Blackwell Family              GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE            Noble, Edmund
Blackwell, Alice Stone89 Pine Street, Malden, Mass.,
January 26, 1929.
Dear Miss Blackwell:
           Please excuse my delay in answering until now. All my
family have been ill with the influenza, and I am still suffering with a 
severe cold. However, the testimonial to Babushka, with our modest contribution
to her work, was sent in good season for her anniversary. We are
sorry that our financial condition does not permit us to come to the rescue
of many appalling cases of distress which have recently come to our attention,
since we are helping, as far as we can, Mrs. Noble's sister who is
destitute in Russia with a tubercular son.
            Mr. Lazarev, in his last letter, called to our attention the case
of two Russian boys of 12 and 14 in Cairo, Egypt. Their father is dead, and
the mother who bravely struggled for their maintenance was stabbed by a crazy
Arab, dying within five minutes of terrible agony. These boys are absolutely
destitute. The elder is so musically gifted that a Professor in the Conservatory
there taught his violin without payment. This boy, now the sole support
of the younger brother, has been offered a three months' engagement to
play in some "movie" orchestra without pay, but with a vague promise of future
remuneration. The question is how are they to exist during this time. But,
no doubt, Mr. Lazarev has already written you about this distressing case.
            We have just received from France a letter written by Mr. Constantine
Balmont, the great Russian poet, which staggered us with the implication of
misery it reveals. In expressing his thanks for a small Christmas git of 
money (sent by my daughters and accompanied by the request that he buy some
present with it), Mr. Balmont writes: "You will understand how deeply I felt
your gift, when I tell you that thanks to it Elena (his invalid wife) and I 
did not meet the holidays hungry and freezing." Later on he speaks of the
"infernal cold". Mr. Balmont has an offer to deliver a few lectures in Bellgrade,
Servia. He is leaving his present address February 13 for Paris where
he stays until Feb. 20, when he leaves for Servia. Thus there will be no time 


2
to make a public collection for him, but if you happen to know some benevolent
persons who would be willing to lend a hand, even in small amounts,
the amount could be sent to him in an American bill in a registered letter
(which is in accordance with the French postal regulations) --but, of
course, the case is pressing, and help should go at once. His address is
M. Constantin D. Balmont,
11 rue Lorta,
Le Bouscat,
Gironde,
FRANCE.
(This address until Feb. 13--for the next four or five days a letter would 
undoubtedly be forwarded and find him in Paris.)
Hoping you are well, I am
Sincerely yours,
Edmund Noble89 Pine Street, Malden.
March 5, 1929.
Dear Miss Blackwell:
      I enclose Mr. Lazarev's address and the list
of greetings, both translated by my daughter, with
her mother's help. The translations are literal
so far as it was possible to make them so : some 
of the names were not legible in the original.
But my daughter did her best.
      What a vast amount of work Mr. Lazarev must
have had on his hands !  Yet how it must have 
gladdened his heart to see his efforts crowned
with success by such an outpouring of tributes
from all over the world! 
      Hoping you are well, and with best wishes and
regards from my family and myself,
I am sincerely yours,
Edmund Noble Herald Office, Boston,
July 13, 1928.
Dear Miss Blackwell:
                I am sending you the 
enclosed card from Mr. Lazarev.
He still worries about your
health and would live to know
"that Miss Alice is all right."
To your friends life he clings with
all his remaining strength, and
writes many beautiful and touching
things about your kindness to him.
We ourselves are having a siege
of sickness. First Lilly was sick
for two weeks, and now my youngest
daughter, Beatrice, is very ill- the heat
always affects her.
With kindest wishes to you from all of us,
Sincerely yours, Edmund NobleEdmund Noble       89 Pine street
                                Malden, Mass.,
                                 Aug. 8, 1928
Dear Miss Blackwell
                 I thank you very much
for the privilege of reading Mr.
Lazarev's letter to you, which I 
am returning. Please excuse 
my brevity, for we are all in
terrible distress over the condition
of my daughter, Beatrice, which
has taken an acute turn.

With kind regards from
us all,
Sincerely yours,
Edmund NobleEdmund Noble

89 Pine Street, Malden.
Aug. 28, 1929.
Dear Miss Blackwell:
                 I enclose translation of 
the two manuscripts of Madame
Breshkovsky's reminiscences, along
with originals. To show that the
$30.00 you were kind enough to send
in advance is not excessive permit me to state that
[the] $30.00 would be the sum paid
for the taking down in shorthand and 
transcribing of the same number of
words in English. I need not
remind a writer and translator
like yourself that there is a great
difference between and mere shorthand
note taking followed by transcription. 
Mrs. Noble helped me greatly 
in the work, although she is herself
in very poor health - her heart attack
from time to time - and must bein close attendance day and night
on our daughter Lydia, who is
still sick in bed, unable to move
without assistance; according to the
doctor it will take three or four
months for her to recover.
        I am in a way sorry to have
said what is written about regarding
the translation, but I should not
like to leave you under the impression
that there has been anything in the
nature of an over-charge in this case.
        Hoping that you have had a pleasant
vacation + not the translation will
reach you safely.
Very sincerely yours,
Edmund Noble

PS. - Three [or four] pages of the original
manuscripts are missing, but they have
been translated and embodied in the pages
here enclosed. They shall be sent to
you as soon as found. - E.N.89 Pine Street, Malden.
Dec. 16, 1931.
Dear Miss Blackwell:
             This Christmas revives
for me many memories of my
past experience in Boston - nearly
50 years - and you are certainly
the center of them. Many thanks 
for the card of greetings. I, Mrs.
Noble and my daughter Beatrice,
join in best wishes to you for the
Christmas and New Year card.
Ever gratefully yours,
Edmund Noble.