At sea, aboard the President Lincoln, June 1907

      

      Ima does not write about the enigmatic Mr. Scott, but she writes about other passengers aboard the President Lincoln on that crossing in the summer of 1907.

The passengers are mostly German so we have fallen completely in to the spirit of things, even trying out our bits of “Deutche” words on them. Really, though, have made comparatively no acquaintances. My table seat to my right though is occupied by a lovely old gentleman Rev. Wilkie from Florida and his wife to his right. A Mr. Dick from Newcastle Eng. Has played bridge with us and defeated us all. Much of our time has been spent at cards, some at reading, we have been dutiful enough to dive into guide-books--then we’ve walked leagues. Shuffle-board is a great game- I can’t play it much, but intend to spend lost of time at it on the return. Mr. Thompson and I matched Mrs T. & Mr. Dick at “ring-toss” --they beating us by one point only.

         Ima Hogg was never one to lose, if she could help it. No doubt there was a rematch.

A bittersweet leave-taking, and a pleasant voyage

[Time for a flashback here, to an earlier part of Ima’s diary and the beginning of the trip.]

June 22--Sailing- President Lincoln, Hamburg-American Line.

Cabin 63 - Room-mate Mrs. Ben Thompson.

An auspicious start--a glorious warm day, our ship - 618 ft. long--making its maiden trip. Many friends had telegrams, letters, books and flowers as farewell to me, and we waved them a far away good-bye with grateful hearts for their remembrances - a home leaving being at best somewhat sad. , , ,

“Somewhat sad,” indeed: In this summer of 1907, Ima Hogg was hoping to escape her grief for her father, who had died March 3, 1906. For months after that, she had suffered from what we today would call a depression. Now she was embarking on a journey that would carry her far away from home--and perhaps change her life forever. She traveled with family friends, the Lewis Thompsons of Texas, their sons Ben & Lewis, and their governess, Magdalena. IH’s roommate on the voyage and probably on land travels was Mrs. Ben Thompson from Nacogdoches (a relative of the Thompsons, most likely.) This group from Houston was joined by a Mr. Scott, a chemistry professor at Austin College, and a Mr. Ben Foster and his sister Miss Ione Foster from Kansas City.

        

         As usual, Ima tells far too little: We never even learn Mr. Scott’s first name, but on the outing to Windsor Castle she “scrambled up” by his coat sleeves when she turned her ankle.

A bad cold, and a visit to Oxford

Oxford - July 11

Real sick but ambitious in such a spot. Morning drove--stopping first at Christ Church...The Tom Bell tolling...Oxford is very quaint with its high walls & old architecture....Mrs. Thompson, Mrs. B.T., Mr. Foster, & Miss F. all drove to Blenheim castle -- the rest of us preferring to stay in O. After lunch went back to Christ C. & into the Cathedral...Sunny beautiful day so we lingered long on the shady path running towards Magdalene. This is the sweetest of all the colleges, I think. We didn’t go inside the buildings here but in the quadrangles through the cloisters, on the bridge where the swans--black ones--swim....I long to get back to Oxford, once again.

Ima, “real sick,” was not one to be daunted.