Glad to get her letter and picture of her and Lionel. Will autograph a photo and send to her when hand is better. Glad she is maintaining her music and still doing concerts. P.S.: Hard to believe Lionel is seventeen months old! Aunt Willa [Stout #1665]
How nice it must be that Helen Louise is in Lincoln.� As Josephine used to remark when the Menuhin children were coming to the apartment, children are pleasant to have around.� Has heard about Carrie's golden wedding anniversary, especially from Annie Pavelka, who enumerated the cakes, flowers, and guests.�Good of the Miners to invite people from the neighboring farms.� Wishes she could have attended.� Hopes Elsie and Helen Louise will plan something fun for Christmas.� Yehudi and his wife gave her happiness on her birthday by bringing their baby, nearly three months old, to visit.� Likes Nola; Scotch but born in Australia.� Admires the honest, forthright Scotch.� Yehudi has been flattered so much that he needs someone who is plainspoken.� She and Edith will think about Elsie on Christmas Eve, and she will remember her last Christmas in Red Cloud. P.S.� Enclosing letter to Helen Louise for forwarding. Willie
Appreciates Elsie's letter about the service for the window [a window in Grace Episcopal Church dedicated for their mother, Mary Virginia "Jennie" Boak Cather] and all the old friends in Red Cloud. Has sent notes in Christmas cards to many of them. Overlooked Mrs. Warren, but did remember Mrs. Macfarland in California. Has been busy. The Menuhins came recently, and the mother is quite sick and bedridden, so spent time with the girls until Yehudi and their father came to New York from New Orleans. Douglass was visiting; spent as much time with him as possible. Saw Yehudi's dramatic performance at Carnegie Hall with him. Since Mary Virginia was working, and since she did not want to invite people outside the family, had a quiet, delightful dinner on her birthday with just Douglass and Edith. Douglass really came to New York to consult a heart specialist, who said he was fine. Enclosed a check to spend on something fun. Merry Christmas. Willie
Sprained a tendon in her left wrist weeks ago, it got inflamed, and now is forced to wear a splint. Is not supposed to write, because of overload on right hand, so hasn't corresponded recently. The heat therapy takes hours each day, and every daily process takes more time and effort. Does not attempt to work. Thankfully, Yehudi and his family have kept her company; the pleasant children always distract her. Menuhin children are divine. Have just finished reading Richard II together. Supposes she would not have understood the quality of Yehudi's character if she had not had her injury, so there is a silver lining after all! Willie
Cannot get German version of book, and people traveling don't need large books, so is sending him a small one of the correspondence of an artist who died young [ Franz Schubert ]. Very sad letters, but likes to believe that if Yehudi had been there, his insight would have helped Schubert. But don't his beautiful creations overpower his hardships, and is not hunger irrelevant to one whose mind is on fire? Happy Birthday, and wishes him long years of accomplishment and joy. Aunt Willa
Have been trying to reach her by telephone, but it is shut off (as all telephones ought to be, with the exception of the butcher's and grocer's). Will Yaltah please call to report on her mother's health? Vasinka
Enjoyed hearing that the music she heard on Good Friday reminded Yaltah of listening to Parsifal with Hephzibah and herself. Unfortunately, energetic non-musical use of Wagner has ruined him somewhat. Had terrific time with Miss Lewis and her parents [Marutha and Moshe Menuhin] the past winter, and felt that the children might rush in at any moment. They all saw Yehudi play the extraordinary Bach concert with Landowska [Yehudi Menuhin and Wanda Landowska performed Bach sonatas together at New York City's Town Hall on December 20, 1944]. Aunt Willa
Has been busy, so hasn't written to the lonely Margaret as intended. Went to Virginia with Edith to ease struggle with bronchitis, and when she returned had many messages from the Menuhins. Last week Edith was injured in a car accident and has been bedridden since. Her lip will have a significant scar, but not as disfiguring as initially thought. Met Sidney Ehrman when she received an honorary doctorate from the University of California-Berkeley. He was President of the Board of Regents then, and they sat together at the alumni dinner. Though Yehudi's name didn't come up on that occasion, he and his father soon came to California and stayed with Mr. Ehrman. Saw them while there. Mr. Ehrman supported the Menuhins financially when they had very little, and he knows music himself. Mr. Ehrman committed to support Yehudi when the boy was only six years old, and he sent the family to France for Yehudi's education when he was ten. Though the Menuhins repaid the money some time back, they still feel indebted to Mr. Ehrman. He was a stalwart supporter for four years and really started Yehudi on his professional path. Though many praised Yehudi, Mr. Ehrman was the only one to back it up with his money. As to the current circumstances, was glad to get Roscoe's letter. Is consoled that Mr. Ehrman shares her opinion of these marriages; he knows them as well as anybody. Is particularly worried about the girls. Hepzibah and Yaltah write friendly, open-hearted letters, but they don't seem to understand the situation! They write as if getting married were like an exciting excursion. What does it mean? Is not as concerned about Yehudi, however. Even if his fiancée is the wrong woman, he won't be too affected. He is, at his core, pure music. Even if he could not play, the music would be with him always as a consolation. Music is within him the way great scenes from Shakespeare are within her: she feels every line as potently as if she recited it out loud. Yehudi thinks profoundly, though he doesn't show it off. She knew him for three years but did not understand the depth of his mind until they formed their Shakespeare Club. But he thinks about the world in the best way: he takes pleasure in small things. Naturally, Roscoe must keep these thoughts to himself. The newspapers love the Menuhins more than anybody, save the Lindberghs, and she worries that if she utters a word about them, she will read about it in the New York Times. Will write to Margaret soon. Hopes she doesn't marry before they can travel together. All of her young friends are leaving her! Willie.
Was consoled by his letter, both because it contains good news about his health and because he admitted his vulnerability. She is vulnerable herself: has not written to him more often because whenever she does—or writes to other family members—is overwhelmed by guilt over her negligence through the years: she should have shown more care to their parents, should not have spent an evening of Douglass's brief visit to New York meeting with her British publisher. Her life is full of such failures. But did not so much try to build a career as try not to have to ask her father or any other member of the family ever to send money to support an endeavor so foreign to them. Wasted a lot of time that way. During three long summer visits, witnessed Jim pressing father so hard to start him in business that he hid in the bathroom. Hated to see that, but perhaps avoiding such nagging cost her something more important. To answer his question: her health is improving. Was having trouble sleeping, had shaking hands, and hair falling out in clumps. Apparently, such things can come from anxiety. Is now sleeping better and hands not trembling, but still feels down. Surprisingly, Alfred Knopf, such a wonderful friend and colleague, gave her the only recent snapshots of Douglass she has. He took them with his small Leica without Douglass even realizing it. They're not of high quality, so Alfred didn't give them to her until after Douglass died. Please share one with Elsie and send a copy of the account of its origin. Retain a copy, and send one to Jack and another to Jim. Elsie reports that he has books of hers that belonged to Douglass. He can send one to Jack and one to Jim, but only ones with inscriptions to Douglass. Wants to avoid their use by club women. Please keep the others. Please inform Margaret that she is glad for her happiness. Only a year ago was invigorated by the presence of five young playmates—twins in summer, Menuhins in winter. Now all have married. Has to keep at the new book begun last fall, even though the energy has drained out of it. But consistent work hours are the one way she may get to feeling like herself again. Both Alfred and Dr. Garbat concur on that point. Correspondence is difficult. Will send Margaret a wedding present soon. Is leaving after September 15, but does not yet know where she is going. Is writing on the old typewriter Douglass got for her thirty years ago when the three of them were all in Cheyenne. It has been damaged by the ocean air, though Ralph has tried to fix it up with mechanic's tools. Willie.
