Wednesday, 16 July. Rained almost all day. I feel sick and have not been out of the house any farther than the pavilion.
At 7 P.M. Mr. Bert Bowen had prepared a charming surprise for us, and had ordered ice-cream, cake and May-bowle (my weakness). To surprise him in our turn, we presented ourselves with light gloves, fans and flowers in our hair. The supper was, I think, the jolliest one I ever partook of. Every possible health was drunk. Tante Clio brought off Mr. Bowen’s health in a very charming poem at the same time amusing and touching as it referred to Mr. Bowen’s school days at their house five years ago; his happy return to them and to German two weeks ago, "a better and a wiser man" and lastly to his parting tomorrow out of our little circle back again to America. He was very touched and I admire him for it and thanked Tante Clio heartily. We then drank to Mama's health, to Henry's and to ours.
Our boisterous gaiety did not quite forsake us however and I began to feel the usual drowsy effects of the May-bowle to such an extent that when I got up to make a speech to thank Mr. B. for his thoughtfulness I believe the words came thickly out and my speech was not as clear as it might have been. I have tried hard to remember what I said. I believe it was received with enthusiasm. I was not in a state to be sure of anything.
After supper we had a charade (Herbert, the first syllable Herr, the second Bert) and a great many other funny things. Everyone seemed desirous of showing him or herself off in the best & most amusing light, and everyone said all the funny jokes he or she had ever heard, or even imagined. In short, it was a very jolly, noisy soirée [evening] and after exerting myself for an hour to be as amiable and look as wide-a-wake (which I wasn’t) as possible, I concluded a nap would not be a bad idea and I dropped off and lay warm in my bed for the space of 15 minutes, feeling greatly refreshed when I returned to our small dining room, transformed for the occasion to a salon. It was growing late however and heads were nodding, so, after a hearty hand-shake all around, we separated for the night and were gathered into the arms of the big-hearted Morpheus [the Roman god of dreams and sleep]. Perhaps to dream that Tante Clio was sitting placidly on a pyramid of ice cream, reading poetry out of a great book with chocolate backs, perhaps to dream that we were drowning in a sea of May-bowle with strawberries floating on the top. Tante Clio’s toast:
Parting Toast to Mr. Bert Bowen.
My toast today is a word of farewell
Because our dear Bert wants to leave us.
He who was faithful to us for five years,
Who wrote us many a beautiful letter,
Faithfully returned to us
And proved to be a "good boy."
He hasn’t forgotten the times
When he was given little to eat
But he always laughed heartily
When he was kidding around.
We also laughed, knowing his good heart.
We shared joy and pain with him.
He was a great joy to the aunties
And both laughed heartily
When recently our beloved son
Read to us a new edition
By the clever boy who has grown tall,
Whom we loved in former times
And who during this time of separation
Turned into a wiser Bert.
He actually came back,
Conquered all hearts immediately
And everybody who met him there
Join us in saying farewell.
Because he always loved to travel,
His travels may soon lead him back to us,
And each new encounter
Will be as dear to us as this one now.
That we may always present him proudly
And always call him our only one.
May he come as a merry student,
Or as Vice President,
Or as a newspaper editor,
As husband or as a permanent flirt,
He always comes back to us as our Bert.
(M.L.)
Friday, 18 July. This afternoon has been lovely—took advantage of beautiful weather to play croquet near the Kurhaus but were overtaken by a shower in the middle of a game. Tante Gretchen came back from Dresden at 4 P.M.
 |
| A postilion chaise. |
Tuesday, 22 July. This afternoon Mlle. Quillard, Mamie and I went with Frau Waldeck and daughter to Schneesberg and had a lovely time. On our return found that Herr v. Dzimsbowski had arrived and we all supped together at the Gast-Hof [Guest House] and walked home at 10.30 P.M. [Flowers pasted to the page, with the captions: "from the Schneesberg" and "Nini’s & my ‘snake excursion.’"]
Friday, 25 July. This afternoon at 4 P.M. we were joined at the croquet ground by v. Dziembowski & Collard and played croquet. M. D. left for Dresden at 5 and Tante Gretchen & Gredel accompanied him as far as Hermsdorf. Came home all famished for supper.
Saturday, 26th July. This morning at 7 A.M., Mlle. Q. and Edgar went to Königstein to meet Herr Sproesser—they all arrived at 10.30 A.M. Sproesser is sunburnt from the Academie Reise & altogether does not look quite well but is otherwise as gay and witty as ever. All went to Kurhaus and Gredel sang. After dinner we all took shawls and went to the brook in the forest and laid ourselves down under the shadowy pines. Sproesser was very restless!
In evening concert & ball at Kurhaus. The two Königstein officers (Herr v. Laffert & Markowsky) called on us in the afternoon and made themselves very agreeable in the evening. Margo & Gredel in white, Mamie in green and I in gray & red net. Danced and had a delightful time. Elsa was ill and could not join us. Oh! joy! Just before the first dance received a telegram from Mama (arrived safely at Liverpool). Danced with such a light heart after hearing that. Cotillion favors very pretty. A great many people were there. Very hot! Sproesser dances well but unwillingly. Something puzzles me! All three officers walked home with us. Dear little Laffert as sweet and charming as ever. Everyone admired Mamie’s feet. I take such pride in my sister on all such occasions. She excites everyone’s interest. Sproesser pleads headache and declares he wall not be able to sleep. [Flowers pasted to the page with the caption, "Mignonettes I wore in my hair and rose from my bouquet!!!"]
Sunday, 27 July. Slept well and arose late. Elsa still in bed. Le mot de l’enigma!! Vous avez mesprietes! [The word which is a riddle!! You have misunderstood me!] Raining very steadily and promises to continue the whole day. Herr Sproesser made his appearance after breakfast & Mlle Q. entertained him in the pavilion until we were all ready to go down. Learned he was out and walking over since 4 A.M. All went to hear Gredel sing in the Kurhaus. Has rained all day.
Monday, 28th July. At 3 P.M. we all started on an excursion to the "Dürre Brila" about 2 hours from here where the Brila is dry in summer. Sproesser, Mr. Hoffmann & Mr. Collard joined us making 13 in party. After much waiting and several of the party not wishing to come without a carriage & no carriage appearing, Tante Gretchen, Gredel, Mr. Hoffman, Henry, Mamie, Edgar and I started afoot—my back aching terribly but too proud to stay behind.
After walking an hour reached a place where we rested, not knowing which road to take for "Dürre Brila". Were joined here unexpectedly by all the others, some afoot and 4 in a small one-horse carriage in which we all took turns in riding. The scenery is beautiful and all of us were jolly. Reached a "Gast-Haus" [guest house] just on the other side of the Bohemian frontier and sat under the trees and ate bread & butter & Bohemian cheese!!! Here we sat an hour and were very jolly, each person having an inexhaustible supply of jokes on hand. Came home just as the moon was appearing, tired out but fully satisfied with our excursion. Collard is dreamy & sentimental, being very much in love with Gredel, who treats him coolly. All the rest of us in excellent health.
Tuesday, 29 July. We all went to Germsdorf, joined by Hoffman & Sproesser, and drank milk & coffee in the little white Gast-haus. Came home at 7 and Sproesser staid for supper. After supper, as the night was so heavenly, we went out to walk in the silvery moon-shine. Tante Gretchen, not feeling very well, left us not far from the Kurhaus and proposed to wait there on a bench with Elsa & Gredel until we finished our promenade. Thereupon, Mlle. Q., Mamie, Margo, Henry, Sproesser, Edgar & I went up on the hill over the Kurhaus and, finding a few stones to sit on, admired the moon at our ease. Ten minutes after, when we came back to the bench where we had left Tante Gretchen & the girls, no one was to be found and we returned without them and had a scolding on reaching home for having staid out so late. Such is Life!
Wednesday, 30 July. All had expected to go to Schneeberg today but a great confusion about the carriages ensuing, it was given up. After dinner Mlle Q., Sproesser, Margo & I took a big shawl which we spread under the trees in the forest, & Mlle Q. read Lermontoff & a little of Manprat to us. Delightful time. Nini & Sproesser left us after a while & Margo & I schwermed [obsessed on the subject of love] alone and ate ginger bread until Sproesser came to fetch us for supper. After supper we all went for another moon-light walk but Nini, Sproesser, Henry, Margo, Edgar and I soon got separated from the others (purposely???!) and came home alone.
Thursday, 31 July. Nini, Sproesser, Mamie, Margo, Henry, Edgar and I spent our morning in the woods. I sewed a while on my blue linen dress and then lay down on the shawl and slept or rather dozed. Sproesser followed my wise example and also partook of the shawl, while Nini finished what I had begun on my dress and sang. Thus we passed a delightful morning until dinner time.
In the evening, dance at the Kurhaus. We did not start before 8.30 P.M. as we had a thunderstorm, but after much trouble to procure a carriage which made two tours to get us all at the Kurhaus, we finally found ourselves in the middle of the Polonaise [a stately, march-like Polish dance, consisting primarily of a promenade of couples] with Laffert & Markowski, Hoffmann, Collard & Sproesser. Tante Gretchen, Margo, Henry and Edgar staid at home. As we arrived in the rain, we found all our gentlemen acquaintances awaiting us with anxiety on the piazza of the Kurhaus as they were afraid the storm would prevent our coming. All seem to envy Sproesser who is always with us and acts more like a brother to us than a simple acquaintance. We all danced to our hearts’ content and came home in the officers’ carriage which they kindly offered us, v. Laffert driving with Nini, Elsa, Mamie & me first and then returning to bring Tante Clio and Gredel.
I had been unusually gay the whole evening but towards the last, as I felt I was soon to say adieu [farewell] to someone I have learned to call a friend, adieu perhaps & probably forever!—became quieter. Ah! The human heart is the only problem one will never solve—never!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment