The Triumphant Life of Theodore Roosevelt edited by J. Martin Miller

THE HOME OF THE PRESIDENT 69
Boston, Cleveland, Chicago, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Louisville,
or Atlanta.
On the extreme left of the reception room, on entering the
White House office, is the door leading through to the Presi-
dent's reception room on the right, and the cabinet room
straight ahead, through the little ante-room, where Captain
Loeftier, with an assistant, is stationed. The assistant stands
at the door, between the public reception room and the little
ante-room, where Captain Loeffler sits. It is necessary for
this doorkeeper to be a very diplomatic man, for he is accosted
by all the different types of humanity imaginable. Two uni-
formed doorkeepers stand at the outer door, and from one to
three secret service men are stationed in the public reception
room to scrutinize all strangers. These men are so trained
and experienced that they can usually tell at a glance when a
caller is a crank or a person inclined to make trouble in case
they should get at the President.
VISIT FROM CARRIE NATION
When Carrie Nation came to Washington in the winter of
1904, the secret service men and the doorkeepers knew her very
well, but had no idea she would create a disgraceful disturb-
ance. It will be remembered that she got into Secretary
Loeb's room. She insisted that the Secretary tell her whether
or not the President smoked cigarettes and drank while on
his trip to the West two years before. She said she heard that
he had, and she came here to find out, and demanded to know.
She became hysterical, and the Secretary was obliged to ask
the secret service men to show her the way out. It will be
remembered that during that afternoon she visited the gallery
of.the United States Senate, and created a scene by screaming
out in an excited manner, in her efforts to make a speech, and