BLACKWELL FAMILY ALICE STONE BLACKWELL KITTY BARRY 1905 Office of The Woman's Journal, No. 3 Park Street. Boston, Mass., Jan. 6, 1905 My dear Kitty:-- Here is a batch of family letters. We are being buried in one snowstorm after another. Our lively friend Becky Danforth spent part of her Xmas vacation with us, with a plump & pleasant Scotch Presbyterian widower in close attendance upon her. Evidently it is going to be a match. Our sweet little Southerner, Mrs. Dargan, is still here, detained by a bad cold, but bent on joining her [husbi] husband in S.C. as soon as she can, despite our persuasions. Reynold has left Miss Stevenson. Papa & I had & kind. We bring out the Woman's Journal in the reduced size this week for the first time. Papa doesn't like it, but is not grieving greatly, & I am not worrying. It couldn't be helped, so it is as well to take it philosophically. We got the Xmard card from you & Aunt B., & have sent on the one you addressed to Miss Sprague. We have had nice Xmas letters from Maria Morton & "Dick. Your aff. cousin, Alice S. Blackwellbeen for some time urging him to leave, as the work was altogether too wearing. They made him work hours over time, every night, & he was growing thin & peaked. But he didn't like to give up one situation till he was sure of another, & slaved away. Finally Miss S. told him she thought he had not muscle enough to move so many heavy barrels & things; & dismissed him; but said she would give him a good recommendation. We think her big place is not paying, & that she is going to try to economize by doing without an assistant steward. Howard estimated that they would have to feed 1800 people a day to make it pay, & they don't seem to be doing nearly that. When I go in there for my lunch, the place is apt to be half empty. Mr. [Foss?] seems pretty sure he can find a place for Reynold before long, among his 2000 employees. Meanwhile he is answering ads. & addressing wrappers for Papa like a steam engine. Everybody likes him, he is so active, & so very obliging1905 AsB [Jan] Feb 2 MCB Organization activities Mrs. Breshkorsky in Chicago HBB on ReciprocityMr Mrs Petrunkevitch Howard Frances Elliot Reynold Joseph Gardner Mr Bush Korskaya Emma Anna (Belden late) George Dr. Lillian Jenkins Robinson [ackwell Fund acknowledge tribution of $________] Office of The Woman's Journal, No. 3 Park Street. Boston, Mass., Feb. 2 1905 P.S. Reynold the other day showed me the list of our relatives that you made out for him before he came to America, & it includes an allusion to "our cousin Dr. Lillian Jenkins Robinson," in Natal. We never heard of her. Who is she? Dear Kitty: The last few days have been pretty busy. Saturday I went to the 20th Century Club & the Pentagon Club; Sunday couldn't get to church because of so much work on hand; Monday spoke at parlor meeting in Brookline in behalf of the Woman's Journal--thing I never did before & hate to; but got 18 new subscribers. Tuesday had Russian freedom meeting--you will see the report in the W.J. Had been busy helping the young Russian Jews who got it up to secure American speakers. But it went offfinely; so that was satisfactory. Then I had to write out the report of it. Wednesday I took lunch & spent the afternoon with Mr. & Mrs. Petrunkevitch out at Cambridge--a very nice young couple, with a sweet, gentle Russian-looking baby girl inhabiting a pen with a calmness & contentment no American baby would have shown in such an enclosure. I had brought a note-book & pencil, & took down Russian information for dear life. This morning was the suffrage hearing at the State House, & I had to take notes of that for dear life, & reply for the petitioners, & this afternoon get the Journal to press. To-morrow morning is the meeting of the State Brand, to-morrow afternoon my office hours, the next day 20th Century Club again. So I am not in danger of perishing from Howard had been out on snow-shoes with one of his friends, & had a fine time. He hardly ever mentions Frances Elliot, never mentions having had a letter from her, or offers to read an extract from one; & looks solemn if one tries to joke him. But they correspond, & no doubt it is all right. His experiments continue to do well. He & Reynold went out together last Sunday & took a two-hours walk over the snow, & saw a fine sunset. Joseph is down with grippe, but better. By the way, Howard is to have one or more assistants in this new work of his for the college. Please thank Aunt B. for her nice letter. My dear Mrs. Breshkovskaya got a collection of $500 at her Chicago meeting the other day; I am very glad. Papa spoke at a hearing [the] on reciprocity, & was moreOffice of The Woman's Journal, No. 3 Park Street. Boston, Mass., 190 rest--especially as I have been keeping an Armenian intelligence office at the same time. But this will not much interest you. Papa & Reynold have both been elected members of the Victorian Club, the British- American Club here. Yesterday they went over & dined with Howard at Memorial Hall, on beef steak with mushrooms, mulligatawny soup & other delicacies, & then they all three went out to Lexington to inspect a house that is lighted with acetylene gas, with the apparatus that Reynold is to sell. They come back enraptured with the fine light it gave, & keep speaking of it, Papa broke out just now, à propos de bottes, "Pretty light! pretty light!" applauded than anyone else, & was shaken hands with afterwards by millionaires & others, & Blackwell congratulated. Your aff. cousin, Alice Stone Office of The Woman's Journal, No. 3 Park Street. Boston, Mass., 190 P.S. Emma wrote to her father, Jan 28: "I wonder if you remember that I am 54 years old to-day? Yes, & I am getting a little gray, & perhaps could not run as far, but I am still quote nimble, & count the years more by dates than by my feelings. Howard's beautiful photo of the Mer de Glace is framed asa remembrance of the day. We have had wild weather here. The snow blew so that we could well understand how people can get lost in a blizzard. Auna is coddling a cold to-day, the first really noticeable one that she has had. She thinks it is better than yesterday, when her bones ached, but she wants to keep warm & does not feel like being active. Thursday was out coldest day, when the mercury was one above zero when George came downstairs in the morning. I am glad you & Miss Danforth manage to keep warm"[Card 1] Howard Feb 24 1905 AsB Howard Lane Blackwell son of George Bl---- [Card 2] Reynold Rogers Feb 24, 1905 AsB Cousin of Henry BB [Card 3] Breshkovsky Katherine Feb 24/05 AsB Bach in BostonTHE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF MALDEN 53-158 113 MALDEN, MASS. __________________19_____ $_________________ _______________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ DOLLARS ______ _________________________________________ THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF MALDEN 53-158 113 MALDEN, MASS. __________________19_____ $_________________ _______________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ DOLLARS ______ _________________________________________ THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF MALDEN 53-158 113 MALDEN, MASS. __________________19_____ $_________________ _______________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ DOLLARS ______ _________________________________________[Card 1] Floy Feb 24/05 Florence Blackwell Mayhew Mrs. Elliot Mayhew h\ Per ABB & Saml B [Card 2] Feb 24 1905 Mme Bredekorsky in Boston at [De??] House Asb interpreting for her Lunch [Card 3] Feb 24 05 Howard Lane Blackwell son of Geo W __ Office of The Woman's Journal, No. 3 Park Street. Boston, Mass., Feb. 22 1905 Dear Kitty: Uncle George at last accounts continued to convalesce. Aunt Emily keeps well, but it is by staying in the house & taking many precautions. Papa has got over his cold. The Vineyard is said to be iced up again, so I suppose Floy is largely shut off from communication with the outside world. So far as I know, the other members of the family are all in static quo. Reynold has given up It is enough to make a cat laugh to see me standing up & interpreting French before big clubs of several hundred fashionably dressed ladies; but they are much interested in Madame, to my surprise, I am even getting a good deal complimented as an interpreter! She speaks very slowly, so as to make it easier for me. This morning she addressed a boys' school, & it was pleasant to see the enthusiasm with which the lads cheered her. They also contributed $34. for the Russian cause. Your aff. cousin, Alice Stone Blackwellhis directory work, upon my father's urgent advice but rather against his own wishes, in order to devote his whole time to the acetylene, as the makers of the generators wanted him to. I could see that Reynold hated to give up the certainty of a fixed sum every week, for an uncertainty like the acetylene. However, he came back at the end of the first day with the promise of an order to fit up one house with the acetylene generators, his commission on which, if it goes through, will be $60. or more. The trouble is, the man isn't ready to Feb 24/05-2 Office of The Woman's Journal, No. 3 Park Street. Boston, Mass., 190 have it done yet. He says he will do it, & will give Reynold the order, but he doesn't want the apparatus put in for several months yet. Howard has been elected president of the Harvard Dining Association by a big majority, & is much gratified. He received between 500 & 600 votes, & his opponent only between 100 & 200. He did not decide to be a candidate till the last moment. Then, finding that the so as to be near Uncle G. Papa gets quite riled because Howard wont [bee] see his duty in the same light Papa does. Mrs. Breshkovsky has come back to Boston, & I have been trotting about with her to meetings. She is at Denison House, but will go home with me to-night & spend three days at Pope's Hill, returning to N.Y. for March 1. She addressed 2 meetings yesterday & one this morning, in French, with me as interpreter.man whom he wanted to elect would not stand, and that the [person] former incumbent, a very undesirable person, was likely to be reelected unless something were done, Howard threw himself into the gap, & was elected triumphantly. We chaffed him about it a good deal last Sunday, told him we were going to drive with the president, hailed him over the telephone as "Mr. President," etc. He doesn't show any indecorous delight, [with] but is greatly pleased, in his solemn fashion. Papa is not more than half pleased, because he thinks it will attach Howard more firmly than ever to Cambridge, whereas Papa believes he ought to go & live in Orange.Apr 21 1901 Introduction of acetylene ga ASB [?] [?]03 2 01 85 35 02 10 10 08 20 75 05 2 50 4 51Emma Blackwell's father ill April/05 ASBOffice of The Woman's Journal, No. 3 Park Street. Boston, Mass., April 21 1905 Dear Kitty: I have left this till the last minute, so have to write in a hurry. Emma's father is not very well, & at last accounts she & Howard were at Gardner--Mr. Lawrence rather better. Walter is still improving, & Edith planning to go home Monday Your aff. cousin, Alice Stone Blackwell.if he continues to convalesce. He has begun to sit up. Nannie has decided that she can't go to M.V., as Dr. Huntington is likely to spend the summer in Washington & she must be within easier reach of him. Reynold is down on Cape Cod, laboring away to introduce the acetylene gas, but the insurance companies are so contrary about it that he is having a hard row to hoe. The N.Y. Journal of Commerce has just published an article on the frightfully dangerous character of acetylene, & one of the insurance agents [traught?] us in a masked copy yesterday. In haste,Apr 28 1905 ASB [?]CB ok choice of [gift] [??] BB [if] pelnci pitcher for ABB to go to Oregon An[??] of Nawsa Antonette Rob. Christened Howard Bl engagement [?off"?] T. J. Garrison Eva Alice Jones ABB Antonette Rob Howard Blackwell Lance Elliot Anna Bredon Emma Blackwell Clifford Brown Dr. Elizabeth (Aunt B) Philip Stone Blackwell Ethel Rob Agne Juce Floy -- Ethel [?Whiddin?] Dr. EmilyTelephone, 1791 Haymarket Office of The Woman's Journal No. 3 Park Street, Room 7 Boston, Mass., April 28 1905 Dear Kitty: Yesterday, I was taken by Frank Garrison to the jeweller's shop (or shop of gold & silver ware; I don't know just what it should be called) under our office, to have a private view of half a dozen silver pitchers, & see which I preferred as the one to be presented to Papa in honor of his 80th birthday, at the May Festival. Having no affairs just now. But Phebe Stone Beeman's eldest boy, I am glad to say, got married on the appointed day (April 19), with no hitches; & is now off on his wedding trip. Her name was Eva Alice Jones. Your affectionate cousin, Alice Stone Blackwell. I have taken to glasses for fine print & the dark printing office. aesthetic sense to speak of, my advice was not very valuable, but I thought the one the committee liked best would do very well. They say it is "very chaste"-- whatever that may signify in connection with a pitcher--& it has a large smooth surface suitable for the inscription. They were going to give him a silver loving cup, but Mr. Garrison said the silver pitcher which the colored people of Boston presented to his father years ago had proved a very satisfactory present, being both useful & ornamental, & had been Office of The Woman's Journal No. 3 Park Street, Room 7 Boston, Mass., 190 used with pleasure in their family ever since; so they wisely made the gift a pitcher. Aunt Nettie is going to celebrate her entrance upon her 81st year by going to Oregon to the National Suffrage Convention! Isn't she a gay young lady? To-morrow she is to christen the little Antoinette in some of the water from the Jordan that she brought Edith. Auna received the news in dead silence, her mother says, & had never made the slightest comment on it, one way or the other. She is a queer little puss. Clifford Brown had got engaged to a girl whom they don't like at all, & in general the younger generation are not giving great satisfaction with their love.home from Palestine. Walter continues to improve, as you will see by the enclosed letters. Howard & Frances Elliot have ceased entirely to correspond now, & Emma is going to inform the elders that the engagement is broken off. She said she should prefer to tell Aunt B. herself (this made me feel rather guilty), also Aunt Emily; & that she thought Aunt N. probably knew it already, as she (Emma) had mentioned it to Ethel. So I have told [Flay?], who is almost as disgusted about it as Papa is. Agnes & Ethel will be glad it is [bo] broken off; Aunt Emily will be sorry, & probably Office of The Woman's Journal, No. 3 Park Street. Boston, Mass., March 23 1905 Dear Kitty:-- Walter Mayhew is ill with pneumonia, so ill that we are very anxious about him. It [wa] would be a terrible blow to Floy & Elliot if they were to lose him. Nannie Huntington has a boy. She is disappointed that it was not a [gri] girl. She wanted a "Little Emily." Papa is well. Uncle G. looked uncommonly so; the grippe seemed to have done him good! But he was pessimistic & ferociously denunciatory, even far beyond his usual degree. He talked like the concentrated essence of a dozen meat-axes, while behaving in the kindest manner. He kept me supplied with a honeycomb beside my plate, all the time I was there, & it was nearly a fortnight. Howard arrived at E. Orange the day I left, & spent five days at home, during which he wrote a large part of an article he is preparing for the Philosophical magazine, published in Mar 23/05-2 Office of The Woman's Journal, No. 3 Park Street. Boston, Mass., 190 england. He also had himself taken through the kitchen of the Waldorf Astoria, the swell hotel of N.Y., & says he picked up several ideas which will be useful to him at Memorial. He told us these things over the telephone. We expect to see him Sunday. Reynold Rogers has been working very hard but has not yet succeeded in getting an order for one of the acetylene gas generators; so, as Papa meant to have the acetylene put into our (for my nose; she cauterized it), & three times to hear Mrs. Breshkovsky; and every time you go to N.Y. from Orange it uses up practically the whole day. Aunt Isabel, Prof. Ely, Dr. Kellogg Durland & I saw Mrs. Breshkovsky off on the steamer, & we all felt lonesome afterward. The enclosed family letters willhouse sooner or later, I thought we might as well have it put in now, to give Reynold a start; and also it will be a good advertisement for him, as he can bring people here of an evening to see what the light is like, when they are considering whether or not to have it put into their houses. No one in Boston has it, & he has to take people out to Lexington to see a house lit up with it. Edith had gone to Chilmark to keep Floy with Walter. Poor Papa is in a peek of trouble with those four little houses that he is helping a dishonest builder to put up. And this builder (Turner) says his brother is commander in chief of the English army! This Turner is a younger son who went wrong, I believe. My ten or twelve days in N.J. were very rushing ones; I was able to make only flying visits to Aunt Emily, Aunt Nettie & Ethel, & did not succeed in sending you the usual weekly letter. I went into N.Y. twice to the theatre, & twice to the doctor riding with Papa & Reynold & me, & had us drop him at a place where he & another [yom] young man had agreed to meet & call on some Conant girls, whom he visits every now & then. He feels that his experiments are going on very well, & are about to lead to a real discovery. He said Uncle George had sold two of the six houses he has been putting up, & the sale of [the] a third is virtually completed. I believe strictly speaking Uncle G has been advancing the money to a builder to put them up, not putting them up himself. Papa is well, addressed the Grange at Slaughton, & spoke so well he was invited to come back & give "Reminiscences" at the Unitarian or Universalist church, which he did. Office of The Woman's Journal, No. 3 Park Street. Boston, Mass., 190 mount up up tremendously, I am willing to wear calico for the rest of my life if Wapse can only get well & be a help to the world." I am glad to say the doctor says Walter must not be sent back to school. Nobody could be mean enough to say "I told you so" at such a time, but I have told Floy over & over that his health was suffering at the school, & that while he was growing so fast it wasn't wise to take him away from the Vineyard breezes & condemn him to a sedentary life. Well, that is at an end, thank goodness. Howard came over on Sunday, went He has been made, one of a committee of 12 chosen out of the committee of 100 to work for reciprocity, & he dines with millionaires at swell hotels & drinks wine (alas!) & brags of the wine when he comes home, & they