BLACKWELL FAMILY LUCY STONE SUBJECT FILE- Lucy Stone Correspondence (Alice S. BLACKWELL)Lucy Stone picture ALICE STONE BLACKWELL April 22, 1936 - letter to Maud Wood Park You speak of the picture of my Mother with me as a baby in her arms. She had the daguerreotype taken for my Father when he was going West on a business trip. She rolled it up in his night-shirt when she packed his bag for him. He wrote her two or three letters in which he made no mention of it. She was disappointed and somewhat hurt. Then she received a very glowing letter and was shocked to discover that he had not worn his nightshirt for several nights (one of my cousins said for 6 weeks). Julia Ward Howe, when she saw the enlarged picture, noticed that my mother is holding my little hand. That has always been a comfort to me. The picture now hangs at the foot of my bed.Mrs. Maud Word Park has had the happy idea [inspiration] of dramatizing a series of episodes from Lucy Stone's life and my own, in a form suitable for representation on the stage. She has done this with much wit and ingenuity. The episodes illustrate the progress of the woman's rights movement, and will bring home amusingly to the younger generation many historical facts of which they are quite unaware. Information is combined with fun. The dramatic sequence of the plot story is in the form of a chronicle play and the individual episodes will serve well as one-act plays, or several episodes may be combined to make a full production. A wide use of the play, both in stage production and for fireside reading will help to keep fresh the stirring story of the events that attended the long struggle before woman's rights were won. Mrs. Park generously devotes all her royalties from the play for the purchase and distribution of Lucy Stone's biography. (signed) Alice Stone Blackwell1070 Mass. Ave. Cambridge, Mass, Oct. 7, 1937 Dear Edna: The Boston American sent an interviewer and a photographer to me on the morning of Sept. 15, meaning to have an article that afternoon in regard to my birthday. But they were delayed in getting here, and did not get their material back to the office in time to be used. So the Hearst peoplemade part of the birthday interview into an interview on another subject - not wholly accurate - and published it in the Sunday Advertiser of Sept. 26, with the picture. Will you please send the clipping, and this explanation, onto Mrs. Park? I have tried once or twice to call you up, but have been unlucky in my choice of times. Always affectionately & gratefully yours, Alice Stone Blackwell. 10[7]0 Mass. Ave. Cambridge, Mass, May 21, 1939 Dear Mrs. Fish: While the play "Lucy Stone" was running, my time was so taken up with interviews and correspondence that I have never written to you to express my gratitude to the BU Women's Council2 for sponsoring the first night's performance, and to you personally for the many king things you said about me - more than were deserved, I fear. I hope the two [Celinise] girls are provided for. As an old graduate of B.U., of[?] 3 want to express my gratitude also for the great work you have been doing for B.U. these many years, and are still doing. Don't [erode?] and break yourself down. I am still able to scribble in pencil, but cannot read what I write. I am very cordially yours. Alice Stone Blackwell. 1010 Mass. Ave. Cambridge, Mass May 16, 1939 Very dear Mrs. Park: I feel as if I had not half expressed my gratitude to you, not only for writing the play,2 but for everything, You have been like a second mother to me, taking care of me in my old age. The enclosed pleasant letter 3 has come from Mrs. Flanagan's secretary. Probably she has written to you direct. No doubt you have seen what the Britan [?] have said about4 the play but you may not have seen the [same] article in the New Bedford Standard Times. The reporter got an exaggerated idea of the failure of 5 my eyesight. I could see the motions of the actors on their stage, though not the expression of their faces. I feel warmly grateful to the whole 6 cast, and to all those who have contributed to make the play such a success; but most of all to you. Yours [?] affectionately Alice Stone Blackwell 1010 Massachusetts Av. Cambridge, Mass. June 23 1939 Very dear Mrs. Park: These enclosures will give pleasure to you, as they did to me. At your leisure please return them.2 There is no [hurr] hurry. I am always very affectionately and gratefully yours, Alice Stone Blackwell29 Wendell St. Teambridge, Mass. May 13, 1937. Dear Mrs. Park: I have read with much interest the copies that [?] due Stautial has sent me of the letters relating to the Lucy Stone play. The suggestions made are probably wise. But the description of the play says she worked her way through Oberlin "by teaching colored students". That was only a very small fraction of the activities by which she earned money while in Oberlin. That should be corrected. Always very gratefully & affectionately yours, Alice Stone Blackwell. 29 Wendell St. Cambridge, Mass. July 12, 1937 Dear Mrs. Park: In my hurry to return your MS, since you wanted it back as soon as possible, I omitted one explanation that I should have made. The talk at the end seemed to be upon a note of dejection, which is not a good thing to end with, even if it were correct historically. So far as I am concerned, I don't think it was. When our bills were defeated, my mother was always disappointed. Gratefully yours, Alice Stone Blackwellsometimes even to tears. It had always seemed to her as if they must see the justice of it. But I always felt sure in advance that we were going to be beaten — not ultimately, of course, but for a long time to come — and I got so hardened to it that adverse committee reports and adverse notes slipped off me like [a l] water off a duck's back. I scratched in hastily something at the end merely in order to close with a note of cheer. Pray don't bother to answer this. I hope you are not wilted by the heat. I have stood it pretty well. I am always most affectionately & 239 Wendell St. Cambridge, Mass. July 6, 1937 Dear Mrs. Park: There are capital points in this: but Mrs. Ida Porter Boyer agreed with me in thinking that it would not be a success with the present day public. It is too long, for one thing; I tried to put in brackets tentatively some things that I thought might be left out; but the great objection is that the subject would not be of interest, except to the old suffragists & they are now only a handful. Also, it lets down toward the end. It is ungracious to say so, but you are hampered, as a dramatist, by your wish to do honor to my mother & me. I hardly see how a representation of a suffrage hearing could be made interesting to the young people of today, unless it were grossly caricatured — and that would not be [?] fair to the opposition. How would it do to close with a scene outside the legislative chamber at that time when the Mass. Legislature ratified the nation-wide amendment? Yet I hardly see how that would be interesting to the present generation either. I am sorry to throw cold water & indeed & in deed I am truly grateful. Yours always affectionately, Alice Stone Blackwell I am mailing this right back the same day it was received.1010 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Mass. September 10, 1939. Very dear Mrs. Park: Many thanks for your kind letters. I shall be glad to hear the conference with you and Edna in November and to talk things over but the matter is of so little importance that I am ashamed to have taken up your and Mrs. Catt's time with it. In view of the present world situation it seems no larger than a grain of sand. A friend has lately sent me the enclosed picture. Edna saw it and mentioned that you had once tried to get it but failed because you sent to New York Times for it, whereas it was in the Herald Tribune. The picture has been explained to me, and I was interested to hear about it; but, as I cannot see it, I am glad to pass it on to you, to keep in your collection. Do take care of your health and please do not bother to acknowledge the receipt of This.On my birthday I was flooded with beautiful flowers and other pleasant remembrances. I wish you could see them. I am always most Affectionately and gratefully yours, Alice Stone Blackwell1010 Mass. Ave, Cambridge, Mass. May 19, 1939 Very dear Mrs. Park, Edna Stantial has been telling me many pieces of good news which have delighted me, and which must have delighted you, [ab] about the compliments to2 the play, and the improvements made by changing it back to the way you originally wrote it, etc. etc. But I am so grieved about your foot. Do lie still as much as possible; and do not on any account try to 3 answer this little (scr?) The article from the New Bedford Standard Times contains a number of mistakes. The reporter overestimated the decline of my eyesight. I could see the outlines of the actors on the stage, and4 their motions, but not the expressions of their faces. Many thanks for all the interesting material sent me, and for the return of the photos. Always & must affectionately and gratefully yours, Alice Stone Blackwell1010 Mass Ave. Cambridge, Mass. April 30, 1939 Dear Mrs. Park: A friend has sent me this pleasant article from the Boston Sunday Globe2 And I am sending it on to you on the chance that you may not have seen it. I am especially glad that I gave the facts about the College Equal Suffrage League In this scene at Mr.3 Mr. Garrison's house, the women are wearing bloomers. Antoinette Broom never wore one. If the mention of my mother's having converted4 Miss Anthony has been left out in order to avoid arousing antagonism, I am willing. The great thing is to make the play as successful as possible. Pray do not5 bother to answer this I am always very affectionately and gratefully yours, Alice Stone Blackwell.1010 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, Mass. Sept. 27, 1937. Very dear Mrs. Park: I am not especially attached to the sentence which I wrote at your request, communicated through Edna Stantial about hoping Alice might do something when she grew up. I wrote it hastily. If you can better it, please feel perfectly free to do so. Always affectionately and gratefully yours, Alice Stone Blackwell 1010 Mass. Ave. Cambridge Mass. Aug. 1, 1937 Very dear Mrs. Park: I have telephoned to Mrs. Benjamin F. Pitman + to Florence Liscomb, asking for the Woman's Doxology + Miss Liscomb's verses. Mrs. Pitman's phone brought no answer, so I suppose she is at the beach, + I have written to her. No doubt the letter will be forwarded. Miss Luscomb's nurse, or other attendant, answered my phone call, saying that she had been very ill in bed for a week, + must not be disturbed. I have now written to her about the matter, and have enclosed the letter to her nurse, asking the nurse to read it, and to suppress it if she thought it would be 3 Journal! Now I thought, "Why shouldn't we transfer this idea to the suffrage parade in Boston, and have a group of gay girls run into the room, preparatory to marching in the parade, each waving a copy of the W.J. and singing its praises?" But then I remembered that the W.J. had become the Woman Citizen, long before that. I am afraid the W.J. scene will have to be left out. I am sorry not to be more helpful. There is one point in the Prologue which I disliked when I first saw it, & dislike more the more I think of it. It said my mother worked her way through Oberlin by doing something or other for the colored students. I hate to be fussy, but if possible I wish that might be changed to read "by teaching, doing housework in the Ladies' Boarding Hall at 3 cents an hours, etc." I have written to Edna Stantial to see if she can tell us4 of any person from whom we might be able to get the Woman's Doxology and Florence Luscomb's verses; but she is at Chilmark, and mail is rather slow this summer in getting there & back. I hope you realize how grateful I truly am for your kind thoughtfulness & your efforts in this matter. How dreadful the news is from China & Japan! Yours always affectionately, Alice Stone Blackwell. 1010 Mass. Ave. Aug. 28, 1937 Dear Mrs. Park: Yours just received. No, there is nothing here that I object to. I should have been glad if the college book-keeper could have referred to her doing house work in the Ladies' Boarding Hall at 3 cents an hour; but that is of small importance. Antoinette says, "You never take any pay for all the help you give the colored students." That was so when she helped them unofficially; but when benevolent people employed her to teach a class of colored [men,] men, they (the benevolent people) paid her for it. Probably not much. I do not find the conclusion of her interview with the colored student who proposed to commitsuicide. He got very mad, & his wrath cured him of his intention to kill himself. — Now I have found it. I missed a page. All right! Dear Mrs. Park: I am so sorry for all the trouble you have had with this matter! Always very affectionately & gratefully yours, Alice Stone Blackwell.COPY 1010 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, Mass. July 30, 1937. Mrs. Maud Wood Park Cape Cottage, Maine My dear Mrs.Park: You have my full permission to dramatize scenes from the life of Lucy Stone, in any way that you think best. Yours sincerely, (signed) Alice Stone Blackwell 1010 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, Massachusetts. November 7, 1937 Mrs.Maude Wood Park. The Eastland, Partland, Maine. Dear Mrs.Park; Mrs.Page and Mrs.Leonard may have the last sentence of the scene at the Suffrage Hearing the way they want it. In regard to the difficulty of getting a new edition of "Lucy Stone", the chief and fundamental fault is mine. I did not succeed in writing a book that would be very interesting to an average reader or even to an average member of the League of Women Voters. We had some complimentary reviews and some worth while people expressed themselves as delighted; but the book has had almost no sale. Little and Brown have had to pay out of their own pocket almost the whole cost of manufacturing, advertising, and distributing the first edition. This being the case, ofcourse no one can persuade them to bring out a new edition at their expense. I think, however, that there may be a way of arranging the matter. It is suggested to me by my experience with "Some Spanish American poets". Appleton charged for that three dollars a copy, plus postage. But under out contract, when the first edition was sold, the plates of the book belonged to me. By reprinting it from the plates, at the expense of a few hundred dollars, which I paid, the University Pennsylvania Press was able to bring out a new edition of five hundred copies in very vice shape, and sell it for one dollar an and fifty cents. "Some Spanish American Poets" has a great many 1010 Massachusetts Ave. Cambridge, Mass Nov. 19, 1937 Dear Mrs.Park: I shall soon be sending out about 1000 Christmas cards. I have told the printer to print them on light weight paper as there will be enclosures. I mean to enclose the small folder advertising the new edition of "some Spanish American Poets", and I should like to put in two more, one still smaller, advertising to new edition of "Lucy Stone" and reading like this" : " Lucy Stone Pioneer of Woman's Rights, by Alice Stone Blackwell," New edition now in press, price $1.50. Order from -----------------" And a third folder, advertising the play, and saying about what I have said. To be printed on the play, with the addition of the price of the play, post paid, and the address of the publisher. All these would easily go into an unsealed envelope, I think, without over-weighting the postage. Yours very gratefully COPY1010 Mass. Ave. Cambridge Mass. Nov. 29. 1927 Dear Mrs. Park: Many thanks for letting me know how well the first performance of "Lucy Stone" went off. This gave me much pleasure. I was ready to welcome the woman who had personated my motherso well if she had called on Saturday, but she did not. I am always very gratefully and affectionately yours, Alice Stone Blackwell, Lucy But if you are determined –– Watts (trying to get angry) I certainly shall not cut my throat. Lucy Can you think of any other safe way then? Watts I never –– Lucy I suppose you haven't got a pastor? Watts (still more angrily) [Really,] Miss Stone I wouldn't have [?] –– Lucy (meditatively?) I've read that some poisons are not harmful. Watts (how [?] himself with [?]) I'm not going to kill myself to [?] you. It's any other [?]. There's not one of you worth it. Women! (He rushes to the door & slams it behind him. Lucy hurries to the window & stands there looking out, when Antoinette enters.) Antoinette (joining her at the window) What's happened to Mr. George Washington Watts? He bumped into me at the front door and dashed [?] try to excuse himself. Lucy Something I said made him angry. But he isn't going toward the well. Antoinette The well? Then he is [? ?] with Protean? [B????]. Lucy I'm sure he'll get calmed down then. Antoinette I can't imagine your making him angry. Lucy I only did it for his own good.Lucy Don't you reckon that you owe something to the college? Watts I owe a great deal to you, Miss Stone. If you hadn't assisted me with my studies the year I came, I could never have passed the first examination. Lucy Then listen to me now. Don't you know it's wrong to take your own life? Don't you want to help your people who are still England? Watts There is nothing that can change my determination Lucy Your mind is fully made up to commit suicide? Watts Fully. Lucy Then at least, I hope you'll have consideration enough not to drown yourself in the college well and spoil the drinking water for the faculty and students. Watts (taken aback) You – you mean – Lucy (calmly) If you're bound to die, I think you'd better cut your throat. Watts (gasping) You – to utter those cruel words! Lucy Somebody has to think about the drinking water. Watts How can you say any thing so unfeeling? (0ver) [EPILOGUE] ["Mine Eyes] Lucy You mean there's someone died in your family? Watts Soon I shall be dead myself. Lucy (startled) Why Mr Watts, I didn't know you were sick Watts The light of my life has gone out. Lucy I don't understand. Watts The young lady upon whom I have bestowed my affection has refused to contemplate matrimony. Lucy You don't think you are going to die just because a girl has refused to marry you? Watts For me there is only one woman in the world. Lucy But people don't die from things like that. Watts What have I left to live for? I shall throw myself into the college well. Lucy (firmly) Now Mr. Watts, this is foolish. I expected better things of such a fine student as you are. You'll probably have a part at Commencement, too. Watts What are empty honors to me?Scene One, page 3. (There is a knock at the door at the back and Antoinette goes to open it. George Washington Watts, a solemn young man, wearing spectacles, standing on the threshold) Watts I was informed that Miss Lucy Stone is here. Antoinette Yes, she is. Watts (still on the threshold) I have something of great importance to say to her. Something personal. Antoinette Come in, won't you – I must do and errand now (She steps past him and closes the door. Lucy, who has risen, [at the sound of her name,] steps toward him) Lucy How do you do, Mr. Watts? Won't you have a seat? (Watts seats himself in one of the chairs near the wall and rests his hat on his knees. Lucy turns her own chair, so that she faces him) Watts (in a portentous voice) Miss Stone, I have come to say farewell. Lucy You aren't going away before Commencement? (he nods, as if too overcome to speak) Lucy Then it must be something serious that takes you. Watts (potentiously) The grave, Miss Stone. (over) Antoinette Excuse me, Miss Emery! (But Miss Emery is too much in a hurry to pay any attention. Pause as she closes down) Anything the matter with him? Lucy She's is in a hurry to get these books ready for the Auditor. We've been settling my account for the week and I have all this left. Antoinette You get so little. Yet you never take any pay for all this help you give the colored students.Scene One page 1 (Almost as soon as the curtain rises, Miss Emery, the College bookkeeper, enters hurriedly, with an account book and pencil in her hand. She is near sighted and has nervous ways.) Miss Emery [I hoped I'd find you here.] Oh Miss Stone. [The] Our auditor's [has sent word he's] coming Monday –– 2 whole days ahead of time ––and I [want to] must have everything ready for him before the Sabbath. So I'd like to pay your hours for your work in the prepatory department this week. Lucy (rising and offering her chair) Won't you sit down, Miss Emery? Miss Emery I have no time to sit down. I find it extremely disconcerting to have such a short notice. Twenty-one hours you've taught at twelve and a half cents an hour it makes one dollar and eighty-six and a half cents –– one eighty-six of course I called it –– Please count this money. Lucy (taking the money and counting) Thank you. One dollar, eighty-six. Miss Emery (taking out the book and pencil) Sign here, please. Lucy (after signing) I'll give you back the dollar to pay for my board this week. Miss Emery Very well. (She takes the dollar & runs off, almost brushing against Antoinette Brown who enters at the left) (over Prologue Mrs. Stone (on 2nd page of Prologue) Nine hours at four cents is thirty-six cents you've earned. Lucy When I take them to the store, can I buy something I want? Mrs. Stone What is it? Lucy That's a secret. Mrs. Stone Well, whatever it is, you can't get it this week. Your father wants a new milk pail. Lucy Oh mother, I'm 'fraid it'll be gone if I don't buy it now. Mrs. Stone Can't you tell me what it is? Lucy It's the loveliest silk tie – light blue – for you to wear Sundays. It's only thirty cents and I thought maybe I could have a new hair-ribbon with the thirty six. Mrs. Stone Your father'd think he was queen, buyin' things like that. Lucy You never get anything for yourself. That tie'd look lovely on your old black dress. Mrs. Stone I've worn that dress for eight years without any silk tie and I guess it don't need one now. Maybe you can have the hair ribbon next week if you sew as many shoes as you have this. Lucy I'd sew more if I could only buy that tie (Mrs. Stone takes the roll of spun thread to a little closet under the cupboard and returns with a touch of wool whichShe puts on the distaff, talking as she does so) (As Mrs. Stone prepares to resume her spinning, Mr. Stone, a tall man with mustache and beard, who is dressed in overalls, a cotton shirt and long boots, comes in at the back door) Mr. Stone Hannah, I want you should get the back bedroom ready. Jim Murray's got round again Mrs. Stone (starting to protest) Oh Francis, do we have to have him? Mr. Stone (impatiently) Course we do. I ain't goin' to kick out a fellow I went to school with. Mrs. Stone He's such a bad influence for the boys. Mr. Stone I got his jug of likker away from him this time. And he wouldn't be here if he had money enough to buy any more. Mrs. Stone But he's always so dirty. Mr. Stone [Have?] Plenty of water in the well. Mrs. Stone He never appreciates –– Mr. Stone (sharply) See here! You seem to be forgettin' who's the head of this family. Mrs. Stone (resignedly) All right. I'll fix up the room. Mr. Stone (mollified) After supper'll be time enough. He's as asleep in the hay loft (over)now, and I won't wake him up till the boys get to bed. Then they won't have to see the shape he's in. You can save a little something for him to eat. Mrs. Stone What time you want supper? Mr. Stone Soon's the milkin's done. Frank's gettin' in the last of that fodder corn now. (He goes out by the back door) Lucy (as soon as the door closes) Oh dear! Now you'll have Jim Murray's horrid old clothes to wash. And nobody knows how long he'll hang round. Mrs. Stone You mustn't talk that way. This is your father's house and he's got a right to say who he'll have here. Lucy I just wish father had to clean up after him Mrs. Stone (trying to make the best of it) Maybe he'll behave himself this time. Anyway, he don't swear so bad as Ephraim Moore.1010 Massachusetts Ave. Cambridge, Mass. March 11" '38 Very dear Mrs. Park: I'm writing this additional scene, did you forget that my Mother died on Oct. 18", and the Woman Suffrage Amendment in Colorado was not carried until November, or did you intentionally take a slight liberty with the dates for the sake of the dramatic effect? There are one or two other points that I should like to suggest when I am able to dictate a longer letter, on Saturday or Sunday. Just now there is [unusal] unusual pressure owing to Easter cards and other things. I am always affectionately and Gratefully yours Alice Stone Blackwell Dictated (underlined) Dear Mrs. Park: Your letter enclosing the proof came just after I finished my letter to you. I think the changes that you propose would be an improvement, but I am perfectly willing to leave it to you to arrange them as you think best. I am always very gratefully yours Alice Stone Blackwell P.S. The oculist only said he thought I should probably (underlined) recover from this trouble, but that it would be a slow process.1010 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Mass. March 13, 1938 Dear Mrs. Park: Mrs Ida Porter Boyer has lately developed a cronic hoarseness, and fears that she will permanently find herself deprived of the power of her vocal cords. She began to read aloud to me the scene which you are planning to add to the play ¨Lucy Stone¨but after she had read a few pages she was so evidently straining her voice that I would not let her continue. We have asked (engaged) Edna Stantial to come tomorrow afternoon and read it to me, and take down my suggestions for you. Please remember that they are only suggestions, and that I defer entirely to whatever you may think best. I am always very cordially and gratefully yours, Alice Stone Blackwell. LUCY STONE´S NAME Alice Stone Blackwell to Maud Wood Park, April 22, 1936 ¨Please make sure that the woman who acts as narrator* shall mention that the `Lucy Stone League´ was organized many years after my Mother´s death, by women who believed in keeping their own names, and that when allusions are made in the press to the ´Lucy Stoners´, it is members of the League who are meant.¨ * pf Lucy Stone play by Maud Wood Park1010 Massachusetts Ave Cambridge, Mass. Apr. 22" 1936 Dear Mrs. Park: All of the script that was left here has been read to me, and I listened to it with much interest, and with deep gratitude to you. Some of the changes that have been made [I approve;] are improvement; some others I think are not, but as I understand, that no further changes can be made it is not necessary to discuss these. The scene that they interpolated, the one in which Samuel Blackwell appears, does not seem to me very objectionable. It is pure fiction, of course, but it is amusing. One or two pages are lacking from the script, but those that were left with me have been carefully kept together, and you will get them all back. You speak of the picture of my Mother with me as a baby in her arms. She had the daugeereotype taken for my father when he was going [w]West on a business trip. She rolled it up in his night-shirt when she packed his bag and she thought it would be a pleasant surprise for him. He wrote her two or three letters in which he made no mention of it. She was disappointed and somewhat hurt. [When Then,] Then she received a very glowing letter and was shocked to discoverthat he had not worn his nightshirt for several [weeks] nights (one of my cousins said for 6 weeks). Julia Ward Howe, when she saw the enlarged picture, noticed that my mother is holding my little hand. That has always been a comfort to me. The picture now hangs at the foot of my bed. Thanking you again, I remain always, Very affectionately and gratefully yours Alice Stone Blackwell P.S. Please make sure the the woman who acts as narrator, shall mention that the "Lucy Stone League" was organized [man?] many years after my mother's death, by women who believed in keeping their own names, and that when allusions are made in the press to the "Lucy Stoners," it is members of this League who are meant.