Claudia Lea Phelps:
A Young Woman's Diary

hazel and she seems shy. We see her twice a day. Herst is on board he is a little man + limps. Later - at the Lhrys [?] dance we saw the Turkey Trot done very gayly. Mother says it's indecent & she hopes I will never do it.

Tuesday October 15^th 1912

We saw the fleet go out & were right opposite the Mayflower when the big vessels saluted. It really was a wonderful sight especially the big boats & the wicked little torpedo boats. We got through the customs quite nicely about 2 o'clock & came home. Yang [Yano? Yanq?] has skin trouble & Queen & Wit are feeling seedy so Tammy alone greeted us. [probably pet dogs] The place looks well & everybody ditto.

Monday October 21^st 1912

Sophie asked me to spend the week end with her so Wed. I went to Giddings [Siddings?] for a dancing frock & Thurs. to fit it. Aunty M. is awfully ill and Loodleloo looks very badly. I am so sorry for her and poor Aunty M. is in a bad way.

Fri. Mother & I went to town. I have been presented with a very pretty pearl necklace it is lovely. We had lunch at Sherry's with Mr. Gerendt then waited for a long time for my dress to be finished. Then to Aunt Mary's. She was sweet & showed us a picture of lutty [?] in climbing outfit. She looked like Marie Löhr in the Amazons. Walter has given me violent directions as to clothes, conduct, & morals & the whole family was collected from everywhere to give me last advices. Mrs. Mott was there so I had no opportunity to lose myself at Jamaica. The family was very nice & seemed glad to see me & we had a quiet & pleasant evening.

Sat. morning we arranged flowers etc. & left to get tickets for the club & meet a man [?] called Von Wickfield. He talks apparently very affectedly until a slip shows that he is foreign. We went after lunch to the races at Piping Rock. The races were good and the subscription pony race was won by a buckskin pony called Chana the owner won a big purse. Highbridge won a very good steeplechase for John Fell [Hill?] and three jockeys had falls but were not badly hurt. I lost my heel and had to walk on my toes so I finally took refuge in the Johnstons' box. I saw Mr. Randolph, Emlen, Hannah, Emily, Mrs. Hitchcock & Miss Eustis. I spoke to her and she was nice but nothing extra then Mrs. Mott explained who I was & I went up to her again & she was sweet. She said how much she had enjoyed Walter's visit & that he was quite "enfant de la maison" she really is a dear. I only saw the rest for a second. Hannah dragged Emily away. I met Mrs. Joseph Sears & her pretty daughter Penelope -- Miss Noel, Mr. & Mrs. Johnston, Mrs. Billy Greers, son of Bishop Greers.

Later on two youths joined our party, Charley Welling & Harford Powell. They spent the weekend at Sophie's. We got dressed & then went to the club for dinner with the Sears. We waited & waited & inspected the aps [?] etc & finally discovered that we were expected at their house. We arrived 8:50 for an 8 o'clock dinner. There were: Mr. & Mrs. Louis Moore (Allison Peirreon [?] ) a 16 yr old girl called Cumlock & an unattractive youth called Ray Ryers. The 16 yr old had decided views on suffrage, how to entertain the youths (very successful) and other people. She powders & fires her lips & wears very low clothes. If she were older she would be nice but I don't like such superior young things. We then went to the dance at the club. Oh dear! Oh dear! It was funny. First I must say that Sophie's youths were very good. They took me trotting "with very good grace and I would dearly love to have seen myself. I just grinned at these people. Nearly all merely walked without much movement & keeping their bodies still. Oh it was a graceful sight. There were two or three couples of middle aged people who did it moving their arms, shoulders & legs. I have one gray haired damsel's heel half way up my knee. [sketch of two small stick figures] the attitudes. It is lovely to see the older people who condemmed it now keeping it up. I am pleased to say that I didn't see any very much prettier dress than my own. Kattiarine Sands had on a beautiful pink pannier & looked lovely, she was also at the races. A boy walked up to me & addressed me by name & for a wonder, I remember that he was Maurice Prettyman a boy I knew at Houlgate. He danced with me several times & has lost much "ride" since I met him - maybe he had no one to dance with or liked my dress. He longed to publicly perform the Tango & was much disturbed because I refused. He did not shun attention I fear. However we went & got some water & Mrs. Paul Cravath (an ex actress who barring the make up on eyebrows & lips looked quite a lady compared to ^{some of} of the rest) look surprised & approving when I told Mrs. Mott what I was doing. I gather it isn't done now. Marcel Gourd also danced with me & I had one good Boston with Mr. Welling.

[illegible] A man climbed up & put back the clocks 10 minutes. It was the most childish amusement I ever heard of. I tried to teach Maurice Prettyman the Boston & he seemed really grateful. We were home about 2 Sunday morning. Sophie ran us over to the Johnstons & they were nice The afternoon they all played tennis & a Miss Chapman, Mr. Brewster & another man came & then Marcel & Gus Noel, Wren Sears had come to lunch & her mother & father had tea. They seem very nice. We played pool & then dressed & had dinner at the Johnstons. Noel had Nataly's Bridesmaid's dress with a long train. I sat between G. Noel & Marcel. It took me a long time to find conversation for Gus & when I did he said I was deceptive & he had thought I was quiet. We go along pretty well & after dinner I talked to Mrs. Powell & Welling on mechanics etc. until I thought Mrs. Johnston looked as if she believed I was one of these button hole the men girls so I stopped. There was a thing called Fargo & a man called Webster Stetson. At the Sears I was an unknown quantity and was placed between 2 of Sophies youths.

This morning we took a short walk and this afternoon Sophie & drove through lovely country roads to the club to enquire for a hairpin she had lost and there we saw Titine and a very tall girl called Frances Breese. Titine invited me to have a club sandwich and seemed very nice. However we returned to the doctor & there found that Nibs the Scotty who was so weak from distemper that he could hardly move, was gone. We hunted for an hour or more but found no trace. Mrs. Mott returned & told us that El. was to have adenoids removed tomorrow. I hope Dr. Rice finds nothing to cut in me. This seems devoted chiefly to Ego. I must stop it or it will be unleave.

Tuesday October 22^nd 1912

went shopping with Mrs. Mott & met Mother for luncheon at Maillard. Then we went to the nursing home and talked to El. until Dr. Rice came to chop her up. She came through safely and we went home. At Maillards we saw Titine wandering around with a bunch of violets. She explained that she was looking for Frances Breese & was much upset over the violets. She said "Mrs. Phelps, if she doesn't come in ten minutes I will give you the flowers." However she finally arrived.

Wednesday October 23^rd 1912

Tried on all my new dresses and tidied up. This afternoon to Hackensack and then saw Loodleloo who looked very much better and very pretty. Aunty M. is much better & will be all right in the course of time.

Friday October 25^th 1912

Thursday we got Eleanor and watched it rain. Friday morning we went into N.Y. & went to Marcus: Mr. George Marcus is going to change the brooch he made for Mother into one more oriental to match her new rings. I am having two pearls that came on a pin Mother gave me strung on my necklace. They fit between the middle and the 2 side pearls. Baby Townsend will spend the week end with El. so she is safe. Walter went to the Laden burg's for the week end. After lunch with Aunt Mary, & Aunt Mary, Mother & I took the train for Boston. Mother saw ex-cousin Kate Sheffield-Sanders at the gate & hastened us through. We had heard she was stout & old-looking but when she got off at New London she was slim & youthful as ever. Mr. S. resembles somewhat Cousin George.

Holles Honeywell was also on board but I turned my back & he did not recognize us. There was Mrs. Tom Nolan who copied everything we said. ex. milestones. They - Fanny's 1^st play . Us. French lessons - They - "Madame." etc. Hermy & Goury Ca. met us & Her. had dinner at the 2^nd class Belleerie. The rooms are stifling & we had troubles getting ^them.

Saturday October 26^th 1912

A.M. Later Mother & I ordered dinner at the Touraine. At 11.30 Goury came & escorted us via subway to Hermy's rooms. We had lunch at the Union Club. Her. hung back for the rest of them to come us saying "I don't want to go in alone with you." He seems very tasteful & to make amends has been extra affectionate ever since.

After lunch we stayed at Hermy's rooms until about 2.30 & set out for the Stadium. It was a good game, the Brown quarter-back Crowther, was a wonder. Tea at Hermy's room then dressed. Harriet put in the wrong dress and I had to wear Mother's. However it fitted very well and was very becoming so I didn't mind. After dinner we walked to the hotel & the boys stayed until sent away. at 1. Hermy wanted to race across the common and was a bit mad. The bellboy said to him when he came up alone "Well, Sir, How do you like the 'ladies?" I am a fine actress as anyone can see.

Sunday October 27^th 1912

P.M. Motored to St. Marks. Saw Carley, Jimmy, & Tony from the distance. It is a rather nice school with a fine common room & dining room. Home by the light of a glorious moon. We had a puncture but it was so glorious I did not mind.

Thursday October 31^st 1912

Home Monday. Yesterday Walter & I went on a spree. We went to Sherry's & when the head-waiter saw us he gave us a cozy little table with chairs side by side poor Walter! Then we went to Maillards and saw Titine and Louise Helen. Then to Officer 666 a play that would have been very amusing if the hero had been in a condition to stand up straight. We returned safely however.