From a newspaper clipping found in one of the guestbooks:
“A delightful musical and tea were given by Mrs Wm W. Ellsworth at Esperanza in the afternoon. On arrival, the guests, some fifty in number, were invited to the studio which was arranged for the occasion as a concert room where Miss Beebe pianist, of New York presided at the grand piano, accompanying (this is underlined with a notation: Not much she didn’t!!) Mr Dethiere (this has the last e crossed out with the comment: Two E’s are enough, even for him!), the celebrated Belgian violinist in a number of choice and varied musical selections rendered with wonderful technique and expression.
The delight of the audience in the playing of these accomplished artists was evinced by enthusiastic applause. After the concert coffee and refreshments were served in the dining and living room and the guests were introduced to the performers whose playing had given so much pleasure. Mrs Ellsworth was assisted in recieving by her daughters, Mrs van Loben Sels and Miss Ellizabeth Ellsworth and by her sister, Miss Carlotta N. Smith.”
The studio was across the lane, at the dairy farm, and is long gone. However, the piano was the Steinway upright grand piano built in the late 1800s, currently still quite playable, if a bit sticky when humid.
The pieces played were: Handel, Sonata in D major; Schumman, Sonata in D minor; Grieg, Sonata in C minor. Edouard Dehier was a teacher at Juilliard as well as a soloist with New York Philharmonic, New York Symphony and the Montreal Symphony, in addition to extensive touring.
Mr. Dehier was stayed for the entire month of September; Carolyn Beebe was a guest from July through October, while Helen E. van Loben Sels, and two of her children, HAE and Lucy Lois, stayed from July through September. A crowded house!
Think of the maids and cooks involved. What a different way of life, to have service (and to be able to afford it), and to have service from people with whom one had long-standing and affectionate relationships. And also what a difference, to have those long guest stays. Speaks to the difficulty of travel, if nothing else. Once having accomplished a cross-country trip (for Helen and children) one would be less likely to want to flit off within the week. I wonder what happened at Highlands (Blue Jays) that summer, and if Helen missed being there, or was happy to be back in the familiarity of Esperanza?