tonight, the story of the wilson administration's two first ladies, ellen and edith. we have two tragc deaths here to tell you about these two interesting women and the times in which they lived. her book is allen and edith, woodrow wilson's first ladies. john mills cooper is woodrow wilson's biographer. thanks for being with us. we have been telling the stories chronologically, but everybody knows about edith wilson managing the white house as it is described after her husband suffers a stroke. we will tell that story first because so many people really want to know what happened. john cooper, let me start with you. when in his administration did he suffer a stroke -- >> more than halfway through the second term. it was october 1919. here just returned from a whirlwind speaking tour. he was tried to sell the country on ratifying the peace treaty and going into the league of nations. he had really worn himself out on that and his doctors actually aborted the tour and got him back to the white house. after about five days in the white house, he suffered a massive stroke

and one year in to their living in the white house, ellen wilson died. the -- yes, the big awe. and the president was crushed. he could barely get out of bed. he being so religious did not talk about suicide, but he did say more than once he wished somebody would just shoot him. he couldn't deal with it. two things got him out of bed. the first was, the very week she died a war broke out in europe. and now rapping on the door saying, mr. president, there's something happening and we need you here. the second thing that happened over the course of the next few months is, woodrow wilson had a cute meet the way in movies. he was introduced to a young attractive widow who lived in washington, d.c. over the course of the next year, the president went courting. he's having private dinners in the white house, always chap roaned and writing hundreds of the most passionate love letters you have ever read to this one. now the other letters did to ellen. you see that was puppy love. this is a mechanic? -- man in his late 50s having his last stab at romance. he wins her, marries her within

supportive wife all the way to the white house and one year into their living in the white house, ellen wilsondied. the president was crushed. he could barely get out of bed. he being so religious did not talk about suicide but he did say more than once he wished somebody would just shoot him. he couldn't deal with it. two things got them out of bed. the first was the very weak she died a war broke out in europe and they are now wrapping rapping on the door saying mr. president something is happening we need you here. the second thing that happened over the course of the next few months is, woodrow wilson had -- and he was introduced to a very attractive young widow who lived in washington d.c. and over the course of the next year, the president went courting. he is having private dinners in the white house, always chaperoned and he is writing hundreds of the most passionate love letters you have ever read to this one. the other letters to ellen, that was puppy love. i mean this is now a man in his late 50's having his last stab at romance. he woos her and he wins her, and marries her within a

. >> coming up on c-span khmer first lady's series feature ellen and edith wilson. later, outgoing federal reserve chairman ben burning key explains plans to ease the federal reserve's economic stimulus. >> this is the woodrow wilson house in washington, d.c., the home of our 20th president and first lady edith wilson. after they left the white house in 1921. you will be seeing more of it over the next two hours as we tell the story of the two first ladies, ellen and edith. >> ellen and woodrow met in their 20s and their love for each other was reflected in passionate letters. to help guide his career from academia to politics, he set an