POSTAL.

Equinox House
Manchester
Vermont.

Oct. 14th or 15th
1916.

Friday night.

Dear Florrie - - We are no further than this, owing to very bad weather, ever since we left Saratoga where the only hotel open was a trial. We leave here tomorrow morning, but it depends on the weather how far we shall get, most likely to Great Barrington. We're all well

Love from all Ettie.

POSTAL.

Equinox House

Manchester

Vermont.

Oct. 14th or 15th
1916.

Friday night.

Love from all Ettie.

JOURNAL.

NEW YORK

OCT. 17.

1916.

102 West 76th Street.

Well - - Oct. 15th seems a month back.

We left Manchester, where it rained continuously, in clear
weathere the day grew beautiful so we rode in an open car and
admired the trees which were still admirable (the minority).
rode through garden-like Williamstown with (partly) lovely
old white brick colonial University through <u>Pittsfield</u> where
we lunched in a nice hotel - Maplewood Inn - through the Berk-
shires to <u>Norfolk</u>, Conn. where we stopped the night at the
Norfolk Inn, a very primitive place. We had 2 rooms with noisie
ly running water from all the other rooms, and the bath was in
the centre of one room with its usual companions (2) and a cur-
tain around them. The radiator thumped at 6 o'clock in the
morning when they turned on the steam and Carrie had the brass
to get up and ring and ring until she could complain, as if it
were midnight at 6 -

We got off early next morning in good weather intending to go
to Torrington and Waterbury Bridgeport New York. Instead at
Winsted we got on the Hartford road and didn't notice it for
some time and then thought it wise to continue as the road was
wonderful, so we passed through

Hartford Conn.

saw the funny pompe old fashioned Capitol building (after going
up and down a mountain with a fine view and a finer road (like
a pool table) and then a similar one to New Haven, where we didn't
see Yale, we were in a hurry to get on, having traversed the whole

JOURNAL.

NEW YORK

Oct. 17 (cont.)

1916.

of Conn., - so we went over the pooltable to *Bridgport*, where we lunched at the local Waldorf-Astoria, called the "Stratford," then down the sound to New York past a ceaseless procession of autos.

Then home to 102 West 76th which looked clean but odd - rather small after Massapequa, and gay. Then Florrie came and told us her news. Then Aunt Jo. - Then on Monday morning we went to Knoedlers, Florrie's Ex. looked very *odd* well; she fixed up the room very attractively. There weren't as many visitors there as there might have been. Late in the afternoon we went in and found Mielziner and Leo Stein there. The first visitor was Eugene Seligman ! I was to see Mr. Mills today; he is a kindly and pleasant old gentleman, and we arranged things. I avoided chapter headings with the use of tact and persistency. - So it's launched; exciting days for the Stetts family. - Have seen since I'm here - Sterners, Mielziner, Leo Stein, Mr. Tuska, Mr. Max Merz and innumerable others from a distance at the Russian Ballet Première where we were last night. I with Lala and Florrie with Mr. Tuska in a box presented by Bolm, whom they visited last night in his dressing room. He's interested in F's Ballet. Hope it materializes. We have servant trouble in spite of treating our contingent "en soeurs" all summer ! !

NEW YORK.

Nov. 29

Dec. 2.

1916

102 West 76th St.

Dear Gansy,

How are you? It seems a long time since I
have heard from you of you; - not since you wrote me
of your Father's death. And since then there has been so
much happening; you may have been in the Somme fighting,
and so I often wonder how you are. -

We here in New York, after a summer of heat and plague, we
are right back in a whirl, with the background of the war
to keep us in a state of excitement. Last night I dined with
the George Beer's and among others Max Lazard, Sydney Brooks,
and Lieutenant Pechkoff, Gorki's son, were present and the talk
as you may fancy, focussed in the war, and perhaps that is
the reason why I am writing to you today. I will not wish you
a Merry Xmas, because that unfortunately is impossible, I
know, but I sincerely wish you a happy 1917, victory for your
country and victory in any private enterprises of a business
or sentimental nature that you may be undertaking.

I myself am in good shape. I think you would find me
changed: I have developed a sense of humor for being amused and amu-
sing, perhaps a reaction to the horrible complexity of life,
and as I find that 1 follows 2, owing to the novelty of 2,
I have become quite an amuser. (Word coined by me). I have
not yet settled down to work, but shall soon. I have written
the first 4 or 5 pages of a new book, and the title of an
article; - I was going to tell you what it is, but I know you

2.
Dec. 2.
NEW YORK
1916.

have literary friends besides myself. - How is Mme. de Noailles ? She must be suffering horribly, if she is still attached to her country. - And where is your friend Millet?

I had an amusing thing happen to me. Last winter in writing to a French friend, prisoner in Germany, who had been in a reprisal camp for over a year and a half and had not been permitted to write, except to his family in Paris once a week, in a letter, not knowing what to write to one whose letters were so strictly censored, I inserted (in German), in order to entertain my prisoner-friend, a passage beginning "Ach, Herr Kommandant" - and saying I was a harmless person and an old friend, an old schoolmate and he would be so glad to write etc. - a lot of rubbish --- Well, he was allowed to write to me, the first supplementary letter in 20 months !

What else can I tell you ? - We all take French conversation lessons from a charming garçon, Marcel Duchamp, painter of futurist things like his celebrated "Nude descending the stairs" do you know it? And we're going to dine with Varese composer of futurist music, do you know him ?

My book is announced to appear at Xmas time, Longmans, Green is my publisher, so if the copy I send you goes astray you can order it in London. - Name of book "Philosophy" - nom de plume Henrie Waste, a contraction of yours sincerely (Henrie)tta (Wa)lter (Ste)ttheimer.

Write me a postal if you haven't opportunity for a letter.

JOURNAL.

NEW YORK

December 5.

1916.

I came across this book among my lingerie and it occurred to me to write in it, especially as I have been seeing so many unusual people that it seems worth while putting it down.

Last Sunday a week ago, Dinner at Rabbi Wise's - Sat between Judge "Young Cardosa" and Johansen, the painter, Brandeis there too. (Among others, Jean McLane, old Mrs. Fels) - Went to Zionist birthday-meeting for Brandeis, who was presented with a testimonial, almost sobbed when he thanked. Interesting. Zionists had an old world, poverty-striken physically unkempt. Rabbinical flavour. - Thursday dined with Hilda Hellman, Sterner and son, Jo Davidson and then Boston Symphony Concert. (Michael Angelo a genial man but no artist. J.D.) -

Friday at Ediths: Oscar Strauss, Max Lenzard, Lieutenant Pechkoff (Gorki's son) Sidney Brookes - very interesting war talk.

Sunday: Aunt Jo's birthday, family and family II ............

Last night Flotrie and I went to the Brevoort for dinner with Marcel Duchamp. Met Varese, Jo Davidson, a man called Roché lots of acquaintances there; very Bohemian and amusing and French

Well, my book seems to be delayed - I don't believe it will appear even for the New Year. I haven't seen all the third proof yet. But it's announced in the catalogues already.

F's exhibition was very interesting; she got good notices on the whole, but sold nothing. I don't think Marie did all she could in the matter. It's too bad she didn't make more noise and sell a number of people admired her work very much f.i. Genthe.

WAR.

NEW YORK

Febr. 11.

1917.

My dear Gansy

I don't know how this letter is going to get
across the ocean to you, but there is no harm in setting it
going. I want to congratulate you on the medal; you might have
told me just what you did to deserve it. The situation over
here is very exciting as you can imagine; there is a conviction
in the background that sooner or later war will come automatically,
and there is in the people at large, I should say,
immense disgust at being forced into it.

The entire West feels quite outside of all European disputes and takes very little interest in their affairs. The so-called intellectuals of purely American stamp stand for a socialistic democracy and profess internationalism, and pacifism. I'm not sure that the question were answered by referendum in the present condition of affairs, it would not be war.

Febr. 22.

For some reason now forgotten I stopped 11 days ago, and you
see we are still in a condition conventionally called "armed
peace" but in this, our case, "unarmed peace". We are all
hoping the submarine is a failure, but it does not seem positive.
I suppose you wonder what my sentiments in these hours of uncertainty
and the possibility of war are: they are rather confused.
When I think of Europe I think we must enter, and when
I think of the American people composed so largely of people
whose ancestors have left Europe to be rid of imperialistic
and militaristic conditions, a people who are really without

2.

NEW YORK

Febr. 22 //

1917.

hatreds, instinctive or traditional, and with a vision of a freer and nobler democracy, I feel we must not enter for any lesser reason than to prevent a decisive victory for Germany.

Did I write you that we are taking French conversation lessons from a young French painter, Marcel Duchamp, futurist-cubist school; otherwise a charming and dear boy. Recently I have also met Jaques Copeau, who is here to lecture: - I find him interesting and intelligent. He had a letter from Arnold Bennett to a friend of mine. Why don't you send me some attractive Frenchman? The city seems to be full of Frenchmen and women and conversation. M. Bonheur of the French theatre is at a hospital in a serious condition. I saw Sarah Bernhardt and found her more wonderful then ever in the last act ofCMille. By the way you constantly promised to take me to the "Vieux Colombier" that winter I spent in Paris and bored myself more or less, and you never did. I little thought then that the creator of it would be taking tea with me etc. a few winters later during a great war !

I must also tell you that I am marraine to a French soldier, a Robert Lenglet 128th Infantry 36th company, 9th Batallion. - In case you should meet my filleul by chance !
Carrie has 7 of them I believe and is more devoted than I am.
My book has been a success with my acquaintances and friends and has had a very flattering review in the Times, but so far I am no nation-wide celebrity. I hope you liked it, but if you didn't you must tell me. Best wishes for professional success and personal happiness and greetings from yours sincerely

ETTIE STETTHEIMER

April

Friday. Friday

At last I have had a review I like ! A wonderful one in the
New Republic by one Randolphe Bourne. I am satisfied now that
some discerning mind liked it. Before this I have had favourables
able reviews, but uninteresting ones at best, some unfavourable
ones and many enthusiastic letters from friends. -

I wonder what the next book will turn out to be.

The second most important thing occurring is out war ! We
are at war since the 5th of April. There is little sign of it
in daily life, except for the newspapers, parades, recruiting
stations , high price of living and good intentions to prepare
practically. Also BALFOUR, JOFFRE and VIVIANI are here advi-
sing us ! Times are exciting, stirring and at moments, when
one reads the morning papers - the slaughter going on at Arras,
the danger of a Russian desertion through the radical disturban-
ces or the prospect of food shortage here - times are a little
terrifying.

JOURNAL.

NEW YORK

May 12.

1917.

Saturday.

New York has been "joffring" since Wednesday.

First day we saw Joffre and Viviani and the rest off the French-
men received at the City Hall. We got out of the car -
C. F. I and Duchamp, and as the streets were too crowded for
anyone to see anything, I conceived the idea of walking upstairs
to some beautiful large glass windows of "Monroe's" clothing
shop with but few people behind them, and asking for an invita-
tion for us all. The young manager - a pretty 16/20 year old
Jewish youth of the people assented immediately but his older
boss refused at first until by persistence we won out. He said:
"You're ladies so stay." I said "We have a gentleman with us,
but he's a Frenchman." He said "Allright, hats off to a French-
man." This was funny, because one of Duchamp's most positive
ideas is that he won't fight.

We saw the whole show - the quaint colonial-looking city-hall
with the troops of schoolgirls waving flags, kaki boys built
up on a pyramid, soldiers in kaki, and the old guard and the
veterans - all colonial in appearance - Joffre looked up at
the skyscrapers a lot. -

Next day I saw the Columbia show. He had the "blue Devil"
with him, in a beret, a lot of decorations and they say with but
one leg, though I didn't notice it.

Yesterday we saw Balfour driving to the Astor home. He waved
his hat and smiled in the sweetest way and has a lovely and
sweet face, so that as far as exteriors go, he is my favourite.

JOURNAL.

NEW YORK

May 12 (cont.)

1917.

And Russia is in a frightfully disorganized state; the radicals wanting peace at any price it seems and ready to desert the allies and play into Germany's hands. In that case our war will be a real war and possibly as terrible and sickening a war as France's and England's. - It does seem to me that the world's salvation and democratic progress of a radical kind is dependent on the formation of a Federation of Nations and Russia's desertion will frustrate that possibility.

I just had a letter from Mlle. Bloch saying that her brother is still at Heidelberg, ill, but not ill enough to be sent to Switzerland. I don't know what this means. Also a review from a Glasgow paper - short but favourable. After the new-republic-review I am hard to please.

TARRYTOWN.

June 19.

ANDREBROOK.

Celeri-Salat.

again.

here just one week - lovely, lovely even though no new clothes
much the same ones as 2 years ago. - Everything seems to be
out in the garden already - some things are over, and we have had
no heat yet. - If we owned this place as I wish we did, -
I wouldn't feel so nervous about things dying so young, knowing
that they would live again for me in 12 months, - but this way,
getting the place by the merest and most improbable chance.

Went to the Alley Festa before leaving New York. Mr. Chalfin
was responsible and did a well-done thing. - Went with Florrie
Duchamp and Steichen one night. Next night with Sterners, Wal-
ter and Florence, F. O., Buenavista, Lana and Tetjens and took
Lala-Beatrice. Danced and got hot.

C. and F. are in town looking for a chauffeur. I'm going Friday
I think to look for clothes.

Not on writing mood.

June 23.

Monday.

Have been here almost 2 lovely weeks - all lovely except that
the Garden isn't stationary enough. It keeps transforming it-
self at a furious pace. Lovely day today, cool and sunshiny.

Yesterday, Sunday, had a highly successful "rowdy" party.

Duchamp was here since Saturday, - then De Meyers, Van Vechtens
came out to lunch, Chalfin, Kooms, Buenavista and a friend to
tea and supper and Hilda and George by accident. Kooms, Buena, 000

Oh, I had a letter from Prof. Pope of Berkeley telling me my
book will be used in Introd. to Phil. under required reading.
and
a number of groups given to students take their choice; he wrote mine is under Literary Expression of Phobos. Thought and is "double starred". A very nice letter and nice occurrence.
Have finished "Emotion"; not at all sure it's any good. Rather sought after and obviously funny in intention. The start I made last summer on "Days" is good. I should have continued it then, but I suppose as usual I was too excited over things I "suffered" to "do" anything much.

July 9.

Read "Emotion of B-L" to Paul Herzog last night; - he said he
liked it very much, but I think he was under the Emotion of
flirting and not responsible. Had a long drawn out conversa-
tional sort of party with Marie Sterner, Leo Stein, Avery Hop.
Kooma and Mr. Tuska and the Herzogs off and on. - Pleasant but
not invigorous. We have another on Wednesday and I'm lazy as

JOURNAL.

TARRYTOWN.

June 26 (cont.)

1917.

me to finance her on a trip to Russia, which I declined. Have a feeling Gansy will turn up over here too. Think we'll have a quieter time now for a space. Ought to get finished on the "Emotion" and started on "Days" -

It is warm but lovely here as yet with delicious mornings and evenings. So goodbye.

July 7.

We had a queer 4th - Florrie heard from Bolm the day before that Monteux was playing Swendson's Carnival at a concert on the 4th. - The music Bolm has in mind for her Ballet. So we phoned Duchamp who was expected next day to get tickets. We 3 motored to town in time for the concert, where we met the Bolms and listened to Flore Revalles sing, which she does much less well than pose and with the air of a naturally graceful but still awkward schoolgirl. - The Carnival music was attractive but hardly suited to F.'s idea. Bolms had Roschanara with them, F's neighbour the portrait painter Funk was there with the swarthy Dr. of the Metropolis quite near us and they were later joined by Varese, the rude, who was there alone. After D. and we had supper at the Beaux Arts Bar - a horrid, vicious kind of atmosphere, and had taken a walk around Bryant Park in the moonlight, which in a way was the most striking and picturesque part of the evening - Fleischman baths flashing their ad, - Automobiles, cigarettes and Christus advertised in a perpendicular row - the back of the Museum of learning, - etc; we entered the house together with the neighbour Funk, the lift ditto, got out alltogether at the 4th landing and entered adjoining doors.

JOURNAL.

TARRYTOWN

July 25 (cont.)

1917.

Duchamp's party won't amount to much. I fear, no one knows for sure whether they're coming; so we can't ask the next. We ought to have a fête champêtre - but no one has the energy.

Tomorrow I have to go to town to bother with Mrs. Sheridan and clothes ! -

It was awfully hot yesterday, but only during the day - today probably ditto. I got some letters off my mind and desk yesterday. My book isn't progressing: sheer laziness. The war is black.

July 30.

Hottest day this year; breathless and broiling since early this morning. - Friday was a scorcher and we feared for our party, but Saturday was perfect: cool and sunny and at night windless and moony and Marcel Duchamp's birthday party was a great success. A series of pretty pictures - first tea on the lawn under the maples and some of us 'sur l'herbe', and afterwards 5 tables on the terrace and Japanese lanterns blue and green and yellow (alone) strung across -

Duchamp's table of painters: Picabia (a fat womanish enfant terrible, self-centred Bohemian with a high power automobile in which he and Duchamp came out later than anyone else.)

Gleizes (a serious, very talkative, amiable, long-winded one) Florrie and Fania.

Middle table: Carrie, Van Vechten, Mme. Gleizes (a refined Emanuella, interesting, European and "feminine") and Buenavista.

Next: I, Elizabeth Duncan, Leo Stein, Roché and Avery Hopwood. Quite an atmosphere. -

JOURNAL.

TARRYTOWN.

30
JULY (cont.)

1947.

I read the "Emotion" to Leo Stein and Roché sur l'herbe and it
was atmospheric and amused me and they seemed to like it.

I shan't have much of a birthday tomorrow and I haven't any ac-
companionship yet.

August 2.

My birthday Tuesday was the hottest day and night on record in
the history of N.Y. - Monday only a little less sweltering;
Yesterday afternoon a storm reduced the temperature from 98
to 80 or 84 and it seemed arctic. Today it's back in the 90s.
So far I have no compartment for the mountains which are said
to be d--hot also. Last night little Marcel was here and
brought us his Steichen photo. -

Trying to go tomorrow or Saturday night with Alfred Cook or
Walter Beer, -

Did nothing on the 31st but perspire and bathe.

CAMP ASKENONTA
LAKE PLACID.

August 6.

Monday.

Alfred Cook telephoned late Thursday afternoon that I had a
compartment Friday night; I packed and packed. On Friday we
all went to town and F. and I to the Bolm dress rehearsal: his
stunt, especially the costumes fierce. We couldn't stay to see
it out. Griffes music to Ito's dancing sounded like an empty
imitation of Stravinsky to me. Ito grotesque and monotonous and
unmeaning in his stunt. Then said Goodbye to family, and Du-
champ and I went to Belmont and I had supper - then he saw me

Dear Mother and Sisters

Camp Askanonta

Lake Placid.

1917.

Monday before Breakfast

I hope it's cool in Tarrytown: we have
fires here and sleep with down covers and a hot water bottle
and last night a mouse was so noisy that I changed to the
little room in the middle of the night, I don't know whether
any one noticed it or not, yet. Yesterday three of the Platts-
burg men were here, students of Edwin's, all intelligent and
and nice and homely. The genius (according to Edwin) of the
crowd is from the University of California and knew Prof.
Pope (my friend) intimately, described him as a progressive
and brilliant young man and is going to write to him that
he has met me. Another was from the University of Missouri
and had taken courses under Miss Johnston, Mother will remem-
ber her as a large, fair woman student from Berlin. We had
war talk, chiefly E. held forth. In the afternoon I went to
Russian
Wise's - Carrie Wise was there, a socialist/couple and Mi-
scha Appelbaum, the head of the Humanitarian Cult, - a young,
common, fair but poetic looking man and we all had a hot
time screaming at one another. I got off some of my accumu-
lated feeling. It was fun. If Mischa has no wife I may add
him to our Salon. The Wises are coming to tea on Tuesday
and tonight the Hollanders are coming! Friday I expect to
visit Louise when the others go to Calumet. I bathed in the
Lake yesterday and it agreed with me. I expect some mail from
you this morning. I tried for your desk, C., none there, but I
bought a table with 3 fancy legs-a round one, nothing extra,
I haven't been to the other shop yet.

Love Ettie.

JOURNAL.

TARRYTOWN

August 25. (cont.)

1917.

Walter appeared in Kaki and Duche shortly after and after another visit to Balm we went to Henri's and had refreshments and then the boys saw me and my new valise to the station. Walter full of excitement and anticipation; doesn't take his job lightly.

Got home for dinner; after that Dr. Sulzberger dropped in with Mr. Sam Franko, Elizabeth Duncan and Donidorf's niece.

Elizabeth has bought a bag gorgeous place here in Tarrytown which we inspected to day. The Louis Stern place. "Without being married or anything" as she says. And it is clever, however she managed it. Julia has come home since I began this, but Alice Cahn advises us to postpone our trip for a week. -

August 30.

Yesterday, August 29 th

Westpoint

&

Tuxedo (outside)

Got to Garrison found nothing there but a ferry, crossed to Westpoint, found a jammed very noisy, untidy hotel on the reservation grounds in a marvellous situation with a glorious view over the intimate shut-in phase of the Hudson appearance.

Everything 1820ish; also the females foregathered to companion the cadets. Hardly a modern person there. Stayed to see someone, reputed to be Baker, Sec. of War, or Daniels, but looking like neither, review 5 units of cadets. Wonderful precision in movement; walk springy, natural, and graceful. Very interesting day. Went home over Tuxedo but saw nothing of it. Car and chauffeur very satisfactory.

TARRYTOWN

OCT.22.

1917

Dear Gansy,

This is in answer to your August letter; you
were right in supposing that I didn't receive your June letter.
I have written twice to the "New Republic" without eliciting
any reply. I trust nevertheless that they are sending it to
you, and when I return to New York I'll telephone to them
and force them to take notice of a subscription, and I'm sure
it's the first time any one has had trouble over such an order.

The summer is over and we are freezing in our summer home
in spite of an enthusiasm for its gardens and a ton of coal a
week for its furnace and hot water bottles for its beds and
exciting parties for its week-ends. We return to town 5th
of November to the same stuffy little house you know looking
out on the Elevated Railroad. I always have called it Salle
d'attente deuxième classe - but we stick to it because its the
"easiest" thing to do and most other houses and streets are
equally without charm in New York. No 2 of us want to live in
the same locality, so it seems the best solution that we should
all live where nobody wants to.

Of course the war is going to make a great difference this
winter, socially anyway. I'm not coming to you, oh mountain,
-I'm the mountain anyway, the longer I live the more I realize
my stability, solidity, and uncompromisingness ! I'm begin-
ning to think I'm rather queer, although I don't feel queer to
yself - but I never seem inclined nor even willing to do
it is expected of me. - You may be Mohamed carry-

2.

Tarrytown

Oct. 22.

1917.

ing your convictions about with a sword; after all that's
what you're doing. I'm not coming to France, but I've of-
fered myself to my country for any purpose not resembling
red-cross work, for which I am unfitted, or addressing and
licking envelopes, for which I am fitted, but of which I
am not enamoured. (Notice that I don't even know how to
spell that sentimental word). So far I have heard nothing
from Washington, so it seems as though I were not indispensa-
ble. I imagine that it is the war which, getting between me
and my vision of everything, makes my literary work impossible
and affects my daily life similarly and so I've volunteered.
But perhaps it indicates my lack of talent or of stamina, be-
cause here I've had a long quiet summer in the most sympathet-
ic of surroundings and have done little on/second book. (And
to my annoyance my heroine in spite of chestnut hair, grey
eyes and beauty, is constantly losing her shape and getting
mâine, so that I'm forever wasting time jerking her back) ---
However you will want to hear about the war over here. There
is plenty of Khaki on the streets of N.Y. and parades are
daily occurrences. Plenty of the men of our family are gone,
and so in every family.

3.

TARRYTOWN

OCT.22.

1917.

of cousins are in Washington doing government work. George Beer has published an excellent book - war-book called "The English speaking Peoples" which I'll send you in a few days from New York. Eugene Meyer has an important post in Washington in financial matters. His family has moved there. I don't see much of him any more, possibly his wife doesn't fancy me, although I rather like her and we get on, when she leaves the aesthetic sphere of Chinese paintings and Cézanne, which are the only two art forms that exist for her since a year or so, when she threw out her former gods, cubistic and futuristic.

One of the men whose society gave me the most pleasure, so he has left too, is organizing the photographic department of the war, and no doubt before the thing is much older all one's friends will be scattering.

Have you been in any "Over the top" assaults? Have you had any thrilling adventures, or only horrible ones? Write me about it. René-Bloch, who is now in Switzerland - interné - has a brother who has been sent over here as instructor. I missed him when he passed through N.Y. on his way to a fort in the West where he is now and likes it. How is your Mother? Be sure to greet her from us all. How often do you get back

4.

TARRYTOWN

OCT. 22.

1917.

to Paris and for how long? I read "La Guerre, Madame" & you have better luck in your opportunities in Paris than that poor fellow. The family wants to be remembered -

(Don't call me H. please.)

JOURNAL.

NEW YORK

JAN. 3.

1918.

1918.

Unsympathetic date, 1918, and I don't believe there'll be peace
or anything great, - but trouble. There's a coal shortage now
and resultant suffering and illness, and the coldest week on
record. I'm doing draft-exemption work and find it interesting
and enlightening. I haven't a job yet, wrote to Helen Tanzer
who has one in Washington. Nothing new. We're all well but for
Mother's colds in her head and a dull but unclouded Xmas
and New Year-Eve at Aunt Sophie's on famille", Edwin and Eustace
in uniforms. - Military times. -

Jan. 15.

Had a tea party yesterday and some social diversion during the
past week - some amusement - also Duches defection to record
He didn't wish us a happy New Year in any form or manner; no
card. (Just now the telephone rings and it is he). I'm very
"blessed" (not blessed). He's a washrag or seems to be. - My
extension work goes on, it's interesting and it's sad and yet
it's not sad, because the people I've met seem on the whole
to be just as good material for "perfection" humans as the
rest of us and that isn't saying much. The thing one gropes
around for from maturity on is a standard of value - how to judge
souls and things. But the family is taking, so Goodbye -

Jan 30.

Am home alone translating some stupid articles of a German Re-
publican newspaper publ. in Switzerland for Washington via Helen
Tanzer. Was over on the East side in connection with the German

WAR.

NEW YORK.

Jan 22.

1918.

Dear Gansy,

Here we are in January, wishing that the winter would end, closing down manufactories and most of us (not ourselves) fortunately) freezing and I haven't heard from you since August 20th, when I was roasting. Since then I have sent you at least 2 letters and have attended to the New Republic subscription. They promised to send you the paper and the bill for my memos temps.

Since I'm back in N.Y. I have been pretty busy with war-work of one kind or another. I have just finished sitting on the local board, at which men of the draft age are helped to make out long Questionnaires of 12 pages or so, giving the information the Government requires so as to decide whether to draft them immediately, later or not at all. I am one of the legal advisers. It was interesting work and absorbing and wearing on the sympathies. The district I worked in was largely Polish, Russian and Sicilian and the latter especially appealed to me.

New York is still full of Frenchmen of all kinds. I met Lauzanne and his family one might, and Knecht, and decidedly disliked the latter. Do you know him? I'd write you about their propaganda, but letter paper is so discouraging. I am now hoping ((for)) and rather expecting a job from Washington to be done here in N.Y. and look forward to its materialization for it's just what I think I can do well. In the meanwhile life

2.

NEW YORK.

Jan. 22.

1918.

is busy and I have stopped writing; I am in too excited and
restless a frame of mind. I am finding out lots of about life and the world, however and I am losing my youth
in consequence (my illusions and some of my love of life).
Dear Gansy I hope you're well and safe and all that and write
soon -

Jan 22.

ETTIE ST.

A. de Lanux has published a pleasant book "New France" and
Young America" over here in which he rated Henri Frank as
the leader of the young generation. Do you remember Lannux?
He told me you had differed on the Balkan war politics.

JOURNAL.

NEW YORK

Feb. 5 (cont.)

1918.

March 6.

Indisposed - but I expect to go to Bolm's reception after the Coop D'Or to night at Stella's - who is giving it! Saw the dress rehearsal Monday - amusing and well done all but Galli - a little Italian peasant bourgoise. Tomorrow Ratan Devi has a recital for which we had to take a box too (and send flowers too) and in the afternoon Medea and Saturday a fancy dress party at Sterners studio, and Germany is walking into Russia, and Japan is getting England's acquiescence for her excursion into Russia but I hope not ours - it would be such a disgrace for us to countenance such unblushing (what a silly expression) imperialism, otherwise robbery. All in all, things are now so black that it seems as though they must improve. We had a pleasant dinner recently and I got the idea of collecting a pamphlet of the sayings of German philosophers of our generation on "progress" and "nationalism" before and after the war. Next week I'll look into it and see whether there is any solidity to the idea.

We are too gay and yet it requires a strong dose of the harmless narcotic of distraction to distract one from the war. I ought to be having a regular job; perhaps I'd be doing some more

JOURNAL.

NEW YORK.

March 6 (cont.)

1918.

Translation if mine hadn't got lost in the Government envelope
though I myself took it to the P.O. Miss Tanzer informed me om-
ly after 2 weeks. I couldn't do it over, because the German
originals were in the envelope and they would require them for
comparison. It bored me extremely and the articles were worth-
less. She intends to send me more when the new batch comes,
but it seems to me she's taking a risk of the Government mail
doesn't go through. Life is very full now, it's hard to get
things put down.

Leo Stein

is getting quite deaf, he says, poor man and his temper is as
sweet as ever. - Buenavista is a Stammgast here and behaves
beautifully most of the time. I took tea with Sides, the Turk
Italian-Jewish mixture; - he was pleasant; pity he's so su-
perficial. Haven't seen Don Juan - oh yes, once at theatre,
where I was with various cousin whom I had been entertaining
about him at dinner, and he told me I had blessed him and he
had wanted to punish me, but had punished himself instead and
expected I would "excuse" myself for the things I had said. In

JOURNAL.

NEW YORK

March 6 (cont.)

1918.

parting he asked when we would see one another and I said "Je
n'en s'pis rien"

What a pity he said.

In many ways: - tremendous energy, ready to discharge
self at any moment like an arrow strung on a bow; not a moment
of relaxation. Strong will and some self mastery; witness his
goodbye scene in a furious state. What must he be now. - Hope
he'll be at Sterners Saturday. But he won't like me as a man
Others may. -

March 24.

The Germans are said to be shelling Paris with a cannon 74 miles
away - no one knows what to believe, and the English are said
to be holding back the offensive which has already taken the
toll of hundreds of thousands of men. If only they are chiefly
German victims and weaken their armies. Last night at the first
news we were all frightfully depressed and had a large dinner
on hand, and in it one German - Reimers ! We never regretted

WAR.

NEW YORK

March 13.

1918.

102 West 76 th St.

Dear Gansy,

I was so touched to find you in the mountains of Macedonia when your letter dated Xmas reached me about 2 weeks ago, that I made up my mind to answer it immediately. As you see it is now March 13th, and you will rightly conclude that my mind does not yet get obeyed by the rest of me on all occasions. But I am still touched and I intend to write you a long and entertaining letter, much longer and more entertaining than if you were on the French front where you still had the flavour of Paris in your nostrils. I am also going to send you a photo of myself, which I wouldn't have done but for the lure of Macedonia, for I can't resist wanting to feel myself in my Romeo-like afternoon clothes in the barracks in the mountains of Macedonia. It is a very pretentious picture and if you don't like it, it will annoy you extremely to have it around, and in so far it is a faithful representative of myself. You will find my mouth more mocking and my eye more cold than it was when you last knew me, and so it, or rather they, should be, but they are not always - for somehow in spite of all the hope and fineness released by the war, my spirit must either harden or must droop with disappointment. Because life is a process of disenchantment and disillusion, at least mine is, and I don't even know why I myself shall be the last thing to lose faith in, but so it will be.

However this is not what I started to do, - I wanted to cheer you up in the Mts. of Macedonia, you poor boy, and here

2.

NEW YORK

March 15.

1918.

I am showing you that even if the valley of New York may lie
in the shadows.

You paid me the compliment to ask me for my views of
social reconstruction and on marriage. My views on #1) are
rather meagre, though I have as good a right to them as any one/
but my views on 2) are as definite and extensive and rigid as
my experience is limited. -

1) Everyone here is predicting a revolution after or
during the war. Differences on the point of whether it will
be violent or peaceful. The I.W.W.s are scaring people and
at present no word has used more often then Bolsheviki.
People here are rather amateurish about their politics. Social-
ism has been amateurish so far, and so the people who go about
predicting revolution do it in a silly, good-natured way, like
children who speak of begies they don't really believe in, and
find interestingly exciting anyway. - Certainly there is tre-
mendous unrest now, and there are sure to be big changes, and the
question in my mind is, will Germany, where I believe there
will be fewer changes than elsewhere unless she is badly bea-
ten, not profit by any liberal advance in our countries. I
believe you in France will have better and more reliable lea-
dership in case of a revolutionary economic reconstruction than
we have.

2) Marriage. Now I shall make a Macedonian-inspired
confession to you. I have 2 distinct sets of views on mar-
riage, one for all the world excepting myself and the other

might have produced. - Please bury these remarks in the Mts. of Macedonia and not in the little coffin I made you when I was angry at you for not being a devoted friend. I am more lenient now, I know that such things are as rare as Veunses of Milo and Robert Brownings and Shakespeares. - By the way to égayer vous a la fin - the Germans are supposed to announce "Hamlet" as follows on the theatre-affiche:

Schinkelschen, Prinz von Dänemark
von Wilhelm Schüttellanz.

Next time I'm going to write to you in French to show you how much I've improved. I take lessons from Duchamp a queer but charming French boy, who painted "the Nude descending the Stairs" and other cubistic creations. I think I wrote you in my last I had met French people and had done some Government work (my handwriting looks like yours just this moment, doesn't it?)

I am neglecting my own work completely, I have too much distraction. Please write me what you think of my photo and also acknowledge receipt of this letter, so I'll know whether my confessions reached the mountains of Macedonia. And be good to yourself and when you're lonely, imagine that dotted all over

6.

NEW YORK

March 13.

1918.

the globe, and in New York, too, sit persone who are thinking
of you in the Mountains of Macedonia.

Your world-worn friend

ETTIE St. -

JOURNAL.

NEW YORK

March 30.

1918.

Before Easter.

The Germans are either in Amiens or right outside - have been shockingly and horribly successful - Violet Seligman is frightfully ill with some unknown disease at Bryn-Mawr - we called off our tea-party of today and had only the Sandbye, Appelbaum, Sprinchorn and Florence Opp. - Have had a quiet and upset week back of me and some more translations from Washington. And have a prospect of doing some really interesting work through Mr. Notestein; hope to be able to amquit myself well. - Hope Violet will recover and begin soon. Poor, poor Carrie.

April 2.

Tuesday.

We attended Violet's funeral today. How Carrie will bear it, I don't know, but they say she is wonderful. She certainly is if she can bear it. On the whole Violet was the healthiest, happiest, best equipped young thing of her age I have ever known and it is inconceivable that she should have passed from life. To see Edwin, Carrie, Eustace and his wife sitting at her bier was pathetic and fowlorn and tragic and all that is sad. - And it was a summer's day and the violets are coming out and things are beginning an Easter resurrection.

JOURNAL.

NEW YORK

April 26 (cont.)

1918.

- At the same time the question arose whether the Comm. on public information would continue that branch of the work, so I had a pause anyway. 2 days ago I received word from Washington that they would; if my eyes are in order I'll continue.

We had about decided to take the Ling House and make it a keep house, but Mr. Merritt just arrived and Mr. Shepp changed the lease and we have rejected it and I don't believe it will amount to anything.

I am leafing all the time since my eyes are out of commission. and as I have nice clothes to do it in and now and then nice or amusing companions, I don't mind a bit, since my conscience is at rest. On Wednesday I was out with Mr. Piercy (a nice companion) at the Banker's Club on the 40th floor of the Equitable Building, with a terrace on both sides for the *** view.

JOURNAL.

NEW YORK

May 10.

1918.

Am still a semi-invalid, nursing the hang-over off a bronchial
cold and not yet equipped with glasses. By next week I may be
whole again and if so, I'll probably enjoy it all the more.
Florrie and Carrie are in Stamford looking at cottages, and Mr.
Whitby telephoned from New York to say he could see us about a
camps. I'm in favor of a camp for the air for Carrie and the
getting away from New York.

Tonight I'm going to Ediths to meet some Englishmen including
my Mr. Piercy who seems to be a very mysterious dear and Eng-
lish through and through. All my knowledge of English literat-
ture doesn't clear the mystery so far, though he's simple and
straight-forward.

As I haven't read nor written for the last 4 weeks, I know what
an illiterate's life is like, and it isn't attractive,

JOURNAL.

NEW YORK

May 10 (cont.)

1918.

Carrie and Edwin are bearing their blow with the fortitude of
heroes; it is a wonderful spiritual thing and if Felix Adler
has been an influence, it speaks worlds for him.

I had a lovely letter from Prof. Baldwin anent "Philosophy" he
sent it to the Barnard Bear to be reviewed; so far I haven't
seen it.

June 2.

Yesterday was over 90 degrees and today it's almost as hot
and we are packing to leave for our farm tomorrow. I don't
know how I feel about it; I'm glad to get away from the noise
and the rush, but I'm not glad to sit on a sunny veranda in the
midst of nowhere. My work doesn't amount to anything; Note-
stein wants me to make a popular article out of the bit of ma-
terial gathered, I am averse to doing anything with a fragment
of stuff prior to 1917. And the rest is in Washington.
Haven't decided on anything but to come in for Ethical Canteen
work once a week.

JOURNAL.

BEDFORD HILLS

June 10.

1918.

Rupert Hughes Farm.

Monday after the first Sunday; but we're still a little unsettled and the Irish cook has given notice to Carrie's satisfaction I think.

I went to town Friday to attend the Ethical Culture Canteen supper to which I took Piercy and Aunt Jo and we sat with Carrie Wise a quatre. Then speeches and awful songs and a collection was made. The ethical atmosphere is as unaesthetic as ever. I cannot imagine myself efficient in it and certainly not comfortable. "Bill" and I took supper at the Brovoert and their home to Florrie's apartment which I found very agreeable. Next day stayed to go to the theatre with Stella; in the afternoon took a lesson from Duche while I had my nails manicured. Yesterday morning it was arranged that Stella's car should call for me, I for Buenavista and then both for Stella. First there was a delay with Philip, then after Buena got in, the car wouldn't go. We waited 5 to 10 minutes while he tried to make it, then Buena went up to phone to Stella, during that time Ph. told me to get out, the car was on fire, so I rescued my suitcase and sat on the steps with it; when Buena came down Ph. said the car would have to be towed back to the Garage as the chain was out of place, so we went up to Buena's, luggage and all and prepared to phone and wait for the train. However in 10 minutes Ph. sent up word all was in order and we trouped down, B. and I smoking cigarettes, and the valet with my luggage and it was a pity Annt Jo or someone did not see me and heard to distrust experiences—appearances, I mean.

JOURNAL.

BEDFORD HILLS

June 10 (cont.)

1918.

Finally we got here and Nadelman, Duche and Van Vechtehs came in the train and we had a pleasant but uneventful day - It is charming and quiet and peaceful here, at least nature is and all would be if we had efficient and agreeable "help", because it's easy work and compact, but somehow things are always complicated with us and full of pitfalls. - For me who expect to go to town every week for one or two restless days, it is perfect. For Carrie I don't know as she does the housekeeping and has the bother - but perhaps when it's in order and she begins with her Dollhouse it will be O.K.

June 18.

Tuesday.

This is the first day I feel a little bored. My eyes hurt and I can't read all day and something else hurt and I took medicine so I feel seedy and I don't know what to do" with the pretty country around and about me. Yesterday C. and I worked at the local Red Cross and C. said Miss Griffen would have been in her element. Last week F. and I spent a day and night in N.Y. A cool day and did shopping and tea'd with Duche and Dán Juan. Sunday Stella and the children and Buena and Mary lunched here and Mr. Piercy whom I consider my anti-dote supped - It was climatically a lovely day; so is today. I haven't found the thing I want to do, nor the person I want to be with! - Ovid and Casanova and their disciple all bore me just at present. This library is a typically entertaining one too. (except Hughes' famous Latin library) I wish I felt like writing. Maybe I shall in time.

JOURNAL.

BEDFORD HILLS

June 18 (cont.)

1918.

The war is going so badly, it still gives me a "what's the use" feeling about everything. My boarding-school-miss-bedchamber is very warm and stuffy and I look rather delapidated.

Re-reading my last entry, must state that the help is staying.

June 30.

Sunday.

Last of the month of the roses. Quiet Sunday, but that's good for me after my spree in N.Y. lasting 2 to 3 days.

Went in Thursday with the family - no, alone, - I mean in the train, so as to be at the Ethical Culture Canteen on time - when I got there I wasn't needed and so far they don't need me at all I imagine. Then I lunched with the family at Sterns and later we went to the shabby little Italian Festa together and the others left in the car which worried me because I saw the chauffeur was disabled! I sold cherries for a few minutes at the place, because Mme. Bertelli asked me to - I met Sulzberger and he treated me to 10 cents worth of flowers. When I got back to the studio Florrie telephoned that they were taking the train back - so at present we are minus a chauffeur, hence, a car.

R. neither apologized nor tried to explain.

In the evening Mr. Piercy treated me to dinner at the Elysée and then we went to the Duncan Girls and Copeland at Carnegie.

Anna was lovely and the whole performance and combination was charming. Sides was there with the Elsie Ferguson coiffure.

Stella, Lala and Marie Sterner with Strelecki (the photographer)

Nadelman (whom Marie brought along) and some other men. Stella asked me to join them, - I asked Piercy and he said "no" - So

JOURNAL.

BEDFORD HILLS

June 30 (cont.)

1918.

we went to Polly's on the top of a Buss and back again. Got
home at 1 o'clock and slept badly. Friday bought some clothes
took lunch with Van Vechtens at Polianis (Sides there with El-
sie Ferguson coiffure) after V.V. insisted on going to Nadel-
mans so we went and saw his things and he offered to do me in
his new caricature style, and offered to do Fania regularly,
which she cleverly took up immediately. At 7 little Duche came
and we took tea at the Beaux Arts Café, a horrible place and x
then went up to the studio, where he made me go on my knees for
fun to get him to leave in time for me to dress for dinner, which
I did, and makes a good story, and then Nadelman and I dined at
the Ratz roof and went to a stupid(I thought) performance of
the "Tailor made Man" and then supped at the Cocanut Grove,
where the Dolly sisters danced (gymnastics) -(Hearst was there
and Maurice Guest) - We danced ! -

JOURNAL.

BEDFORD HOLLS

June 30 (cont.)

1918

Saturday I went to the Columbia Library and then lunched with Florrie Walter and after that went to Miss Richman to have the "Emotion" typed over. A nice girl - and a clever one. Well, so things go on their unique way and I chiefly waste time and a little energy. And I haven't a job yet, that's small and yet important enough for me to do, things being as they are.

July 4.

A beautiful cool summer's day - or even spring day - we have had a series of incredibly lovely days. - There is a procession of 11000 in New York today.

WAR.

BEDFORD HILLS

JULY 5.

1918.

Rupert Hughes Farm.

Dear Gansy,

I received your lines of "receipt" from Tunisia (as I saw by the stamps) 2 days ago and I was very much touched and a little amused by your conscientiousness. For I wasn't particularly worried by my views muscarrying on route; they might have been lost, strayed or stolen, to be sure, but for one thing I shouldn't have missed them, and I might have remembered them kindly, and as for them, who knows but what they might have had a useful and prolific career if their privacy had undergone some violation (to put it decently). Of course they wouldn't have reached you (I just thought of that) but would this have been a serious disaster? Although amusing you in Tunisia seems somehow less patriotic than amusing you in Macedonia, I am glad to have done so and glad you are nearer your home. René-Bloch is in Marocco (correctly spelled) and as Marocco and Tunisia are as close as Penn and N.Y. why shouldn't you meet, though I have never been to Philadelphia.

We are spending the summer in a very pleasant and comfortable house, style unknown, with a farm attached run by the owner, which provides us with eatables and conversation; we have a tennis court we don't use, and a lake too dirty to bathe in but not dirty enough not to want badly to bathe in, pigs, cows, horses, chickens etc. geese, whom Florrie calls the Germans; "here come the Germans," she says as they approach the lake. I suppose we shall feel obliged to eat them when the weather gets cooler. Our nearest neighbors are the Eugene

2.

BEDFORD HILLS

JULY 5.

1918.

Meyers, but as Eugene is in Washington, I have not visited them yet. - I go to New York a few days every week, looking for war-work, or pretending to do it, but so far my real occupation there has been keeping my dates for lunch, dinner, roof-gardens and theatres from getting mixed up. I bunk at Florrie's studio in the Beaux-Arts and feel very fast, but am not.Especially when they bring me 2 petit déjeunés at 9 o'clock instead of one, - by force of habit, I suppose. -

René-Bloch (to whom I haven't written in 6 months, for which I reproach myself, but which I do not remedy) has a brother who is a captain in the artillery and who was in Kansas instructing. On his way home he passed through New York and proved to be a fat, blonde, good-natured, simple, natural and rather dull young man. Don't you know any thin, dark, sinister complicated, artificial and very brilliant captain of artillery to send to me ? He might even be an aviator or infantrist. If you should be sent yourself at any time, look out that it's to the neighbourhood of New York; other places are deadly to anyone but a provincial. - Do you remember the little Hotel Villa Said ? It belonged to a Mme. Neyt, whose "friend" Vi-comte de Geoffre used to come about the fire and lawsuit busi-ness. Now he is the lady's husband and seems to spend his week-ends at the Ritz in a French uniform; I don't know where he spends the rest of the week.

I wonder whether you heard that Prof. and Mrs. Seligman lost their oldest daughter, Violet, a lovely young creature of 19, healthy and happy, this winter. She had the measles at

3.

BEDFORD HILLS

JULY 5.

1918.

College and it developed into some unknown disease, some kind of paralysis, killing her in a week. We all thought her Mother would go out of her mind, instead of which she has behaved like some religious martyr, deriving strength no one knows whence - I wonder whether she does. Dr. Edwin Beer, my cousin, and George Beer's brother, is at Neuilly, perhaps in the American Ambulance; a fine man, look him up, if you get to Paris. My nephew is at the Am. Legation in Rome, after having got his commission as aviator. If my facsimile gets lost between Macedonia and Tunisia let me know and I'll send you another direct or to Paris. There wouldn't be any sense in me getting lost.

Good luck

ETTIE ST.

I hope your Mother is well - please remember us to her if you think of it.

July 22.

Mother's birthday.

Monday.

Aunt Jo left this morning, after spending two days with us, -
the hottest day so far and today is still hotter, Stella is
coming up for the day and night from Spring Lake, at least
she said so - it's verrry hot - Mother seems well, thank Good-
ness. - C's is tomorrow; Duche is coming and will bring her
the little "Nude descending the stairs".

Nothing new with me; F. and I dined with Duche and Piercy in
the Park Restaurant last week and then called on Sterners,
who had no one there and walked us home. Next day Mr. Talmage
told us that he and Buena were sitting up on his balcony while
we were entering below, wishing there were something unusual
to do.

JOURNAL.

BEDFORD HILLS

July 22 (cont.)

1918.

I got all the German dailies for 3 days (June 18, 19, 20) at the Times office and sat at an editorial desk sorting them. I'm going over them tomorrow. The war news is encouraging. We've pushed the Germans across the Marne at any rate. I've begun to write a little at my novel. Goodbye, I must to my German papers.

July 24.

Wednesday.

The heat has not abated yet; I am through the German papers and must go to town to get more as soon as it grows a little cooler. Duche was here yesterday, he brought Carrie the little "nu descendant un escalier" very nicely done - Stella only left in the morning.

Duche expeds to leave for Buenas Ayres next month, but I couldn't make out why - excepting that he doesn't think he's happy here any more. He asked me to go with him 3 times! Whatever that expressed I don't know. He has no prospects nor friends down there. I told him to call on me if he got sick and penniless, but I don't believe he would. Poor little floating atom, a strange boy. - But a dear -

August 5.

We had a party yesterday, see back of the book. It rained most of the day and our party was small. Sprinchorn didn't come at all and couldn't tell me why" - Duche was here came out with me Saturday after spending from Friday 1 o'clock with me with interruption of dinner, which I took with Stella, until 12:30 at We lunched Henris, went shopping for a tortoise shell ring which he wanted to give me and which doesn't exist so he gave me a little gold band, really a guard ring and scratched something on it. I told him to send me a decent one when he made his fortune in South America. But I'm sure there will be tortoise shell rings in N.Y. next year, certainly at the little 46th St. jewelry shop run by an appallingly Oriental person who knew Duchamp.

Yesterday Gleizes spent the day trying to moralize tautfully to Duche and talking about him to me, and M. Barzun, a literary journalist over here on a mission, whom Duche wanted me to meet, God knows why, did the same, but they both seemed more influenced than influencing. Van V. told me that Avery made over 300,000 on Fair and Warmer, acc. to himself and I said I thought his

006

D. leaves on Saturday - we expect to see him in town Wednesday
night - and I leave Monday, day trip to Placid.

I'm tired of reading the German papers and I find nothing in
them either for my purposes, though they're very enlightening
especially the Reichstag conversations.

LAKE PLACID.

CAMP ASKENONTA.

Aug. 22.

I'm leaving tomorrow after a 12 days' stay, pleasant, quiet,
beautiful weather. Am taking Susan Carns with me to Harmon -
at least. Hazel growing robust. C. is as well as can be ex-
pected. Edwin devotes himself to her. Piercy was here for 5
days, more intellectual than in small doses; very ackward phy-
sically, very sweet - gave me 2 signs of affection (I suppose)
Had cold but fine weather - we made an excursion to Ausable
Chasm while he was here and one to Upper Saranac and home by
beat. I should have liked to stay another few days and gone
on a trip through the Lakes with someone colourless.

JOURNAL.

CAMP ASKENONTA

Aug 22 (cont.)

1918.

and puzzling enough not to ever bore. He's probably on a mission
though why it should be secret I don't know.

I looked at the Dunlap Camp yesterday - would not want to own
it. Hardly to rent it; it has a slovenly shup-in way about it.
In fact it's hard to know what one wants to do for work or for
play - these days.

I feel frightfully blue as if all my pleasure were behind me. Piercy is a sceptic about all the ideal motives in the war, especially ours - Edwin also seems to think - It's all so hopeless, everything is ugly and incomplete it seems, and the beautiful gets wasted.

Well, I ought to be able to write in this mood.

BEDFORD HILLS

Sept. 2.

Labour Day.

2 1
Marvellous weather today and yesterday - Stella with us - no-
thing to do - no autoing - was in town last week; saw Avery's
Double Exposure - is a failure I believe - too frothy; lost my
hatpin the one Florrie gave Mother with the first money she won
earned. Lost it at the theatre though I looked for it before
I left, so someone stole it. Avery suggested giving me another
but he hasn't so far!

Trip back from Placid was hot and filthy and uneventful. -
Am bored though I write a little and could now go to town and
work. Expected Mr. Piercy yesterday, but he missed the only
train; another Gallipoli etc. - Also Mrs. Hughes, but she had
a headabbe. - Am asking some people for next Sunday. Going
to town to arrow to vote and get the papers from Mr. Smith. -

JOURNAL.

BEDFORD HILLS.

Sept. 2 (cont.)

1918.

Since I'm back have written to Leg Stein and Steichen. Shall wait to hear from Duche before writing to him.

Got a notice to register 5000 men at our Board betw. 18-45 in one day! - It will change things enormously when they begin to go - What a dreadful war -

Just had a wire from Edwin Seligman saying Louise had died in an accident and was to be buried tomorrow.

Sept. 8. ?

Tuesday.

Louise was buried on Tuesday last - Martin was there with his arm bandaged, looking more than ever like a man in a Russian novel. He was all broken up, especially when there was no ceremony (of the Jesus Christ variety) going on; small wonder with that - his doing and all his children and 3 others injured.

Anna went with me; - it was so vivid a ceremony I feel I must write it up. Louise was somehow too good to be anyway successful, - but she loved him and perhaps that compensated for it. Goodbye, dear Louise.

JOURNAL.

BEDFORD HILLS.

Sept. 28 (cont.)

1918.

in life just now is the good turn the war conditions have taken.
It looks like the beginning of a central success.

Wilson made a speech in N.Y. sounding a warning to the Allied
Governments (it seems to me) to give up their imperialistic in-
berests and join us in the ideal of a League of all nations with
favours to none.

JOURNAL.

NEW YORK.

October 30.

1918.

102 West 76 Street.

Evening: waiting for Peter to call - Just heard that Jo
Bach has been killed in France. The influenza is raging in N.Y.
don't go to the Local Board, though they need me, so please Mo-
ther who is scared for me.

Go to the Red Cross with Carrie - go nowhere in the evening.
Have had some fictitious gaiety since I'm back.

Peter has rung.

NOVEMBER 7.

New York went crazy with delight this afternoon at 1 o'clock
following a premature report that Germany had signed the Foch
armistice.

5th Ave. was so crowded we took an hour about to do 6 blocks -
then we turned off. Stores closed and the shopgirls kissed
the passing soldiers or patted them - impromptu processions,
all or most of them, of young proletarians, formed and ran up
wherever they found space. Above all the noise was deafening.
It seems to be keeping up all evening although the papers prin-
ted a denial by Washington. As Mr. Travers said: If it isn't
official we'll make it official by sending some more boys over.
Every one thinks it's but a question of hours, that Germany
has cracked, and then Austria and Turkey are out of it.
But the Kaiser must be gotten rid of, Wilson owes it to the world
I voted the straight democratic ticket in order to support him,
but the Republicans got a small majority in both houses anyway.
I hope the League of Nations goes through, but will it ? I'm

JOURNAL.

NEW YORK

Nov. 7 (cont.)

1918.

going to try to write up the German press on "League of Nation
idea" which they have already taken up as a last straw - I
was going to work at it tonight, but I'm chilly and don't feel
fit, so I read and almost finished that fine young man Hugh
Knyvett's book "Over there" a convincing glorification of the
Anzak soldier. I heard last night that Knyvett had died here
in a hospital in spring; it is too sad if true, too disgusting
a waste of a rarely fine spirit. - He reminds me of Henry Beer
in appearance.

What times we are living in; too great to grasp in their total
significance.

Nov. 12.

Yesterday about 5 in the morning we were awakened by the bells
and whistles of N.Y. announcing the signing of the armistice
and the end of the war - - -

N.Y. celebrated more calmly than on Thursday - the streets were
used to walk on - 5th Ave. was cleared of carriage traffic and
dense crowds waving flags and making a noise walked (when they
could) -

The Emperor is in Holland - I think he expects to come back as
constitutional king, but so far the Socialists are having it
their way; question: what will the army do when it gets back to
Germany and will it retain discipline enough to get back in orderly fashion. If the army is with Social Democrats, they may
set up an orderly moderate Republic; - if there is Bolshevism
there will be a Dictator after a while and allied Intervention.

JOURNAL.

NEW YORK

Nov. 12 (cont.)

1918.

No one knows and no one foresees, not the German press nor the
German Government either - fortunately or this debacle would
not have happened, and a peace without victory and without a
real decision might have been made and a League of Nations would
have remained a dream. Let us hope Wilson will put a real one
through, one which will be able to afford to let individual
nations experiment in new social forms without anarchy and na-
tional extinction.

JOURNAL.

NEW YORK

Nov. 12. (cont.)

1918

Perhaps peace will bring me some *thing* to adopt and get joy out of. Life itself is interesting and I could make art of it, but I don't get at it enough; the conditions and details of my life are too confining, and if I were to break through, I should no longer float above the view, I'd be so completely engulfed, I'd only feel and not see, and so lose my power of expressing myself.

AMEN.

Nov. 28.

*Thanksgiving Day*

Grey day and empty for us - The Peace Mission leaves on Tuesday of next week - the President, George Beer and Stephen Wise (and his wife, as the French Government's guests I am told) are the ones I am interested in. This time Louise Wise didn't ask me to go along. I'd like to go abroad for the first time: I've concluded war didn't and doesn't appeal to me in any way, and I'm not sure Peace parleys do - there's nothing but intrigue and near-sightedness or obstinacy or self-glorification or working for ideals *because* they are *your own* - in it all. I attended a meeting of radical journalists at the Civic Club. They were almost all smug - Randolphe Bourne, my greatest admirer is a hideous, hideous deformed dwarf; - he doesn't even speak well closing my eyes and listening was no pleasure.

Martin Rosanoff was here and came in for a few moments. I feared he was going to do away with himself - His life has turned to

JOURNAL.

NEW WORK

Nov. 28. (cont.)

1918.

gall and ashes - The world is horrible if one takes it with a
youthful and serious spirit. I'm almost sorry most of the time
that I have remained so young. If I hadn't the sort of physical
optimism (vitality) that goes with youth and a sense of honour,
I don't think I could live. Everything is disappointing
when you get into touch with it. Ida acts in a silly amateurish
smug company - there is a flavour of the ridiculous about
it. - Wilson is somewhat interesting still, but somehow
growing less so: one still looks to the Peace-table for some
sensations. I wish I were going. My article about the white-
washing methods of the German press is finished, but badly
written. And I don't really care about it. I got some new
clothes, but I don't really care for them. I have some plans
but I don't really care for them. I have some friends, but I
don't really care for them.

I want something new.

December 27.

Friday after CHRISTMAS. (Wednesday)

XMAS is over; was very tame, weather warmish, badish, "flu" re-
viving. We all well.

My article has not found a home, although everyone who has read
it likes it. (except Al Cook, who thinks it handled badly) The
"Current History Times" offered me a job which I declined.

Mr. Piercy said Farewell yesterday; left for home 25 minutes ago - a fine man, but a man and that is no praise. His Goodbye most unattractive - - - Buena leaves for Washington.