Letter signed Sara, New York, to Mother F [Kate Filsinger], February 10, 1919

Letter signed Sara, New York, to Mother F [Kate Filsinger], February 10, 1919

Teasdale, Sara, 1884-1933

1919-02-10

Discusses preparations for Ernst's business trip to Europe. Includes envelope. Transcription: Sara Teasdale Filsinger 1 West 81st Street New York City Feb. 10, 1919. Dear Mother F [Kate Filsinger]: Our beloved Ernst sailed on Saturday and I want the first letter (except one yesterday to him) to be to you, for I know that you will be glad to know the details. The poor boy was in a regular whirlwind of work up to the very last minute. The book (final revision) was not completed until late Friday night and I was helping him pack his trunk while his stenographer was working at the machine. There were a thousand and one harrassing [sic] details and Ernst was very tense and nervous, poor fellow, but so dear always in spite of things. It is very hard to leave the country now, for every scrap of paper has to be examined by censors. Ernst had a very large stack of letters of introduction — fully one hundred, besides endless matter relating to selling textiles, sample-book, price lists etc. I have been planning his outfit ever since Xmas because when it began to look as though he would be sent to Europe. along in In fact before we left for Cuba it was practically settled, and at first he wished me to go with him, but I decided that it was not best. I am not strong enough and would be a great care to him although I am pretty independent in a general way. He was so rushed and tired that he left much of the buying of his things to me and he went off with everything good and warm and well packed in his fine new steamer trunk, which I marked in white enamel paint with a big E.B.F. He had also a suit-case and valise. His warm underware [sic] is all wool and very fine and warm. I simply insisted on his having it although it cost twenty dollars a suit. He had four new pairs of very heavy wool socks, two new very warm flallene flannelette pajamas, knitted wool cap to go over the ears, knitted wool scarf for the neck, a fine angora sweater beside many other things. The new things as well as the old were all gone over to be sure buttons and button holes were in good shape and every article that would be sent to a laundry (and some that would not) were marked with this name tape: FILSINGER [tape attached]. I have him a very soft warm steamer blanket for Xmas and I urged him to keep it with him always because it is so necessary to have an extra blanket to use on a bed that has insufficient covers — and besides in Europe there are not many sleeping-cars and if you travel at night you need a blanket to wrap round you when you try to sleep. He had two pairs of new winter gloves (one pair very warm) a new folding umbrella, new rubbers, new shoes (3 pairs) and so on besides a complete array of underwear for warm countries with many new articles in it. Most of these things (the summer weight clothes) were put into one of his sample trunks as his steamer trunk would not hold them. He had soap as you can not buy it abroad (enough to last six months) tooth paste ditto, cold medicine also quinine and a laxative, and a large flask of whiskey. I could not get him to take any other medicine except Mothersill's Seasick Remedy. He had a warm knitted wool band to go around his abdomen, supposed to be good for seasickness. Well, you can imagine that all this trousseau was a task to get together and beside that Ernst had so many things to do that at my request he let me get buy most of the things. With the book and all the business at the office (beside many details and policies due to his leaving the office for so long a trip which had to be done and decided in advance) it made him nearly frantic, and as we are so close together and sympathetic, I was nearly frantic too. Unfortunately I got one of my old heavy grippe colds a week ago and was in bed for several days — am only just able to drag about now. . . .

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