Saturday, March 21, 2015

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.

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