But I felt that if anyone possessing the gift could take that simple record of a brave , adventurous life , reading between the bald lines the tale of dangers staunchly faced and duties manfully done , a wonderful story might be made from it . Pure comedy and thrilling tragedy were both lying hidden in Uncle Jesse 's `` life-book , '' waiting for the touch of the magician 's hand to waken the laughter and grief and horror of thousands . I thought of my cousin , Robert Kennedy , who juggled with words in a masterly fashion , but complained that he found it hard to create incidents or characters . Here were both ready to his hand , but Robert was in Japan in the interests of his paper . In the fall , when the harbour lay black and sullen under November skies , Mother and I went back to town , parting with Uncle Jesse regretfully . We wanted him to visit us in town during the winter but he shook his head . `` It 's too far away , Mary . If lost Margaret called me I might n't hear her there . I must be here when my time comes . It ca n't be very far off now . '' I wrote often to Uncle Jesse through the winter and sent him books and magazines . He enjoyed them but he thought -- and truly enough -- that none of them came up to his life-book for real interest . `` If my life-book could be took and writ by someone that knowed how , it would beat them holler , '' he wrote in one of his few letters to me . In the spring we returned joyfully to Golden Gate . It was as golden as ever and the harbour as blue ; the winds still rollicked as gaily and sweetly and the breakers boomed outside the bar as of yore . All was unchanged save Uncle Jesse . He had aged greatly and seemed frail and bent . After he had gone home from his first call on us , Mother cried . `` Uncle Jesse will soon be going to seek lost Margaret , '' she said . In June Robert came .
I XXXXX him promptly over to see Uncle Jesse , who was very much excited when he found that Robert was a `` real writing man . ''
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