Holyoke, Mass.
Wed., Aug. 25, 1926
Bill and Frank have a new interest, the American Writing Paper Co., which is in receivership, so we came here to investigate. We had been at The Camp since returning from Egypt, and because of saying goodbye to so many folks in East Dorset and the Center, we made a late start on Monday. Having hankered for some time to revisit our old location on the brook near Bennington, although only thirty miles away, the rain clinched the matter and we went no further.
To our disappointment, however, some painter has ruined the place by dumping his debris all around--plasterboard, empty paint buckets, papers, bottles, and excelsior in a barrel. We had a great time in the rain, picking it all up and trying to turn the water-soaked stuff in the barrel. The turpentine in the paint and the excelsior helped.
The next day, rather cloudy, was fine for travel. Crossing the mountain to Wilmington we followed the Deerfield river all the way to its junction with the Connecticut, a perfectly stunning drive. Bill wanted to see the new dam and power station they are building just below the Reedsboro Power plant, so we stopped there before driving through Shelburn, Greenfield, lovely Deerfield and North Hampton, arriving at Holyoke in time to locate the paper factories and to find a splendid place to set up our living quarters--on top of a hill of course, about a mile from town.
Mt. Tom, our nearest neighbor to the north, at night wears a crown of lights. Both nights we have watched the moon, large and red, rise over the city. In the daytime we can see another large river running parallel to the Connecticut, nearer at hand. We wonder what it can be. Three canals, leading out from the Connecticut, run through the factory section of the city.
Yesterday we just loafed, studied, took Bill’s suit to be pressed and went to the movies. This morning we were Robinson Crusoes, and our hilltop, an island in a sea of mist. However, Bill left in high glee, all dressed up in his neatly pressed old suit, to interview the president of the American Writing Paper Co.