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MAUDE BUSH [MRS. IRVING T. BUSH] : 1919 - 1921 FASCINATING ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT DIARY HANDWRITTEN BY THE DAUGHTER OF THE NOTORIOUS CIVIL WAR GOLD HOAXER AND WIFE OF A MAJOR, WEALTHY INDUSTRIALIST WHOSE TRAIN WRECK OF A MARRIAGE IS ALL TOO OBVIOUSLY ON THE ROCKS

8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. On offer is a fascinating, original 1919 - 1921 manuscript diary handwritten we believe by Mrs. Maud Bush [nee Howard but was the widow of Major Francis D. Beard who died in 1901] and was second wife of Irving T. Bush a noted and notorious businessman and the son of wealthy industrialist, oil refinery owner and yachtsman Rufus T. Bush. [Although she has not identified herself the book is full of clues that can leave little doubt of her writing the diary.] Maud had an interesting background too: her father was Joe Howard Junior, journalist, war correspondent, publicist and newspaperman. He was the editor of the Brooklyn Eagle and notorious for perpetrating the "Great Civil War Gold Hoax." They married in 1907 but in 1930 they had a nasty, public divorce. Maud is very revealing about her struggles in the marriage and her relationship with Irving with many little hints and innuendo. They are constantly on the move, in fact the book starts with them in Paris and it is very easy to find online references on their extensive travels on many of the top notch ocean liners of the day. There is quite an entourage with the couple, five children and nine servants! Maud writes extensively in 1919, less so in 1920 and 1921. Overall there are just over 400 entries. We learn in one set of entries for example that in the summer of 1920 they stay at a ranch Sheridan Wyoming with mentions the city of Buffalo and also Piney Inn. Here are some snippets: 1919 JANUARY "1st, With Irving in Paris. Just back from the front. A holiday. Lunched at ____. Rob West for dinner. At Maximums. Disgusting + Vaudeville. Francis away with Capt. Rose with children. All well. All happy….2nd, All day arranging passports. Lunch at Crillon. Delano and Whitenhouse. Col. West, Major Ames, Captain Stevens for Cocktails. Ames for dinner and theatre. Can now return to civil life. Am very happy…18th London at 11:55. Train late. Liverpool at 8. Aquitania about 9. 5500 Canadian boys. Regular troop ship. No chairs, carpets, bells, comforts of any kind. Good room and bath…..20th, 457 up to noon. Boat filthy. Boys all over the place. Bad weather. Tea with Capt. Wolfe and doctor…25th, Docked at 9. Up before 6. Tickets all morning, boat for lunch. Train at 2 for Montreal. Powell and Seth Compartment. Bridge. Late all along the line, snow. A tiresome unhappy day. Just 4 weeks….28th, Home at 8. Rufus fine. Rose has been sick. Servants all gone, damn! Begin the same old routine. House all day. Mail. Irving home sick and bed. Has no interest in anyone here…….January Memoranda: Will there be eleven more like this…or worse." FEBRUARY 17TH, Kate and boys to dinner and play. She at Inez. Maud out to the parade and I try. Lilly and I office. Irving a beast. She furious." MARCH "4th, Went up to see children. Rufie very sick. Decided to stay up and watch. Day nurses not to be trusted….5th, Rufie complaining all day. Sent for Dr. Simonson. Left lung in question. Old fool." APRIL "6th, House all day. Maud her beaux Sheff, 8:30. Irving 9:30. Cross and unpleasant. Wish he could go back and stay!....19th, A lonesome day. Everyone busy. Phoned about car. Club for dinner then Brooklyn to see Cromine's (?) shops and ideas. Very interesting to see people, etc. An impossible association for Irving…..21st, Irving away for dinner. God knows where…." MAY "6th, Maud Dr., parade. Kate for lunch and Rose's after. 23 today. Baby lovely. Home at 10. Everything ready for tomorrow…7th, Left at 10. Boat off at one. Fog. Soldiers for Maud. No boys for Rufus or me…..12th, Arrived Brighton at 5. A drive thru Myrtle B. and hotel for dinner. Stars, moon, palms, sea, gardens, everything but our sweethearts but a happy eve together. Off at 10. Suite A….15th, Ashore at 9. Hotel Washington. Motor to Gal___. Saw little. Train to Panama. Awful rain. Tivoli lunch. Motor for a tour. Streets, shops, Balboa. 5 train back. Ride lovely. Rainbow. Boat, ashore till 10….18th, Couldn't leave boat. Port till noon. Terribly hot. Sea like glass. Arrived Porto Colombia at 5 o'clock. No one ashore. Children bought parrots. Nothing to see…..24th, Maud unwell. Deck very crowded. Awful children, still very warm. Golf. Smooth as glass. Passed Cuba about 6. Week gone very quickly. All anxious now for home….28th, Interesting day. Boats, harbor, etc. Pier 15 East River at 6. Club for dinner. Home about 10. Miss Reed Came with us. Looks lovely, no servants..." JUNE "7th, Bear Mountain. Girls, Rufus, Ruth and I. Francis Boston…16th, Hope to town. Dr. Grants'. Home at 6. Maud awful. Unhappy at being left. Cannot understand her…..22nd, Irving called. Sailing Mauritania. Hoyt home again….29th, Francis off at 2:30. Ruth and friends, William Phillips, Yacht Club, all for tea…." JULY "6th, Cooler. Just listened all day. Took Rufie to swim at Club. Rain. It begins with the dogs, then what. God Knows. I don't care. Afraid I wasn't dumb!......12th, Irving here all day but Jones's in morning, then tennis, then on to meet Baily's and there late. Children at Sleepy Hollow. Rose home. Francis and boys….." AUGUST "5th, Golf, then room. He off along in car. Movies in eve. Then bed. My holiday! God knows I hate this place. Decided to lease Monday. Irving ugly all eve to me. Hope down late so he's cross to me. Same old thing……17th, Sleepy Hollow for golf. Rufie with Gold Oak. Rain. Just the same general air of snipe. Girls rude. He then flatters. What is it I do or leave undone. God knows…." SEPTEMBER 9th, Boston. Drive very well. Irving off at 12. Took cars. C. and Stratford to end of Island. Phone from Francis. Block Island….10th, Children off all day. No sailing. Sick again. Rufus gold lesson. Telegraphed Irving…." 1920 JANUARY "1st, With Irving aboard Mauritania. Most beautiful day. Children at home. Still happy….5th, Same. Packed. Cherbourg about 9. Landed passengers and left 11:30. Bed early….13th, Out all A.M. with awful face. Ordered Rolls Royce. Lunch at Frascotti's. Home. Rotten cold. Wrote. Irving, Miller, C. and Land's, dinner up here. He asleep at 9. Still happy….25th, Lovely day. Start for Eton. Lovely. Alice alone. Irving on edge. I nervous and tired but held out. Beautiful new home. Gandell's for dinner. All or nothing!!!!...." FEBRUARY "7th, Irving cross and ugly. Left for office. Went for him. Took Peck out to Hendon then lunch at Savoy then Peter Stetson. Walked home…13th, Early lunch. Off at one. 4 hrs, 62 miles. Customs police. Very tired. Antwerp at 6. Grand We__ Hotel. Irving out for while. I bed. No one starving so far…Memoranda. Very happy month. Irving only cross once and sorry after. Hell….." MARCH "6TH, Off at 7:15 train. Left 7:50. South Hampton about 10. Wonderful room, bath etc. Late starting. Cherbourg at 6:30. Really off at 8. Ship clean and fresh. Expect happy trip. Optimistic, hey, what!....." JUNE "9th, Glorious day. Rose over early. Everything perfect. Maudie a most lovely bride. Wedding on lawn. After in hall. They left for town at 7…..Irving and I motored up to Newburgh. Sat in sun all day while he talked in the shade. Tiresome day but at least away from small worries….29th, Arrived Sheridan (?) on time but waited too long. Supper at Piney Inn, half way out. Awful ride over in rain. Irving fell twice in mud pushing car. Ranch about 12…." JULY "3rd, Beams, Baily's and we motored to Sheridan for round-up, fair. Lunch at Piney. Supper Sheridan. Home about ten….11th, Stupid day. No ride. Nothing…..12th, Irving and Rufus off on fishing trip. Hope and I and 10 others rode over to paradise Lodge, 12 miles. Lovely. Lunch and home. Clear. Eve with Mrs. Beams. Irving's birthday, 51…..17th, All went over to Buffalo. Stupid…." AUGUST "25th, Rufie, Irving and I to town. He guides and we train for Boston. Francis met us and motored us out to Swampscott. Welcome. Full house. Proud of Francis. He very happy….28th, Glorious day. Everything perfect. Irving at 10. Ruth Beautiful. Francis fine. Happy until 6 then as usual, everything spoiled and I wish again I hadn't done it….29th, Rufie and I permitted to live! Early start for Boston. Chance gave us seats and we left train at New London. Got launch on to Fisher's. Rooms good. Happy alone and together. My child. Quite welcome to his own….." SEPTEMBER "4th, Waited and watched for daddy who neither came nor sent us any word….5th, Irving arrived in Percy about 5. Had spent day in New London. No word of his coming. Had met both boats. One dance in eve and then bed…..6th, Spent all morning with cars. Boat full. No Irving. Waited until 6:30. Holiday crowd. Started off cross. Sorry but I cannot make him over. Club in eve with Watson…." The 5" x 7½" book is in rough shape having two pages missing, June 30th and 31st and then July 31st and the cover has come off the binding which is loose. Overall Fair++. BIO NOTES - IRVING BUSH: When Irving was just a teen his father sold his waterfront oil refinery to Standard Oil and retired. His father then built a yacht called the "Coronet" which greatly influenced Irving's life as he became an avid sailor and world traveler. Irving was vastly wealthy from his inheritance but continued in his father's footsteps founding the Bush Terminal Company. He built the massive terminal in Sunset Park, Brooklyn New York which employed more than 25,000 people within its boundaries and also commissioned the landmark Bush Tower skyscraper on 42nd Street next to Times Square. He also built the Bush House in London. By 1930, Irving had been married twice. He and his first wife, Belle Barlowe, had two daughters before they divorced. He married again, this time to Maud Beard, who gave him a son, whom they named Rufus, after his father. Their marriage was destined to fail as well. Irving Bush was probably not an easy man to live with. In the 1920's, on a trip through the Bowery, he met a woman who would change his life, and he would change hers. Her name was Flora Marian Spore, and she was a dentist, an artist, philanthropist, and the love o

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