We were all completely exhausted, and Mr.Taft was ill.

For my part, I would gladly have paid almost any sum for a tent under the pine trees and the privilege of occupying it for a few weeks.
On the trip up Mr.Taft had ridden a magnificent saddle horse which had been given to him by General Chaffee.

At the time he left, Manila had been burning hot.

When he was at last seated on the porch of the little house which was to be his home for weeks, with a cool breeze sighing through the needles of a spreading pine tree close at hand, his satisfaction knew no bounds.

Already his magnificent constitution had begun to respond to the stimulation of the wonderful mountain air, and filled with enthusiasm he summoned a stenographer and dictated the following cablegram to the secretary of war:-- "April 15, 1903.
"_Secwar_, "_Washington_.
"Stood trip well, rode horseback 25 miles to 5000 feet altitude.