The President's Daughter (Britton)/Chapter 12
I did not comply with Mr. Harding's request for a letter of recommendation, not immediately securing it and not wishing to hold up my reply to him. I really felt I might likely be able to secure it and send it to him in advance of his answer to my letter of the 11th.
But May the 15th brought, to my surprise, a reply to my second letter sent the 11th. This letter too was written in longhand and was somewhat longer than the first one. In the corner of the stationery this time were the words, "Senate Chamber."
If the first letter contained what I chose to regard as statements of rather more than conventional import, the second letter only served to confirm my belief.
He wrote that he had every confidence I would succeed—". . . an ambitious young woman of your character and talents must succeed." He spoke of having to break down the civil service bars to secure a place for me, adding, "I must ask it as a very personal favor, with the advantage of your good father having been a loyal supporter of the party in power." However, he immediately assured me that he did not hesitate "to apply the purely personal appeal" and was glad to do it for me. He merely wished to be satisfied on one point—could I take dictation?
"You write a fine letter, your intelligence is of the high Britton standard. . . . I will have no doubt you will make good from the very start."
It pleased me immensely to read, "I like your spirit and determination. It is like I have always imagined you to be." Like he had always imagined me to be. Then he had thought about me! Even speculated as to what I was like! ". . . I shall rejoice to note your success," he wrote.
"I knew you had gone out to contest with the world and win your way, but I had no detailed knowledge . . ." Why, there was the implication that he had wondered, had perhaps even wanted detailed knowledge and of course hadn't dared to betray his interest! Wonderful that he had thought about me!
He expected to be in New York within the next ten days and, he said, might definitely advise me in advance of his coming, and again he assured me, "It will be a pleasure to look you up."
I liked the last line of his letter. ". . . always know of . . . my very genuine personal interest in your good fortune."
A skylark amid the clouds could not have been happier than I during the intervening days between my receipt of this letter and the arrival of its author. I would often speak sharply to myself when occasionally I touched earth long enough to realize the source of my joy and light-heartedness, "Don't make a perfect fool of yourself, now, Nan. He hasn't said anything which actually means much . . . and naturally he would take a fatherly interest in any girl who might seek help from him . . ." But my spirits would not be downed! I talked to the birds. I arose earlier than usual to stand and gaze out of my window and dream. I examined my face carefully in the mirror. I planned exactly what I should wear. My Chicago benefactor had recently sent me $50 with which I had purchased a new gray tailored suit, and I would wear a dark blue sailor hat, the crown covered with grey veiling.