Vanished Arizona: Recollections of the Army Life by a New England WomanSummerhayes, Martha
History
Vanished Arizona: Recollections of the Army Life by a New England Woman
Summerhayes, Martha
Arizona -- Biography; Arizona -- Description and travel; Summerhayes, Martha, 1844-1926; United States. Army -- Military life
Now the book was dramatized and produced, with Hackett as John Ermine,
at the Globe Theatre in September of 1902--the hottest weather ever on
record in Boston at that season. Of course seats were reserved for us;
we were living at Nantucket that year, and we set sail at noon to see
the great production. We snatched a bite of supper at a near-by hotel in
Boston and hurried to the theatre, but being late, had some difficulty
in getting our seats.
The curtain was up and there sat Hackett, not with long yellow hair
(which was the salient point in the half-breed scout) but rather
well-groomed, looking more like a parlor Indian than a real live
half-breed, such as all we army people knew. I thought "this will never
do."
The house was full, Hackett did the part well, and the audience murmured
on going out: "a very artistic success." But the play was too mystical,
too sad. It would have suited the "New Theatre" patrons better. I wrote
him from Nantucket and criticized one or two minor points, such as the
1850 riding habits of the women, which were slouchy and unbecoming and
made the army people look like poor emigrants and I received this letter
in reply:
WEBSTER AVENUE, NEW ROCHELLE, N. Y.
My dear Mrs. S.,
Much obliged for your talk--it is just what we want--proper impressions.
I fought for that long hair but the management said the audience has got
to, have some Hackett--why I could not see--but he is a matinee idol and
that long with the box office.
We'll dress Katherine up better.
The long rehearsals at night nearly killed me--I was completely done up
and came home on train Monday in that terrific heat and now I am in the
hands of a doctor. Imagine me a week without sleep.
Hope that fight took Jack back to his youth. For the stage I don't think
it was bad. We'll get grey shirts on their men later.
The old lady arrives to-day--she has been in Gloversville.
I think the play will go--but, we may have to save Ermine. The public is
a funny old cat and won't stand for the mustard.
Well, glad you had a good time and of course you can't charge me up with
the heat.
Yours, FREDERICK R.
Remington made a trip to the Yellowstone Park and this is what he wrote
to Jack. His letters were never dated.
My dear Summerhayes:
Say if you could get a few puffs of this cold air out here you would
think you were full of champagne water. I feel like a d--- kid--
I thought I should never be young again--but here I am only 14 years
old--my whiskers are falling out.
Capt. Brown of the 1st cav. wishes to be remembered to you both. He is
Park Superintendent. Says if you will come out here he will take care of
you and he would.
Am painting and doing some good work. Made a "govt. six" yesterday.
In the course of time, he bought an Island in the St. Lawrence and they
spent several summers there.
On the occasion of my husband accepting a detail in active service in
Washington at the Soldiers' Home, after his retirement, he received the
following letter.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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