HYDE PARK—The children who are here with us are going to feel as much at home on a horse as they do in a rocking chair! Already the three-year-old sits up in front of one of the older ones and trots along as though she had been on horseback always. And, under the guidance of their older brother, the two older girls have learned to saddle and take care of their horses, though they do need a little help when it comes to cinching.

When I watch them swing up from the ground I marvel at the ease and confidence they show. Sometimes it looks as though they would hang in space before they get a leg across the saddle, for it is a long way for a little eight-year-old to reach up to the back of a big horse!

When I was that age I thought someone had to give me a lift by holding their hands for me to put my foot into. But these children don't wait for any aid, and they are off at a canter very often before they have their feet in the stirrups.

I drove down to lunch with Mr. and Mrs. Henry Morganthau Jr. on last Saturday noon. The clouds were wonderful in the sky and the sun was warm.

Then I was home in plenty of time for the Democratic Women's Tea Party that I had agreed to give to inaugurate in our Dutchess County Mrs. Katie Louchheim's money-raising plan. Our county committee decided to accept my offer of giving the first tea, but wanted to have the privilege of inviting two women from every township. So, about 42 women came and about 16 townships were represented.

This was a joint party, for which I provided only tea and coffee. The members of the committee brought cookies and sandwiches made of Boston brown bread and delicious nut bread.

When everyone had had their tea we gathered in my living room and discussed the educational part of the program. Mrs. Louchheim did not require as part of her plan that any education should be undertaken, but I decided it would be much more interesting to our women here if at this first meeting we discussed a few of the issues that must come up in the next campaign, regardless of who is nominated.

So, now the plan is to ask some of our college people to hold one or two weekly sessions on different subjects that are likely to be of special interest. Through this means the women who are willing to speak may have a good understanding and be able not only to make a speech, but to lead a discussion group if they prefer that to a speech.

This will mean that more women in our county will be able to talk with their neighbors intelligently about the issues in the campaign and will be able to read the speeches made by the various candidates with much more understanding than would otherwise be possible.

I paid a hurried visit to Wiltwyck School Sunday morning with some books I wanted to leave there, and then went to church.