by Edward Burns
To Gertrude Stein
[Postcard: Portrait of Marie Louis Bousquet. Photograph by Carl Van Vechten]
3 September [1938] [101 Central Park West New York]
O Gertrude & Baby Woojums!
Writing is too difficult for me now & I am too busy & the subject is too controversial, but I have asked a negro friend to do something & maybe she will.1 Is Daniel [Rops] any relation to FELICIEN [Rops]? I do hope so. Please let me know!2
No more news now. Here is my Iowa stamp again.3
Love to both
Papa W.
When do you go back to the rue Christine?
1. See Stein to Van Vechten [25 May 1938], note 1.
2. Felicien Rops (1833–1898) was a Belgian-French painter and engraver; he was not related to Daniel-Rops.
3. A three-cent Iowa Territorial Centennial stamp (1838–1938).
To Carl Van Vechten
[Postcard: Environs de Belley—Ruines de Château de Beauretour]
[postmark: 7 September 1938] [Bilignin par Belley Ain]
My dearest Carl,
I am writing to Miss [Ela] Hockaday to this effect and who is the dancer with the crossed legs1 and have just had a lovely letter from Bennett [Cerf], he really is sweet and says it was not my fault,2 and we are so sorry not to have seen Fania and we love you so,
B. and M. Woojums
1. A reference to the portrait of Hunt used by Van Vechten as his postcard to Stein, 28 August [1938]. The note by Van Vechten, 24 January 1941, on this letter: “I must have sent G. S. a postcard of Ram Gopal,” is in error. Van Vechten gives the correct information in his postcard to Stein of 16 September [1938].
2. See Stein to Van Vechten [26 July 1938], note 1.
To Gertrude Stein
[Postcard: Winslow Homer, The Gulf Stream. The Metropolitan Museum of Art]
16 September [1938] [101 Central Park West New York]
Dear Baby Woojums—
The cross-legged boy is Robert Hunt, a poet, who lives with Witter Bynner, & he is NO dancer.
If there is war you’d better come over here! But I hope there won’t be. You will be seeing Bennett [Cerf] soon.
Love to both
Papa W.
When do you go to Paris?
To Carl Van Vechten
[Postcard: Hauterives (Drôme)—“Palais Idéal” Les trois Géants]
[postmark: 17 ?September 1938] [Bilignin par Belley Ain]
This is an xtraordinary place done by a postman when he was not doing his rounds, sometime we want to take P. Woojums there,1 it is rather wonderful, Daniel Rops found it for us, he is not a relative2 but they are grateful that he adopted the name and has reminded everybody of it, you would like him and like photographing him and he would like some photos of anything you want to send him including Alice and me, lots of love
B. W.
1. At the end of the nineteenth century the postman of Hauterives, Ferdinand Cheval, returned from his rounds with stones in all sizes and shapes. He used these to build, in his garden, a “palais” inspired by his readings and his dreams.
Note by Van Vechten, 24 January 1941: “On our motor trip from Paris to Florence in 1913, Mabel Dodge, John Reed, Bobby [Robert Edmond] Jones and I found this fantastic place.”
2. Note by Van Vechten, 24 January 1941: “Of Felicien Rops. I had inquired.” See Van Vechten to Stein, 3 September [1938], note 2.
To Gertrude Stein
24 September 1938 101 Central Park West New York City
Dearest Baby Woojums,
Would you and Mama W like to know Lin Yutang?1 If there is no war (and today looks as if there was going to be) he and his utterly charming wife, Hong (she is really a honey) are in Paris and (save for war) will stay there. If you like the idea I’ll send him a letter to you and start things going. If there is a war, what will you do? Stay in Bilignin? That seems too near the Italian border for comfort unless the Italians come over to our side again, as no doubt they will.
our love to both,
Carlo!
1. Lin Yutang, the Chinese writer, whose works include The Wisdom of Confucius (1938) and The Importance of Living (1938), and Van Vechten had met through Bennett Cerf. Lin’s wife’s name was Tsuifeng, but “Hong was the name generally used by American friends in addressing my mother” (letter received from Hsiang Ju Lin, 13 January 1982).
To Gertrude Stein
[Postcard: Portrait of Fania Marinoff. Photograph by Carl Van Vechten]
[postmark: 27 September 1938] [101 Central Park West New York]
Dear Baby Woojums,
I have already been to Hauterives & adore it! Is this Postman’s Dream near Bilignin? Yes I will send D[aniel] Rops some pictures of you & Alice later.1 In the meantime I am trying to get a negro lady to write him an article.
love to you both Papa Woojums!
1. See Stein to Van Vechten [25? May 1938], note 1. Daniel-Rops wrote to Van Vechten on 26 October 1938 (YCAL) thanking him for the photographs of Stein and Toklas. He again asked Van Vechten if he could think of someone to write about the racial situation in America.
To Carl Van Vechten
[Postcard: Cheval, Facteur en retraite. Auteur du Palais Idéal. Né le 19 Avril 1836. Hauterives (Drôme)]
[postmark: 1 October 1938] [Bilignin par Belley Ain]
The war is all over1 and here we are and it was not very lovely and they promised to fill our court with Marocains but now everything is lovely and we would love to see dear P. W. The child’s story2 is about done lots of love
B. W.
1. Hitler had begun his program of Anschluss with the invasion of Austria in March 1938, and his ultimatum to Czechoslovakia to give up the Sudetenland by 1 October 1938 had brought Europe to the brink of war. It was temporarily averted by the Munich Pact, signed on 30 September 1938 by Hitler, Chamberlain, Mussolini, and Daladier, which allowed Hitler’s army the right to march into Czechoslovakia.
2. Stein’s The World is Round.
To Carl Van Vechten
[postmark: 5 October 1938] Bilignin par Belley Ain
My dearest Papa Woojums
We are all for Lin Yutang and his wife Hong, and we will [be] back in Paris beginning of November and there is no war, at least not here, they were going to give us 30 Marocains to have their Popotte here in the court,1 but the war stopped and they never came, Alice and I all things considered were quite peaceful until Picabia came, and he was so scared that we thought he had better go to Paris, farther away from the front, our village was sad but resigned and then they were so tired having had so much sadness that they were even sadder but now already they are beginning to cheer up, and of course you darling you would have seen Hauterives it is only 60 kilometers from here and we will take you again and Gerald Berners has been here, he is a great darling and he wanted Faust to have a longer aria to begin so will you add this to the opera,2 the child’s story is about done,3 it is pretty and I guess I will be sending you a copy soon and lots of love in peace and in war and always more
B. W.
1. A popote du officiers, French for an officer’s field mess.
2. Stein enclosed the aria for Faust that now opens her Doctor Faustus Lights the Lights.
3. Stein’s The World Is Round.
To Gertrude Stein
17 October 1938 101 Central Park West New York City
Dear Baby Woojums,
Lin Yutang (you call him Dr. Lin; Yutang is the Buddhistic name, so to speak!) lives at 59 rue Nicolo, Paris XVI. I am writing him today giving him your address and a card of introduction which he may be too shy to send. So, if you don’t hear from him presently, DO write asking him and his wife to come to see you. I am sure you and Alice will be enchanted with them both.
In your letter today I at last make out what they were going to put in your courtyard in case of war: Maroccans: I read “manicurists” on your postcard. . and then got as far as “Mexicans.” Well, Maroccans would be fun and probably you and Alice would have been raped! I
am not surprised Picabia was TERRIFIED. . The opening aria of Faust is most engaging and is Lord Berners writing the music for this? I gave his book The Camel to some one for a birthday recently and now this lady does nothing but read and reread this book. She says it strikes a note she has been looking for for years!
The Ballet Russe is here and that ALWAYS reminds me of you and Mama Woojums and there is a lovely new ballet (with music by Offenbach) called Gaîté Parisienne which reminds me of Paris in 1907.1
Lots and lots of love,
Papa Woojums!
1. The Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo gave the first United States performance of Léonide Massine’s ballet Gaîté Parisienne (with music from various operettas of Jacques Offenbach and arranged by Maurice Rosenthal) at the Metropolitan Opera House, New York, on 12 October 1938.
To Carl Van Vechten
[Postcard: Brillat-Savarin—Gravure par Bertall]
[? October 1938]1 [Bilignin par Belley Ain]
My dearest P. W.
The vendange is lovely, we eat grapes our grapes everybody’s grapes and they are none of them sour,2 and the World is round is almost done and if the kiddie [W. G. Rogers] asks for it will you send him the Faust, or will you send it to him anyway, and we love you so much, we are hoping to see Bennett [Cerf] on his return from Spain we will not be there before and will hear all about you but we would rather see you
Lots of love
Gtrde.
I didn’t get this mailed and now The World is Round is done and I hope you will like it.
1. This postcard was enclosed in an envelope.
2. “Gertrude must assuredly have been picking grapes at the d’Aiguy’s property at Cerverieu where they had a vineyard surrounding a charming little house about 4 miles from Béon, just outside of Artemare” (letter received from Joan Chapman, 29 November 1981).
To Gertrude Stein
23 October 1938 101 Central Park West New York City
Dear Baby Woojums,
I adore The World is Round and like all good children’s stories it is good for grownups too. I wish I could try it out on some youngster (I’m sure he would love it) but none is available at this time. You seem to be making experiments in all directions and I don’t remember you have ever done anything like this before. Whenever and however it is a huge success. It would be charming to publish it with illustrations of Rose and her Love, of Pepe (who didn’t like Rose! There must be some truth in this) of Willie the lion and William, of the Blue chair. Anyway it is most charming and I am letting [W. G.] Rogers borrow it, as you suggest1 … Walter Winchell says Bennett [Cerf] is going to marry a Helen Thompson. Ask him. . Have you met Lin Yutang yet?
Love to all and BOTH!
Papa W!
1. Stein’s The World Is Round was published in two editions. The first, with illustrations by Clement Hurd was published by William R. Scott, New York, on 10 August 1939. The second, the British edition, with illustrations by Sir Francis Rose, was published by B. T. Batsford, Ltd., London in the autumn of 1939.
An abridgement of The World Is Round was also published in Harpers Bazaar, in both the London and New York editions. The Rose illustrations did not arrive in time to be used by the printers, so George Davis of Harpers Bazaar used illustrations by Dugo. Harpers Bazaar (New York), 72nd Year, no. 2724 (June 1939), 46–47, 92, 94, 95, 96, and Harpers Bazaar (London) (September 1939), 20(6):34–35, 80–82. See George Davis to Stein, 29 May 1939 (YCAL).
To Carl Van Vechten
[Postmark: 15 November 1938] [5 rue Christine Paris]
My dearest Papa Woojums,
We had a complete Papa Woojums week, Chinese and Hindoo and all you. Dr Lin and Mrs. L. came to dinner and everybody liked them and we liked them and all had a very good time, and we saw the Hindoo boy and we enjoyed it and then he came here one evening and he was full of you and all you had done for him and there was a great deal of Papa Woojums everywhere and a good time was enjoyed by all.1 I am glad you liked the World is Round, Francis Rose wants to use it as a film he says it just is a film as it is but that is easy for him to know and not so easy to make the film people know it, however we all live in hope. Paris is very busy and sort of enjoying an armistice buoyancy, we love our flat, and we love Papa Woojums always and always
Baby W.
1. Notes by Van Vechten, 24 January 1941: “Lin Yutang. I gave them a letter to G. S.” “Ram Gopal, the dancer.”
To Gertrude Stein
[? November 1938] [101 Central Park West New York]
Dearest Baby Woojums,
I wish Donald Evans might see the enclosed catalogue!1 I saw a reference yesterday to The Boudoir Companion with a piece called Ida by GS. I hadn’t heard of this before.2 And I hope you and Alice are meeting up with Lin Yutang and HONG and Ram Gopal and Janta!3 many many much love to all!
Papa W!
1. Stein’s Tender Buttons was published by Evans’ Claire Marie publishing firm in 1914; the price per copy was $1. Van Vechten sent Stein an unidentified booksellers’ catalogue that certainly listed a much higher price for the book.
2. Excerpts from Stein’s unfinished novel, Ida A Novel, were published in The Boudoir Companion, ed. Page Cooper (New York: Farrar & Rinehart, 1938), pp. 31–38.
3. Gopal’s sister.
To Carl Van Vechten
[Rose motto]
[postmark: 25 November 1938] 5 rue Christine [Paris]
Dearest Papa Woojums,
I have not been writing to you lately because Basket died and we like Rose in the story just cried and cried and cried.1 We are a little better now but it is still pretty bad, and now we do not know quite what to do. The Vet who liked Basket too says we should have another which will never be Basket but some consolidation and it should be as much like him as possible, Daniel-Rops says so too, Pablo [Picasso] says not, he says it would be a torment, just imagine he said if I should die and you went out and got another Pablo it would be alright but it would not be the same, so far we have done nothing but just miss him, little Pepe tries to console us he is very sweet but it isn’t the same. Well I do wish Donald Evans might have known, and I did write you about the Boudoir Companion, it must have been one of my most illegible moments but I did tell you,2 it was the early spring they asked me to contribute and they seem sincerely pleased, Gerald Berners has been over this week, and we have been very busy, English art show at the autumn salon3 and vin d’honneur and all sorts of things and everybody seems to like the Child’s story, I have sold it to Scott, Bennett [Cert] could not seem to see it,4 I am afraid Bennett is getting solemn, he is just and sweet and kind but I think he is beginning to believe in the importance of being earnest, and alas, I seem to see its importance less rather than more, had a funny encounter with the real Ernest Hemingway and we loved each other for an hour obstructing traffic on the Faubourg Saint Honoré, he was funny really funny, and there is a cinema project, a real one this time and everybody is busy and we love you all the time dear papa Woojums,5
Mama & Baby Woojums6
1. Rose in Stein’s The World Is Round.
2. Stein had not written Van Vechten about her contribution to The Boudoir Companion.
3. Sir Francis Rose together with Henry Moore, Victor Pasmore, Graham Sutherland, and John Piper were the English artists exhibiting at the Salon d’Automne, Paris.
4. Cerf wrote to Stein, 23 October 1938 (YCAL), that he could not see the book as a juvenile work; he thought it would confuse children and many of their parents as well.
5. Stein had not had word from Ivan Kahn or his sister Lillian Ehrman since 1936 about their efforts to interest a Hollywood studio in her work. Similarly the efforts of Harry Dunham (see Stein to Van Vechten, [25 February 1936], note 1) were not realized. Dunham had last written Stein on 14 February 1938 (YCAL) but had not mentioned the film projects. This may refer to Stein’s statement “Francis Rose wants to use it [The World Is Round] as a film” (Stein to Van Vechten [15 November 1938]).
6. Both signatures are by
Stein.
To Gertrude Stein
2 December [1938] 101 Central Park West New York City
Dearest Gertrude,
I am awfully upset about Basket. It seemed to me he was an immortal dog and would be eternal. I always love animals so much more than people and I have a pang whenever I recall any of my dead cats. When they die it is agony and anguish for months. That is why I don’t have them any more. There are people who take these things more lightly and get a new dog every time one dies and of course it IS possible to love a new animal, though it never takes the place of an old one. I am so very sorry, sweet Baby Woojums and I know what a heartbreak it is. . I shall look into the Boudoir Companion and I am glad The World Is Round is arranged for. Any publisher YOU choose becomes important on that account. Maybe Bennett [Cerf] is more interested in the Spanish War for the moment than he is in literature.1 I think The World is Roundx will be a favorite Child’s book and can’t wait to find out. I shall send copies to all the children I know. I met [Alexander] Smallens2 on the street yesterday and he asked “What about the opera Gertrude Stein and [Gerald] Berners are doing? I want to conduct it.” I told him I didn’t think it was ready yet. The world is dreadfully excited by this. We have a love[ly] new picture of St Cecilia charming the animals, painted by Roelandt Savery (Flemish) circa 1600. We got this at an auction. And I think your picking up [Ernest] Hemingway on the Faubourg St H[onoré] will result in literature on BOTH SIDES.3 I can’t wait to see what you write about this. I’m glad you met all the Orientals and liked them! It seems to me that since there is so much race prejudice one meets more races than one used to. . We had a snow storm the other night with thunder and lightning. Did you ever see anything like that? PLEASE!
