him had given him a new idea about the whole affair, and I think it
kept the President from making a mistake that might have involved
our Government in some entanglement with another nation.

"The President read me a long letter that he had received on the
subject. I felt that my call had been providential, although I went
to see him merely to say good-bye before he went away on his usual
summer trip to Gray Gables, Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts.

"The President is in excellent health although he says he much needs
an outing. He is very fond of his children, and seemed delighted to
hear of the good time I had with them at Woodley. When I told how
Ruth and Esther sang for me he said he could not stand hearing them
sing, as it was so touching it made him cry. I told him how the
baby, Marian, looked at me very soberly and scrutinisingly as long
as I held her in my arms, but when I handed her to her mother, the
baby, feeling herself very safe, put out her hands to me and wanted
to play. But what a season of work and anxiety it had been to the
President, important question after question to be settled.

"March 1, 1897. I have this afternoon made my last call on President
Cleveland. With Dr. Sunderland and the officers of our church I went
to the White House to bid our retiring President goodbye.
Notwithstanding appointments he had made, Thurber, his private
secretary, informed us that the President could not see us because
of a sudden attack of rheumatism. But after Thurber had gone into
the President's room, he returned saying that the President would
see Dr. Sunderland and myself. Indeed, afterwards, he saw all our
church officers. But he could not move from his chair. His doctor
had told him that if he put his foot to the floor he would not be
able to attend the inauguration of Major McKinley on the following
Thursday.

"After Dr. Sunderland and the officers of the church had shaken
hands for departure, the President said to me:

"'Doctor, remain, I want to see you.'

"The door closed, he asked me if I had followed the Chinese
Immigration Bill that was then under consideration. We discussed it
fully. The President read to me the veto which he was writing. He
stated to me his objection to the bill. Our conversation was
intimate, but somewhat saddened by the thought that perha