatestood out from the line and shook his fist at the assailant。 His fellow marchers asked who their champion was； and so the name of Roosevelt and his pugnacious little figure became generally known to them。 He was little then； not above five feet six in height； and under one hundred and thirty pounds in weight。 By degrees they all knew him。 His unusual ways； his loyalty to his hobbies； which he treated not as mere whims but as being worthy of serious application； his versatility； his outspokenness； his almost unbroken good…nature； attracted most of the persons with whom he came in contact。 He rose to be President of the Natural History Society； a distinction which implied some real merit in its possessor。 His family antecedents； but still more his personal qualities； made easy for him the ascent of the social terraces at Harvardthe Dicky； the Hasty Pudding Club； and the Porcellian。 He was editor of the Harvard Advocate； which opened the door of the O。K。 Society； where he found congenial intellectual companionship with the editors from the classes above and below him； and when Dr。 Edward Everett Hale wished to revive and perpetuate the Alpha Delta Phi Fraternity； Roosevelt was one of the half…dozen men from the Class of 1880 whom he selected。
My first definite recollection of him is at the annual dinner of the Harvard Crimson in January or February； 1879。 He was invited as a guest to represent the Advocate。 Since entering college I had met him casually many times and had heard of his oddities and exuberance； but throughout this dinner I came to feel that I knew him。 On being called on to speak he seemed very shy and made； what I think he said； was his maiden speech。 He still had difficulty in enunciating clearly or even in running off his words smoothly。 At times he could hardly get them out at all； and then he would rush on for a few sentences； as skaters redouble their pace over thin ice。 He told the story of two old gentlemen who stammered； the point of which was； that one of them；after distressing contortions and stoppages； recommended the other to go to Dr。 X； adding； 〃He cured me。〃
A trifling bit of thistledown for memory to have preserved after all these years； but still it is interesting to me to recall that this was the beginning of the public speaking of the man who later addressed more audiences than any other orator of his time and made a deeper impression by his spoken word。
One other reminiscence of Roosevelt at Harvard； almost as unsubstantial as this。 Late in his Senior year we had a committee meeting of the Alpha Delta Phi in Charles Washburn's room at 15 Holworthy。 Roosevelt and I sat in the window…seat overlooking the College Yard and chatted together in the intervals when business was slack。 We discussed what we intended to do after graduation。 〃I am going to try to help the cause of better government in New York City； I don't know exactly how；〃 said Theodore。
I recall； still； looking hard at him with an eager； inquisitive look and saying to myself； 〃I wonder whether he is the real thing； or only the bundle of eccentricities which he appears。〃 There was in me then； as there has always been； a mingling of skepticism and of deep reverence for those who dealt with reality； and I had not had sufficient opportunity to determine whether Roosevelt was real or not。 One at least of his classmates； however； saw portents of greatness in Theodore； from their Freshman year； and most of us； even when we were amused and puzzled by his 〃 queerness；〃 were very sure that the man from whom they sprang was not commonplace。
So far as I remember； Roosevelt was the first undergraduate to own and drive a dog…cart。 This excited various comments； so did the reddish； powder…puff side whiskers which no chaffing could make him cut。 There was never the slightest suggestion of the gilded youth about him； though dog…carts； especially when owned by young men； implied the habits and standards of the gilded rich。 How explain the paradox？ On the other hand； Theodore taught Sunday School at Christ Church； but he was so muscular a Christian that the decorous vestrymen thought him an unwise guide in piety。 For one day a boy came to class with a black eye which he had got in fighting a larger boy for pinching his sister。 Theodore told him that he did perfectly rightthat every boy ought to defend any girl from insultand he gave him a dollar as a reward。 The vestrymen decided that this was too flagrant approval of fisticuffs； so the young teacher soon found a welcome in the Sunday School of a different denomination。
Of all the stories of Roosevelt's college career； that of his boxing match is most vividly remembered。 He enrolled in the light…weight sparring at the meeting in the Harvard Gymnasium on March 22 1879； and defeated his first competitor。 When the referee called 〃time；〃 Roosevelt immediately dropped his hands； but the other man dealt him a savage blow on the face； at which we all shouted； 〃Foul； foul！〃 and hissed； but Roosevelt turned towards us and cried out 〃Hush！ He didn't hear；〃 a chivalrous act which made him immediately popular。 In his second match he met Hanks。 They both weighed about one hundred and thirty…five pounds； but Hanks was two or three inches taller and he had a much longer reach； so that Theodore could not get in his blows； and although he fought with unabated pluck； he lost the contest。 More serious than his short reach； however； was his near…sightedness； which made it impossible for him to see and parry Hanks's lunges。 When time was called after the last round； his face was dashed with blood and he was much winded； but his spirit did not flag； and if there had been another round； he would have gone into it with undiminished determination。 From this contest there sprang up the legend that Roosevelt boxed with his eyeglasses lashed to his head； and the legend floated hither and thither for nearly thirty years。 Not long ago I asked him the truth。 〃Persons who believe that；〃 he said； 〃must think me utterly crazy； for one of Charlie Hanks's blows would have smashed my eyeglasses and probably blinded me for life。〃
In a class of one hundred and seventy he graduated twenty second； which entitled him to membership in the Phi Beta Kappa； the society of high scholars。 To one who examines his academic record wisely； the best symptom is that he did fairly well in several unrelated subjects； and achieved preeminence in one； natural history。 He had the all…round quality which shows more promise than does a propensity to light on a particular topic and suck it dry； but he had also power of concentration and thoroughness。 As I have just said； he was a happy combination of the amateurish and intense。 His habit of absorption became a by…word； for if he visited a； classmate's room and saw a book which interested him； instead of joining in the talk； he would devour the book； oblivious of； everything else； until the college bell rang for the
