Emily Hale to T. S. Eliot
Concord,
Massachusetts
IHale, Emilyremoves from Concord to Andover;s1 write briefly, in9 Lexington Road, Concord, MassachusettsEH removing from;a7 the midst of packing and dismantling my sweet rooms, to acknowledge your welcome letter of June 3rd, which came quickly and reached me yesterday. First35 School Street, Andover, Massachusettsnot yet ready;a2 of all, let me tell you I do not live in Andover till next September – and as I do not at present know when the new apartment will be ready for me, you can address me at Abbot Academy – as I should be at Mrs Chipman’s again with bed and breakfast – until I move to my own quarters, just opposite the school grounds. AndoverAbbot Academy, Andover, Massachusetts;a7 is north of Boston beyond rather deadly places like Reading and Wakefield – but Andover itself is very pretty – at least on the hill where the two schools are – Abbot and Phillips, with some fine old houses, trees and spaciousness about the private houses, as well as the schools.
I shall be at no. 90 – as headquarters at least – thro’ July - with visits here and there.
Early in August I go to Manan and stay till after Labor Day at least. I must be back at Andover Sept. 18th, but I suppose I shall have a week or so with the family first. MyPerkins, Edith (EH's aunt)sight failing;g8 aunt’s sight is gradually diminishing, poor thing, and she has great strain upon her to prevent her sleeping well, etc. MyPerkins, Dr John Carroll (EH's uncle)celebrates 86th birthday;h2 uncle is less strong, so between them there is a constant vacillation of ‘balance of power’, so to speak. His 86th birthday on Sunday was very happy, with lots of messages, flowers, and only myself as a ‘party’ at his own request. I [illegible] on much better that way than otherwise now – tho’ my aunt still does much as of old – her one salvation, but a means to an exhausted end later. TheThorps, the;e1 Thorps will be in Cambridge the first part of the summer, so I expect to see them quite often.
TheDorset Players, Thesuspended for the summer;a4 Dorset Players are not to function this summer at all, I have just learned, as local people of ill-will still make it wise to abandon Paul’sStephenson, Paulthe Dorset Players conspire against;a6 plan. I am really glad he is not to open, especially as he is to have a directing job in N. Mexico, with a person in charge of the scheme, wholly devoted to him. But it all has its disappointing side, too – like a stab in the back.
Mercifully, the weather has been cool with the continuing rain which has fallen all thro’ May and up to now – so I am not too tired. ‘TheHale, Emilyas director ('producer');v9Molnár's The Swan;b8 Swan’ was a great success, I am happy and grateful to say. My warm congratulations to you upon these continuing honors – Legion d’Honneur particularly, as I feel Oxford simply had to do it to save its face. I note what you say of the possible visit from relatives & shall be dumb as an oyster.
I should like to be present, my dear, at Oxford, as I was at Edinburgh. May you have some real happiness out of all these awards.
3.DrPerkins, Dr John Carroll (EH's uncle) John Carroll Perkins (1862–1950), Minister of King’s Chapel, Boston: see Biographical Register.
5.PaulStephenson, Paul Stephenson (1898–1974), theatre director – he worked for various theatres, with seasons at the Central City Opera House, Colorado (where he directed Lillian Gish in Camille), and at the Brattleboro Theater Group, Vermont – was first engaged for the summer season at the Dorset Players, Vermont in 1939–40, After war service in the Marine Corps, he returned to the Dorset Players for the summers of 1946 and 1947. But box office takings during 1947 were so poor that the final shows were cancelled: Stephenson was not asked back for the summer of 1948.