The Bungalow
Short Beach, Conn.
Sep 29 - 94.
My dear Mrs. Skinner:
Short Beach, Conn.
Sep 29 - 94.
By this mail I forward you an autobiography which
appeared in Lippincott's Magazine shortly after my marriage. Kindly
return it -- after you have read it. You will see that I have marked out
some passages. I was quite too humble when I wrote it -- and realize
that Mr. Stedman never could have been of any benefit to me in any way.
Your letter, with its uncompromising dates
made me feel
old unless I think of dates.
A man guessed my age
to a lady yesterday
(not to me, so it was
not for flattery) and guessed
it -- 28! I wish it
were true that 'a woman
is only as old as she
looks.'
My life is indeed very
different from those days
when I met you. I smile
at my ambition to be a
musician. My sister was
talented in music and
that was how I came to
want to be musical.
Click on letter above for larger image.
Dancing, however, I had a talent for and have never abandoned that. And I have become a very good swimmer since I have this beautiful home by the Sound which Mr. Wilcox built for me four years ago. I swam half an hour without touching my hands or feet to anything in that time last week -- I will send you a picture of our home here shortly.
My home is New York in the winter. Until a year ago I kept house there -- but boarded at the hotel last winter (until I went South). I enclose you circulars of my books, the two latest are 'An Erring Woman's Love,' 'Men, Women and Emotion.' I wrote 'Maurine' from pure Imagination. It proves I think that I knew more of friendship than of love when I wrote it. I am sure I would have allowed all my girl friends and their families to have pined away and died before I would have given up Mr. Wilcox to them, after I met him and loved him!
Trusting your paper may prove a success I am yours sincerely --
Ella Wheeler Wilcox