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the boys as for the girls； that what was wrong in a woman could not be right in a man。 With great love and patience and the most understanding sympathy and consideration he combined insistence on discipline。 He never physically punished me but once； but he was the only man of whom I was ever really afraid。' *
*Autobiography； 16。
Thus the President； writing nearly forty years after his father's death。 His mother was Martha Bulloch； a member of an old Southern family； one of her ancestors having been the first Governor of Georgia。 During the Civil War； while Mr。 Roosevelt was busy raising regiments； supporting the Sanitary Commission； and doing whatever a non…combatant patriot could do to uphold the Union； Mrs。 Roosevelt's heart allegiance went with the South； and to the end of her life she was never 〃reconstructed。〃 But this conflict of loyalties caused no discord in the Roosevelt family circle。 Her two brothers served in the Confederate Navy。 One of them； James Bulloch； 〃a veritable Colonel Newcome；〃 was an admiral and directed the construction of the privateer Alabama。 The other； Irvine； a midshipman on that vessel； fired the last gun in its fight with the Kearsarge before the Alabama sank。 After the war both of them lived in Liverpool and 〃Uncle Jimmy〃 became a rabid Tory。 He 〃was one of the best men I have ever known；〃 writes his nephew Theodore； 〃and when I have sometimes been tempted to wonder how good people can believe of me the unjust and impossible things they do believe； I have consoled myself by thinking of Uncle Jimmy Bulloch's perfectly sincere conviction that Gladstone was a man of quite exceptional and nameless infamy in both public and private life。〃
Theodore Roosevelt grew up to be not only a stanch but an uncompromising believer in the Union Cause； but the fact that his parents came from the North and from the South； and that； from his earliest memory； the Southern kindred were held in affection in his home； must have helped him towards that non…sectional； all…American point of view which was the cornerstone of his patriotic creed。
The Roosevelt house was situated at No。 28 East Twentieth Street； New York City； and there Theodore was born on October 27； 1858。 He passed his boyhood amid the most wholesome family life。 Besides his brother Elliott and two sisters； as his Uncle Robert lived next door； there were cousins to play with and a numerous kindred to form the background of his young life。 He was； fortunately； not precocious； for the infant prodigies of seven； who become the amazing omniscients of twenty…three； are seldom heard of at thirty。 He learned very early to read； and his sisters remember that when he was still in starched white petticoats； with a curl carefully poised on top of his head； he went about the house lugging a thick； heavy volume of Livingstone's 〃Travels〃 and asking some one to tell him about the 〃foraging ants〃 described by the explorer。 At last his older sister found the passage in which the little boy had mistaken 〃foregoing〃 for 〃foraging。〃 No wonder that in his mature years he became an advocate of reformed spelling。 His sense of humor； which flashed like a mountain brook through all his later intercourse and made it delightful； seems to have begun with his infancy。 He used to say his prayers at his mother's knee； and one evening when he was out of sorts with her； he prayed the Lord to bless the Union Cause； knowing her Southern preferences he took this humorous sort of vengeance on her。 She； too； had humor and was much amused； but she warned him that if he repeated such impropriety at that solemn moment； she should tell his father。
Theodore and the other children had a great fondness for pets； and their aunt； Mrs。 Robert； possessed several of unusual kindspheasants and peacocks which strutted about the back yard and a monkey which lived on the back piazza。 They were afraid of him； although they doubtless watched his antics with a fearful joy。 From the accounts which survive； life in the nursery of the young Roosevelts must have been a perpetual play…time； but through it all ran the invisible formative influence of their parents； who had the art of shaping the minds and characters of the little people without seeming to teach。
Almost from infancy Theodore suffered from asthma； which made him physically puny； and often prevented him from lying down when he went to bed。 But his spirit did not droop。 His mental activity never wearied and he poured out endless stories to the delight of his brother and sisters。 〃My earliest impressions of my brother Theodore；〃 writes his sister； Mrs。 Robinson； 〃are of a rather small； patient； suffering little child； who； in spite of his suffering； was the acknowledged head of the nursery 。。。。 These stories；〃 she adds； 〃almost always related to strange and marvelous animal adventures； in which the animals were personalities quite as vivid as Kipling gave to the world a generation later in his 'Jungle Books。'〃
Owing to his delicate health Theodore did not attend school； except for a little while； when he went to Professor MacMullen's Academy on Twentieth Street。 He was taught at home and he probably got more from his reading than from his teachers。 By the time he was ten； the passion for omnivorous reading which frequently distinguishes boys who are physically handicapped； began in him。 He devoured Our Young Folks； that excellent periodical on which many of the boys and girls who were his contemporaries fed。 He loved tales of travel and adventure； he loved Cooper's stories； and especially books on natural history。
In summer the children spent the long days out of doors at some country place； and there； in addition to the pleasure of being continuously with nature； they had the sports and games adapted to their age。 Theodore was already making collections of stones and other specimens after the haphazard fashion of boys。 The young naturalist sometimes met with unexpected difficulties。 Once； for instance； he found a litter of young white mice； which he put in the ice…chest for safety。 His mother came upon them； and； in the interest Of good housekeeping； she threw them away。 When Theodore discovered it he flew into a tantrum and protested that what hurt him most was 〃the loss to Science！ the loss to Science！〃 On another occasion Science suffered a loss of unknown extent owing to his obligation to manners。 He and his cousin had filled their pockets and whatever bags they had with specimens。 Then they came upon two toads； of a strange and new variety。 Having no more room left； each boy put one of them on top of his head and clapped down his hat。 All went well till they met Mrs。 Hamilton Fish； a great lady to whom they had to take off their hats。 Down jumped the toads and hopped away； and Science was never able to add the Bufo Rooseveltianus to its list of Hudson Valley reptiles。
In 1869 Mr。 Roosevelt took his family to Europe for a year。 The children did not care to go； and from the start Theodore was homesick and little interested。 Of course； picture galleries meant nothing to a boy of ten； with a naturalist's appetite； and he could not know enough about history to be impressed by historic places and monuments。 He kept a diary from w