Abbot McClure to his cousin Georgiana Bowditch, 9 September 1925

[From Abbot McClure in Alto Adige, Italy, to his cousin Georgiana Bowditch in Morganton, North Carolina. He says he left the hospital on 8 August, now feels fine, and is in Alto Adige as a guest of the Carreres; talks about his upcoming travel, to Naples, Capri, and Amalfi, before returning to Florence; and says he considered visiting the U. S. in June, but his illness prevented it.

This letter was in an envelope addressed to "Miss Georgiana Bowditch, Hotel Morgan, Morganton, North Carolina, State Unite d'America." The postmark is very light, and the only parts that can be clearly read are the city "Trento" at the bottom, and the partial date "9.9.2_." The second digit in the date appears to be 5, but could also be 6 or 8. But from the content, and that of the letters in the summer of 1924 and the one dated 25 July [1925], this one was clearly written in 1925.]

Valle Isarco
Alto Adige
September 9th. [1925]

Dear Georgiana,

I left Florence and the hospital, where I had been ill in bed for seven weeks, on August 8th. and came up to this beautiful spot, now Italian soil, but once under Austrian rule. The high altitude, bracing air, and simple but good food, has quite put me back on my feet again and I am feeling very fit. We are within a very short distance of the new frontier at Brennero. I have been up there several times, and last summer crossed the frontier in a motor on my way to Munchen as you probably remember, as I think I sent you a postal from this very spot.

I have been the guest here of my friends the Carreres1 with whom I live in Florence. I am leaving tomorrow for a little trip to the South of Italy, making Naples my starting point and going to Capri, Amalfi etc., returning to Florence about October 10th. Here it is quite cold, and fresh snow covers many of the high mountain tops, so that the vistas are unusually beautiful. I rather expect to find it pretty warm in Naples, and hope to be able to get some sea bathing.

I had a nice letter from Miss Norris2 some weeks ago and was glad to hear that all are well, and that Abbot3 and Maud4 have been able to make Will5 and Mary6 such a nice visit. Miss Norris said you had been rather miserable, but were now better for which I am delighted to know.

My summer has been more or less cut up, so that is why I am not returning to work before October. You know perhaps that I had thought seriously of going to America last June, but my illness prevented. Perhaps next summer it will be possible and I hope I can come to see you in Morganton. It's a big ocean to cross and an expensive trip and that is why I have not made it before. Some time when you have a leasure moment and feel so inclined I should love to hear from you.

With ever so much love,

Yours affectionately,

Abbot

  1. Robert Bruce Maxwell Cochran Carrere (1893-1959) and Ann Parke (1892-1964)
  2. Katherine Townsend Norris (1842-1927)
  3. Abbot Thorndike (1866-1935), Abbot and Georgiana's cousin
  4. Maud Alice Kilbourn (1866-1936), Abbot Thorndike's wife
  5. William Thorndike (1870-1935), Abbot and Georgiana's cousin
  6. Mary Benson Kilbourn (1867-1945), William Thorndike's wife, Maud (Kilbourn) Thorndike's sister