went out muffled and booted like a
sailor on a stormy sea. His favourite walk was always from our house to
the Capitol, around the Library of Congress and back. He never varied
this walk for he had no bump of locality, and he was afraid of losing
his way. If he strayed from the beaten path into any one of the
beautiful squares in Washington he was sure to have to ask a policeman
how to get home.

Fridays and Saturdays Dr. Talmage spent entirely in his study, dictating
his sermons. How many miles he walked these days he himself never knew,
but all day long he tramped back and forth the length of his study,
composing and expounding in a loud voice the sermon of the week. He
could be heard all over the house. We had a new servant once who came
rushing downstairs to my room one morning in great fear.

"Mrs. Talmage, ma'am, there is a crazy man in that room on the top
floor," she cried. She had not seen nor heard the Doctor, and did not
know that that room was his study. On these weekend days we always drove
after dark. An open carriage was at the door by 8 o'clock, and no matter
what the weather might be we had our drive. In the dead of winter,
wrapped in furs and rugs, we have driven in an open carriage just as if
it were summer. Usually we went up on Capitol Hill because the Doctor
was fond of the view from that height.

My share in the Doctor's labours were those of a watchful companion, who
appreciated his genius, but could give it no greater light than sympathy
and admiration. Occasionally he would ask me to select the hymns for the
services, and this I did as well as I could. Sunday was the great day of
the week to me. It has never been the same since the Doctor died. Our
friendships were always mutual, and we shared them with equal pleasure.
The Doctor's friendship with President McKinley was an intimate mutual
association that ended only with the great national disaster of the
President's assassination. Very often, we walked over in the morning to
the White House to call on the President for an informal chat. A little
school friend, who was visiting my daughter that winter, told my husband
how anxious she was to see a President.

"Come on with me, I will show you a real President," said Dr. Talmage
one morning, and over we went to the White House. While we were talking
with the President, Mrs. McKinley came in from a drive and sent word
that she wished to see us.

"I want to show you the President's library an