Elisina Tyler to Mildred Barnes Bliss, April 1, 1913
Paris.
April 1st 1913.Tuesday.
Dear Mildred
Thank you for writing to me when you were so distraught, poor dear. I feel very sympathetic. It was good of Robert to be so helpful at the right moment; we owe it entirely to him, as we know nobody else who would have trusted us with so much money, or who possesses so much, or who even believes that so much money may exist together in one place.Probably a reference to the Blisses’ loan to the Tylers of the money to acquire the chalice, BZ.1955.18, here referred to as “it.” See letters of March 11, 1913, and March 31, 1913.
I am aware of the bitter sarcasm of the situation when I have to tell you that I cannot be in at tea-time tomorrow, Wednesday. Would Friday do, dear Mildred? Or any day next week? On Saturday and Sunday we shall be out, and on Thursday I may have to keep bad company. More of this anon, as they used to say in the sixties. We are burning to show you It. We have become Distinguished Strangers“Foreigners.” because of It. You will certainly be proud to know Us.
My visit to Italy did me a lot of good, and I was looking very well until an old friend of Royall’s turned up to dinner and stayed till two a.m.; at which hour I rose with a smile and said “[word or words not transcribed from the original letter].”Several of the autograph letters of Elisina Tyler were not included in William Royall Tyler’s gift of the Bliss–Tyler correspondence to Harvard University (see The Early Letters (1902–1908), note 1). At Harvard, these letters exist only in typed transcriptions where, often, foreign words and phrases from the original letters are not transcribed. Royall says it was my fault he stayed so long, because I was looking well. I think he stayed because it was less trouble to stay than to go, and because he wished to make a durable impression.
We were delighted with Mr. HeatonClement Heaton (1861–1940), a British artist, stained glass painter, sculptor, and mosaicist. See also undated letter [2] (after April 7, 1912). who kindly called the other evening, and we are going this afternoon to see him.
Please give my love and thanks to Robert;—and accept my best love for yourself.
As ever, yours