Above, “Summer Days on New York’s East Side,” Raymond Crawford Ewer, centerfold in Puck, August 15, 1914, Library of Congress

Begin with Chapter One ~ Return to Chapter Forty-Nine
Emma Dumpke Daschel, August 1913
August 13, 1913
My dear Hedda,
Of course, you can stay with us as long as you want. Forever if you wish.
You must plan to be here on a Friday night. Heinrich, or my cooking, has attracted quite a salon of young bachelors on a weekly basis, all with ravenous appetites. Conversations over dinner are animated, with spirited disagreements over literature or world events never avoided yet never disturbing the underlying camaraderie.
Viewpoints are more diverse than those to which I was accustomed, particularly concerning politics. Only one of the professors who joins us has an umbilical cord tied to Germany. The rest are all American-born.
I finally understand how glorious it must have been for you to grow up in such a stimulating environment. With gatherings of highly opinionated professors at your father’s apartment almost every night of the week, it is no wonder you are so well-spoken… and outspoken.
Continue reading “An Ostrich-Plumed Hat: Chapter Fifty”