Room 2402
165 Broadway
New York
March 5. 1913
My dear Marie:-
Your letter received yesterday morning and read with interest.
I am very sorry indeed to learn that you are still troubled with a cold, and hope that the change in the weather for the better yesterday and to-day will help drive it away.
You are correct about the “High Jinks” actress’ identity. She posed as the wife of the Professor in the play as you say.
So Mr. Pacent has been getting inquisitive as to the progress you and I are making, eh? We shall have to chastise him at the first opportunity.
Glad to learn that you, Clem and the “byes” have been enjoying yourselves in the snow of Blissville. Am shocked beyond expression to hear of the masquerading of you “gals” t’other day, b’gosh!
I shall certainly avail myself of the first opportunity that offers to study the ancient language of the Napoleonites, and am profuse in my gratitude for your kindness in extending your services.
Am writing this at the office before hours, so excuse scrawl. You can appreciate, I suppose, that these are busy times at these diggings, but it will be all over soon (the rush) I hope.
I have engaged seats for Saturday evening performance of “Potash and Perlmutter” at Saturday evening performance. Will call at your house as usual early Saturday evening.
Meanwhile, take care of your precious self and extend my sincere regards to Auntie Clem.
Very sincerely yours
Tom Styles
(Comments: In a somewhat hurried letter, Thomas wrote the wrong year and was also a bit repetitive [working too hard?]. First, in relation to photos I’ve included below, I was curious to find out about “165 Broadway” where Thomas worked, and it was the City Investing Building, in the Financial District, built in 1908 and one of the largest office buildings in NYC at the time, at 33 stories [with Thomas working on the 24th floor in the Stock Transfer Office of the Southern Pacific Railroad]. Photos of the exterior [with the larger Singer Building rising just behind it] and the entrance below. Both it and the Singer Building were demolished in the late 60’s to make room for the US Steel Building, later called One Liberty Plaza [that stands today]. Thomas also does confirm who his friend is in the play “High Jinks” but not by name – my research appears to reveal that the character in the play is Sylvia Dale, and the actress is Audrey Maple [pages from a contemporary book on the play below, and newspaper clippings of Ms. Maple and a New York Times advertisement mentioning her, and a 1913 photo also included below]. At this point, I have no idea how Thomas knows Audrey or anything else about their friendship, but it’s a pretty neat nugget of info. I also still don’t know if they’ve seen the play, but have been discussing it [Edit: They have seen the play “High Jinks”, as referred to in the letter of March 19th, which was most likely their first play together]. In other theatre news, it looks like they’ll finally get to see “Potash and Perlmutter” this Saturday! And also Thomas’ French lessons will commence shortly. Unfortunately, we have another empty envelope postmarked March 6th and added below, so another gap in our timeline. – TC)
My Dear Miss Chabaud 