“Nellie, Father has got himself into rather a difficulty and I hope I can rely on you to help him out⁠—not make it too hard for him, you know⁠—make him feel as comfortable about it as you can. The truth is he used to have a messenger at the War Department in Washington whom he was very fond of. He was a bright man⁠—colored, of course⁠—and he was very devoted to Father. Now this man called on Father down town today. He’s here on a private car and Father says he’s made a great success as a porter. Father got to talking to him, and there were lots of things they wanted to talk about, and besides the man said he would like very much to see Mother⁠—and Father, who was just about ready to come home to lunch said⁠—right on the spur of the moment⁠—you understand he didn’t think anything about it⁠—he said to this man, ‘Come on home and have lunch with us.’ He’s downstairs now. Father came to me and said he had just realised that it was something of a difficulty and that he was sorry. He said that he could take care of Mother if I could take care of you. So I hope you won’t mind.”