[This letter is one of a series from a trip the LP took. The date is based off the postmark date of one of the letters (9/10/45). That envelope was sent from New York in the later half of the trip. The rest of the letters are dated based on the location LP was at in relation to the NY postmark. There is also a letter from AHP during that time with the date 9/3/45]
830 pm Monday
[Sept. 10. 1945]
[added later in LP's handwriting: 1945]
Dearest love:
At last the end of this long period of separation has come close enough to allow me to begin to think about it and to look forward to being with you again. Tomorrow will be another long day - but the next day, Wednesday, will see me starting back to you (I have a reservation to Chicago), and I hope that on Thursday I can get on the Sante Fe, and be home on Saturday, or at the latest Sunday.
Today has been a long day of talk, with Daisy Palmer, and the other members of the Committee. I don't like t his general sort of planning very well. I'll be glad when this job is done - but I do think that it is very important, and that it is good that the fundamental sciences are represented. Several of my ideas have been accepted, such as that of having well-paid senior fellows as young independent researchers.
Yesterday I rested until noon, and then went to the Metropolitan; the famous paintings are back, after years of hiding, and I enjoyed seeing the Rembrants, and Frans Hals, and a French figure painter named Courbet [sp?] - fine nudes. I looked for a long time too at the Rospigliosi Cup of Benvenute Callini gold shell, inlayed with enamel, on a dragon on a tortoise.
I met Carl Darrs [sp ?] in the Museum. Then I walked across the Park, through
[page 2 is on the next sheet]
the snow and [the word "across" crossed out] by the frozen lake, covered with skaters, to the Miskeys, for tea with the Michaelis'es and the Otto Loesi's (did you ever meet them, in 1941? He won the Nobel prize for work on nerves). Then I came home and went to bed.
After our meeting tonight I went to Gimbels to see the antiques (WR Hearst collection); and I bought a gift for you and one for Linda, both having appealed to me. [added later in LP's handwriting: Persian prience [sp ?] jar]
I've given up hope of ever hearing from you again - your last letter was written eleven days ago, and I conclude that at last there has arrived that time, which I have dreaded for so long, when you have tired of me and have taken up with a younger, handsomer, and more vigorous man, or with an older, but distinguished and romantic one (perhaps a hand-kisser from Hungary - von Karman, perhaps). I'm not even sure that I should come back to Pasadena, only to be rebuffed.
Your own
Paddy
[This letter is torn or cut in several places, and is patched together with small bits of "lick and stick" paper.]