Mexico -- Description and travel; United States -- Description and travel
Senator Lodge joined us at lunch in one of the private offices. I sat
next to Senator Curtis, who is one-eighth Indian, so he told me. The
only trace of it was in his fine hawk nose. I told him of my hope about
returning from Mexico through the National Parks and he told me a lot
about it, and much that was interesting about the Indians and promised
to help me in my scheme, if I will write and let him know, where and
when I want to go. We discussed the psychology of mixed races, and I
wondered whether the faint drop of Indian blood in my own veins could
possibly account for my dislike of civilization, and my longing to get
away into the wilds alone. He thought that even such a remote strain
might account for this.
After lunch we went downstairs to Senator Medill McCormick’s office.
I had not yet met him as he has been away. I dined at the McCormick’s
again in the evening. I liked the Senator. They are both wondrously
hospitable. I am overwhelmed by Washington and want to remain here
or come back. Every day I put forth a deeper root. New York has been
hospitable, but whereas in New York I feel I am asked because I am a
curiosity, here there is real warmth in the hospitality. I like all
the people I have met, and the women are intelligent and interested in
politics, not like the society women in New York, who seem to affect
the blasé aloofness about Washington and all concerned. As for Alice
Longworth, she is magnificent--“one of us,” as an Englishman said to
me, meaning it as the highest compliment he could pay! She is not
“someone” merely because she is her father’s daughter. She has her own
very forceful personality. I feel she is the woman who should have
gotten into the precincts of Lenin and Trotzky, not me! And they would
have appreciated her! She is the Madame Kolontai type.
MAY 7, 1921. _New York._
I have had a good week, quite one of the best since I arrived here. I
had an order from Mr. C. to do a bust of Miss Spence for the school.
Mrs. C., when she came to talk to me about it, told me that Miss Spence
had to be treated as Royalty. Royalty do not alarm me, and I expected
Miss Spence would! But she was far more interesting than that.
Every morning except one Miss Spence had sat to me from 10:15 until 1
o’clock--and we have hardly stopped talking the entire time. I have
enjoyed every moment of the sittings, and subconsciously our talks have
helped to mature certain plans in my mind, plans as to the future, and
the education of my children. Miss Spence is among the largest minded
people I have met over here. I like her points of view. I like her big
heart, her adoration of immature youth, her understanding, and her
quick grasp of situations. Moreover her head is extremely interesting,
although very difficult to do. Her mouth has a kindly sense of humor
without being weak. Her eyes, when she talks, light up with inward
vision and enthusiasm.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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