April 24 Friday – Clemens and Ralph Ashcroft traveled to Greenwich, Conn. to visit Jean Clemens. Jean, her two nurses, and friend Marguerite Schmidt; the ladies would shortly move to Gloucester, Mass. Meanwhile, Isabel Lyon inspected the construction site of what would be Stormfield at Redding [Hill 197; 203]. Note: the exact date of Jean’s move was not determined, but on May 20, Sam wrote a “welcome to your new home” for her. It becomes apparent that Hill used IVL’s journals for much of his source, though he didn’t always cite it.
Isabel Lyon’s journal: We went to Redding today, Mother and I; and it was like driving along and looking through veils of exquisite color at a darling landscape, for the blooms of willow and maple and birch and cedar were so delicate and so different in color that you could see through them easily. The King’s house is coming on very well, but the chaos there is appalling just now, for they are working on Santa’s wing, and the loggia and the road and the path to the pergola and the terraces and the perron, and the cess pool and the gas works, and the interior decorations and today it seemed a little despairing, and I couldn’t see my way, or their way out. And Lyonesse is so dear. The long line of study and living room and buttery and kitchen and wood house is such a splendid satisfying original long line, and the view from there is so beautiful, that we are both filled with happiness over it. Real happiness.
The King went to see Jean today. Ashcroft took him to Greenwich [MTP: IVL TS 48-49].
Diana Belais for the New York City Humane Society wrote to thank Sam for his permission to use his name in their cause; she’d asked the favor in her Apr. 17 letter [MTP].
Irene Gerken wrote from NYC to Sam. “I want to thank you very very much for your kind invitation and I was very sorry that I had to refuse you but my friend is giving a theater party and I have accepted the invitation. / Please give my love to Miss Lion [sic] and hopeing that this letter will find you in good health” [MTP; Not in MTAq].
Hellen Elizabeth Martin wrote to Sam. “I received your nice letter and was so glad to get it. I also miss you very very much indeed. My brother Charlie went back to school on Wednesday 22nd. I have started my lessons and have a lot of new ones. We have got another little kitten only a month old…. Would you please write an autograph for a friend of mine her name is Grace Brown” [MTP; Not in MTAq].
J. Pease Norton for American Health League wrote to advise Clemens that his name had been nominated for membership in their organization. Questions (not detailed in the letter) were enclosed (not in file) for his reply [MTP].