It's good news that replies are coming in from your letters of inquiry! Miss Margaret Carr should be able to help considerably, as we were rather closely associated during the time her brother Frank and I were pals. And she can give you the address of Frank's wife, who wrote me after Frank's death. I have her letter somewhere, but it's in the other house. Mrs. Barber refers to the niece of Augustin Daly (a big theater name in those days). She had just come from Paris: Sat next to me at dinner — a beautiful young woman. She reached for a cigarette
when I lit one, and I was astounded, as I had not known a good woman who smoked. Even she never smoked except at home, with family and friends. I did teach her to blow smoke rings, as I remember. It was something to do. I believe this was at a dinner given by the Ledouxs, but it may have been in the home of Samuel Pierson Lockwood, the violinist. And by the way, how about Norman Lockwood, Sam's son? Have you tried him for letters? Sam and I were friends and there was considerable correspondence after
I was in N. Y. (1907). How about Arthur Sullivant Hoffman? He does remember me. Wrote to my friend in Omaha, expressing appreciative thoughts about my "full life".
Do you have the address of my cousin who was Mary Balsbach and is now Mrs. Weymouth? She knows a lot, and we were close. I think we were almost in love. She is an accomplished person — Greek scholar, or was in her Stanford days. She believes. For that matter I can say now, since I am an old man on the way out that Blanche Barber and I liked each other a lot, but shyness intervened. She is, and always was, a fine person.
Did I send you Arthur Bailey's letter about the time he I half carried him some miles home? He was about 6 ft 2" tall, and I had the advantage of being under him! I had forgotten, but not he!
These are small matters, but they may help with atmosphere.
Rex Carey is a remarkable person in some ways. Was always my friend. The family was one of the important ones in Bancroft. Big farm implement dealers. Once Rex & I were sitting on the steps of the Carey store, both silent for a long while. Then, out of nothing, he said: "I read that
you have been made literary editor of the Minneapolis Journal!" I said something to this effect: "What do you mean? I don't know anything about this! Where did you read it?" He answered that he did not know! He had not read it! The thing happened several weeks later! He paints and draws remarkably well. Is, and always was, cursed with self-abasement with no justificiation at all.
There is one person, once of first importance in my young life, whom we shall have to omit. This was Emma Engle. She was
our school principal and a fine person — beautiful, too — a Diana. I called her that. She would have 4,000 acres of land in the best part of Michigan — I mean she would inherit, and had much in her own name. This was just before Mona. Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned it. But I needn't say I'm glad I escaped.
Enough for now.
John N.
