Paris, Aug. 22
Women's University Club.Honey dear: -
At last I have your letters - four, no five in 24 hours! All my Zurich mail came here instead of to Gletsch, Zermatt and Geneva, where Alice had hers! Isn't the Amer. Exp. eccentric? I knew they must be somewhere - there were 6 or 7 other letters - but it seemed impossible to get any of them. We did lose around Cortina, but I'm glad to have these. All the news is interesting, but I can't see that you are having either quiet or economy! Better to go to a cool spot another time. Of course I hope you'll be there when I arrive, but I don't want to have you miss your sister's party. I'm glad Miss Goldthwait has gone - and I'm sorry she happened to have the gift idea first, because that was just chance. You can see by the outcome it was due to happen! I never knew she was the one who made the initial suggestion, so you can see how fully it was adapted!
Aug. 24. The pace of Paris is too much for writing! Alice has a sister and two nieces here, another sister due tonight, coming on the "Ile de France" with Pres. Coolidge's envoy, Kellogg.
And it's now evening! I'll have to go back to our departure from Geneva, for amusing things happened. That train was mobbed when it came in - we had no reserved places, but got two, in the middle, with 2 Amer. young women at the window, a disgruntled Amer. woman next Alice - she'd had a cold and didn't want any air, but cheered up after dinner - and an Amer. husband, with a French wife, voluble and spicy! We lived together from one till 10:30 and became intimately acquainted! The man is one of the editors of the Boston Transcript!! Elderly and intellectual, anxious because he lost off the monument to Vercingetorix we were supposed to see. His wife is rich and rare, at first rather belligerent in her remarks on Ellis Island, but growing more mellow as the day advanced. She told us a lot about Paris, most helpful! Our arrival was easy, at 11:00 + p.m. only they'd forgotten to save me a room so I have a "Bureau". It's an office, and is large and expensive, but inconvenient. However, the place is very attractive and convenient and quiet. I like it so much better than a hotel.
Alice's sister & two nieces found a little French hotel near by, where the girls enjoy hugely eating on the sidewalk! The mother and father of one girl arrived today - he's the leader of the younger group in that Blood market in Lynn. There's a friend along, too, so we've had quite a big dinner party tonight - an oval table in one of the rooms, very nicely served, like a Fac. House party - one man! There is a lot of fuss over the coming of Sec. Kellogg! The flags are beginning to come out. I wish we might stay so as to get the comments &c. No public show has been mentioned. Mr. Blood was much impressed by the Canadian prime minister - says Kellogg does not look well, though he's a fine kind of man.
To go back. The first day here we went to the American Express! And it is pleasant to get letters when they come, instead of weeks afterward after somebody gets around to forward them. I've had another, Aug. 13, from you today, quite swift. Sorry the storm bit us so hard. There have been letters from Jessee and Charlotte, too, and today from Miss Searles, all good to get.
The Louvre is like the British Museum, perfectly impossible! But I've seen a few things in it! Got turned out tonight before reaching the Angelus! I'd counted on getting there, but they routed us in squads and sent us out by several stairways, not one, as we had entered. Also they put times on all the postcards so we couldn't buy on the way out. But the Murillos are lovely, and so are the Raphaels, and I don't find the Mona Lisa the greatest painting in the world.
That first afternoon "Sister Minnie" took us all out to Versailles. I had thought to cut it, but it was so simple to go in a car! The girls are not old enough to want to linger much, so we didn't see such a lot, but it was very interesting all he same, to compare with Potsdam. We came around by St. Germaine where we had ice cream at the Hotel Henry IV on the lovely terrace and also by Malmaism. At present, I think Potsdam has it over Versailles - but the fountains were on at one place and not the other, which makes a difference. However - the general impression is the same - what an awful expense a monarchy is, and how the common people must pay for it. Now I should say all these edifices might be well kept up on tourist "2-francs" - the admission everywhere. Paris costs much more than Berlin, as we see it, in all but taxis. Vienna much less. Our ordinary living cost most in Switzerland - bit it is some work to get things about there, one must pay, of course.
One of the Blood children is Anna, aged 14, going to Emma Willard, very bright and nice and unspoiled. She took us to dinner that night, and the seriousness with which she ordered was great. It's my impression she knows more French than Aunt Minnie, who is like me, inclined to hash up German and French and English! We ate on the sidewalk, nice friendly host to care for us. Then we had the taxi to convey us for a while about the city by night - to please "the girls." No great show, just lights - a few flood lights on Notre Dame &c would make it wonderful. The Eiffel Tower is sometimes lighted, but not that night. Wicked Monmartre just looked cheap and grubby. No thrills.
Yesterday we tried to shop a little - and met the family for lunch at a "Brasserie" where we could get real hors d'oeuvres - lots of 'em, like Denmark, to entertain the children. That was my party, and mildly entertaining. The mint is as charming as ever - I have a few more medals. Can't find a hat to go on my head - and I need it sadly.
Last night we went to the big opera house, "Thais" - and all very elegant. Audience at least half American, I should say, so different from our other musics. But the opera was French, decidedly - music beautifully played, all very good, with the acting really convincing in the big scene. The woman was a size too big physically and couldn't make her voice heavenly enough for the end - a better courtesan than saint! The crowd poured out into the stairway - gorgeous, isn't it? - and foyer and balcony between acts, but nobody pulled sandwiches out of little bags, and there weren't any buffets! The contrast couldn't be greater. Only once did the audience really attend to an overture, when there was the heavenly violin solo everbody knows! All through the first overture folks were being seated and there was a low buzz of talk - no such hush as in the German opera houses where I felt I couldn't move an eyelash or somebody would decapitate me. Both seemed extreme! The ballet was great - but didn't belong in the narrative. I'd like to know how much Massenet expected to have done and what style. This was modern, by very agile young ladies. But 'twas all a grand show, and evening clothes are good looking.
So are the shop windows on Rue de las Paix! I sure never did see so many jewels, except in royal crown jewels and such. But the junk on the Rue de Rivoli is equally amazing! Two nice books I have, small text booky things on French styles and Paris. I'd like to know a thing or two. These are for steamer reading by the aid of a dictionary!
Sainte Chapelle is lovely - also Notre Dame. There are so many folks around I can't seem to prowl very well, but the Cluny Museum came near it - a most charming place, old architecture in place and many lovely things, old glass, old carvings, especially added.
Also I've looked up some lab. things, but not many. The time is too short. Next time I come will be for a longer time in a smaller spot, but this summer's circuit as been fine for what we tried to do - get a few samples, particlarly of Germany & Austria. Prague fails to stand out as I thought it would. But I'd like to see it cool, the day after a rain! We've not had heat as you have - Prague & Munich, really hot, Vienna somewhat so. Here today, a little too warm, but not bad, really. Tomorrow we go out for the day to Chartres - then on to Brussels Sunday afternoon. Amiens gets left out - beastly train service. The French don't seem to use their minds to make connections! Things have connected all summer - notably in Switzerland, but these just don't. I can't seem happy with the French folks, but we see very little of them, really.
Oh today I met Josephine & Pauline Goldmark so pleasantly at Cluny. Saw Nevins & Dorothy Robinson yesterday at the Amer. Exp. But I must go to bed.
Good night - and lots of love -
- Abby -