The President's Daughter (Britton)/Chapter 38
On September 22nd, just one month before the baby was born, I made a trip to Washington, stopping while there at the Capitol Park Hotel near the Railroad Station. I telephoned Mr. Harding immediately upon my arrival, at the Senate Offices, and he told me afterward that the man who answered the phone was Heber Herbert Votaw, his brother-in-law, "Carrie's husband." When he heard me on the other end of the wire he seemed so pleased and said that he would come right over. Which he did.
I shall never forget how he rejoiced to see me, even in the shape I was in! I remember we sat by the window, I on his lap, and talked about everything. It was while we were sitting with our cheeks together looking down upon the passing automobiles that he sighted Senator Newberry's car. With some pride he told me the occupant was the richest man in the Senate, and said what he would like to do for me "if he had Senator Newberry's money." I forthwith assured him he could have done no more that summer to make me happy if he had had the combined riches of all his senatorial colleagues.
He provided me with ample funds to tide me over my confinement period and to buy our baby's layette, found out about trains for me as he always did, and took me to the station. There he bought me magazines—I even remember distinctly that they were Smart Set and Harper's Bazaar—and candy and fruit, then sat in the station and talked to me until my train was called. At that time Mrs. Votaw, his missionary sister, "Carrie," was on the Washington police force in the capacity of welfare director—as Mr. Harding explained to me with a sly smile, "one who cares for fallen girls"—and we had quite a bit of fun wondering just what his sister would say could she see me at that time with him! I told him I certainly had fallen—for him! He took me to the train, kissed me adorably, asked me to tell him I was happy, and stood on the platform talking to me through the window until the train pulled out.
I went to Philadelphia, where I stopped at the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel over night and did my shopping at Wanamaker's the following day. My baby's clothes cost me the outrageous price of $75, which I knew afterwards was far too much to spend for clothes which were so soon outgrown. But it was heaps of fun to pick them out.
Then I returned to Asbury Park.