hough as April came on, we both felt the call of the
West, I am not sure whether we would have wrought our courage to the
point of deserting our little apartment on Fifteenth Street, had it not
been for the President's invitation, which was in effect a command, an
honor as well as a pleasure, which we did not think of disregarding.

As I had not voted the Republican ticket and had no political standing
with the Administration, this invitation was personal. It came from
Roosevelt as a friend and fellow-trailer--a fact which enhanced its
value to me. We began at once to plan our return to Chicago in such wise
that it would include a week in Washington, which we had not visited
since our wedding journey.

It must have been about this time that the Annual Meeting of the
Institute took place. I recall Howells presiding with timidity and very
evident embarrassment when it came to the duty of putting certain
resolutions to vote. He seemed sad and old that night--indeed as I
looked around the table, I was startled to find how many of the men I
had considered "among the younger writers" were gray and haggard. Mabie,
Page, Hopkinson Smith, Gilder and Stedman--all were older than I had
remembered them. Edward MacDowell, who was sitting beside me, remarked
upon the change, and I replied, "Yes, you and I are young only by
contrast. To Frank Norris and Stewart White, we are already veterans."

[That was twenty years ago, and I am three score years and more, and
most of those who dined with me that night are in their graves, only
Page, of all the group, is left. Another generation altogether is on the
stage whilst I and Stewart White are grouped together as "older men." I
am seeing literary history made whether I am credited with making any of
it, myself, or not. At times I have an appalling sense of the onward
sweep of the years. Are they carrying us to higher grounds in fiction
and in other arts, or are they descending to lower levels of motive and
workmanship?]

* * * * *

It was glorious spring when we reached Washington, and in the glow of my
momentary sense of triumph we went to one of the best hotels and enjoyed
for the moment the sense of being successful and luxurious folk.

In calling on the President the following day I was a little taken aback
by his frankness in speaking of my changing point of view. "You have
pictured the reverse side of the pioneer," he said with a gleam of
mischief