In the Sixth Avenue “L” with our little suitcases, we sat, a picture
of woe and misery. In the Sixth Avenue “L,” for not even a dollar was
to be wasted on a taxi. But when the door to our own two rooms was
closed, and, alone together, we faced our wrecked hopes, it wasn’t
so awful. Familiar objects seemed to try and comfort us. After all,
it was a little home, and better than a park bench; and the _Century
Dictionary_--of which some day we would be complete owners, maybe--and
the Underwood, all our own--spoke to us reassuringly.
I do not recall that any job materialized that winter, but something
must have happened to sustain us. Perhaps the belated receipt of those
few hundred dollars of mine that were on deposit at the German Savings
Bank at the time of the Disaster in San Francisco.
To offset what might have been a non-productive winter, Mr. Griffith
wrote “War,” a pretentious affair of the American Revolution, which
Henry Miller would have produced had it been less expensive. “War”
had meant a lot of work. For weeks previous to the writing, we had
repaired daily to the Astor Library where we copied soldiers’ diaries
and letters and read histories of the period until sufficiently imbued
with the spirit of 1776. “War” is still in the manuscript stage with
the exception of the Valley Forge bits which came to life in Mr.
Griffith’s film “America”; for Mr. Griffith turned to the spectacle
very early in his career, though he little dreamed then of the medium
in which he was to record the great drama of the American Revolution.
* * * * *
We met Perriton Maxwell again. Extended and accepted dinner
invitations. Our dinner was a near-tragedy. Before the banquet had
advanced to the salad stage, I had to take my little gold bracelet to a
neighboring “Uncle.” The antique furniture necessitated placards which
my husband posted conspicuously. For instance, on the sofa--“Do not sit
here; the springs are weak.” On a decrepit gate-legged table--“Don’t
lean; the legs are loose.”
At the Maxwells’ dinner our host gathered several young literati who
he thought might become interested in Mr. Griffith and his literary
efforts. Vivian M. Moses, then editor of _Good Housekeeping_ and
now Publicity Manager for The Fox Films, was one, as was Jules E.
Goodman, the playwright. But a “litry” career for Mr. Griffith seemed
foredoomed. A poem now and then, and an occasional story sold, was too
fragile sustenance for permanency. Some sort of steady job would have
to be found, and the “litry” come in as a side-line.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account