The Eleanor Roosevelt Papers, Digital Edition > My Day
My Day by Eleanor Roosevelt

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REEDSVILLE, W. Va., Thursday—Rain again this morning. On our drive through the mountains it poured practically all the way. For me, the drive is an old story, but I was very sorry the people who had never been over this road before couldn't see some of the beautiful views. There is one place where you look through a notch in the mountains for miles. A marker placed there says: "From here you can see the spot where Nancy Hanks, Abraham Lincoln's mother, was born!"

No one could have seen it this morning. I thought my guests were very good sports, for we ate breakfast on the porch at the White House and it was cold and rainy there. Instead of announcing this was no day to go jaunting through the country, they all said they were prepared for any hardships.

We had a picnic lunch with us which we had expected to eat at some sunny spot along the road. Instead, when we reached Romney, West Virginia, I went into the New Century Hotel, where they serve very delicious meals, and begged to be allowed to bring my lunch in and sit down at a table and eat it with the rest of our party. They looked a little surprised at the request but they gave us a room to ourselves and made us feel very welcome. We were able to eat our chicken and our hard boiled eggs without any sense of offense against the proprieties.

One of our number, however, who we have decided represents conservatism, insisted upon eating with a knife and fork. Such things are really not permissible on a picnic. But we were not able to do anything with him, for he never was taught real picnic manners.

I was glad to have those who had not been over the road before, announce that they did not mind the mountain curves and that they were really enjoying the trip. They even went so far as to say the mist and fog on the hills was very beautiful. I knew it was all said to make me feel happier, but I appreciated it all the more.

Now we have reached Arthurdale and the rain has ceased temporarily. My friends are disentangling the bags and getting settled in the new inn. Mrs. Scheider and I have no time to look after bags, for as soon as this is written we must all be off on a trip to Scott's Run, so that those who have not been here may see at firsthand the homes from which the people who now live at Arthurdale came.

We have only had a chance for a hasty glimpse at the new inn. It really looks attractive and I am looking forward to the formal opening which is to be celebrated tonight. The furniture has all been made in the mountaineer craftsman's shop here on the project. Everything which could be bought or made by the craft shops has been used in furnishing it and this adds a rather individual note to the inn.

E.R.

(Copyright, 1938, by United Feature Syndicate, Inc.)


Names and Terms Mentioned or Referenced

Geographic
  • Reedsville (Preston County, W.Va., United States) [ index ]


About this document

My Day by Eleanor Roosevelt, May 27, 1938

Roosevelt, Eleanor, 1884-1962
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Digital edition created by The Eleanor Roosevelt Papers Project The George Washington University 312 Academic Building 2100 Foxhall Road, NW Washington, DC 20007

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Digital edition published 2008, 2017 by
The Eleanor Roosevelt Papers Project

Available under licence from the Estate of Anna Eleanor Roosevelt.

Published with permission from the Estate of Anna Eleanor Roosevelt.

MEP edition publlished on June 30, 2008.

TEI-P5 edition published on April 28, 2017.

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Transcription created from a photocopy of a UFS wire copy of a My Day column instance archived at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library.
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