October 19 Monday – Isabel Lyon’s journal: “This servant question is an anxiety. The running of the house is a big business. It almost commercializes one—first now the little house maid who has come and leans over me to say that she cannot stay unless she is able to go home nights to sleep with her mother. The quaint wee soul! I’m letting her go home to her mother’s bed tonight; but also she goes to talk to her mother and to try to make herself and her mother believe that she will get over her homesickness. Poor wee soul! I remember my own misery— the same agony can creep over me, even now. The King and Benare and Margaret Blackmer left today. The King to drive Mr. Leigh Hunt to meet Lord Northcliffe—and then to go down to Deal [NJ] with Colonel Harvey. There are left here, C.C. Will, and Ethel Newcombe—but the loneliness for me is heavy [MTP: IVL TS 72-73].
Jean Clemens wrote from Berlin to Isabel Lyon
Dear Lioness; / This is just a note to detail a few facts.
Living in Berlin is not inexpensive by any means. In fact, I am quite distressed to find that my board and lodging is going to amount to $50 a week. My room costs 10 M. a day Bébé’s 8 M. & Anna’s 5.50 M. That includes food, of course, & may include my milk—in the a.m. & evening but it includes neither baths, heating, lights, nor tea. When I went to see Mr. Thalkara, for my necessary certificate of American citizenship, I told him of a few of the difficulties I had to contend with here and he told me about an American pension [rooming house] where the rates were 10 M. but I haven’t been to see it, because it would be sure to mean extra dressing & there are some people here that are nice & interesting. Also, things, except the cold in the dining-room & parlor, are going better. I did go & look at a pension which the doctor advised my seeing & I found the prices ranging from 15 M. to 50 M. and the rooms were small & furnished after the regulation hotel style. This place is homelike…. My room is the largest of our three…. I could probably put Anna into a court room & pay 4 M. 50 instead of 5 M. 50 but I should hate to. Her life is none too joyful, nor her food too plentiful & if she had a court room she would have bad air & nothing to look at outside.
Professor von Reuvers wants me to eat a cereal, if not every day, at least frequently, for breakfast. He mentioned hominy & I promised to try it. So far the ladies haven’t been able to find any. I wonder if it would be possible for you to ship me some wheatena or something similar—it sounds preposterous but I very much doubt the ability of Berlin to furnish anything besides oatmeal & possibly hominy—ugh!
One of the ladies here, Mrs. Jenkins, lived for some time in Gen. Sickle’s house. After a painful time at lunch, the other day, when I had to admit that Mark Twain was a humorist & act astonished at the fact that I reminded Frl. Stubenrauch of his exquisite daughter (Clara), whom she had seen at Fr. Dr. Hempel’s, I let out the fact of my identity to Mrs. J. because I was afraid that after she had heard my name a few times she would recognize it and tell. It was well I did. Her most intimate friend’s house was occupied by Father in Tuxedo [Voss house]. She has kept my secret even from her cousin since the latter said to me, last night, “You dance much more slowly than we do, don’t you?” I was taken completely by surprise & asked her what she meant. She repeated what she had said, adding, “in England”, whereupon I told her I wasn’t English & gave her cause for surprise.
The first time I saw Prof v. R. he said he tho’t he could help me & the next day, after mentioning Alice S. said he tho’t he could cure me, too. His medicine is absolutely harmless, he says, & his rules as to food are almost the same as Dr. P.’s. I have permission to go to the theatre once a week & to continue once weekly Faust lectures I started. Then, he said that after two weeks he would be able to tell whether I could undertake any actual studying.
I am rather afraid that Bont is not going to dress quite as neatly as I wish she would. She’s a little inclined to be messy, very likely partly due to her lack of strength. I shall have to wait for awhile but I am terribly afraid I shall have to speak about it & her jiggling her feet constantly, before people. I know it will make her rabid, poor child, but if she’s to go & call with me I shall probably be obliged to do the unpleasant deed.
Please thank Mr. Ashcroft for his note. I had already signed the book on the steamer. / With much love… [MTP]. Note. The transcription reads “Prof v. B” which should read “Prof. v. R.” or Dr. Hofrath von Ruevers; “Bont” may be a nickname for one of her nurses, Anna Sterritt or Marguerite Schmidt. Mrs. Jenkins may be Margaret Jenkins; see other entries for her.
Charles L. Andrews wrote from Melbourne, Australia. “When writing you from Bendigo a few days ago I omitted to enclose a report of the lecture.” He enclosed a complimentary newspaper clipping from the Geelong Advertiser dated Aug. 8 and also a handbill for the Oct. 9 performance in Bendigo [MTP].
Eliza L. Dodge wrote from San Francisco before this date. “Will you accept a reminder of the days when we were young, and dear old [illegible word] seemed the fairest spot on earth. /
Respectfully…” [MTP]. Note: “Ans Oct 19 MLH”; Based on letter deliv. from SF this would have been at least 4 or 5 days prior, say Oct. 14-15
Elias Lieberman wrote from NYC, noting Sam’s interest in the Lower East Side, the Educational Theatre, etc. Lieberman was a teacher in Public School #62 on the East Side and under his supervision a journal/newspaper came out twice each term. Would Sam be as “equally obliging” as Dr. Henry Van Dyke had been and write something for their paper? [MTP].
Zoheth S. Freeman for Merchants National Bank wrote to Lyon (though catalogued to Clemens) [MTP].