Robertson James On February 24, 1898, from Dansville, New York, Bob James wrote his sister-in-law Alice Howe James a letter in response to her suggestion that he work on an autobiography. The following is an excerpt. Down the palm of my left hand runs the so called line of Fortune and of Luck. Sufficiently defined is the line of the land, but badly broken. On the right palm the line not half so distinct and badly broken -- which signifies that Destiny of itself gave me bad fortune and that with my own right hand I made that Destiny worse. It would have to be the biography of broken fortunes.... More and more I take comfort in omens and portents and go to swell the ranks of those who lean on oracles. It is the return to childhood -- which would bring me back to 54 West 14th St. in N.Y. What a troop of figures come out of the shadows.... There are no end of figures which come and go in that New York house.... and then Boulogne-sur-Mer and the College Municipale and its stone vaulted ceiling where Wilkie [sic] and I went and failed to take prizes. But the day when the Mayor of the City distributed these I do remember... Around the mayor who stood on a platform with great civic splendor and officials in uniform, I see yet the fortunate scholars ascend the steps of his throne, kneel at his feet, and receive crown or rosettes, or some symbol of merit which we did not get. The luck had begun to break early! The only thing to say of it is that it was a beautiful and splendid childhood for any child to have had, and I remember it all now as full of indulgence and light and color and hardly a craving unsatisfied.