Typed in the margin: Grace always mourned that she had passed on to Al her ups and downs. God knows she passed on all of her best.

26 East Peoria Street
Pasadena California
September 30, 1956

Dear Rosie and Bruce Bliven:

I recently sent an airmail demand to Idis Lazar "Forevens sake send me the addresses of the Blivens and Elizabeth Sette" and how did I know that the reply would come for this unexpected need to tell you about the wedding of Scott Ormsby. You may have it from other sources, but none so excited nor so loving as mine. Saturday morning 11 AM at a delightful little Episcopal Chapel off Huntington Boulevard, almost without the flub-dub that usually obscures and almost obliterates the event.

I was the only only invited guest outside the family. A bit early, I asked a gentleman dressed in a white carnation on which side friends of the groom should sit, and though he wore a white carnation he replied "Do you know I have been married eleven times, and I do not know! (He was the bride's father) So I seated myself well forward on the right, the right side, and soon there was exquisite little Harriet by me (her husband was best man).

A backward look showed Dick Ormsby with son Dan, taller than his father, and a rather beautiful young woman whom Dick proposed to marry. Bride's family was fairly numerous, and then Brad (face like mehagony with sun) and Terry and Pamela and Little Brad sat immediately in front of me.

It was a simple ceremony with no rented clothes and as few extra words as an Episcopal rector would allow himself. On the way out I whispered to Brad that I suspected Grace was peeking over and enjoying it and Brad said I know it! Al delightfully substantial and handsome as he took Margaret up the aisle, greying a bit now, and not fat. He is my vindication of this job of living.

Bride's cake and punch at the bride's home, a short block from Al's and a most loving and happy affair. And Dannie rode with me, and all the Ormsby loved me as I need to be loved.

Scott is just home from Europe, very tall and dark and hadsome with a world of experiences in two years abroad that I believe most sojers fail to get. He was entertained by Aunt Alice a lot and some way got around. He and Joan had "got together" on the subject by correspondence, and Margaret told me some months ago that Scott sent his father a ring and she had never seen Al happier than when he placed it on Joan's finger.

So much for Grace's blessed family. And she said she and Al should have been knocked in the head at birth! He built an ocean-going boat in their back yard, polished and fitted with every wonder device, and he and Margaret go to its mooring every Saturday, for sleeping and speeding in Balboa Bay and Ocean. Al has gone up steadily, buying more and more stock in the company.

And I was up there about in April, as soon as income tax season was ended, San Jose, Palo alto, Sunnyvale, STANFORD, Danville whre our Natalie lives with her three babies, San Carlos with nephew Raymond, Berkeley with Edith Jordan Gardner, two nights on Twin Peaks with and English woman whom I met in England forty-six years ago. And such a sickening lost opportunity for not knowing you were right there. I would have out out everything but the great-grands.

I am wonderfully well and fit, had a full four weeks in Mexico Yuctan and Guatemala last December... that Chichicastenango! Howard was so inspired by my color shots that he and Linda flew down to Guatemala and Costa Rico. My heart and head grow softer with age, but I love you very much. Should know about your Brucie.

HARRIET PYLE

Kingacote Gardens
Stanford, Calif.
October 3, 1956

Dearest Harriet:

This is to tell you what a dear you are to send these Cousins news of young Scott"s wedding. We hadn't heard of it from anyone else. And how beautifully you described it! I felt as if I were right there and as you say, with our dear Grace, smiling and beaming on such a happy oocassion!

How nice it is to know that that lovely boy Scott is able to settle down so beautifully and, make a happy home for himself and the lovely young Joan. I am soooo glad you were at the wedding and could report on it so fully!

You are the one person who helps us to keep in touch with those Ormsby Boys whom we adore. We never get a letter out of them from one year's end to the next! Well, Margaret did write me a nice letter six or eight months ago.

I was so glad to have news of everyone, Brad and Dick and Al and the children of the familles that you saw. How good it is to know that Dick is about to marry a lovely young woman. I have been so unhappy about Dick--almost Grace's favorite, and then to have his marriage go on the rocks. I don't know the cause but I am sure Dick, being an Ormsby, and a son of Grace, tried hard. I wonder where the cute little daughter is? With the mother, perhaps?

And have Brad's children grown like weeds? Pam must be about twelve or so? Braddie seemed a tense little boy but maybe he is growing more stable. Anyway, I love those three boys and any word we hear of them is greatly appreciated. Bruce's niece, Dorothy Carter at 1241 Cedar St. in Glendale, never hears a word from the Ormsby boys and of course they are almost as closely related to her as they are to us--well, maybe Cousins, one generation removed. Dorothy is Bruce's sister's daughter.

I am sooo sorry you didn't know that the Blivens were right here on the Stanford Campus when you were up this way. You'll surely come again, we hope. We are comfortably situated in a cosy little four-room apartment in this pleasant apartment house. There is a lovely garden which we enjoy. Living is very easy and comfortable. Bruce is very busy and as you knon, every word he writes, notes, letters and manuscript, he dictates to me. Soooo I'm pretty busy, too. I take some care of the apartment and get quite a few of our meals. We are both very well indeed. I'm being made to take off some weight by my doctor. I don't care much for that.

Didn't the Lazars have a wonderful trip this summer? I have had no details from Idis but I know she is busy with the fall season just beginning. When are we going to get her out our way I wonder?

Bruce Jr. is fine, Harriet, coming into his own we feel, as a writer. He had two books published in September, eight days apart. Battle for Manhattan; came out on Sept. 17. It has had marvelous reviews. Time, News Week, Hearald Tribune, New York Times and ever so many other magazines and newspapers. It is a beautiful job. Brucie did months of research and his book shows it. It is a story of the Battle of Harlem Heights. Washington is the leading character, I think I'd say. On Sept. 24, Random House published "The Story of D-Day, June 6, 1944." It is in the well-known Landmark Series, that is, it is written for the teenaager but Brucie has told the story of the landing on Omaha Beach, in which he participated, in really classic language. Any adult would learn a great deal from it. The teenagers at whom it is aimed, of couree, hardly know the name of Hitler and he has to be explained! The Junior Book of the Month Club has chosen this book for their March selction which means there will be about 60,000 copies printed. You can see we are the proud parents. We do miss the children even though we are sooo happy in California. They are simply wonderful about letters and we hear from them almost every day. Isn't that something for busy young people?

Thank you again for your lovely letter. Give all the Ormsby Cousins when you see them our very beat. We forgive them for never getting a word to us. Some of us can get a letter into the mail, esaily and some of us can't.

Love and kisses,
Rosie