Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1908-07-22
A DAY WITH TAFT.
At WORK AND PLAY AT HOT
SPRINGS RETREAT.
,,nr LIGHTS ON CHARACTER OF THE
REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE FOR
PRESIDENT.

Rest. exercise and politics is the pro-
.v-om william II. Taft has laid down for
himself during the months OF July and
.noust. There will be single Interrupt
,ion-tbat Of his trip to Cincinnati on
yplv %, when he will receive the formal
notice of his nomination and make the
sreech of acceptance. Then he will re-
turn to Hot Springs, Va, to take up golf
and horseback rides, seeing the politicians
~ the party between times, and leaving
early in September for Cincinnati to take
mn the real work OF the campaign.
There is a simple and friendly ease in
the manner in which Mr.. and Mrs. Taft
have dropped into the life Of this little
yillage. He takes himself and his popu-
,arity in such an easy way that 1t was
scarcely twelve hours after his arrival
when the ripple which he created had
faded out and he was familiar figure, OBJ
served ike any other guest OF this resorts
There is much work to be done here be-
fore the campaign is started, and Mr.. Taft
will find his private secretary hard mas
ter il he tries TO play golf or ride horse
back too much. The lstter of acceptance
isl matter OF very great Importance in its
effect upon the campaign, and must be
framed with care and judgment. Some
speeches for the campaign must be laid
out and the candidate must become per-
tectly familiar with the arguments which
are possible on the part of the opposition
in order to oppose them in convincing
logic.
THE OFFICE FORCE
Two stenographers and q messenger
make up the Office force which Mr.. Taft
brought with him. They are established
in three rooms just above the apartments
occupied by the family. Two of these are
working rooms, one serving as reception
or waiting room. The third is Mr.. Tsft's
workroom and Office.
The apartments in which Mr.. and Mrs.
Taft are living are those which were
occupied by President Mckinley during
short stay At Hot Springs during his
occupancy OF the White House. They are
at the extreme west end OF the hotel and
open upon private porch from which the
greensward slopes gracefully down to the
bath house. There are five rooms, three of
which are sleeping rooms.
Like her husband, Mrs. Taft is living
very quietly and resting. She is little
seen about the hotel, and spends most OF
the time in her apartments or with Mr..
Taft and Charlie in their sports, OF which
both are very fond. Mrs. Taft delights
in reading, and finds in books a way of
spending her time " hich combines rest
and enjoyment most satisfactorily. She
dresses rather quietly and thus far has
not joined in the bridge parties which are,
to the ladies, an important pert Of the
social side OF the life here.
On Sundays Mr.. and Mrs. Taft attend
church in little Episcopal chapel short
distances from the hotel, where they
occupy the pew midway in the aisle. Mrs.
Taft, who has fine voice, of which her
husband is very proud, joins in the sing
ing. Although the family is divided in
its religious preference, like that OF Presi-
dent Roosevelt, here at Hot Springs Mr..
Taft allows Mrs. Taft to choose, and
accompanies her to the Episcopal church.
He Is Unitarian, and has pew at All
Souls in Washington. Mrs. Taft is an
attendant at st. Johns.
CHARLEY ENJOYS HIMSELF.
Mr.. and Mrs. Taft do not believe in
making growing boys sit quiet during
sermon on a hot Sunday, with the birds
and trees calling him outside, so Charley
is left at home. Charley is fully capable
of amusing himself, and his father and
mother do not worry il he is not seen from
breakfast until hunger again brings him
back. Very fond of books and OF being
out OF doors, he is never 1t a loss for some
thing to do. Croquet, tennis, his pony
and the swimming pool furnish him with
constant round Of boyish pleasures.
Charley misses the Congressional library,
where he used to get books by the armful,
but is finding new things to do which
compensate. He is real boy, full Of life
and spirits and frankly honest in his
expressions.
'sCome on, boys" he shouted on the
train IN route to Hot Springs, as it'sloweG
down at station; ''guess Pop is going to
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