Beschreibung:

HEMINGWAY, ERNEST. One autograph letter signed and two typed letters signed to Edna Gellhorn (Martha's mother), Sun Valley, Idaho, and n.p. [Cuba], 24 September, 26 November, and n.d. [all 1939, the year written in on two, probably by Martha Gellhorn]. Together 5 pages, 8vo and 4to, all signed "Ernest," all addressed "Dear Mother," the ALS in ink, the TLSs single-spaced and signed in pencil, two of the letters on Sun Valley Lodge stationery (one with humorous Hemingway pencilled caption at engraved illustration of the Lodge), the ALS with sketch by Hemingway at end of a pumpkin captioned "His Mark," usual fold creases. "ALMOST NO ONE GETS WHAT THEY SHOULD HAVE AND I HAVE" 24 September: "...Marty was fine when I left her. The little house was coming on very well. But the rain and dampness that comes when hurricanes are knocking around may slow things up...The children [his two sons by his second wife Pauline] are well and strong. Patrick is much taller and Gregory much wider. I am taking them on that antelope hunt that Martha wrote you about last year..." 26 November: "...the terms of a divorce [from Pauline] are being arranged now. It all haveing [sic] to be done by mail and through third parties makes it something very dangerous to the progress of a book [his work on For Whom the Bell Tolls ] but I think I can do everything and will be all right book and all. I would like to bring Marty better financial security than I will be able to. But I suppose the best financial security in a writer is a clear mind and a clear heart. But when you can see how your ability to write can be smashed like smashing a sewer title with a sledge hammer by people worrying you with things that might have waited until you were finished you wish that writing were not a smasheable [sic] thing. But as long as one can write it is the best security there is..." [no date, written from Cuba shortly after Martha Gellhorn returned from a trip to Finland]: "...I love her [Martha] so much and am so proud of her that I know how much you must love her and how proud you are. Well if she was a horse that had just won the Derby it could be that you bred her and I trained her. Only I trained her damned little. But we have both trained each other very well. Then there wasn't anything I could do to please Marty in the last days before she got here except maybe be neat so hell went in so for that and for organization etc. that was terrific. You see I never ran a house before but it just the same thing as a boat really and these servants are absolutely unspoiled and fine to work with. Now we are going to take about ten of the thirteen pounds off [that Martha had gained] and I am going to work hard and not worry. We have been so happy and haveing [sic] risked it all know what it was we risked and what loneliness is. All the good part I would never think about while Marty was away because it made me too lonely to live and now it is just as though your soul had come back into your body and we are awfully good for each other in every way...And I know now how it was a great and lucky thing for me that the three of you came into Mr. Josie's [Sloppy Joe's in Key West] that time in spite of all breakage. Almost no one gets what they should have and I have..." (3)