Brief ANS signed “Ernie,” on the reverse of a 7.5 x 4 mailing envelope, postmarked May 16, 1934. On the back flap of a mailing envelope, addressed by Hemingway to his mother “Mrs. C. E. Hemingway” (with the address info added in another hand, “Care Miss Emma Wood, Box 605, Scituate, Massachusetts”), Hemingway quickly writes, “Love from all here. Les looking fine—Thanks for your fine letter—Writing soon—we’re all well. Ernie.” The enclosed letter is written by Leicester, signed “Your old son, Hank.” On the second page, Ernest himself is mentioned: “Ernie is going to Havana and along the North coast to Cabu San Antonio some time in July, probably with other fishing friends. Archie Macleish is down here now and fishing as soon as we go out.” Scattered mild toning and creasing, otherwise fine condition.
In May, Hemingway invited his friends and family members on a fishing trip to Key West, Florida. Among those who visited was Archibald MacLeish, a Modernist poet who, like Hemingway, was a literary expatriate in Paris in the 1920s. Though friends, MacLeish disliked the insensitive and often belligerent attitude often shown by “Papa” while conversely, Hemingway criticized his friend for involving himself in political affairs, as well as “lowering” himself to write for a magazine. MacLeish had later said that he never felt the same warmth for his old friend after that May visit. Also onboard for the various expeditions was Hemingway’s younger brother, who had had spent his life trying to imitate his brother—much to the disillusionment of the famed author. The younger Hemingway’s need to be the center of attention and exaggerations about his adventures, composed in letters to their mother, often forced Ernest to chastise his sibling, once imploring him to “please stop...before you give the woman a heart attack.” Despite such outbursts, Hemingway still takes time here to ease any concern his mother might have about her baby boy—perhaps brought about by some of the comments in Leicester’s lengthy multi-page letter—by assuring her that “Les is looking fine.” “Les” and “Hank” were both nicknames of the younger Hemingway, who would commit suicide 25 years after Ernest. A warm if brief note tying together matronly Grace Hemingway with her two boys. Pre-certified PSA/DNA and RRAuction COA.
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