Decca, p.14
Decca, page 14
I hope you are getting the cigs & Hershey bars regularly & do let me know what other food would be in order. It says in the papers people are not supposed to ask for things from abroad, so the form is to write “thanks for the soap, razor blades, canned turkey” etc & then one catches on & sends them.
The Person tips the scales at 17 ¼ lbs now & they are supposed to weigh 20 lbs at one year, everyone says she looks like a year-older. When she wishes her bottle she says “bo-bo-bo-De-De-De-cca!” Sorry Bird I know these quaint anecdotes are boring but she really is so sweet. …
Best love my darling, do keep writing, your letters are so wonderful & buoy the Man up like mad.
Your affec Slipper
To Esmond Romilly
Alexandria
September 11, 1941
Darling Cn,
… The awful thing is you are probably now still getting some rather groany letters tho I’m not being the least groany any more, so do discount any that may arrive. I think what happened was that what with Piker II etc I began to think all avenues to the Boot would soon be closed, plus not feeling very go ahead & tour-spiritish; plus the journalism school turning out to be non-existent (the only one I could find, in NY or Washington, that was a summer course was one for nuns to teach them to run their nunnery mag!). Actually now Piker II is off, tho I guess I was sorry at the time, I feel much better physically as well as much more Donk-&-Man-forging-aheadish. Anyway the point is that all the above reasons made me very pro coming over right away if possible, whereas now I’m completely back to the form we had always decided on….
The President’s speech tonight was awful, the usual 1 step nearer war, exactly what it was; his speeches have become a regular staircase & one always knows what the next step will be which makes them so dull in spite of all the oratory etc. “Rattlesnake” was rather flat after “gunthirsty buttersnipe” anyway.87 I’ll write again tomorrow darling old Bird & do be pro the Man, it is violently pro you.
Your affec Slopman
To Esmond Romilly
Alexandria
September 14, 1941
Darlingest Bird,
The Man’s plans have been simmering all last week & have now come to a definite head (boil?) at least for the next 2 or 3 months.
Saturday I went to Wash. & scrammed up to see Mr. Bernard at the Post. He said he had been investigating possibilities of various advertising etc. jobs but that nothing very promising had as yet turned up. Tho I know I could get something within a month or so, the prospect of waiting around & finally getting something either all Weinbergery or else all dept. store & 17 bucks a weeky didn’t appeal, so I took a snap decision as the Boot would say & immediately went & enrolled at the Strayer Business School, stenography course. This is said to be the best school of that kind here, & it certainly did look rather fascinating—all bustly & studenty & vigorous & go ahead. You can’t think how wonderful it is to have decided on going there & I do hope you won’t think it’s an extravagant idea. Even while I’m there I can save some of the Dep allowance (the tuition is $28 a month) & I’m convinced it will lead to something fascinating as well as being terrific fun to be at a school.
The hours are from 9 to 3 (rather different from the Boot’s schedule I know, but don’t despise the little Slippery plans for that reason as I intend to work terrifically hard; I’ve set myself a time limit of 3 months to become good & quick at it, if possible of course before that). One can also stay and practice till 5 if one wishes. The man in charge explained to me that one can take all that time in simply shorthand & typing but he said he didn’t think most people could stand that much concentrated S.&T. & advised me to take Business English, Spelling & a thing called Penmanship. However I was firm in rejecting these 3 as they are to my mind completely beside the point, apart from the fact I expect I know them already (except for the Business part of English, which I don’t specially want to know)….
Well old Bird I am beginning at the school tomorrow morning & you don’t know how glad I am about it. I feel for the first time in ages I am starting at something new, which I wouldn’t feel at all if I got a job in a shop here or contacted those beauty specialist lades etc in NY. All this may seem v. exaggerated about something as commonplace as a stenography school but still it will be so new to me to be learning a real trade. What I’m hoping is naturally that something will turn up after I’ve been there a couple of months. As soon as I’ve grasped how to type reasonably fast I shall start skeking around after a job. Do write me all your impressions of the usefulness or not etc of me going to the school. Tomorrow I’ll write all about the Man’s First Day. By the way I am going to be in a class with College Graduates! Tra la la cleva man although I admitted to the man in charge of the school I’ve never been to college.
I do wish letters didn’t take so long, it will probably be at least 6 weeks before I can get an answer to this, & I’m so longing to know what you think of it all….
Your very Loving Man
To Esmond Romilly
Alexandria
September 15, 1941
Darling Bird,
The Man set off this morning for the first day of its stenography school. I went in with the Bill & Cliff crowd (Bill having got a huge new car there is always a crowd going to work in it) & it was all like the old Weinbergery days only more so, because instead of arriving with scaught to do but read Vogue there was this huge busy school, people making out our schedules, High Schooly & Collegey girls all over the place rushing when the class bell rang etc.
Today there were no classes for the new students, so I just went to a couple of English & Spelling classes, which completely decided me against taking them in my course, they are v. elementary & it would be pointless anyway unless one was planning to stay for months & qualify for some boring job the school would find one, which is not my idea in going there at all. The rest of the school looked exactly as I had hoped—great bare rooms full of people madly typing or taking shorthand dictation. I got my books & have been boning up on the shorthand tonight so everyone will think how clever I am for a beginner. The typing book must have been compiled by some Joycean or at least Freudian mind. This is the first exercise: may any man yes yet you jab big bit try now own book both done down fine walk sign June July wait want back baby! I copied it exactly—rather amazing—
The shorthand book looks just like a Boot’s letter
I’m writing to the bank tonight to ask how much dough there is, I think it’s still over $400; so how about paying a bit back to Mike or Meyer?
Naturally I’m still leaving all dough transactions of that type to you. The only thing that worried me a bit was, will you think it extravagant of me to be going to this school? I do hope not, & what you said in one letter about hoping I’d go ahead with the NY journalist school thing made me think it would be OK. I’m convinced it’s a really good investment, both for the U.S. where there is a terrific shortage of secretaries & also if I ever come to England, when it would probably mean a much more interesting type job than if one were completely unskilled…. Actually things here are terrifically interesting just now, & at last Washington seems to be getting back to its old form of New Dealers in control, more like when we first came here, & I think people will be much more hopeful this autumn.
Goodbye darling. Do write the news on the 2nd war front, one gauges very little really from the papers. What is the Toynbee attitude now & above all the Roughton88 one, if you see him?
Your Very Loving Slipperman
To Esmond Romilly
Alexandria
September 23, 1941
Darling Bird,
Thank you so much for your birthday ‘gram, & it was wonderful to have the reply paid dough to wire you with, the whole thing was a v. much appreciated birthday present (even tho 10 days late—what’s that old Bird?). Fancy the Slip being 24, getting on I should say.
I’ve been meaning to write for several days to tell all about my school, however from now on letters will be sent in a steady stream. Here is a sample Man’s day: 7 a.m. angry sounds are heard from the other bed; the Donk is changed & given her rattle, which she waves violently thus giving a pleasant waking up period. Sometimes if I’m not very sleepy she is taken out & played with. 8 a.m. breakfast, now fixed by Va & quite good. 8:30 a mad rush for the car by Ann, Cliff, Viola (Daniels’ little girl) & me; nearly always a different car as Bill is away & Va is usually to be heard hopefully phoning all round the neighbourhood so she won’t have to take us in. 9 a.m. the Man arrives all efficient & secretarial with case of books & settles to its typewriter. One rather funny thing is up here which is the typewriters have no letters on the keys on account of it being the Touch System. The typing instructress is rather like a horse trainer; she steps around the room saying “SNATCH the keys! ONE two! ONE two!” We type to the tunes of marches which is rather fun. The Man is already typing sentences & has learnt the keyboard except for X, Q & Z, it is about 3 lessons ahead of the others who began the same time (Tra la la I think you know the rest). Then there is a study period for shorthand homework etc, in a classroom, & taken by a v. boring man who keeps talking all the time about how the students shouldn’t talk & thus renders study impossible. There are ineffectual little pep messages written on the walls such as “to fail to prepare is to prepare to fail,” and “good luck is just hard work” etc. I think you can gauge the fascinating form of the place. The lunch hour is only 40 minutes so I usually spend it in the lade’s room where everyone foregathers to chat & the girls hang around asking each other “Say are there any cute boys out your way?”; They are mostly like Binny’s imitation of a sort of junior tart, all high schooly, but I haven’t really got to know any of them yet. After lunch is the shorthand class & then more typing till 5. …
We had the first shorthand test today & the Man made 100% Tra la la. … The silver cigarette case stage will come later tho, if at all….
Goodbye darling Cn. I’ll write very soon.
Best Love from Decca
To Esmond Romilly
Alexandria
October 14, 1941
Darlingest Cn,
… [E]ver since I got your telegram89 I’ve had the delicious prospect of being back with you again. I can skeke wait for your letter about it…. Dickie K nowles & the Dr came by the other day & Dickie literally begged for the Donk in case I scram. So they are another v. good possibility, probably even better than the Camerons in some ways as Dickie would really adore having her; whereas with the Camerons one couldn’t be quite sure whether it was just their War Effort. Do tell what you think about this. She’s had masses of other offers, including the Claude Peppers90 & Thurman Arnolds (trust-busters),91 & lots of other people.
The other night I went to a huge Fight for Freedom Dinner in the Shore-ham hotel, all got up by Mike & Helen Fuller. It really was so extraorder. This was their national convention but of course there were crowds of Washingtonites too, mostly all evening dress, & civic. The out-of-town delegates were just like one imagines delegates to a shoe-salesman’s convention or something; several bleary eyed oldish young men looking around restively for a good time & all half saying “We-e-ell, little lady! What state are you from?”; etc, & hard faced woman secretary types fraternising with everyone. I was supposed to sit with Mike & Bin, but at the last minute the main speaker …arrived dead drunk & had to be supported by 2 men, so Mike scrammed off to rearrange the speakers & ended up at the speakers table, & Bin also got separated; so I was left to sit with a terrific crowd of the most Texanish Texans you ever saw. As I arrived they were all jumping up & yelling “Let’s drink to Texas! The finest state etc etc & we could lick that goddam bastard excuse me please, ladies, but I mean that feller Hitler!” There were about 5 half empty bottles of Scotch on the table & everyone was pinning Fight for Freedom emblems & Bundles for Britain posies on each other. A pamphlet on the table had “Calling all Americans” written on it, & one Texan picked it up & said, dead seriously to another “Here’s a snappy publicity line, eh Joe?”; Sen. Lister Hill92 made a speech after the dinner in which he pointed out that we were all breathing the pure American air of Freedom where the Heathen Hun could not take our women into captivity & there subject them to base defilements. He’s the one who made such a terrible speech at the Dem. nat. convention, but this one was even worse. The really awful thing is that this Fight for Freedom committee is supposed to be about the only dynamic & large pro-war movement here. There are certainly no signs of any kind of popular front93 being reinstated—outside of big business & these ghastly Southerners (who never stop saying proudly how down home any scrap is good enough for a southerner & they certainly want to get in on this one) there seems to be less & less interventionist feeling. Except of course with people like Mike, the Grahams, Retzes etc. Yet all the time the press is dinning into people how united, militant & democratic they are.
Cliff is definitely leaving the RFC to be a Federal Communications Commissioner, which apparently means he’ll be regulating the radio, press etc. The Donk crawled for the first time yesterday & has been doing it a lot today—she inches along like a snake after things if you put them out of reach. Chiefly Va’s spectacles which makes Va furious as I am always getting them for the Donk to play with. She sits alone all the time now….
Well Bird do keep writing darling, yr. Slip so adores getting your letters. I keep thinking of you so terrifically much & longing to be with you again.
Your very affec. Slipper
To Esmond Romilly
Alexandria
November 9, 1941
Darlingest Cn,
I sent you a cable last night which must have crossed yours94 asking me to wire, so I expect I’ll hear from you tomorrow, but meanwhile I’ll write you all the details of my embassying etc. I went to see this same Group Capt. Anderson, the one I asked before about the bomber trip. He was v. nice & helpful (tho slightly the befuddled old Englishman type), & said that while there was no longer any chance of going by air (the regulations have been tightened up a lot & they don’t take any women now) I could be sure of getting a sea passage sooner or later, within about 3 weeks to 3 months if I put in an application; they are ordinary passages with about the same accommodations as in peace time, only many fewer available as only a few ships take women. … I then filled out a form which I left with the Brit. Consul … & then eventually they let one know when one’s turn is up. Of course one can’t really tell whether it is quite as easy & normal as they made out; but it certainly was awfully encouraging to find I can go that way. (I might even take the Donk if things are looking up a bit, but that can be decided at the last minute; it probably wouldn’t be a good idea—Lois Eliot is dying to have her staying with them, which would be swell as she would then be near the Durrs & all the people she knows, so that is more or less what I have planned if you think it’s O.K.). So now I’m longing to know all about what your form is, whether we could be together at all & what type station you are on, & above all what you really think now about my coming. Because the Man is now completely punch-packy for whatever is decided;for instance it’s not all downed & pregnant-y & miscarriag-y as it was a few months ago; & it specially doesn’t want to be a constant worry to you, I mean so you’ll feel you have to tell me to come over even tho it wasn’t really the best thing…. I do feel I’m not just waiting aimlessly around; I’m learning a lot at the Stenog. School & then there’s the Donk & everything, & if I stay I shall… [get] a flat & a job. The Donk is so terrifically nice, she has absolutely made the whole difference to things—when she roars the old Boot sarcastic expression comes into her face, in fact she is exactly like you altogether, rather a scene I should say
I had a letter from Nancy saying “I heard Esmond had arrived, & there’s a strong rumour around that you are here too under an assumed name & heavily disguised.” So typical it hardly needs comment. She keeps angling to find out what I’m doing, but I haven’t written her for months….
Goodbye darlingest, your Slip thinks about you so much, all the time, & I do so hope things are fairly OK for you.
Best Love, Yr Man
To Esmond Romilly95 Alexandria
December I, 1941
LEAVING FRIDAY SO TERRIFICALLY EXCITED DARLING STOP DECIDED BRING DONK DO WIRE THAT YOU AGREE HOW SHALL I CONTACT YOU JOURNEY WILL BE VERY COMFORTABLE GREATEST LOVE=ROMILLY96
To Lady Redesdale
Alexandria
February 22, 1942
Darling Muv,
I’m afraid I haven’t written for an awfully long time, tho I’ve had several letters from you & the Boud, also a birthday ‘gram for Constancia.
I’m absolutely certain that Esmond is all right, although the officials (C.O. etc) take a very unhopeful view;97 so many different things could have happened, & he might even be in Norway or somewhere. Sometimes it takes as long as 6 months to hear about prisoners.
Of course the last 2 ¼ months have been simply frightful; at first I kept expecting every day to hear from him, but now I realise it may be a very long time, perhaps till the end of the war.
I was actually about to leave for New York, where I’d got a passage on a boat to England, when I first heard the news. I’ve now decided to stay here for the present, at least until Constancia is a bit older. I’m taking a secretarial course which is nearly finished, & after that I can easily get a job. I’ve got a part time job already, which is good practice & happens to be very interesting too, so I’m really very busy all day
Please give my love to my old Boud, I’ll send her the pictures of Constancia soon.
Best love from Decca
To Lady Redesdale
Washington, D.C.
October 31, 1942
Darling Muv,
I am so frightfully sorry not to have written for such a long time, and will write more from now on….
