Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 75.djvu/174

170 Trustees was then organized as a working body. Mrs. Stanford became its president, and this history passes over into the bright days of the dawn of the twentieth century.

Mrs. Stanford then left the university for a trip around the world by way of Australia and Ceylon. This was not that she wanted to see the world, or to be absent from her beloved Palo Alto, but that she wished to give to the Board of Trustees absolute freedom in taking up their great responsibilities. She wished them to handle the accumulated funds on their own initiative, without suggestion from herself.

The rest of the story can be told by others, for it is an open record. The whole may be summed up in these words of Mrs. Stanford in a letter written to me September 3, 1898:

That all this may seem more real, I venture to quote a few paragraphs from personal letters of Mrs. Stanford written in the dark days from 1893 to 1899.

On November 24, 1895, Mrs. Stanford wrote from the university: It has been my policy to say as little about my financial affairs to the outside world as possible, but I feel sure that I am doing myself and our blessed work injustice by allowing the impression among all classes to feel certain there is plenty of money, at my command, the future is assured, the battle fought and won. . . . I only ask righteous justice. I ask not for myself, but that I may be able to discharge my duty and loyalty to the one who trusted me, and loved me, and loves me still. I am so poor myself that I can not this year give to any charity; not even do 1 give this festive season to any of my family. I do not tell you this, kind friend, in a complaining way, for when one has pleasant surroundings, all we waift to eat and wear, added to this have those in their lives we can count on as friends, it would be sinful to complain. I repeat it only that you my friend may know, I ask only justice, to the dear ones gone from earth life and the living one left. I am willing you should speak plainly to any one who may question as to the university or myself. I have many devoted and true loyal friends in Washington, and I am sure did they know I was kept from my rights, they would speak their sentiments openly, and when it was known a public sentiment was in my favor and against their unfairness, it would cause a different course to be pursued toward me. 1 shall henceforth speak plainly, and I desire you to do so. You will meet our good President, Mr. Cleveland, my good and true friend Secretary Carlisle, Mr. John Foster and many others, and you. . . can do our blessed work good and God will bless, the act, and bring fruit to bear from the seeds sown. I have kept myself and my affairs in the background. It has been an inspiration from the source from which all good comes, from my Father God—I trust Him to lead me all along the rest of the journey of life. He has led me thus far through the deep waters, and joy will come, for He never deserts the widow, the childless, the orphan. I have His promise "blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted."

On the same day she said:

Everything is going on smoothly as far as I know at the university. The