adventures and letters-第72节

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delay　was　the　work　of　others；　that；　all　I　wanted　was　my　Bessie　and　my　Hope。

How　heavy　she　will　be；　if　she　is　anything　like　the　picture　of　her　on　the　coverlet；　she　is　a　prize　baby。　　And　if　she　is　anything　like　as　beautiful　as　in　the　baby　carriage　she　is　an　angel　straight　from　God。　　I　want　to　sit　in　the　green　chair　and　have　you　on　one　knee　and　her　majesty　on　the　other；　and　have　her　climb　over　me；　and　pull　my　hair　and　bang　my　nose；　and　in　time　to　know　how　I　love　you　both。

Goodnight；　dear　heart；　I　wish　you　had　had　yourself　in　the　picture。　　I　have　three　in　the　summer　time　with　you　holding　her　and　that　is　the　way　I　like　to　see　you；　that　is　the　way　I　think　of　you。　　I　love　you；　and　I　love　her　for　making　you　so　happy；　and　I　love　her　for　her　sake；　and　because　she　is　OURS：　and　has　tied　us　tighter　and　closer　even　than　it　has　ever　been。　　I　love　you　so　that　I　can't　write　about　it；　and　I　am　going　to　do　nothing　all　spring　but　just　sit　around；　and　be　in　everybody's　way；　watching　you　together。

How　jealous　I　am　of　you；　and　homesick　for　you。　　Of　course；　she　knows　〃mamma〃　is　YOU；　and　to　look　at　you　when　they　ask；　〃Where's　mother？〃　　Who　else　could　be　her　mother　BUT　THE　DEAREST　WOMAN　IN　THE　WORLD；　and　the　one　who　loves　her　so；　and　in　so　wonderful　a　way。　　She　is　beautiful　beyond　all　things　human　I　know。　　If　ever　a　woman　deserved　a　beautiful　daughter；　YOU　DO；　for　you　are　the　best　of　mothers；　and　you　know　how　〃to　care　greatly。〃

Good…night；　my　precious；　dear　one；　and　God　keep　you；　as　He　will；　and　help　me　to　keep　you　both　happy。　　What　you　give　me　you　never　will　know。

RICHARD。



CHAPTER　XX　THE　LAST　DAYS

After　a　short　visit　to　London；　Richard　returned　to　New　York　in　February；　1916。　　During　his　absence　his　wife　and　Hope　had　occupied　the　Scribner　cottage　at　Mount　Kisco；　about　two　miles　from　Crossroads。　　Here　my　brother　finished　his　second　book　on　the　war；　and　wrote　numerous　articles　and　letters　urging　the　immediate　necessity　for　preparedness　in　this　country。　　As　to　Richard's　usefulness　to　his　country　at　this　time；　I　quote　in　part　from　two　appreciations　written　after　my　brother's　death　by　the　two　most　prominent　exponents　of　preparedness。

Theodore　Roosevelt　said：

〃He　was　as　good　an　American　as　ever　lived；　and　his　heart　flamed　against　cruelty　and　injustice。　　His　writings　form　a　text…book　of　Americanism　which　all　our　people　would　do　well　to　read　at　the　present　time。〃

Major…General　Leonard　Wood　said：

〃The　death　of　Richard　Harding　Davis　was　a　real　loss　to　the　movement　for　preparedness。　　Mr。　Davis　had　an　extensive　experience　as　a　military　observer；　and　thoroughly　appreciated　the　need　of　a　general　training　system　like　that　of　Australia　or　Switzerland　and　of　thorough　organization　of　our　industrial　resources　in；　order　to　establish　a　condition　of　reasonable　preparedness　in　this　country。　　A　few　days　before　his　death　he　came　to　Governors　Island　for　the　purpose　of　ascertaining　in　what　line　of　work　he　could　be　most　useful　in　building　up　　sound　public　opinion　in　favor　of　such　preparedness　as　would　give　us　a　real　peace　insurance。　　His　mind　was　bent　on　devoting　his　energies　and　abilities　to　the　work　of　public　education　on　this　vitally　important　subject；　and　few　men　were　better　qualified　to　do　so；　for　he　had　served　as　a　military　observer　in　many　campaigns。

〃Throughout　the　Cuban　campaign　he　was　attached　to　the　headquarters　of　my　regiment　in　Cuba　as　a　military　observer。　　He　was　with　the　advanced　party　at　the　opening　of　the　fight　at　Las　Guasiinas；　and　was　distinguished　throughout　the　fight　by　coolness　and　good　conduct。　　He　also　participated　in　the　battle　of　San　Juan　and　the　siege　of　Santiago；　and　as　an　observer　was　always　where　duty　called　him。　　He　was　a　delightful　companion；　cheerful；　resourceful；　and　thoughtful　of　the　interests　and　wishes　of　others。　　His　reports　of　the　game　were　valuable　and　among　the　best　and　most　accurate。

〃The　Plattsburg　movement　took　a　very　strong　hold　of　him。　　He　saw　in　this　a　great　instrument　for　building　up　a　sound　knowledge　concerning　our　military　history　and　policy；　also　a　very　practical　way　of　training　men　for　the　duties　of　junior　officers。　　He　realized　fully　that　we　should　need　in　case　of　war　tens　of　thousands　of　officers　with　our　newly　raised　troops；　and　that　it　would　be　utterly　impossible　to　prepare　them　in　the　hurry　and　confusion　of　the　onrush　of　modern　war。　　His　heart　was　filled　with　a　desire　to　serve　his　country　to　the　best　of　his　ability。　　His　recent　experience　in　Europe　pointed　out　to　him　the　absolute　madness　of　longer　disregarding　the　need　of　doing　those　things　which　reasonable　preparedness　dictates；　the　things　which　cannot　be　accomplished　after　trouble　is　upon　us。　　He　had　in　mind　at　the　time　of　his　death　a　series　of　articles　to　be　written　especially　to　build　up　interest　in　universal　military　training　through　conveying　to　our　people　an　understanding　of　what　organization　as　it　exists　to…day　means；　and　how　vitally　important　it　is　for　our　people　to　do　in　time　of　peace　those　things　which　modern　war　does　not　permit　done　once　it　is　under　way。

〃Davis　was　a　loyal　friend；　a　thoroughgoing　American　devoted　to　the　best　interests　of　his　country；　courageous；　sympathetic；　and　true。　　His　loss　has　been　a　very　real　one　to　all　of　us　who　knew　and　appreciated　him；　and　in　his　death　the　cause　of　preparedness　has　lost　an　able　worker　and　the　country　a　devoted　and　loyal　citizen。〃

Although　suffering　from　his　strenuous　experiences　in　France；　and　more　particularly　from　those　in　Greece；　Richard　continued　to　accomplish　his　usual　enormous　amount　of　work；　and　during　these　weeks　wrote　his　last　short　story；　〃The　Deserter。〃

The　following　letter　was　written　to　me　while　I　was　in　the　Bahamas　and　was　in　reference　to　a　novel　which　I　had　dedicated　to　Hope：


MOUNT　KISCOFebruary　28；　1916。　DEAR　OLD　MAN：

No　word　yet　of　the　book；　except　the　advts。　　I　enclose。　　I　will　send　you　the　notices　as　soon　as　they　begin　to　appear。　　I　am　so　happy　over　the　dedication；　and；　very　proud。　　So；　Hope　will　be　when　she　knows。　　As　I　have　not　read　the　novel　it　all　will　come　as　a　splendid　and　pleasant　surprise。　　I　am　looking　forward　to　sitting　down　to　it　with　all　the　pleasure　in　the　world。

You　chose　the　right　moment　to　elope。　　Never　was　weather　so　cold；　cruel　and　bitter。　　Hope　is　the　only　one　who　goes　out　of　doors。

I　start　the　fires　in　the　Big　House　tomorrow　and　the　plumbers　and　paper　hangers；　painters　enter　the　day　after。

The　attack　on　Verdun　makes　me　sick。　　I　was　there　six　weeks　ago　in　one　of　the　forts　but　of　course　could　not　then　nor　can　I　now　write　of　it。　　I　don't　believe　the　drive　ever　can　get　through。　　For　two　reasons；　and　the　unmilitary　one　is　that　I　believe　in　a　just　God。　　Give　my　love　to　Dai；　and　for　you　always

DICK。

P。　S。　I　am　happy　you　are　both　so　happy；　but　those　post　cards　with　the　palms　were　cruelty　to　animals。


On　the　21st　of　March；　1916；　Richard　and　his　wife　and　daughter　moved　from　the　Scribner　cottage　to　Crossroads；　and　a　few　days　later　he　was　attacked　by　the　illness　that　ended　in　his　death　on　April　11。　　He　had　dined　with　his　wife　and　afterward　had　worked　on　an　article　on　preparedness；　written　some　letters　and　telegrams　concerning　the　same　subject　and；　while　repeating　one　of　the　latter　over　the　telephone；　was　stricken。　　Within　a　week　of　his　fifty…third　year；　just　one　year　from　the　day　he　had　first　brought　his　baby　daughter　to　her　real　home；　doing　the　best　and　finest　work　of　his　career　in　the　cause　of　the　Allies　and　preparedness；　quite　unconscious　that　the　end　was　near；　he　left　us。　　In　those　fifty…two　years　he　had　crowded　the　work；　the　pleasures；　the　kind；　chivalrous　deeds　of　many　men；　and　he　died　just　as　I　am　sure　he　would　have　wished　to　die；　working　into　the　night　for　a　great　cause；　and　although　ill　and　tired；　still　fretful　for　the　morning　that　he　might　again　take　up　the　fight。




End