It was a good idea to make it to Chicago and have the party after all. Such excursions can be helpful. Jack did not come for Christmas, and she and Edith had a quiet day, nursing Edith's sick eye. Had dinner with Isabelle and Jan Hambourg Christmas Eve, and invited Joe Charter [?], a widower, and Sanborn, the New York Globe music critic, for dinner on Christmas night. Ended the night early, owing to Edith's eye. Had a wonderful Friday tea yesterday with about 30 people, including Alfred McClung and many friends from Pittsburgh in town for Christmas. Afterwards bolted to the Biltmore hotel to have dinner with Bostonian friends. Feels tired today, but still went to a concert with the Hambourgs. Had lunch on Wednesday with the pianist Harold Bauer, Mrs. Bauer, and the violinist Kreisler. Isabelle is wonderful at entertaining creative and famous people. Received two gorgeous Russian candelabras from Jan and Isabelle for Christmas, which cast a beautiful glow at tea on the new tea table. Best new things, though, are three terrific paintings of the Mediterranean and Ionian sea by Edith's friend Earl Brewster. The paintings are beautiful so large that framing them is going to be expensive. Brewster's paintings are typically selling for $200 to $500, and these are quite good. He said he they are not a gift but a long term loan. Has published a rather weak story in Harper's Monthly [ "A Gold Slipper" ], but got $450 for it, and is glad for the money: expenses are quite a bit higher than last year. Engough apples for a pie cost 25 cents, beef is 36 cents a pound, and chicken costs 42 cents a pound—$2.10 for a five pound chicken! Probably won't starve on Bank street, though. Willie
Will father please send Mr. Topham and Joe Pavelik's interest payments? If not available, will he lend her the amount of the payments? Otherwise, will have to borrow from the bank to make it until the March 1 royalties payment. Is going to have operation in the Roosevelt Hospital next month and wants to make sure enough money is on hand then. Thinks possibly father sent Joe Pavelik's payment already; is that true? Will write to mother soon, but has been preoccupied and ill. Willie
Had first session with Léon Bakst yesterday. He pronounces his name like "boxed," but if one insists on making it sound mid-western, it can be pronounced to rhyme with "waxed." Please tell the family to learn how to pronounce it, as his name will be associated with hers often. Bakst's studio is made up of large rooms filled with gorgeous, meticulously arranged objects from Asia and Europe. In those rooms, it seems as if one is in a church dedicated to all the world's religions. Bakst is the kind of person she has always loved—like Annie Sadilek and Joe Pavelik Sr. and other childhood friends. Though he doesn't speak English well, he is trying to read One of Ours using a dictionary. He uses French to speak to her, and has told her fairy tales from Russia. Thankfully, he did not ask her to dress formally and is painting just her head and shoulders. He picked a green shirt she had, reminiscent of a Russian blouse. Sittings remind her of the days listening to Mr. Ducker as he spat tobacco juice, she is such a student to the master. Time will go quickly in those wonderful, scrupulously neat rooms. [Pasted at the top of the second page is a newspaper clipping in French listing results in horse races, including a horse named Red Cloud, with a note written by Cather pointing out that Red Cloud is winning in Paris.] Willa
