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so sad。 I love you so； and I will miss you so。 I want you to keep saying to yourself all the time； 〃This is the most serious effort he ever made； because the chances of seeing anything are so SMALL； and because never had he such a chance to HELP。 But； all the time； every minute he thinks of me。 He wants me。 He misses my voice； my eyes； my presence at his side when he walks or sleeps。 He never loved me so greatly； or at leaving me was so unhappy as he is now。〃
Goodby； dear heart。 My God…given one！ Would it not be wonderful； if tonight when I am up among the boats on the top deck that girl in the Pierrot suit； and in her arms Hope； came； and I took them and held them both？ You will walk with her at five； and I will walk and think of you and love you and long for you。
God keep you； dearest of wives； and mothers。
RICHARD。
October 24。 MY DEAR DAUGHTER：
So many weeks have passed since I saw you that by now you are able to read this without your mother looking over your shoulder and helping you with the big words。 I have six sets of pictures of you。 Every day I take them down and change them。 Those your dear mother put in glass frames I do not change。 Also； I have all the sweet fruits and chocolates and red bananas。 How good of you to think of just the things your father likes。 Some of them I gave to a little boy and girl。 I play with them because soon my daughter will be as big。 They have no mother like you； OF COURSE； they have no mother like YOURSfor except my mother there never was a mother like yours； so loving； so tender； so unselfish and thoughtful。 If she is reading this； kiss her for me。 These little children have a little father。 He dresses them and bathes them himself。 He is afraid of the cold； and sits in the sun； and coughs and shivers。 His children and I play hide…and…seek； and； as you will know some day； for that game there is no such place as a steamer； with boats and ventilators and masts and alleyways。 Some day we will play that game hiding behind the rocks and trees and rose bushes。 Every day I watch the sun set； and know that you and your pretty mother are watching it； too。 And all day I think of you both。
Be very good。 Do not bump yourself。 Do not eat matches。 Do not play with scissors or cats。 Do not forget your dad。 Sleep when your mother wishes it。 Love us both。 Try to know how we love you。 THAT you will never learn。 Good…night and God keep you； and bless you。
YOUR DAD。
PARIS； November 1。 DEAREST ONE：
Today is 〃moving〃 day； and I feel like censored word； at the thought of your having the moving to direct and manage by yourself。 I can picture Barney and Burke loading； and unloading； and coal and wood being stored； and provisions and ice； and finally Hope brought down to take her thirdnofourth motor ride。 And God will see she makes it all safely； and that in her new house you are comfortable。
Last night I dreamed about Hope and you； a long dream； and it made me so happy。 Something happened today that you will like to hear。 When the war came the French students at the Beaux Arts had to go to fight。 The wives and children had nothing to live on。 So； the American students； about a dozen of them； organized a relief league。 The Beaux Arts is in a most wonderful palace built by Cardinal Richelieu and decorated later by Napoleon。 In this they were gathering socks； asphyxiating masks； warm clothes。 They were hand painting postcards for fifty cents apiece。 The 〃masters〃 as they call their teachers； also were painting them。 I gave them some money which was received politely； but； as it would not go far； without much enthusiasm。 As I was going； I said； 〃I'll be back tomorrow to get some facts and I'll write a story about what you're doing。〃 This is the part that is embarrassing to write； but you will understand。 They gave a cheer and a yell just as though I had said； 〃Peace is declared〃 or 〃I will give you Carnegie's fortune。〃 And they danced around； and shook hands； and Whitney Warren； who is at the head of it； all but cried。 Later； he told me the letter I had written for his wife's fund for orphans by the war had brought in 5000； that was why they were so pleased。 So we； you and I； will try to look at it that way； and try to believe that from this separation； which is cruel for us； others may get some benefit。 Tomorrow； I am to be received at the Elysee by the President； and I am going to try to make him say something that will draw money from America for the French hospitals。 If he will only ask； I know our people will give。 In a day or two； I think I will be allowed to see something； but； that you will know best by reading The Times。
Your loving husband is lonely for you； and so it will be always。
RICHARD。
November 17th。 DEAR SWEETHEART：
My last letter was such a complaining one that I am ashamed。 But； not leaving me to decide what was best for the papers； made me mad。 Since I wrote； I ought to be madder； for I have been to the trenches outside of Rheims in Champagne； and； had they not deviled the spirit out of me with cables； I believe I could have written such a lot of stories of France that no one else has had the opportunity to write。 Believe me no one has yet told the story of the trench war。 Anyway； in spite of all the photographs and articles； to me it was all new。 I was allowed to go alone； and given carte blanche to see whatever I wished。 I saw everything； but it would not be possible to write of it yet。 It was wonderful。 I was in the three lines； reaching the FIRST line by moonlight。 No one spoke above a whisper。 The Germans were only 300 to 400 yards distant。 But worst of all were the rats。 They ran over my feet and I was a darned sight more afraid of them than the Germans。 I saw the Cathedral； and the only hotel open （from which I sent you and Hope a postal） was the same one in which we stopped a year ago。 I had sent the hotel my book in which I said complimentary things； and I got a great welcome。 They even gave me a room with a fire in it； and so I was warm for the first time since I left the Crossroads。 And this morning it SNOWED。 On my way back to Paris； I stopped to tell the General what I had seen and to thank him。 He said； 〃Oh； that is nothing。 When you return； I will take you out myself； and I will show you something worth while。〃 I am going to carry a rat…trap； and two terriers on a leash。 Tonight； when I got back； there was a letter from you； but no writing； but there was a photo of Her； and me holding her。 How is it possible that any living thing is so beautiful as my child？ How fat； and wonderful； and dear； and lovable； and how terribly I want to hold her as I am holding her in the picture； and how much better as I really don't need my left arm to hold such a mite）； if I had you close to me in it。 I miss you so； and love you so！ I told Wheeler before I left as I was not going to waste time traveling I would not go to Servia。 So； as soon as I arrived； I was fretted with cables to go。 I cabled to stop giving me advice； that I had a much better chance in France than anyone could have anywhere else。 Maybe； before I arrive； the Greeks will have joined the Germans； in which case； I WON'T LEAVE THE SHIP。 I'll come straight back on her to the Allies。
RICHARD。
November 20th。
This is the way Hope's cat looks； 〃My whiskers！〃 she says； 〃I never knew I was to be let in for anything like this！〃 When I told her about the big rats in the trenches she wanted to go with me next time； but； today when I told her that the Crown Prince of Servia made his servants eat live mice （he is no longer Crown Prince）； she looked just as she does in the picture。 〃Then； what do _I_ eat in Servia？〃 she said； and I told her both of us would live on goat's milk。
You will be glad when I tell you I have been； warm。 We came pretty far south in two days； and； the damp chill of Paris is gone。 On the train a funny thing happened。 An English officer and I got talking and he was press censor at Salonica where I am going after Athens。 I asked him to look over the many letters I had and tell me if any of them would be likely to get me in bad； being addressed to pro…Germans； for example。 He said；