Read The Selected Letters of Thornton Wilder Page 7

  Lovingly T.W.

  17. TO AMOS N. WILDER. ALS 2 pp. Yale

 

  Nov. 18—<19>14—

  Dear Amos,

  I sure hope we can keep a room at Yale, but it probably never get there.73 Some small college Wooster und so weiter74 is probably waiting for me and before I see the shaky New York-New Haven R.R’s Depot75 you’ll be leaving it for a missionary post on the Koko-Kola Is—east of the moon. Whether next Thanksgiving Dinner be held—a tutti—in New Haven or with “remembrance for our loved ones scattered over the earth” is a matter that rests entirely on the strength of the adjectives in the Little Colleges’ Pamphlets on father’s desk.—N.B. Note for Essay = The Parcel-Post Xmas, or the House divided.

  Mother here is working very hard for the Red Cross Society of Berkeley. She has been writing letters to all the ministers in town asking them to announce to their flocks that contributions will be received in Room 420 1 st Nat. Bank Bldg.76

  Charlotte is a red cheeked, so-so plump girl in glasses; everything she says would be described as “stoutly” or “emphatically” put. She has a habit of talking protestingly which is the lighter side of her infallibility. You may not realize it but its positively serious, the way Charlotte can’t be corrected. Critique Severe sur une famille.77 Reprove her; point out that she is in the wrong, and she says “All right” then if Mother continues to reprove, comes a “Oh, you’ll talk forever,” and then Isabel and I sit on her by roaring. It’s all based on great underlying consciousness of being perfect that often shows up curiously. You mention such a slight and plain fact as that she “cant sing—any more, that is, than any other person who can follow the choir in church” and immediately she raises her back with: “I can sing better than Isabel,” or a direct, “I can too.” Perhaps that isn’t a good illustration, but it may show where the wind blows.

  Isabel is very self-conscious, fluffy headed person, getting a little slangy, a little loungy-about, and a little vain, but all smiles when the sun shines. When she is told that her hair-ribbon (this is me this time) is crinkly or that she only two-steps to her waltz, she tries to whistle—like Uncle Toby in “Tristram Shandy.”

  I will flay Janet and myself hereafter. I’ve left out the unconscious charm of Charlotte—a kind of tantalizing childishness, or the companionable good heartedness of Isabel, (when she gets there)—but again:

  Love

  Thornton Wilder

  Wilder family in Berkeley, 1914 or 1915. Left to right: Isabel, TNW, Isabella, Charlotte, and Janet (in front).

  Wilder family in Berkeley, 1914 or 1915. Courtesy of Yale Collection of American Literature, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library.

  18. TO AMOS P. WILDER. ALS 2 pp. Yale

 

  “Happy New Year” Jan 1. <1915>

  Dear Papa,

  San Francisco and Oakland and in its mild way Berkeley, howled in today last night; which was an appropriate beginning of the year, if you like that kind of thing.

  I’ll be very glad to get out of school—any kind of school—and into something that doesn’t feel quite as much as if it were made—and run—with extensive equipment for educating forcibly—you-know-whats. No doubt Oberlin contains a greater amt. of it than Yale—Oberlin with its compulsory chapels and prescribed Scripture-class-work and its suggested Christian Endeavors, Bible-class, YMCAs and Temperance Society.78 It does seem awful to hear me talking so; I who am the ridiculous ever-present of my own sunday-school boy’s division. The only one of my class of 12 to be present often; the official organist; the performer of official odd-jobs; moving tables and passing messages. Excuse the Messes we’re crowded about this table. And while I play beaten-out hymns, I know how much more expressive and “religious” even simpler music can be, and how much more impressive and awesome pictures may be than Hoffman’s79 saccharine representations; to say nothing of a better way of presenting the lesson to the others. Blagh!

  I don’t know whether Oberlin will introduce me to another Mrs. Varney or Cecil-Smith with Elwoods and Lagerquist Minor thrown in.

  I hope the $400 plus—that I will save by going to Oberlin will be really used; the rejuvenating of Mother, and the spanking of Janet are two humble suggestions. I feel a donor in the matter and will watch with great eagerness a blossoming out of freedom and breath from the chrysalis of care and pinch. As you know I am very fond of Theodore Wilder—I am often angry at myself for liking merely the niceness of people, but we did a great deal of laughing at each other, and I am fearful of mutual rasping—where I would like to be alone at Harvard or Yale with the Amy80 and The Family—Love from

  Thornton W.

  Thanks ever so much for the dollar: Shall I put it with the static $10 in the bank or into cubist Music Valses Nobles et Sentimentales.

  19. TO ELIZABETH LEWIS NIVEN. ALS 4 pp. Yale

 

  Jan. 7—<19>15

  Dear Grandmother

  I am still thinking of some very nice way of using your dollar: there is my bank-account; and there is my growing collection of modern (therefore “discord-y” music,) then I could put it into typewriter rent and try and arrest and find nests for some of my wild ducks; or could go to every one of Forbes-Robertson’s four plays on his farewell tour when he comes to Oakland;81 or I could take Mother or Charlotte to better 50c seats to, say, “Passing of the 3 rd Floor Back <“>—as for myself I don’t mind the highest gallery. Then I could buy some really beautiful picture to hang over my bed. In the art store downtown is Whistler’s Battersea Bridge,82 and whenever your eyes go on it, you are there on the bridge in the evening with the lights of London above and “below” the Thames. Then there is one more day at the Panama-Pacific Exposition when it opens.83 I have never in my life seen a well-known or great painting in the original, but there will be some there, and that is fine.

  I guess when the fog has lifted over the “wortwechsel” 84 which is now on—it will be decided that I go to Oberlin next year. There is a family there, the boys of which were my room mates at the Chefoo boarding-school, and by coincidence called “Wilder”—that will probably take me in as a boarder. Their oldest boy Theodore Wilder—which Mama says might have been my name—will be at college, too. I don’t much—very much—like going to Oberlin, and I think that a boy—if possible—should at least have some say about the college he’s going to. I want Harvard because it is more serious-minded and academic than Yale, and broad than Oberlin. It may sound awful, but I don’t like to fall into the folding-of-the-hands attitude about doing what father says all the time. Amos has got into that, and helped to make his college career weaker. When they ask him what his college is he must say: “I had two years at Oberlin and two at Yale.” He will not feel himself to be a real Yale man either, who has had at least three years to form a close friendship with his class. It looks at present as tho’ my college life will be thusly:

  1 year at Oberlin

  3 years “ Yale

  2 years “ Harvard (Prof Baker’s postgraduate playwright course.)85 I’d like to just not do it at all, tho. Just travel and write, and live in ordinary, city boarding-houses and in the second class and steerage of boats, and in European attics and among the people of China. And “accidentally” brush myself up against writers etc whom I admire, and get out of feeling that I’m always being hurt by father and always hurting him.

  But my page is almost filled and it’s 10:10 P.M. so I will close thanking you again for your very kind and useful remembrance and sending much love to you and Aunt Charlotte. Maybe when I see you I will have finished this tiresome education—tho’ it will probably have taught me how to appreciate you and everything even better than now—

  Your Loving Grandson,

  Thornton Niven Wilder

  20. TO AMOS N. WILDER. ALS 3 pp. Private

  2350 Prospect St.


  April 7—<19>15

  Dear Amos,

  It’s about time I began finding out about Oberlin from you and working out what I’d better do there. I submit this—:

  English—anything—

  Latin—Horace—

  Botany—2nd year—

  German—“Willhelm Tell”!!!86

  reek? I want to take College very mildly and be able to keep all my irons and waffle-pans in the fire. I’d like to take choral work and harmony of music, but I dread piano or violin lessons. I’ve such a rough-and-tumble preparation.

  I’m a perfect Firebrand in the Berkeley Oratorio Society here. I approach Herr Paul Steindorff on the choir’s singing Bach or something à capella. I open the windows when the contraltos find the air close and close them when the sopranos feel a draught. I show late comers the place, and vote for incumbent officers. We and lots of other local choral Societys gave the Stabat Mater87 in the Greek Theatre on Good Friday and Repeated it in Festival Hall at the Exposition and each recieved two free gratis passes (50¢ value) into the grounds!

  We’ve been having a two week vacation at Berkeley High and I’m picking up fine. I was beginning to feel like a saleslady on Xmas Eve. Along of my two complimentary tickets I’ve been to the Exposition three times. Its most wonderful. I almost feel I’d rather wander about among its courts and Lagoons and the waterfront (Marina) than in thru the miles of little streets insides the huge buildings. I wish you could come out. You might not be able to pick up with California again at first ie. in the morning<.> Sat. I sobbed and swung incense-burners in the Stabat Mater; in the afternoon I onestep-ped with Isabel and a friend of hers in the The Dansant in the California Building, I don’t mean that to be shocking—hommes angeles—schockire non passant—just illustrative—(Is there a verb for not able as theres one for not-wishing volo nolo—[nollo?]?)

  Theres a lady here who knows the young Australian composer Percy Grainger88 whos arrangements of old English etcs “Shepherd’s Hey” “Molly on the Shore” etc you heard the New York Symphony play. She says he’s got a perfect aureole of yellow hair—and he invited her to take tea with him and his mama. Send me the Aureole’s program if he comes your way. We get programs here, too. Our Berkeley Musical Society corresponds to your Artist Recital Course, only its probably not so cheap: We’ve had this season Arrigo Serato Italian Violinst; Efrem Zimbilist; Alma Gluck (alone); next Tues Julia Culp.89 and then another. Student, single ticket $2.00.—and so on 11:20 P.M.

  Affectionately, fraternally, insidiously yours

  Thornton—eee—E-E-E- O!

  21. TO AMOS P. WILDER. ALS 2 pp. Yale

 

 

  Dear Papa,

  Rowley Evans, of Shanghai, is a commissioned officer—according to Theodore Wilder and will soon be at the front. I wrote as evasive a nice letter as I could. Maybe I told you all this before.

  ¶ Charlotte and I took a long walk over Dwight Way hill for new flower specimans for Botany Class. Charlotte’s always threatening to go to all the lonesomest and most distant mountain-tops alone, and because of her perverseness she probably will some day, but until then I have to act as guardian and “take” her everywhere. We had a fine view of Mt. Diabolo from where we were today. ¶ I now play violin in a little orchestra conducted by a self important little Johnny, who knows all about conducting and taking tempos. This orchestra plays at the social evenings etc of our church. He keeps us sawing catgut on cheap waltzes, Spanish Dances etc from 7:30 to 9: + every Monday Evening. ¶ Then Tuesday eve. is Oratorio Society. I met a Thacher Alumnus, the Kerr Boy—he says he hasn’t paid any attention to the School for a long time—he’s in business now—; and that’s another side of the coin. ¶ Civics at school is a little more hopeful. We’ve been having “lectures”, lately à la College & Government Appropriations, Election information, etc. ¶ Mother got a letter from Amos lately in which he grows real sob-by about leaving Oberlin. He hasn’t known anything better yet; he’ll know what he’s missed soon. I feel that I know before hand. I feel I don’t want to go to College at all. College is just a broader, more roaring brighter world for a bounded High School Boy anyway. It seems that there Religion-Family-Obligations can be given up for a life with boys and glimpses into the Book-Experiance. There will be a change of happiness for the coming year, won’t there? Amos will be at Yale. I at Oberlin<.> Mother and Janet at Isabel at the Plantation and Charlotte on the Hill.90 And you with your sheaf of plans won; ¶ Janet has one eye almost closed with mosquito bite; Charlotte has a poison oak cheek—this has been “finely” written so I may now make my bow & withdraw. I remain, sir,

  lovingly Yours

  Thornton Niven Wilder.

  22. TO AMOS P. WILDER. ALS 4 pp. Yale

 

  Tues. May 25—<915>

  Dear Papa,

  The other letter has been sealed, so I will send this under separate cover.

  Dr. Henderson, after several careful search found some very valuable archaeological deposits in my mouth which turned out to be the debris piles such as mark the site of Troy. He careful removed the valuables to a less secluded spot and filled up the caves so that no rival explorer could find any careless leftovers to parade. What minor blasting and drilling and excavating there was called a good of trouble to the surrounding country. He foresees further work in the neighborhood—however he found the environs pleasant and well-kept.

  I am going to get two more $.50 (cent) admission entrances to the fair free. On saturday we rehearse and on sunday we repeat Brahms—German (Protestant) Requiem. I wanted to send you a program but couldn’t get an extra before—this time I hope to. ¶ The fair-ground grows better and better on seeing. Mr. Torrey91 took us two Boston Symphony Concerts lately and I went to one last night (yesterday afternoon) as Mother’s birthday present. (Your birthday is yet to be spent unless it has already gone into my collection of Modern Dissonental Music.) It was Russian night and very fiery and sad—and stormy and—hopeless.

  Thank you ever so much for the Granville Barker Iphegenia in Tauris program. I hope you went—if so were you able to overlook the primitive-futuristic manner? I swear by Granville Barker and his wife, whose pictures hang at intervals upon my wall. I’d rather know G. than anyone in America or across. I can’t see how it could help being impressive even with the striped toward and feather-headed soldiers. Lillah McCarthy must have been wonderfully dignified and expressive—I guess you got the best thing in the theatre way in the whole world except for their Trojan Women which is more vital. Very little choice tho’.92

  We graduate next Friday night. I do not feel it as a solemn occasion<.> I don’t think even mother can go and here it, because that will leave Isabel alone with the baby and possibly Kwong Ling—and we never leave the baby alone, and Charlotte graduates, too so “what to do?”

  Graduating’s the strongest turn-of-the-thumb-screw anyway.

  I’ve been doing worse and worse in School but better and better out. The last four weeks have brought more friends of the previous twelve. All this rich concerting and the following of the latest things in my line all over the world.

  Mrs. Williams burst out crying when she mentioned the assassination of Lincoln today!

  —Lovingly

  Thornton Wilder

  23. TO AMOS P. WILDER. ALS 4 pp. Yale

 

  June 20—<19>15

  Dear Papa,

  The last week is about to begin since mother says I am to leave a week from tomorrow on Santa Fé.93 Wed, Thurs & Fri. I take Yale entrance Exams

  English I & II (a & b)

  German a

  U.S. History and Civil Govnt.

  Virgil-Ovid.

  And if you say I have to do full entrance requirements I must refurbish this summer & take in October

  Caesar-Nepos94 (failed when taken at Thacher; never had him in class work
because of jumping him at Chefoo!)

  German b

  Plane Geometry

  and?

  I have already passed in

  Cicero-Sallust95

  Algebra (a & b)

  If I don’t pass some of the exes next week (and its at a six day notice) I’ll have to try again in September.

  Prof. Nutting tells me that without these I would have to go from 1st year Oberlin into 1st year Yale and make a 5 year College course, or else stay two years at Oberlin and enter 3rd Yale as allowed and it’s lucky you found it out in time. You’ve promised me one year at Oberlin to put off the time when the bloom is smudged and I have it in writing. Pleadings and resentful deportment when Jeptha is forced to keep his promise would not be the thing, either.96

  I have just got back from hearing Prof. Walter Rauschenbush97 speak at the Baptist Church. Hes the man who wrote the prayers I wanted to introduce in family prayers, but I never think of when I’m at the library.

  He was highly coarse “of the earth earthy” at the beginning of his talk and quite a few ladies around me left in loud indignation; but he was very good.

  I’m looking forward to my train ride. I can’t be sure yet whether you’ll be able to meet me at New York. I can see myself jumping at you from the train-steps now and your <“>Well, well, well, well” that we’ve at so many restorations. Of course I’m looking forward terribly to Amos too; I feel very much ashamed of myself, he is so much the real thing with the testimonial from every one. I dont seem to know anyone or to hold anyone long, but after Berkeley—again. Sometimes I wish I were a Japanese or a Chinese in America; it almost seems like being physically disembodied and holds humiliations of a kind I wouldn’t mind so much.