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Alice was something of a rapscallion


Mr. Silly

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Alice was known as a rule-breaker in an era when women were under great pressure to conform. The American public noticed many of her exploits. She smoked cigarettes in public, rode in cars with men, stayed out late partying, kept a pet snake named Emily Spinach (Emily as in her spinster aunt and Spinach for its green color) in the White House, and was seen placing bets with a bookie.

 

Alice_Roosevelt_LOC_USZ_62_13520.jpg

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In 1905, Alice, along with her father's Secretary of War, William Howard Taft, led the American delegation to Japan, Hawaii, China, The Philippine, and Korea. It was the largest such diplomatic mission thus far ( . . . ) 

 

During the cruise to Japan, Alice jumped into the ship's pool fully clothed, and coaxed a congressman to join her in the water. (Years later Bobby Kennedy would chide her about the incident, saying it was outrageous for the time, to which the by-then-octogenarian Alice replied that it would only have been outrageous had she removed her clothes.  In her autobiography, 'Crowded Hours', Alice made note of the event, pointing out that there was little difference between the linen skirt and blouse she had been wearing and a lady's swimsuit of the period.) The press dubbed her part in this government-sponsored trip to Asia "Alice in Plunder Land".

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DYK

1. Alice did a jig when McKinley was assassinated.
2. She made an appearance on the 3rd season of Bewitched playing Endora's mother.

 

I knew she was happy about McKinley's death.  I didn't know about the dancing.  I didn't know about her appearance on Bewitched either.

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I knew she was happy about McKinley's death. I didn't know about the dancing. I didn't know about her appearance on Bewitched either.

She also treated the Whitehouse as still her own after Teddy left. Mrs. Coolidge eventually had the locks changed and Jackie K had an alarm installed she named Alice.

She owned a summer home in Greenville on Crescent Avenue close to the Belmont house.
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