"Helen's Babies" holds a particular place in my heart at it is the ONE book in the lot that has actually been opened and thumbed through before I started this project. It was among a few books used for props in my Tea Party photo shoot and, as I recall, my assistant sat down and read a passage or two from it after we had the scene all ready, but were still waiting for the models to arrive on set.
When I recently asked him if I was correct in thinking he was reading the book, he replied with: "Yup, I was. From what I remember, Helen was a whore."
I have yet to read enough to confirm or deny this.
The book, although one of my favorites aesthetically, is in terrible shape and I might read an online version instead of further destroying the fragile pages, which are completely detached from the cover and barely strung together.
The book itself was written by one John Habberton in 1876 and this is a first edition, as far as I can tell. Habberton, though, is not listed in the book at all as the author. Instead the title page reads:
"Helen's Babies, with some account of their ways innocent, crafty, angelic, impish, witching, and repulsive. Also, a partial record of their actions during ten days of their existence.
By Their Latest Victim."
Taken from wikipedia:
"'Helen's Babies' was intended as just a piece of humour and aimed at an adult audience. But the hilarious novel almost instantly became a major juvenile literature success, highly estimated by the youngsters as well as authorities like Rudyard Kipling. It became a classic ranking on par with 'Tom Sawyer', 'Wind in the Willows', 'Winnie-the Pooh' and the like.
Habberton was also known under the pseudonym 'Smelfungus.'"
I cannot confirm, nor deny, this claim either. Also, the book was apparently made into a silent comedy film in 1924.
Winnie Garver's name is written on the first page - a name I've not heard yet, but clearly someone in the Garver family.
Today, my sister found the family tree that she made as a school project back in middle school. I haven't seen it in years, but as I recall, it's a giant poster and too large to mail to me. The thoroughness and accuracy are debatable at this point, but something tells me that I'll be able to piece together more than a few names one I get a transcribed copy of certain parts. Namely, the Garver and Saylor side of the family to begin with. But I'll also be asking for her to look for other names that I have found in these books that I am uncertain of being in the family (i.e., Hendricks, Preston, Pitcairn, Malcome, Baettger, Hewitt, and all the names from the photo album)
UPDATE 9-18-10: My sister's family tree comes through! Winnie Garver was Winnifred Juliette Garver, my great-great-grandmother! Her mother was Juliette Preston.
BOOK TWENTYTHREE
Today's book is "El Capitán Veneno" by Pedro Antonio de Alarcón, first published in 1881. This publishing is from 1925.
This is a classroom text of the nineteenth century Spanish novelist's work, along with notes, exercises and vocabulary from J.D.M. Ford and Guillermo Rivera, both language professors at Harvard University.
Many of the pages are fully marked up with penciled-in translations above each line.
Amongst the many names inside the front cover of students that claimed this book is my grandmother's, along with her address on Drake Street again.
A Leland Brown had stamped his name both inside the front cover with everyone else as well as inside the back cover. But, in the end, it was to no avail, as the book is now mine.
BOOK TWENTYFOUR
"The World Beautiful" by Lilian Whiting, 1894 - this publishing 1899.
Inside the front cover, my grandfather's name is written and dated July 15, 1950. Above that is another name and date, although I can't fully make out the last name.
"Harriet E. [_______] Feb 8. 1905."
I wonder if he thought it was as cool signing his name underneath someone else's 45 years later as I think it is looking at them both 105 and 60 years later... I'm mildly tempted to add my own name and date, but, against my sister's encouragement, I'm not going to cheapen it. Besides, my handwriting is atrocious.
There are no other markings in the book at all.
There were three series to this book, each written in 1894, 1896, and 1898. This book is the first series, but this publishing was a year after the 3rd had been written.
Lilian Whiting was the literary editor of the Boston Traveler from 1880 to 1890. She also signed as witness to the 1938 marriage of Clarence A. Butler and Edith Downen in Spokane. I love the internet.
BOOK TWENTYFIVE
"Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation, With a Sequel" by Robert Chambers, 1844. This publishing is from 1858. I'm assuming the "sequel" was added in this later edition.
The book was published anonymously due to it being so controversial at the time. The book "brought together various ideas of stellar evolution and progressive transmutation of species governed by God-given laws in an accessible narrative which tied together numerous speculative scientific theories of the age.
The ideas in the book were favoured by Radicals, but its presentation remained popular with a wide public. It has been seen as causing a shift in public opinion which paved the way for the general acceptance of evolution which followed on from the publication of On the Origin of Species by the eminent scientist Charles Darwin, and continued to outsell that book until the end of the 19th century." (taken from wikipedia).
'On the Origin of Species' was published one year after this edition of the book I have here.
Inside the front cover is written: "Henry Fusselman, Newville Indiana"
The name is not familiar to me, but I have found an online record of a Newville, Indiana real estate transfer from a Henry Fusselman to a Samuel Reinier on Feb 19, 1863. The original date on the deed was Apr 5, 1861.
Also, Henry Fusselman transferred more real estate to David Jefferds on May 8, 1863, to Henry Hull on Feb 15, 1864, to George Headley on Mar 7, 1864, and to Aaron B. Fetterer on Feb 18, 1867.
There are records of other Fusselmans transferring land in Newville, Indiana, but Henry is the only name I have in this book.
UPDATE 9-18-10: Henry Fusselman was my great-great-great-great-grandfather. He died in 1863, the year the first of the land transfers began. I'm assuming after he died, his land was sold off, and that's why there was no record of him buying any land after that point...being dead and all.
BOOK TWENTYSIX
This is "Felter's First Lessons in Numbers" by S.A. Felter, A.M., 1865. I am unsure what title "A.M." stands for but this is a 102-page illustrated lesson book for elementary school.
Inside the front and back covers are some child's scribbles...about on par with my drawing abilities.
A few new conversions I have learned from this book:
20 grains make 1 scruple (apothecaries' weight)
3 scruples make 1 dram (apothecaries' weight)
8 drams make 1 ounce (apothecaries' weight)
16 drams make an ounce (avoirdupois weight)
4 gills make a pint (wine measuring)
10 mills make 1 cent (US currency)
10 dollars make an eagle (US currency)
I did find an ad from 1868 for Felter's series of workbooks. This book went for 15¢ in 1868, but for 25¢ in another ad from 1871. A 67% increase in value in just 3 years? Take THAT, Franklin Mint plates!
BOOK TWENTYSEVEN
"Stewart Edward White was a writer of Western adventure novels who turned his attention toward the inner adventures of life when his wife Betty demonstrated mediumship abilities. While in trance, Betty explored the nature of the inner worlds, while Stewart recorded her comments." (taken from Amazon.com)
This is "The Betty Book" by Stewart Edward Shite, 1937 - this is the 5th printing from 1943.
My grandmother's name is inside the front cover, along with a small sticker from the Metaphysical Library & Book Shop in San Fransisco - 177 Post St. I didn't think it was there anymore, but a friend happened to be in San Francisco today and went to go check for me. "Hair dressers and offices now" was the final word.Photo courtesy of Amanda Buchan Photography.
BOOK TWENTYEIGHT
"Treatment, or Healing by True Prayer" by F. L. Rawson, c.1946?
Yes, today is a repeat.
When I picked up the book this morning, the title and author's name looked somewhat familiar, but not the book itself. Since, on day 7, I shot the inside and not the cover, I didn't recognize it immediately. That book was my great-grandmother's.
This one, same book, same edition (2nd)...is my grandmother's.
Inside the front cover is another sticker from the Metaphysical Library & Book Shop in San Fransisco, as in yesterday's book. I checked with day 7's book and the same sticker is in there as well.
Also, this one has an address label for my grandparents' last residence, although with a misspelling of their last name. Merely a typo? Or is there something I don't know...?
The book is in better condition that day 7's book, but is riddled with bookmarks of all sorts. Eleven in all.
One is a proper bookmark from the Bodhi Tree Bookstore on Melrose again. Two are emery boards. Another is a tiny envelope mailed March 3rd, 1971 with a 6-cent Eisenhower stamp. The return address is 3 miles down the road in Whittier, but with no name.
Three more bookmarks are identical business cards for the Rev. Dale Batesole, founder (and I assume host) of the "There Is A Way" television talk show. According to the card, the show ran 5 days a week, weekday mornings, in Los Angeles and Palm Springs.
Another bookmark is some translucent tracing paper with a hole punched into the top. No markings.
Another is a postcard with a prayer on it, courtesy of "There Is A Way" in Palm Springs.
Another is an empty church offering envelope. Generic printing on it, but nothing to identify which church it might have come from. Printed in Nashville, though.
The final and best bookmark is a card from the United Church of Religious Science. There is nothing written inside the card, but there is a small typed letter to my grandmother from someone named Doris.
Dated August 24th, 1983, it was written about a month after my family moved up from Southern California to Seattle. Doris hadn't seen or heard from my grandmother in a while and asked her friend Bertie to check up on her. Apparently, once Bertie passed on the status update to Doris, she wrote to my grandmother to express her concern for her well-being.
"You have gone thru 3 major changes in your life this year, dear one; your husbands retirement, (change in income) the release of your dear brother, and the release of Susie and your 'babies'."
I was unaware of my grandfather's retirement year until now. Also, my grandmother's brother died that year. Susie being my mother, I'm assuming that my sister and I were the "babies." I was 6 and my sister 4 at the time. My brother would be born 2 months later.
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The one thing I haven't talked about at all with this project has been the photos themselves. I figure if anyone has any questions about them, they'll ask.
Since today's book was a repeat, though, and I have nothing new to add about the book itself, I just want to explain my shot for a change.
My grandfather caught lung cancer from my grandmother's constant smoking. She died a year later from "a mess of things," as my sister reminds me - "heart disease, diabetes, strokes, etc..."
I very distinctly recall my grandmother's chair in their living room. Both of them had side-by-side chairs against the wall, with a small table in between where the ashtray sat and a glass of home-brewed ice tea that they let steep out on the porch in this gaudy glass container with flowers on it.
Above her chair, though, on the ceiling, was a giant stain from all the smoke that continuously ate away at the paint, all day long.
So today I shot myself smoking with her book on my couch. I don't smoke, so the moment I lit the cigarette, I was immediately taken back to that time and place.
I will always associate cigarette smoke (both the smell and the visual cloud) with my grandmother. Visually, I love cigarette smoke.
But I hate that smell probably more than any other smell (the obvious other offenders aside).
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