To Franklin D. Roosevelt New York, August, [1920]

Dear old man,—­This is hard work—­to say that I can’t be with you on this great day in your life. [Footnote:  Notification ceremonies following Franklin D. Roosevelt’s nomination as Vice-president by the Democratic party.] You know that only the mandate of the medical autocrats would keep me away, not that I could do you any good by being there, but that you might know that many men like myself take pride in you, rejoice in your opportunity, and keep our faith in Democracy because out of it can come men of ideals like yourself.  I know/that you will not allow yourself to become cheap, undignified, or demagogical.  Remember, that East and West alike, we want gentlemen to represent us, and we ask no man to be a panderer or a hypocrite to get our votes.  Frankness, and largeness, and simplicity, and a fine fervor for the right, are virtues that some must preserve, and where can we look for them if not from the Roosevelts and the Delanos?

It is a great day for you and for all of us.  Be wise!  Don’t be brilliant.  Get plenty of sleep.  Do not give yourself to the handshakers.  For now your word carries far, and it must be a word worthy of all you stand for.  I honestly, earnestly ask God’s blessing on you.  As always,

FRANKLIN K. LANE

Our love to your dear Mother,—­proud happy Mother,—­and to Eleanor.

To Mrs. George Ehle

Katonah, September, 1920

To the Ehle,—­Now this is a pleasure to have a minute’s talk with you in the cool under an apple tree.  You are gay, with Grouitches, and other festive creatures, while I am glum, gloomy and lugubrious.  You know this is a novel experience for me to be in care of two nurses and a doctor, not to speak of a wife; but I am obedient, docile, humble, tractable, and otherwise dehumanized.  The plan here is to follow my boy’s statement of the modern prescription for women, “Catch ’em young; treat ’em rough; tell ’em nothing.”  Well, they don’t catch me young, but otherwise the prescription is filled.  They reduced me to weakness, dependence, and a sort of sour-mash, and now they say that on this foundation they will build me up.  Tho’ I am still to lose some weight, being only twenty-four pounds under my average for twenty years.  I will emerge from this spot, if I emerge at all, a regular Apollo, and will do Russian dances for you on that lovely lawn under the mulberry tree.  And what happy memories of that spot I do have, and they cluster about you, with your soft hand and your understanding eye and your sympathetic mouth.  You don’t mind my making love to you in this distant fashion do you?  Well, this is a charming jail, but jail it is after all, for I can’t flee, though all the leisure in the world were mine—­and it irks an American eagle or eaglet.