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either beneath the family roof, or at school; such home environments
as would tend to throw light upon the practical, economic
and philanthropic work that has grown out of and shown
around your life for so many years; all the reminiscences
possible regarding this period, would be a boon to the
historian. If you could for the moment look at all your
surroundings from childhood up to the present day in an impersonal
manner, we would be able to get that which in years
to come would be of inestimable value.

How many children were there in your family?
We would be glad to know all about your father; if you would
describe him in the fullest manner as you have him in your
memory to day, it would please us; the same in regard to your
mother: her disposition, her home life, influence upon your father,
the length of their married life - that is to say, how long
were they together in the body? How your mother appears to you
from the elevated standpoint of your womanhood, as you look
back? It is from this kind of data that we get the cream of
such a character study as it is sought to make of Governor
Stanford, Leland Stanford Jr., as a part of both the governor
and of yourself - the three being one in thought, spirit, and the
great results that flow into the lives of humanity.

Trace ancestry as far back as possible. We would
ask you, in all the delicacy possible, to give us a mother's
a woman's view of that pure, and may I say noble character,
Leland Stanford, Jr., whose being is so wrought into the lives
of the masses of the West Coast and especially California -
yes, the world, as to make even the least thought regarding him
of value; and such thoughts as we get from you are beyond and
above those we could get from any other source; for not even
his father or his tutor could give us what you can, if you feel