NEW YORK, Tuesday—Yesterday I had my first view of a winter landscape and I am still enraptured by the beauty of the snow at sunrise and sunset. There was a heavy crust on the snow and, if I had been able to stay any longer in the country, I would have enjoyed coasting with the children of the neighborhood. But there were so many things to be done indoors and near the house that I only took a walk into the woods.

I simply had to get into the evergreen plantations and see them with their branches covered with snow. I found two automobiles stalled on one of the wood roads and marvelled at how they ever expected to get through. The man, however, told me proudly that he had been through with a truck earlier in the day and so thought he could easily go through with his smaller car. It was a complete surprise apparently, to find himself stalled in the snow. His son was in the second car and they finally got the cars moving along the narrow beaten path. I hope they got through to the main road.

I drove down to New York City this morning. From Peekskill on, the roads were almost completely clear of ice and snow and I was able to make very good time.

I have just parted with a wisdom tooth and feel exactly as though these unwanted teeth were behaving like the little Indians who disappeared one after another in the song we used to sing. I have only two left now and suppose that someday they will have to go also. My dentist is a nice calm gentleman and sent me away with only two instructions: "Don't put hot water on your face, and take aspirin if you have any pain."

Both these things seem fairly simple to obey. At the present moment the only thing that bothers me is the fact that the novocaine has paralyzed one side of my face more or less completely, but I expect that will wear off in an hour or so.

I listened to the President's message to Congress over the radio yesterday, and was glad to have an opportunity to hear it in the way that so many of my fellow citizens heard it. If only we could all keep calm and disinterested, how much easier it would be to accomplish the objectives we all have in view!

I finished reading a book last night, sent me for review by the Junior Literary Guild. It is called, "The Widow O'Callaghan's Boys." Of course, I have no idea whether it will be accepted or not. The story is meant for children, but I doubt if any older person could put it down without keenly enjoying the humor and philosophy of the widow. I wish there were more mothers like her.