(a

XII
HOME LIFE IN THE WHITE HOUSE

(CONTINUED)

Men smile through falling tears, Remembering the courage of his years

That stood each one for God, humanity,

And covenanted world-wide Liberty !

-Edith Daley.

NE of the most extraordinary things about my brother

was that in the midst of his full political life, a life

"pressed down and overflowing," he still had time for the most loving interest in personal family matters. Just after the great moment of his inauguration, he sent me a number of photographs of my eldest son and his young wife, just married, who had gone around the world and were staying with General Wood in the Philippines, and adds in the letter: "It was such a pleasure to have Douglas and you down here for the inauguration, and to see the boys and Corinne." In June of that same year, when my two younger boys had each won a boat-race at St. Paul's School, he takes a moment from his pressing duties to write another letter: "Darling Corinne: Good for Monroe and Stewart ! Give them my hearty congratulations; I have only time for this line." Such unusual thoughtfulness could not fail to keep burning perpetually the steady fire of my love for him.

In July, 1905, he sent me one of the inauguration medals signed by Saint-Gaudens. In looking at the head upon that medal, one realized perfectly by the strong lines of temple and

236

Home Life in the White House 237

forehead that Theodore Roosevelt had come to the fulness of his intellectual powers.

About the same time there was a naval review at Oyster Bay, and Mrs. Roosevelt writes: "The review was a wonderful sight. I wish you could have been here. The morning was dark and stormy, with showers of driving rain, until Theodore's flag broke out from the Mayflower, when the clouds suddenly dispersed and the sun shone brightly." How often we used to feel that the sun always broke out when Theodore's flag flew !

One other little line from his pen, December i9, 1905, shows the same constant thoughtfulness. He says: "Will you send the enclosed note to Dora? I am not sure of her address. I hate to trouble you, but I want to have poor `Dolly' get it by Christmas Day." Dora was his old, childhood nurse, one to whom we were very much devoted, and whom he never forgot.

At the beginning of the new year, 1906, he writes to my husband: "Dear Douglas, By George ! Stewart is doing well. [I think this referred to the fact that my youngest boy had been chosen as goal-keeper of the St. Paul's School hockey team!] That is awfully nice. I was mighty glad Wadsworth was elected. I shall have difficulties this year, and I cannot expect to get along as well as I did last year, but I shall do the best I can." Never blinded by past popularity, always ready for the difficulties to come, and yet never dwelling so strongly on these difficulties that by the very dwelling on them even greater difficulties were brought to bear upon him. It was quite true that it proved in many ways, a more difficult year than the one preceding, but a happy year all the same, a happiness which culminated in his satisfaction in the marriage of his daughter Alice to Nicholas Longworth, of Cincinnati, Ohio, an able member of the House of Representatives. His announcement to me of the engagement was made at the dinner-table one evening before it was known to the world, and not wishing to have it disclosed to the world through the table-servants, he decided to give me the