and a gracious mistress of the White House.
Five children have come to bless their union, of which more will be said
later. Mrs. Roosevelt at once took Mr. Roosevelt's daughter Alice to her
heart, and from that time to this the two have been as mother and
daughter.

Theodore Roosevelt had already produced his "Naval War of 1812" and his
"Hunting Trips of a Ranchman," both spoken of in previous pages. A
short while after he was married the second time he brought out a "Life
of Thomas Benton," and a year later a "Life of Gouverneur Morris." In
addition to this he wrote a number of articles for the magazines, and
also some short stories for young folks. All were well received and
added not a little to his literary reputation.

But the desire to be out in the open, to roam the prairie and to hunt,
was in his veins, and again and again he visited his ranches in the Bad
Lands, and took hunting trips in other directions. Sometimes he cared
little or nothing for the game brought down, and at others he went on
the hunt with great deliberation, for "something worth while," as he
expressed it.

How careful he could be on the latter occasions is shown by his printed
views on hunting, in which he discusses the best rifles, shot-guns, and
pistols to use, the best knives to carry, how to dress with comfort, and
how to follow up game, on horseback and on foot, in the open and when in
the woods or in the short brush. He has also told us much about the
habits of the beasts and birds that he has hunted, showing that he
followed the sport intelligently and not in the haphazard fashion of
many who go out merely to get a big bagful of game.

[Illustration: Edith Kermit Roosevelt]

Hunting was not all fun in those days. We have already related how
Theodore Roosevelt was caught in a heavy hailstorm. At another time he
and his companions were caught in a three-days' rain-storm, during which
the wind blew a hurricane. They were miles away from the ranch home, and
it was utterly impossible to move in any direction.

"Reckon we are booked to stay here," said one of the cowboys, a fellow
from the South. "It's a right smart storm, and it's going to stay by
us." And stay by them it did, until the party were almost out of
provisions. They got what shelter they could in something of a hollow
overhung with trees and brush, but this was not very satisfactory, and
all were soaked to the skin, and the blankets in which they rolled
themselves at nigh