WeRead Powered by ReaderPub
The president's daughter cover

The president's daughter

Chapter 175: 170
Open in WeRead

About This Book

A candid personal memoir recounts the author's long relationship with a nationally prominent public figure, the birth and upbringing of their daughter, and the social, familial, and political pressures that resulted. Combining narrative episodes, occasional poems, and frank reflection, the work explains the author’s motive for public disclosure and documents emotional and practical hardships. It closes with a direct appeal for legal protections and social compassion for unwedded mothers and their children, arguing for legislative remedies and greater public understanding to reduce stigma and secure rights for those born outside formal marriage.

170

I haven’t a great deal to add to my story. The futility of pressing the Hardings for recognition of their brother’s child was clearly apparent to me. I gradually drew the sympathies of several men and women of standing, who felt that I had a distinct cause to sponsor, and their advices from then on have been for the most part followed.

Shortly after the departure of my sister and her husband and my child came a request from my landlady to vacate the apartment we had been occupying, because I had been unable to meet the full rent the previous month and could not promise a definite day of payment. I had been frank to tell her so.

My mother had found employment on Long Island for the summer. I was forced to take a single room again. This I did, being able to secure the same one-room-and-bath which I had occupied the previous summer, within walking distance from my office. However, I felt very badly about not being able to finish the payment of my rent, and once more, having this and many other obligations to meet, I wrote Tim Slade under date of June 26, 1926, as follows:

“This month finds me terribly in need of help. Many disappointing things have happened since you were here. I seem to be eternally slated for disappointments.”

I heard nothing, however, from Tim, and determined then that I would never again approach him for help he was in no wise obligated to give. On July 2nd came another $40 from Daisy Harding, this time enclosed in an envelope with no accompanying letter. It was in the form of a cashier’s check from the Marion County Bank Company. I wrote to Miss Harding and thanked her sincerely for the check. I applied it upon “back bills” immediately.