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QUARTERLY NEWS LONGYEAR HISTORICAL SOCIETY and MUSEUM

VOL. 23, NO.3 PUBLISHED BY LONG YEAR HISTORICAL SOCIETY

A MEDITERRANEAN ODYSSEY and North Part I

Mary B. Longyear (left) and her sister Abby (right), in Spain, pose with some heavily packed donkeys and their young master.

The founder of Longyear Historical On October 30, 1926, three ladies financial affairs in order. Alone now Society, Mary Beecher Longyear, from Boston boarded the liner Conte after her husband's passing just four traveled frequently in the United Russo in New York , bound for years before, Mary felt keenly the States and abroad. This article, taken . Mary and her sister Abby, and responsibility of managing a consid­ from Mrs. Longyear's diary, describes Mary's maid, Anna, were embarking erable fortune. Her five children were an extended tour of the western Med­ on an adventure of countless exotic grown and married, with busy lives of iterranean region, which she and her sights and experiences- sometimes their own. Robert Longyear and his twin sister Abby took sixty years ago. inspiring, sometimes alien to their wife, Isabel, were living in Switzer­ Although brief, the diary provides a senses. There would be moments of joy land; another son, Jack, and his wife, fascinating record of their daily activ­ and inspiration, but also of disap­ Rae, would be in Paris after a trip ities.1 The accompanying photographs pointment; times when they had around the world. Mary looked for­ were taken on this trip. Part I covers boundless energy and times of com­ ward to seeing them at the end of their tour of Spain; Part II, in the winter plete exhaustion. New friendships the tour. Quarterly News, will describe their were made, and parting was some­ The Atlantic crossing was calm and journey across North Africa by times painful. The twins were dis­ restful for the sisters. They caught sight Studebaker. tinctly individual: Mary was sensitive of on November 7, two days and introspective, Abby was outgoing later they disembarked in Naples, Italy, and adventurous. At times they col­ to sight-see. The next day the Conte (_ Quarterly News Autumn 1986 lided, but more often their closeness Russo returned to its home port of "Longyear Foundation 1986 Vol. 23, No.3 won out in sisterly companionship. Genoa, Italy, depositing the ladies to The weeks preceding their depar­ begin their adventure. They were met Sent without charge to Members of Longyear ture were hectic with preparations for by a representative of the travel agency the trip. Mary was busy putting her of Raymond and Whitcomb, which

357 had planned their tour; Mary described him as "a very amiable courier." After a brief stay in Genoa, where they attended the "Grand Opera of Mephistopheles," they traveled by train to Marseille, France, and the next day to , Spain. From there they took an overnight boat to Palma, the capital of the island of Majorca. They arrived in Palma on November 16. Majorca is the largest island of the Balearics, a chain belonging to Spain off its eastern coast.

Mary's view of the from their ship.

of Raymond and Whitcomb quickly found them gracious accommodations overlooking the Mediterranean. Just as quickly Mary wrote a poem about the sea. For the next six weeks they explored the island, endured the cold, stormy weather, and made many friends among the other visiting Americans and Europeans. Mary wrote exuberantly about Majorca, "This is the most beautiful spot I have ever seen. No wonder the inhabitants are good they must feel God near." The twins were curious tourists. On Sundays they visited local churches; Mary writes, "Abby and I Mary's passport photograph. went to Palma by street car and went to services at the cathedral it was a holy Mary records in her diary, '' ... met show." They climbed a hill to see the with our first setback at the Grand thirteenth century Castle of Bellver Hotel." The Grand was on a city street and visited the monastery at Vallde­ and they had their hearts set on an mosa where Chopin and George Sand ocean view! Another amiable courier spent a cold winter in 1838. In a nearby

Monastery of Montserrat

church they saw frescoes by the Spanish painter, Francisco Goya. They approached each activity in high spirits. On one outing, which happened to be on their birthday, Mary noted, "I do not know really how many years old we are. In heart and actions we are not sedate as even middle aged people should be. We giggled and laughed and sung all the long rainy way home." At every opportunity Mary sketched or painted the local scenery. She and Abby took Spanish classes, shopped for gifts, answered the many letters sent from friends and relatives, and, each evening after dinner, played

358 The palace, church, and monastery of Escorial.

companion throughout the rest of the one's very best in all one does ... I am long tour. glad one has eternity before one." On New Year's Day Alexandre took They made day trips from Madrid to them to the monastery of Montserrat Escorial and Toledo. At the monastery which is perched half way up the side of a mountain 4,000 feet high. Mary wrote, "We never imagined the won­ derful visit we were to have ... up, up The Gothic cathedral at Toledo. we mounted until the villages below looked like beehives .... It was an Bezique, a card game similar to experience to remember.'' pinochle. From Barcelona, they headed west Finally, their happy time on Majorca by car with Alexandre and Jaimie, the came to an end. On the last day of 1926 driver. Arriving in Madrid, they were they returned to Barcelona to continue pleased with the "real American their tour of Spain. Here began a very quarters at the Ritz Hotel." Mary spent special friendship for the sisters: hours at the Prado Museum. As an Alexandre Gabarrou, a representative artist herself, she was thrilled with the of the Raymond and Whitcomb great works of art on exhibit. After her Agency, became their guide and close visit she wrote, "Oh to do well to do

Jaimie, the driver, and Anna, Mary's maid, feeding pigeons in .

at Escorial, Mary wrote, "Had our photos taken with the guard!" At Toledo they shook hands with a priest who had been to Boston. They saw the house where the painter El Greco had lived, with "his sad paintings on the wall.'' They shopped for the famous Toledo blades (swords with gold inlay work), and that evening they discov­ ered that their purchases had been stolen from the car. Mary records in her diary her prayers about this situation; the next morning there was great joy when Alexandre retrieved the stolen En route from Cordoba to Seville. goods.

359 a building- to hold the treasures of almost daily. Referring to a particular Mary Baker Eddy so that she shall be painting of "sort of a temple," she said, remembered in the ages [as] the great­ "It was one of the best I ever did." est prophet since Jesus." It was also a time of soul-searching Continuing south, they came to for Mary. Deep thoughts run through Malaga where their hotel overlooked her diary. Now and then she would the sea. Mary recorded, "Fine hotel scold herself for playing too much and good rooms. Washed my hair." Bezique, longing for more worthwhile From Malaga they had an eventful activity. Back in Majorca she had drive west along the beautiful Medi­ written, "I like to record impressions; terranean coast to , which is I do not want life to be a swift movie next to Gibraltar. Mary wrote, "Started picture." Most entries included a early as usual and drove through the prayer for guidance or a burst of grat­ wind. Had a car run into us with no bad itude to God for taking such good care effects on either side; evaded falling of them. telephone poles; had a beautiful rain­ On February 7, they boarded the bow in sight a long time." boat for , a part of Spain in North Their suite of rooms at the hotel in Africa. Here began their journey Algeciras were "gorgeous" and best of through a world as different from all had "a wonderful view of Gibraltar Europe as Islam is from Christianity. and the sea." Mary noted wryly, "The hotel is full of English and the sitting Sally B. Ades & Richard C. Molloy

Patio of the Lions in the Alhambra. Footnote 1. Most information and all quotations in the Leaving Madrid and driving south, article are from Mrs. Longyear's diary. they stopped to see the furnished cas­ tle of Aranjuez where a blushing Mary wrote, "I danced with Alexandre in the ballroom-I am ashamed to say." On to Cordoba where "heaps & heaps of letters & Christmas cards ... '' were waiting for them at the American Express office. There they visited an Arab mosque before going on to Seville. They had planned on staying in Seville for awhile; but after they toured the city, the weather turned very cold. Mary writes," ... on quick notice we left bag and baggage." The little party headed south. Mary records that along the way, ''Alexandre had the camera and he took many shots of very interesting things even going into yards and pos­ Telephone pole blown down near their ing the people to his own liking.'' car. Throughout the trip Alexandre took photos or "kodaks," as Mary some­ room full of smoke." It was mid-Jan­ times referred to them, often snapping uary and the weather was cold, but the sisters when they least expected it. Algeciras would be their home for the After the tour he prepared a beautiful next 19 days before starting for North leather bound album with maps, flags, Africa. Although this was a time for the and photographs as a keepsake of their sisters to catch their breath, their days trip, and presented it to them as a gift. were filled with activity. Arriving in , they stu­ They took day trips to nearby diously read about the Alhambra, and Cadiz, as well as buggy rides and wanting to be sure they understood its long walks around the towns of Alge­ Alexandre at the reins and Jaimie in the history before seeing it. At first they ciras and Gibraltar. Mary painted, buggy, at Gibraltar. were disillusioned; later, however, they were shown around by "a lively LONGYEAR FOUNDATION: Board of Trustees: June A. Austin, Chairman, Robert C. Dale, old gentleman" and were impressed Marian H. Holbrook, and Marylou Madigan. Associate Directors: Richard H. Allen, Alan with the "beautiful Moorish designs." K. Lester, and Loetta L. Lewis. QUARTERLY NEWS is published four times annually by After seeing the Alhambra, Mary wrote Longyear Historical Society, 120 Seaver Street, Brookline, Massachusetts 02146. U.S.A. fervently in her diary, "I too, will build (617) 277-8943. Inquiries about membership and activities are welcome.

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