HYDE PARK, Wednesday—We reached home for an eight-thirty supper last night and orig went early to bed, but I succumbed to my usual weakness for reading in bed, thinking I was going to stop in half an hour. "Gone With the Wind" is not a book which you lay down easily! It was twelve o'clock before my light went out. However, we are keeping working men's hours at the present time so seven-thirty this morning saw us at breakfast and by eight I was riding over to see how the new road was progressing. They hope to have this road clear enough and sufficiently built up so that my husband can get through in his little car to a point from which they must settle the direction to be followed for the last climb up a rather steep hill.

Just as I reached the opening I saw some one wildly gesticulating and luckily there are so many stones through these woods, I could not find a place to start my horse up the hill for I couldn't hear what the wildly waving figure was saying. Suddenly there was a report like a gun and I realized that they were blasting out stumps. The horses behaved like lambs, but Jill who was once trained as a hunting dog, thought she must make for the scene of action at once and disappeared in the direction of the explosion. I soon found a way up, but to finish the ascent had to dismount and leave my horse behind.

An amusing letter came today from Tennessee, which I can not answer because the lady does not give her last name or her address, beyond the name of the city which is a fairly good sized one. But she sent me a clipping which she hopes "Will start my day off with a smile." and when I tell you the story I think you will agree that it is worth smiling over. A life-long Democrat was asked by Chairman John Hamilton for a subscription and responds as follows: "I have always been a Democrat, I would follow Roosevelt to Hell and back. I am a Democratic Justice of the Peace, have been for twenty-four years and was just reelected for six more years. My father was also a J.P. for thirty-six years." Perhaps my correspondent would smile too if she knew that not long ago I received an urgent invitation from our Republican Congressman, Mr. Hamilton Fish, to do all I possibly could for his reelection!

Our two small grandchildren came home today and the dogs greeted them with joy. As soon as their naps were over, they demanded a ride. Both, however, asking me if their respective horses were behaving well!