Edith Schwartz Clements
Letters, 1911
Aug. 29, 1911
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August 29 1911
A lovely afternoon on the Cornwall coast! Not beeing smitten with an English love of inserting strong tea, bread butter & jam into a stomach, not yet recovered from its noon-day duties, we lounged on the cliff while the rest partook. The clouds had cleared, and the sea was clear pale green in the sunlight. We watched the tide rush in dashing over the rocks and gaining foot by foot. Fritz admits that he can like a rocky coast, & perhaps, someday, we shall see La Jolla — that is if the sun will shine there for us. We had quite a rough crossing yesterday from Cork to Plymouth. The boat was small, & bobbed about like a cork. Fritz looked ghastly pale about ten o'clock of the evening, so I insisted on his trying our carefully cherished seasick remedy
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and going to bed. There were only four and six-berth cabins, so he bunked with five other men, while Mrs. Cowles & I roomed with two strange women. It seems as tho' the steamship managers do their best to create proper conditions for sea-sickness. Of course the more people sick, the fewer meals to provide, and the more fees for steward & stewardess! So we are furnished various and sundry smells, & warm water to drink. The bunks are made up with the covers folded in at the sides on top
of the mattress, so one gets into a sort of bag and after a normal amount of turning over during the night, soon has all the covers in a heap, while he spills out at the ends & edges. Then the blanket is arranged with the folded edge at the top & one must either have all the covers on or none at all. The pillows! Hard? I am sure a pillow fight with them would be deadly thing! Mrs. Cowles woke up with a very stiff neck, and I
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spent most of the night punching mine (pillow) to soften it. We both smothered with the heat. I finally at 2:30 a.m. re-made my bunk in a more Christian fashion & put my head next to the port-hole. I think I slept four hours, but fared as well as most. Sand fleas left their marks also tho I did not know it till morning! After breakfast, people rapidly disappeared into their cabins. Fritz and I had both begun to feel the effects of our "stuffing" during the Irish trip, and were fine subjects for disturbance even on land. We both felt fine till breakfast time which was very late. We both sat down; Fritz took a mouthful & hastily excused himself. I followed to give him a pill & see that he did not faint; returned & tried a mouthful of toast. I was not in the least hungry, but thought I
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ought to eat. Do you know I could not swallow one mouthfull? My mouth was absolutely lacking in saliva. I felt just a little squeamish, & thought it a good time to test the pills. They worked like a charm! I got up in half an hour & enjoyed the rest of the trip, lunch & all. Fritz too, appeared on deck after his nap, fresh & rosy & we watched the sea from the most active parts of the boat-bow & stern without a qualm. Some of the men of the party kept their berths all day, others after breakfast. To-day, the sea is calm again but it shall have no more terrors for me, armed with "Mothersill's Pills"! I am conviced tho' that a great deal of sea-sickness could be avoided by paying attention to one's diet beforehand. Deary me! how they did stuff us in Ireland! Out last meal there, however, was very dainty & delicious — a lunch given by a wealthy brewer, who has a passion for gardening, & who has, in consequence, built up a beautiful one, containing many rare plants, & the finest rock garden we have yet seen. Such an
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enthusiastic man as our host was! He met us at the train, smiling hearty, with a warm Irish manner, with the query whether we would have lunch at once, or look at the garden first. We murmured that we had breakfasted at six & would like lunch first, but, apparently the murmur was inaudible, or else the question was perfunctory, for we were rushed along in a body from one rare plant to another, our host beaming & discoursing on its rarity & beauty; not even the nasty drizzle dampering his ardor. A good shower did permit of momentary shelter in a pavilion wher I decided to stay & to keep Fritz as we both had slight colds & the wet grass & wetter air were not the best treatment. The rest of the party "did" the rest of the garden "weather or no." however. We were glad to do this after lunch, when the weather had
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cleared somewhat. We did have lunch at last, in the charming, ivy-covered country-home. Mrs. Praeger, the wife of our Irish guide (or rather of the botanist in Ireland who did the honors for the country) had told me we probably would not see our host's wife at all, as she was a famous beauty, society belle, with a General for a father & very haughty withal. We did see her, however, & she was very gracious indeed. A beauty? Yes of the Juno type ("cowlike")Fritz calls it) Young, large, stately — blue eyes, black lashes, cherry lips (touched up a little, I think) perfect complexion. She wore a dull blue gauzy gown, immense broad brimmed blue hat, & carried a tiny spaniel. After dinner, smoked many cigarettes! (has had a case of nicotine poisoning from excessive smoking). She was supported by a friend & neighbor-tailored, golden-haired, forty, also a smoker. The lunch was dainty & delicious & the toasts good.
August 30" On the way to Portsmouth
The Excursion part is practically over & we are on the way to the Association meetings at Portsmouth. We have cer-
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The Caerthilian Hotel,
The Lizard.
Aug. 29, 191
tainly had a "glorious" trip, but every one is to sleepy & tired & just a little homesick. We all look forward to a week in one spot & freedom from repacking every night.
We certainly enjoyed the rocky coast at Lizard's Head & the neighborhood. The sea proved more attractive to me than the plants & I snatched every opportuniry to sit & watch the great waves rush in & crash on the sand or against the cliffs.
At Truro, a men's club entertained the men of our party at dinner. Mrs. Cowles & I were not included in the invitation, but a Miss Paull, of the town, had asked us to a family dinner. We were sorry to miss the final one for the party, as the farewell speeches & grand finale took place. Fritz reported that there were eighteen speeches! and the eating part was hurried so to leave time for the speeches, that he succeeded in getting only one of the five desserts! Father Clements would certainly be pleased at his son's attitude at all these many dinners, wher ehe is the only one who refuse one &
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all of the many wines, champagnes & various alcoholic beverages provided. It is the subject of much good-natured chaffing on both sides. It is most interesting to note, however, that tho' the men drink the stuff, they have a sneaking respect for one who does not & openly express their admiration or stive to explain or excuse their own short-comings. I have been a little puzzled & somewhat disconcerted by the way Mr. Tansley looked askance at me & seemed to avoid me, especially in Ireland. Especially was this marked when I went into a compartent on the train where he was smoking alone, & sat down to chat. He almost precipitately got up & left me! The mystery has been clearer since Fritz confessed to having told him shortly before that I admitted to my innermost circle of friendship only the nicest men who did not smoke! I have been chagrined & puzzled on more than one occasion during the trip to find how awkwardly I fit into social functions. I fear one can neither be sincere nor earnest & be a social success. I have been studying Mrs. Cowles methods. She is dumpy, dowdy, plain & yet is always the centre of attraction. Here success seems to be built upon the fat plan of putting herself forward into
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The Caerthilian Hotel,
The Lizard.
Aug. 29, 191
the centre of the stage from the start. She then holds it by means of talking persistently in a strong compelling voice, which charms her hearers because she is always sure to agree with them & echo their opinions & also to spread on just as much "soft-soap" as possible in regard to their possessions & what they are doing for her. Moreover, she never spoils her tale by any regard to facts, & has a way of raising a laugh by an exaggeration or unexpected phrase, or perhaps an apt story. I have come to the conclusion that social chit-chat must consist mainly of bromidic statements. They bore me to death, but whenever in desperation I try to insert an earnest topic of conversation, or answer a query, according to my honest convictions, it seems to cast a damper on the cheerful bromidic atmosphere. At least this was so last night at Miss Paulls's family party. I will not be insincere, at least any more so than politeness demands & I will not be any more of a Bromide than I can
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possibly help, so I must resign myself to being a social failure. Mrs. Cowles is a very amusing study for one who is with her for any length of time, but she certainly can hood wink people who see just a little of her, or who are not keen! It is a funny trick of fate that has thrown me together for this trip, for she is one of the very few people to whom I took a dislke at our very first meeting — several years ago; a dislike confirmed at every subequent meeting. It has been very broadening to be "nice" to her; we are thoroughly uncongenial. But enough of this. I never talk unfavorably of people, except to Fritz & I am breaking my rule. It is doubtless uninteresting to you, anyhow.
P.S. Sara writes that the first page of the fourth letter was missing when it reached her. Will you all please look it up, or better, the last one who had the complete letter.
