Woodrow Wilson to Mary Allen Hulbert Peck

What shall I say to speak adequately our sympathy, our admiration, our deep desire to help? Your letter—so full of the tragedy of your struggle for Allen—went to our hearts like the cry to which we would respond with everything that is in us. Our prayer is, that these words (how it hurts us that there is nothing but words!) may come to you freightned with what they are meant to carry, love and reassurance and comfort. You have done all that was possible,—have acted with courage, with wisdom, with a quick power to see what there was to do. We are so thankful the Wallaces were there to help—in every way, and wish that we had been there to help also; tho. I must see I cannot think of anything we could have done or suggested that you did not see and act upon. How fine you are, how fit for an emergency! You do not succumb to anything, however daunting or tragical even, but act, act with your heart and mind and will, and save the situation as far as it is possible to save it. Our hearts go out to you and our admiration no less. You always do the fine thing no matter how everything tumbles about you and threatens to go to wreck. So that there is something inspiring about this poor distracted letter of yours. It does not leave us wholly sad. It tugs at our hearts all the harder because we seem to act and feel with you at every step of the narrative and yet there is a sort of tonic in it for us, coming straight from you! God bless you and help you! He cannot mean to wholly break so noble and loving a spirit! You are to come here, straight, just so soon as you set foot on this continent again, and are to stay until you feel the healing effect of what we shall give you—are giving you—out of our hearts. You have nothing to regret or chide yourself for. You did all that could be done and did the right things well. I believe the boy is saved from the toils and the experience may be the making of him when once he has got into harness in Boston. I am sure that Mr. Wallace will do the best possible for him. Hurrah for a heroic mother who is the real thing! That is just at this moment my uppermost feeling. We are all well. The business, anxious as it often is, seems to agree with me. How fine it will be to see you here! Tell us everything and take in return all that you need of reassurances and affection.