fed two with bread
this afternoon.

There! My invention has given out. Mother and Aunt Emily have been on a
picnic down the river with General Crozier; we have been sitting on the
portico in the moonlight. Sister is _very_ good.

Your loving father.

BILL THE LIZARD

White House, June 21, 1904.

BLESSED ARCHIKINS:

The other day when Mother and I were walking down the steps of the big
south porch we saw a movement among the honeysuckles and there was Bill
the lizard--your lizard that you brought home from Mount Vernon. We have
seen him several times since and he is evidently entirely at home
here. The White House seems big and empty without any of you children
puttering around it, and I think the ushers miss you very much. I play
tennis in the late afternoons unless I go to ride with Mother.

ON THE EVE OF ELECTION

White House, Oct. 15, 1904.

DARLING KERMIT:

The weather has been beautiful the last week--mild, and yet with the
true feeling of Fall in the air. When Mother and I have ridden up Rock
Creek through the country round about, it has been a perpetual delight
just to look at the foliage. I have never seen leaves turn more
beautifully. The Virginia creepers and some of the maple and gum trees
are scarlet and crimson. The oaks are deep red brown. The beeches,
birches and hickories are brilliant saffron. Just at this moment I am
dictating while on my way with Mother to the wedding of Senator Knox's
daughter, and the country is a blaze of color as we pass through it, so
that it is a joy to the eye to look upon it. I do not think I have ever
before seen the colorings of the woods so beautiful so far south as
this. Ted is hard at work with Matt. Hale, who is a very nice fellow
and has become quite one of the household, like good Mademoiselle. I am
really fond of her. She is so bright and amusing and now seems perfectly
happy, and is not only devoted to Archie and Quentin but is very wise
in the way she takes care of them. Quentin, under parental duress, rides
Algonquin every day. Archie has just bought himself a football suit, but
I have not noticed that he has played football as yet. He is spending
Saturday and Sunday out at Dr. Rixey's. Ted plays tennis with Matt. Hale
and me and Mr. Cooley. We tied Dan Moore. You could beat him. Yesterday
I took an afternoon off and we all went for a scramble and climb down
the other side of the Potomac from Chain Bridge home. It was great fun.
To-morrow (Su