ABSTRACT

After remarriage Davis’ reactions were stronger still. The environment might have been transformed. It suddenly assumed a set of bright new colours and everything was now to his satisfaction. The same euphoria was reflected in his work and it was as if he had experienced a marked rejuvenation. He had aged and most of his ideas had aged with him, but he was now happy and capable of functioning with much of his former efficiency. His letters from Stanford University in the following October exude cheerfulness.

It is, I fear, some time since a general letter has gone to all of you, because there are so many distractions to interrupt leisure hours (and before I forget it, let me ask if you know what Al. Smith’s first words will be, when he sees the White House next spring? If you dont know, you will find them farther on). The most impressive change I have to report is the civilising influence of my dear Lucy. I had relapsed for once into barbarism, living alone really alone … it wasnt worth while to keep things in order – or to set the table for a lone meal. But naturally I rise to the refinements of normal life! You ought to see how neatly we live in this very comfortable little apartment! Our living room and bedroom open widely into each other with sliding doors that move to a touch. Patent vanishing beds are in both rooms, turn up into the walls thru the day, open out thru the night. The little kitchen is only a slice of a room, but that makes for few steps, and Lucy proves to be a talented cook. We patronise an excellent grocer, telephoning our orders in the morning and getting the goods in the afternoon. Fresh green peas and beans, delicious strawberries, all sorts of grapes are abundant and cheap. We avoid meat most of the time but occasionally fall back on bacon and eggs. My share is not much more, in the work of preparation than setting and clearing the table and wiping the dishes if I haven’t gone off for a lecture. Lucy plans the bill of fare with tasteful skill and it is mighty different, all this, from my life here last Fall in one room.

My friends of last year are standing by most generously I’ve had lots of calls and a fair number of invitations … Yesterday, Prof. Blackwelder and his wife carried us in their car 50 m. to Berkeley, for a geological club meeting (poorly conducted) and I showed Lucy the familiar Faculty Club, where I had spent two summers.

In the meantime my classes are going on nicely – 35 beginners, as against 27 last year and 7 or 10 advanced as against none last year. One of the latter exclaimed ‘We have all been waiting for you to come back’ which was hearty, wasn’t it? Thus all my hours are occupied, ex Sat or Sunday – and some conference hours besides – pleasant work. A good library supplies me with plenty of reading and abstracting.

I am becoming better informed on various regions than ever before! There is still the plan of a College Physiography in my head – and it is increasingly transferred to paper – both in written and drawn form and I believe that many of my pen outlines will be more informing than the poor half tone photo pictures now so commonly – too commonly used. But this completion of a book is a far ahead prospect. In the meantime work on it keeps me out of mischief – or out of other mischief.

(Letter: Davis to his children, 14 October, 1928; Stanford, California)