Emily Hale to Margaret Thorp
You will please remark I am answering yours of the 27th–28th on the Sunday following! – almost unheard of as an event. I have often said or written to you that you and Willard’s lives seem to me as rich in abundance of interests and diversion as almost anyone I know; I think I was never more conscious of the fact than in the receipt of this last letter, for you gave a list of engagements within the month which never come my way in a year, in such a galaxy of richness of interest! IHale, Emilyrelationship with TSE;w9EH's marriage regret;h1 suppose one very small if very human reason for wanting for years to share life with T.S.E. as his wife, was to partake of that side of life of good diversions which I shall never know for a variety of reasons. You must forgive my speaking of this at length but the pleasure of steady hard work becomes heavier as I grow older – and the lack of outside stimulus increasingly longed for & absent. MyPerkins, Edith (EH's aunt)moved into nursing home;p1 aunt’s affairs came to a crisis just after the news from London – she grows so frail and confused that it seemed best to place her in a Nursing Home where a sudden vacancy occurred so that I had to decide at once, with a cousin and others to help me – to take the room. The Home is in Newton Centre – only easily reached by street car plus taxi each time – beyond Chestnut Hill, so I cannot take time or money to go often. The Home was highly recommended – partly because the mother of one of my good [?Andover] friends has been there two years, and my friend’s standards & desires would be much like mine. My aunt has accepted the great change very touchingly in quietness – perhaps resignation – but I hope as time goes on, it will be with real relief and happier(?) [sic] acceptance. ExpensesHale, Emilyfinances;w5;b5 are still very heavy – a problem we hoped to solve by giving up the apartment – for she has to have special nursing care in addition to the care supplied by the Home.
Because the future is so unknown and because the money saved for me by the Perkins for years, is now my aunt’s largest income, my own financial condition is seriously curtailed and ‘to get along without a job’ is not possible – if I can help it. My savings , you see, or my income, would in time have to go towards Mrs Perkins’ support, should she outlive what is left of the income! – also perhaps outlive me which would solve the situation also!
So, will you and Willard try to reach out into all possible ways out of education, where I might be accepted – in a big corporation as hostess, ‘greeter’ [illegible] instructor for personnel-teacher of big business. This idea may be too crazy but if I knew where to find a Placement Bureau for that sort of Profession I would like to ‘contact it’ at once. You know so many people of all interests – so few have met & liked me – can you help ‘sell’ me anywhere?
By the way, speaking of T.S.E. once again, did I leave with you both the introduction I wrote to accompany the letters? I cannot put my hand on it here and would like to do so. I dare say his marriage will change once again all plans for the availability of the letters – since she may live to be quite old! Oh dear, oh dear. Thanks for the movie, ballet & theatre news.
16.MargaretThorp, Margaret (née Farrand) Farrand (1891–1970), author and journalist – see Margaret Thorp in Biographical Register.