Mr. Roosevelt was most amiable. He greeted people with a cordiality which bordered on épanchement—giving their hands a shaking the like of which they had never had before. Mr. Roosevelt remained by Mrs. Hill's side and smiled kindly at the guests as they poured in and out of the salon. That was about all the guests did—pour in and pour out. One could not expect even the most favored to exchange more than a few words with the great man.
Our conversations were in the style of the reception, short and quickly done with.
MRS. HILL: "This is Madame de Hegermann. She is American, from Cambridge, Massachusetts."
MR. ROOSEVELT: "Ah!... I am a Harvard man."
ME: "So am I! I mean I am a Harvard woman! I was born and brought up in Radcliffe College."
MR. R.: "Ah!" (Puzzled, trying to match the possible date of my birth with the birth of Radcliffe College.)
ME: "Radcliffe College was my grandparents' home."
MR. R.: "Oh, I see! Well, madame, I am delighted to shake hands with any one from Cambridge."
Johan's was like this:
MRS. HILL: "Monsieur de Hegermann was Danish Minister in Washington some years ago."