Col. Theodore Roosevelt

(Now governor of New York, who refused to be kissed by a hero-worshiping maiden in Washington, Feb.23)

There are warriors old, and warriors bold,

And warriors big and little;

There are warriors weak, and warriors meek,

And warriors crisp and brittle.

There are warriors grand, who thrilleth the land,

By doing great deeds in battle;

There are warriors brave on land and on wave,

Who smile at the death-dealing rattle.

There are warriors, too, when war is all through,

     Kiss maidens with heads unsteady;

But greater than this is one who won’t kiss,

     And such is the great Col. Teddy.

Then here’s to the man who leadeth the van,

     Who forgets not a true soldier’s duty;

For bravest of all is the warrior tall

     Who flies from the lips of a beauty.

Feb. 26, ‘99

Joker for April, ‘99