Samaroff and Sonia - A Love Story in Postcards - Part 6

In February 1909, Bedini and the dogs were again on tour that led west into Canada. This time his cards were sent to an address on Huron Street in Chicago. On the trip, Donat's humor shines through.

The "three" performers commented on their long trip in a postcard postmarked Calgary, Alta, on Feb 18th. The artwork is credited to Al St. Pierre. Perhaps he is the same artist mentioned in Donat's next postcard.

A Valentine from his wife was quite the hit in Calgary, according to Donat.



Unfortunately, the Valentine doesn't appear among the collection. Based on the text, it must have included the image of a baby.

"Next baby you send," writes Donat, "send one that smiles." It was the beginning of a running commentary...




"Ever since I received the baby I have no rest at night, She is always crien (sp)."



Ella sent Donat another image of herself, taken at the Peoples Arcade on Clark St, near Madison. While she is smiling for the photo, she misses her husband wishes she were in New York amongst friends.



She then sent a Kiss Coupon that would reach Donat at his next stop in Lathbridge.



Another card featuring a drawing was sent from Lathbridge, Alberta . This one appears to be drawn by Donat, and includes commentary about the size of the city's Lyceum Theater.




Donat would return to the States, stopping in Great Falls Montana and the Pantages in Spokane Washington.

Ella sent a post card with an image that Donat had sent early in their courtship.  This version is in color.

"Don't you think so to?" she adds.

"How is the baby," Ella jokes. "Still crying"

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Samaroff and Sonia - A Love Story in Postcards - Part 5

Donat returned to his wife, but the reunion was shortlived. By the mid-June, the couple were back on the road - separately. From Boston, Donat sent a card to his wife, who was now on tour in Cuba. Note his reference to buying a new hat.

(Click on the images to see a larger view)

Ella responded with three cards from Cuba, including this one.

Meanwhile, Donat was bouncing around Massachusetts, playing theaters in Palmer, Worcester and Lexington, and sending cards and letters to his bride. In this one, he "showcases" his purchase.


Ella and her sisters returned stateside, playing Western New York in late July. "Two Weeks" she notes in a card from postmarked Charlotte, NY.


Ella sent a pair of cards to her husband from Ontario Beach Park, located outside Rochester.


Donat sent a card postmarked July 24th from Worchester and to the New York City address, listing Lincoln Park in Norwich Connecticut as a new stop on his tour.

A beautiful image of Ella was sent to Donat on August 8 from Charlotte to Lexington. It was forwarded to the New York City address. She expressed thanks to her husband that he was headed to New York. Based on the postcards, they would reunite again soon.


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Samaroff and Sonia - A Love Story in Postcards - Chapter 4

The trip into Canada appears to included stops in Victoria, British Columbia, and Vancouver. He was touring with his partners.

(Click on the images to see a larger view)

Performing as the Bellatzer Sisters, Ella and her family continued their tour.

Ella sent this card from Topeka. In it, she references the postcard from Donat that included a bit of Russian.


A card dropped in the mail in Kansas City and postmarked the 16th of February notes a two hour layover before they could board a train to Chicago.
A second card, also postmarked the same day from Kansas City adds a little more detail and her plans to soon send a letter. The letters were not included in the collection.


Postcards to Ella are sent to Chicago, addressed general delivery, from Seattle on February 18, but don't catch up to her until March 9th.



Donat's cards from Vancouver are sent to the Hippodrome in Cleveland, Ohio. Another stop on the tour for the sisters was Shedys Theater in Fall River, Mass.



Donat was off to Spokane, Washington, where he lost his fountain pen, then to Missoula, Montana, where he wrote about a fire and his new pen. Ella was on her way to New York City. She would settle at 265 W 38th Street in what appears to be an apartment or boarding house. The sisters were on a break from the road.


From the Times Square Station she sent Easter greetings to her husband as he made his way across Colorado.



Based on the postmarks, he spent around six weeks in and around the Denver area.


In Billings, on March 31st, he spoke of the snow, and his desire to get to Denver.



On April 7th from Denver, he sent Easter greetings, followed a day later by a Birthstone card to his bride. Her birthday would arrive at the end of the month.



Around April 12, he played his first show at the Earl Theater in Pueblo, Colorado after a week in Denver.

He sent Ella this card, joking

"Send money, I am stranded. I am walking to New York to see my D."

Donat would often use an abbreviation of "D. E." to start his cards.



On May 4th Donat celebrated his birthday.


He followed with another card.

"I hope we want have (sic) as many."

D

In total he sent seven cards from Colorado Springs between May 4th and May 11th to Ella in New York, including this beautiful double card.


He followed the Colorado Springs shows with a week in Cripple Creek, a former ranching area that boomed with the discovery of gold in 1891. "It's 12,000 feet above the Sea Level," noted Donat. "Its very hard to breed (sic)."



On May 21 he dropped a card in the mail with an image of the U.S. Government building in Kansas City. It was postmarked Chicago. After months on the road, separated from his wife, Donat was finally headed home.



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