Page:Despotism and democracy; a study in Washington society and politics (IA despotismdemocra00seawiala).pdf/94

 God's earth. The doctors have been frightening her about me lately. They tell her I work too hard for my time of life—that I ought to take a rest, and if I will do it I can add ten years to my life. Now, you know, the State organisation will never let me take a rest"—Senator Standiford said this quite seriously—"and Letty as good as told me six months ago that if I should be re-elected to the Senate"—the Senator uttered this "if" in a tone of the most modest deprecation—"if I should be re-elected for another term—as she wishes me to be—then she wants me to resign. I don't mind admitting that if any other human being had said this to me except my daughter Letty, I should have reckoned myself drunk or crazy to have listened to it. But my daughter, as I mentioned to you, is a remarkable girl. Besides, the child is not strong herself, and if she gets to worrying about me—well, you can see, Mr. Thorndyke, how it is with me. The world credits me with loving place and power above everything on earth, but there is something dearer to me than the office of President of the United States: it is my daughter. And the sweetness and the tenderness of that child for her old father"