The Letters of Gertrude Stein and Carl Van Vechten, 1913-1946
Page 55
2. Stein’s Everybody’s Autobiography.
To Gertrude Stein
[Postcard: Victorian Cushion. Photograph by Carl Van Vechten]
16 June [1937] [101 Central Park West New York]
Did you ever see Basket on a cushion, dear Baby Woojurns, or maybe I sent you this before.1 Pepe in the ballet was ravishing & exactly like himself! Have you got Miss [Florence] Dixon’s package? Fania is off tomorrow for a DUDE RANCH in Montana & we both send lots of love to you & Mama Woojums!2
Papa W
1. See Stein to Van Vechten [26 June 1937], note 1.
2. Marinoff spent a month at the Ox Yoke Ranch, Emigrant, Montana.
To Gertrude Stein
22 June 1937 101 Central Park West New York City
Dear Baby Woojums,
At LONG LAST, Bennett [Cerf] let me read the manuscript, over a weekend as the Atlantic had to have it back, and it seems to me that Everybody’s Autobiography is one of your finest works. It is not as amusing or as gossipy as the Alice Β Toklas opus, but it is much more of an integrated work of art and much more in line with the rest of your work. Don’t you agree with me? I think you give the effect of living it as you write it; it all flows with your consciousness and the reader is exhaustedx by YOUR vitality. I am sure this work will have a most notable success, whatever the press, which is unimportant. I am pretty sure, however, you can count on a good press!
Bennett wants me to illustrate it with photographs. Of course I have hundreds which are suitable, but you may not like the idea at all and if you don’t, PLEASE SAY SO. If you do, I think Thornton Wilder and the Kiddie (I don’t even know this number’s name) ought to be in it and so if you will tell me where I can find the former and will write the latter to write to me and arrange to come to NYC some time, maybe with his uniform, that would be swell.1
Fania has gone to a Dude Ranch in Montana for a month, the servants are away, and I am alone in the house. I have taken many interesting photographs lately, Thomas Mann, Thomas Wolfe, and Scott Fitzgerald, among others. I told George[s Jacques] (at the Algonquin) he was in the book and he nearly DIED with pleasure.
my warmest enthusiasm and my heartiest congratulations and lots of love to you and Mama Woojums,
Carlo!
xpleasantly!
1. William Garland Rogers was a doughboy attached to the Amherst College Ambulance Unit in 1917 when he first met Stein and Toklas and they christened him “the Kiddie” (see Gallup, The Flowers of Friendship, pp. 121–22). Stein and Rogers exchanged a few letters between 1917 and 1919 and then they lost contact.
After Rogers read The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas he wrote to Stein again (see Gallup, The Flowers of Friendship, pp. 273–74) and reminded her of their meeting and the trip that they had taken to visit various sites around Nîmes, France: Orange, Les Baux, and Arles, among others.
To Carl Van Vechten
[postmark: 26 June 1937] [Bilignin par Belley Ain]
My dearest Papa Woojums,
That was sweet to send Basket on a cushion,1 he has poor darling been suffering slightly from an inferiority complex since everybody has been so pleased and occupied with Pepe first on the stage and now on a carpet, Gerald Berners has just drawn Pepe’s head on a carpet for Alice to tapestry, and so Basket says thank you papa Woojums for the kind attention which was much needed and much appreciated. Gerald leaves us to-day I wish you knew each other you would please each other, we now live dreams of the Wedding Bouquet being done by the New York ballet people, Bobsy Good-speed who is wandering around with Mary Garden in the course of the great many long distance telephones thinks she can persuade an Eddie something who is at the head of it,2 alas not Eddie Wassermann because if it were he then it would be sure, is he in New York, he has been so sweet to us sending us Camel Pens and postal cards but never an address, Heineman is printing the autobiography in England apparently very enthusiastic, and we are trying to sell it beside as a serial, what has happened to Bennett [Cerf] he is not in love again is he, not a word from him, not a thing about what he is to do with the book or as a serial or anything and whether there are to be photos, nothing not a word, what has happened to him, nothing but good I hope, I have started a pleasing novel called Ida a novel, I think you will like it I hope it goes on and is a novel I always do want to write one so much love and so much much love3
Baby Woojums.
1. Note by Van Vechten, 24 January 1941: “a photograph of a Victorian blue velvet cushion with a raised poodle in white kid.”
2. Edward M. Warburg, who, with Lincoln Kirstein and George Balanchine, had founded in 1934 the American Ballet (this company subsequently became: the Ballet Caravan, American Ballet Caravan, and Ballet Society; it eventually developed into the New York City Ballet).
3. Stein struggled with Ida A Novel, off and on for the next three years.
To Carl Van Vechten
[postmark: 30 June 1937] [Bilignin par Belley Ain]
My dear Papa Woojums,
I am pleased you like it, you really truly do like it do you not, I think it is a noble kind of book if you know what I mean, anyway that is the way I feel about it, I am sending you some suggestions for the illustrations and then will you send some more, the kiddy is Mr. William Rogers, Springfield Union, Springfield, Mass. I am writing him that you will write to him Thornton [Wilder] is already gone, he is to be with us, the first of August, love to you and to you always and always, and I am so glad you do like it and it will be a success won’t it, you always know, so much love
Gtrde.1
Suggestions.
Frontispiece, Bilignin with me and Basket and the little house, the lovely photo.
Then I think there ought to be the one taken by some newspaper man of you and Alice and me starting on the aeroplane, I think you have one of these, then I think there ought to be a good one of the decor of 4 Saints, perhaps one of St. Ignatius only it would be too many to do a St. Theresa too and you could not do one without the other, one of the ballet, and one of Gerald Berners and me, he can tend to that, and one of the marionette play, the three small photos and then some newspaper ones a page of them, the three heads they did when we came, the little one on the boat when we arrived the kiddy is in that, and you saying goodby to us on the boat, Then I would like the one you took in William and Mary where you can’t see me, and the ones of us at Edgar Allen Poe, Bennett [Cerf] suggests 16 pictures, so that leaves about six more, oh yes the one that suggested St. Therese, on the Blvd. Raspail, what else do you think of.
1. Note by Van Vechten, 24 January 1941, typed on a pink index card (3 × 5 inches) and attached to this letter:
When Bennett Cerf got ready to publish Everybody’s Autobiography, he asked me if I would illustrate the book with my photographs I agreed with pleasure, provided the idea was satisfactory to Gertrude. I wrote her to this effect. Her reply indicated either that she didn’t understand me or that the idea didn’t please her. It was as near to a misunderstanding as we have ever been and, fortunately, it was not very near. However, I told Bennett that I wouldn’t do the illustrations unless exclusively my photographs were used. And he said he wouldn’t publish the book with the photographs she had sent over and asked to have him use. I suppose he wrote and cabled her. Anyway, she came round. She started to illustrate the English edition according to her original plan, but eventually they persuaded her to use the American illustrations (mine). Not very difficult, because, of course, she really liked them, ONLY her idea was to make the illustrations more inclusive of the text, a good idea if good photographs had existed of all the subjects she proposed.
To Gertrude Stein
6 July 1937 [101 Central Park West New York]
[…]1 You will hear doubtless SOON from Bennett [Cerf].2 I think he was waiting to see what the Atlantic would do. You have heard from ME by now. . Fania is on a DUDE RANCH, wandering up and down mountains on bucking bronchos [i.e., broncos]. I am in the City getting eaten (at least my clothes are) by moths. If you want
the photographs in my book be sure to send me the kiddie’s name and address and write to him too and also Thornton Wilder. . But maybe you won’t like the plan at all. It is certainly a nice book WITHOUT photographs and whether they would ADD to it is for Baby Woojums to decide. . If they ARE used I would suggest that my name not be on the title page at all (I should think Bennett would find this sensible) but over a table of photographic contents like this: “Photographs by Carl Van Vechten may be found facing the following pages”. NOT ONE WORD from Marie L Bousquet! I’m so sorry to miss meeting Lord Berners. Maybe later. And so glad to have sent a postcard in time to save Basket’s FACE.
Love to you both,
Papa Woojums!
1. The top portion of this letter has been torn off.
2. Cerf had written to Stein on 22 April 1937 (YCAL) that he was sending pages from Everybody’s Autobiography to The Atlantic Monthly. On 21 June 1937 (YCAL) Cerf wrote that The Atlantic Monthly was going to take only one excerpt from the book. On 29 June 1937 (YCAL) Cerf wrote again to clarify the information.
To Gertrude Stein
10 July 1937 101 Central Park West
New York City
Dearest Baby Woojums,
Of course, you are right about the pictures. They should be all kinds and all sorts and certainly Lord Berners and the Ballet and Florine [Stettheimerj’s set and [Thornton] Wilder and lots of things I haven’t taken should be in. . I got carried away by my enthusiasm after Bennett [Cerf] suggested I illustrate the book and wanted to make the pictures the best and most beautiful possible, but YOUR idea is the more appropriate. . But, dear Baby W, I wouldn’t want you to use only the pictures of mine you suggest, as they have very little interest as photographs and everybody would say CVV’s are the least interesting in the book. So I’m glad it’s all settled so far ahead before I really got involved in printing etc…
Of course, I love the book. So does Bennett. We had a brief talk before I had really digested your letter, but I told him certainly Baby Woojums way was the BEST. .1
Love to you both,
Papa W.2
1. When Everybody’s Autobiography was published, the American and British editions used the same illustrations, photographs by Van Vechten: Stein wearing the dress in which she delivered her American lectures; Stein and Basket and Pepe on the terrace in Bilignin; Lucey Church, near Stein’s summer home at Bilignin; W. G. Rogers of Springfield, Massachusetts; Alice B. Toklas at Bilignin; Beatrice Robinson-Wayne as Saint Theresa in Four Saints in Three Acts; Stein at the center of a discussion at William and Mary College; Edward Matthews as Saint Ignatius in Four Saints in Three Acts.
2. At the bottom of this letter are two drafts of a telegram to Van Vechten. The first is in Toklas’ hand: “Happy Book completely exclusively entirely illustrated by Carl.” The second draft is in Stein’s hand: “Delighted have only Carl photographs pleased Just Carl’s photos will be right.” See Stein to Van Vechten, 21 July 1937, for the text of the telegram sent.
To Carl Van Vechten
[postmark: 14 July 1937] [Bilignin par Belley Ain]
My dearest Papa Woojums,
Freddy Ashton and the two principal dancers have been staying with us and we had lots of fun, and if you could only have been here to photograph us, we all at last bought ourselves a 35 franc camera and these were my efforts, I wish you had been here to really truly do us, when we were at [Abbaye D’] Hautecombe, Bobby Helpmann, the Bridegroom, by changing his hair and put[t]ing on a filet made himself into Mme Recamier, in the beautiful couch in the Royal Apartments, he was very beautiful, they are a sweet trio and we did enjoy them, and what I liked best is that you have always been the literary idol of Bobby and Willie [Chappell], they knew all your books and they love you and that made us love them just that much more.1 By this time you have all my ideas about the illustrations and I think it is going to be lovely, the English edition will probably be illustrated too and as soon as I know about that I will let you know, of course I want your name everywhere just as much as possible are you not all of it but of course yes, we are having a very lively summer, Thornton [Wilder] is alas already over here so you cannot take him but he might be back in time, he is to come here the first of August and then I will let you know, Marie Louise [Bousquet] is not a ready writer, we don’t hear either but Bobsy Goodspeed says she is a little low in her mind from the letdown after America, Mme Clermont-Tonnerre has written an amusing book about the Eiffel tower and the rest is love2
Gtrde.3
1. Robert Helpmann, who danced the role of the Bridegroom, and William Chappell, who danced the role of John in addition to being responsible for executing Lord Berners’ costumes and decor for A Wedding Bouquet.
2. Elisabeth de Gramont, Mémoires de la tour Eiffel (Paris: Bernard Grasset, 1937).
3. Enclosed with the letter were four snapshots: Frederick Ashton and Toklas; Ashton, Robert Helpmann, and William Chappell; William Chappell, and Robert Helpmann dressed to resemble an Arab woman.
To Carl Van Vechten
[postmark: 20 July 1937] [Bilignin par Belley Ain]
My dearest Papa Woojums,
Bennett [Cerf] has just written me about the pictures,1 and now I have one more idea if it pleases you, would it not be a good idea to do a photo of Miss [Florine] Stettheimer and Virgil [Thomson] together with the model of a saint between them or in their hands,2 do you think it would be nice for you to do it, and one of course of St. Ignatius I must add that to the list, the one I want as the frontispiece is the one you sent me several of, the little house the view of the valley and my sitting on the terrace with a stick and Basket beside me, the one I think the most beautiful photo ever taken. I am getting Georges Maratier to send the one of all of us in the aeroplane and I will try to find the one of you saying good-by but somebody if not can find it in the newspaper of the day after our departure, I think it is going to be lovely just too lovely, I wish you were here to take us all again, how we do wish that, dear dearest papa Woojums, tell Fania to be careful, and you be careful of moths Mike [Stein] used to say that now there are no more candles or lamps sometime the world would be eaten up by moths,3 lots and lots of love
Gtrde.
1. Cerf to Stein, 9 July 1937 (YCAL), suggested twelve photographs.
2. Note by Van Vechten, 24 July [i.e., January] 1941: “Not as simple as that, Florine Stettheimer always refused to be photographed.”
3. See Van Vechten to Stein, 6 July 1937.
Gertrude Stein and Basket I on the terrace at Bilignin, 13 June 1934.
PHOTOGRAPH BY CARL VAN VECHTEN. PRIVATE COLLECTION.
To Carl Van Vechten
[Postal Telegraph]
21 July 1937 Belley
PAPA WOOJAMS ALWAYS RIGHT BOOK ONLY PERFECT WITH PAPAS PERFECT PICTURES ONLY
BABY.
To Carl Van Vechten
[postmark: 22 July 1937] [Bilignin par Belley Ain]
My dearest Papa Woojums,
Never never did it enter my head that you were going to print photographs for all the thousands of volumes which we hope it will be actual photographs I took it for granted that it was going to be reproductions, but we never thought of it being your own photographs printed by your own self if we had of course it would never have been possible that it should be any other ones with yours never but I stupidly thought of them as commercial reproductions being always accustomed to that in books and never never never would I have dreamed that even my own papa woojums would do that for this,1 I do hope by this time you have forgiven and forgotten and have just gone right on printing just as it was going to be, do send me a wire to say it is alright because I will not be easy in my mind until I hear, you can see how it was not for a moment grasped not by either of us and so of course well of course but now it is alright and now I understand all I did not understand in your first letter and the table of contents and everything of course I understand now and I am so pleased and proud that you will do all of them and each one of them just the way you do eve
n if it goes to hundreds of thousands a thing nobody but you in your magnificence could dream of doing and you know now I love you always
Gtrde.
1. Note by Van Vechten, 24 January 1941: “Of course it wasn’t my idea or Bennett’s to print photographs to go in Eveybody’s Autobiography, a fantasy of Gertrude’s. “
To Gertrude Stein
1 August [1937] 101 Central Park West New York City
Why, my wonderful Baby Woojurns, how did I ever give you that idea? I must have written some very clumsy English. It would be marvellous if we could do it, but I would have to print night and day for eight or nine months and I would have to print over 40,000 photographs and it would cost thousands and thousands! So everything is just where it was: i.e., your original idea is the right one, as it includes Thornton W[ilder] and Lord Berners etc. etc. and if Bennett [Cerf] argues with you remember he argues with me too, as this idea of having Papa W illustrate the book was his, and you must have the book exactly as you like it and so I tell him and tell him. After your sweet cable came I didn’t feel sure of exactly what you meant till your letter came and then I couldn’t cable you as you asked me to because I didn’t want to cable I WASN’T going to print 40,000 pictures and I didn’t know what else to cable and tell Mama Woojums if we all lived in the same town none of these things would happen …
So I am sending you photo-doodles from Life this week.1 AND a girl named Margery Sharp has written a novel coming out soon (Little, Brown) called The Nutmeg Tree and it is laid in Belley and there is lots about the Pernollet and the Landscape and Aix[-les-Bains], but not a word about Baby Woojums. Do you know this lady? Ο yes, she has plenty to say about Bril-lat-Savarin.2 Mabel [Dodge] has another one in the fall too: this one about Taos and Tony [Luhan], AT LAST.3