Bud & Me by Alta Abernathy

Author:Alta Abernathy
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 0966216601
Publisher: eBooks2go, Inc.

While waiting for Teddy’s ship to arrive, Dad took us

on a tour of one of the ships in New York harbor.

About 7:20 a.m. the Kaiserlin was spotted through the mist, at the lower end of Ambrose Channel. She was escorted by a battleship and five torpedo destroyers. Hundreds of smaller ships and boats filled the waters around her. Everyone wanted to greet Roosevelt.

The passengers of the Kaiserlin lined the rails of the four upper decks, waving handkerchiefs, and pretty soon we could distinguish Teddy leaning from the large port on the upper promenade deck. When the skipper of a tug blew three long blasts on his whistle, every boat in the harbor joined in, creating a loud symphony of whistles and horns mixed with the sounds of cheering people. From Fort Wadsworth, on shore, a 21-gun salute thundered forth in wel-come, and the Dolphin followed with its own 21-gun salute. I thought for certain, I’d go deaf from all the commotion.

The Kaiserlin dropped anchor about 15 minutes after we’d first sighted her, and the government’s reception committee went aboard, including Captain Archibald Butt, President Taft’s personal representative. Five battleships sailed by, and the marine band on the first one sounded bugles at eight o’clock, or “eight bells” in navy terminology. The band on the Dolphin joined in, and then both bands played the “Star Spangled Banner” while their big national banners were hoisted at the stern. As if by magic, the ships were suddenly decked with red, white, and blue bunting fore and aft.

It was a little while before Teddy and the government people appeared on the Kaiserlin gangplank, but I didn’t notice the time go by slowly at all. I was completely absorbed by the scarlet uniforms and shiny instruments of the marine band. Everything was a blaze of color. When Teddy and his group were ready to board a cutter to take them ashore, even the gangplank had a crimson carpet and spotless white manropes.

When Teddy started down that gangplank, the river yachts, ships and tugs gathered around and gave a volley of cheers that must have lasted five minutes. Then there was a final 21-gun salute from the Dolphin. I couldn’t tell if the pounding 1 heard was my heart beating with excitement, or my ears from all the noise.

Once he was on land, Teddy made a proper speech about how glad he was to be home, and how ready he was to put his shoulder to the wheel. I think many folks hoped that meant he would run for the presidency again. The country had missed this hero, and they wanted to have him back in public office, and as part of their lives.

When he saw Dad, Bud, and me, Teddy forgot about speech-making and motioned us toward him. I guess the high point of the whole trip was the smile he gave us at that moment. “You made a long ride to come see me,” he said to Bud and me. “Bless you.”

We told him

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