DBBearman

Friends WVR cttee,

19th Oct 1919.

Dear Pere. ( 2 photographs – please acknowledge receipt of same)

Thanks for your letter of the 15th Oct. It is now Sunday morning again. Time simply flies along without anything seeming to get done. I suppose that is largely due to ones’ frame of mind. Perhaps I should be wiser to be less restless – be quiet & confident – be happy with that happiness which is not dependent upon circumstance. And yet I will not acquiesce in inertia. I feel the mind to do things, & thus a certain restlessness. For I want to learn something of the secret of that American genius for getting through things – an initiative & touch with real things which the Americans themselves call “pep” – from pepper I believe – but “pep” has acquired quite a literary & rhetorical dignity.

Saturday the 11th I worked for an hour or so at the office & then returned for my bath at 44, Rue du Four where we usually go (1f.50 +25 centimes tip). Sunday morning J Hampton & I went to the American Church in the Rue de Berri(?) near the Etoile. The service was very fine & the delivery of the clergyman first rate, but the sermon was rather superficial in matter, though clever. In the afternoon Mr Cracken & I went (the?) round to try & get into one of the sumphony concerts but found them “ complet” ie. full: though I have secured tickets in advance for the “Pas de Loupe” Concert this afternoon. We landed at the Britannique to tea where I had an interesting talk with Mme Pumphry who, with her husband & son & daughter are out here to see her eldest son’s grave who died of influenza while working in the mission. Afterwards I “played” them some “ selections” on the piano.

Tuesday evening I went alone to the concert Fouch again, & heard Handels Lago & Schubert’s “ Intract to Rosamonde” amongst other things.

Wednesday night I went to a rendez-vous with a little old French professor (teacher of German in some French college) to exchange lessons in English & French pronunciation.  His name is Theodore Scherrer & he lives in the Rue des Ecoles, near the Sorbonne, in a little room on the 6th floor (7th landing), a room which is simply lined & stuffed up with books. He says he sould rather spend 5frs upon a book than almost anything else, even his toilette. But he has a piano, which he can play really interestingly, & is very anxious that I should bring some pieces & play. Being a teacher of languages he is scrupulously exact in pronunciation. I went again last night, & we got on very well.

Thursday we had our first organized ar-home at the Rue de Sevres. We had not only all the distinguished members of our Paris Equipe but Mr Jose & Mr Crosfield, members of the London Committee, who happened to be passing through to Grange (our working centre) & also Louise Renaud & her younger sister were there. Howard Branson, Miss Broome & some others gave us a schlarade-“in”-“grey”-“she”-“ate” (ingratiate). I had dinner at the Britannique that night as I wished to make the most of the chance of Miss Broom being in town to have another talk  to her. So I accompanied her to Sevres & back, & we had an interesting discussion – so much so that on the way up at her instigation we prolonged our promenade for half an hour. She is English, & was a welfare worker for some two years before joining the mission. I think I spoke of her a week or so back. At dinner I met a Mme Buxton. I have not yet determined whether she was Mrs Rodin Buxton or not. But she mended a hole in my woollen glove. She is here to wait on some Allied Committee, to try & persuade them not to take cars from the conquered countries.

Friday night I wrote to Edith.  Saturday afternoon I worked all the afternoon – even as going without my bath. Miss Root was with us to dinner. She is our great musician and at my suggestion played us Rachmaninoffs (?)prelude in G minor( a sister prelude to his c sharp minor). She also played a Chopin Nocturne and a Chopin Waltz, both great. She has a great touch! Afterwards I kept my rendez-vouz with Mr. Scherrer.

Last Monday Francis Birrell came up to Sevres to lunch & dinner. I came up with him before lunch & returned with him after dinner. He is really a delightful personality, with a fun sense of humour, & of balance,& of critical insight. He is a most healthy & inspiring critic because he still remains an idealist along with it all. What would I not give for some of his critical & humorous astuteness. His mere presence throws things up in a new light. He is assistant secretary to the mission.

The Passey hostel is closed now so our family has suddenly grown to fourteen or fifteen. Miss Simms & Miss Fletcher have moved to the Britannique to live so we shall be a batchelor party.

Well I must close now as it is lunch time & Miss Root is playing the piano again

Love to all.

Don