The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-08-08
Should keep part of her life quite

Should keep part of her life quite
And then came the story of how
Governor Wilsop-this was shortly be-
fore presidential days-had returned
absent. IT had told him I was going to
attend a certain committee meeting"
n sald, but he had forgotten. He
came into the Little White House at
Sea Grit, saying, where is mother? p
When he found [ was not there he felt
quite lost, he told me-"
There was regret and pride in the
voice Of the first lady of the land as
she told that story. It's human note is
almost too much for us now, for a pres
ident is bereft Of his helper, a worker
of a comrade, a husband OF his wife,
and a harassed wear man OF her
No more fitting epitaph than these
two words can be found.
There is a picture, too, of a young
mother with three little girls that the
daughters of the White House must re-
call vividly today, with a pride and
a pain no word can tell. 1t is mother"
who taught them for years, who told
them stories, who sang n read them
to sleep. who even made their little
frocks, and from whom no word that
was not courteous and kind was ever
heard, while laughter rang out every
moment, spontaneous and free as their
own. The echo of the laughter still
never forced.
To be the wife Of a college professor,
the Wife of the head Of Princeton uni
versity, the wife of Governor Wilson
and the presidents wife, and never to
fall down through those t~wenty-nine
years from the pedestal on which her
actions had set her, took no un-
common talents of mind and heart. In
addition to that to be the mother of
three daughters as different in tenn
permanent as If they had been no rela-
tion-the very modern daughters OF an
old-fashtoned woman-took patience
and courage and broad mindedness of
an unusua degree. But all these things
the daughter of old DR.. Arson, a Pres
oyterian minister. accomplished with
out apparent effort.
Her brown eyes were clear to che
last. her brown hair waved as daintily
about her wild rose cheeks, her voice
was as gentle as If the strain of her
lie had passed her by on the other
side. Death had no creases to smooth
away from her brow, and it In sleep
Ing we leave her, for one so joyously
aItve, SO nobly good, is never dead.
Just before the presidential election.
a newspaper went to the home
at Sea Grit to interview the wife of
the future president. The house and
the lawn before the house were full Of
Wilson or his wife.
After a little talk with Mrs. Wilson.
the governor could stand the Interrupt
ton no longer. CourteouslyS but with
determination, he entered the room
where the two women sat.
We are going for a little drive"
SAID he, and If We are to escape the
crowd out there, we must go now. viii
you please give me back my wife?"
will you please give me back nv
wife?" The phrase is poignant at this
crisis. Our president stands alone, fac
ing the agony OF loss. He is in dark
ness, he cannot see the light. But there
is a light, and 1t was kindled by his
wife. When the eyes of the lonely
husband can bear 1t he will look nm.
see that home-fire and warm his hands
at the blaze. In memory he will give
thanks for his rest."-Louise Ayson
Wilson. ~