Last updated: July 12, 2020.
Diary Notes
Diary Notes:
[The following seven notes were folded together by Fort. SF-VI: 322 to 328.]
[1929] / Brnsn Chmp, May 3, 1929 / Powell, May 8 / These scores refer to hollow triangle game. 1 - 6 = one that "kinged", and 6 broke through. / [note cut off]6. [SF-VI; 322.]
[1929] /
R Smsn - 1 - 10 / 6th
Gsh - 1 - 7 / 1st
Rawl - 1 - 6 / 2
Hersh - 1 - 6 / 5
McD - 1 - 4 / 3
Edson - 1 - 4 / 7
Mrl - 1 - 4 / 4
D. Sebast - 1 - 4 / 8 and 9
D. Seb = chmp., Ap 15, 1929 / Srl from Aug., 1927, to Ap 16, 1929. [SF-VI: 323.1, 323.2.]
30 / Nov. 18 / Was thinking of 53—quite dreamily, reviewing part played in Ann[a] Christie—53 made 4 + 10. [SF-VI; 899. 53 was Greta Garbo, and "Anna Christie" was a film made in 1930.]
31 / Jan 2 / 14 doing well for 1st time in the gmes. / His new picture—after several years—just out. My mind not on. [SF-VI; 916. 14 was Douglas Fairbanks, Sr., and "Reaching for the Moon" was released in New York on December 29, 1930.]
[SF-VI; 927.]
31 / Feb 6 / The look of visions fulfilling—yesterday had picture taken, playing Super-checkers. [SF-VI; 928.]
31 / Feb. 8 / The game has been knocked out by developments, Also I think I shall return to Supercheckers without chars, or without recording their records. I have lost much of former skill and knowledge of the finer points. [SF-VI; 929.]
[Fort visited De Casseres on Feb 9, 1931.]
31 / Feb. 11 / I consider self good deal "betrayed" by Chckr+, in matter of 201 and 260. Becuase—or largely because of their high standing in gme—I sent them copies of "Lo!" My call on them was something of a flop. They were to come to see me yesterday but a telegram came putting it off till Sunday. I wrote could not make it Sunday, suggesting some other time, but no date. [SF-VI: 930.1, 930.2.]
31 / Feb 11 / Looks as if I'm a flop—but I don't know what gme to start up. [SF-VI; 931.]
31 / Feb. 11 / The records for and against me are:
+ -
49 191
201 198
216 350
260 383
381
But as I see them =
+ -
350 49
381 201
216
260
383
191
198
[SF-VI: 932.1, 932.2, 932.3.]
32 / Feb. 11 / My opinion yesterday was that "Lo!" had flopped—the silence of Dreiser, Sterns, no enthusiasm from LaDows [LeDouxs???], when I saw them—Tarkington not heard from—Barnes not heard from. Then Sussman called me up, and told of Burton Rascoe's big review for next Sunday and an article in "Time" about me. But today came advance royalty statement that to me means flop. [SF-VI: 933.1, 933.2. (Times. ca. 1931.) (Rascoe, Burton. New York Herald Tribune, February 15, 1931.)]
31 / Feb. 12 / My state of mind reminds me of state in Nov., 1929—quite sure I was going blind and would never write again—but was I so sure? When I say I'm sure I'm a flop, there is always no such sureness. Seems as if I take the extreme view self-protectivel[y] so if the extreme comes I'm ready for it. [SF-VI: 934.1, 934.2.]
31 / Feb. 12 / Period of doldrums—now accept that |Lo!" is a flop. I can't play old Chckr+. Can't think of a new plan. [SF-VI; 935.]
31 / Feb. 14 / Sherwin—Rascoe, etc.—That persons with whom I had contact are for Lo!—I met at the dinner who ordered 25 copies. [SF-VI; 936.]
31 / Feb. 14 / Saw Mrs. Stern last night—she been preparing a very favorable review—and yet she admitted she had not read all of "Lo!" [SF-VI; 937.]
31 / Feb. 14— / Last Dec., I was convinced the Fortean Society would be a flop. Then I faltered, when I learned of progress. Now I am sure that that intuitio, or whatever, was right, I now believe, without reservations, that Lo! has flopped. Rascoe's review tomorrow, though I know it will be good, will not change that view. [SF-VI; 938. (Rascoe, Burton. New York Herald Tribune, February 15, 1931.)]
31 / Feb. 14 / Saw 113 last night. Alright, but play was awful. 113 been scoring today. [SF-VI; 939.]
31 / Feb. 14 / All pretty well heard from now—but why did Dreiser leave town almost at the time of receiving "Lo!" I have by letter received no opinion upon the book except a line or so from De Casseres, and "splendid" book from Powys. The worst of it is that I expect Kendall to go bankrupt. [SF-VI; 940.]
31 / Feb. 15 / At the dinner, Tif. called on me for "some concluding remarks". Said I: "Amen!" and we all got up. This was quite in keeping with my contempt and dislike for it all. Seeing Mrs Stern, other night, Tif. said something about my treating them "Cavalierly". I paid no attenton and not inquire what he meant. Maybe Dreiser and Stern are sore on me. [SF-VI: 941.1, 941,2,]
31 / Feb. 15 / The one remaining mystery is the silence of Dreiser. Ray, Barnes—not answered yet. [SF-VI; 942.]
31 / Feb. 15 / Rascoe's review very good, though dealt only with Part I of Lo. But still have conviction "Lo" will be a flop. [SF-VI; 943. (Rascoe, Burton. New York Herald Tribune, February 15, 1931.)]
31 / Feb. 16 / Copies of column ads. received from Sussman—De. C's article in The "Thinker". Now I think that "Lo!" will have a chance. It is that I have an underlying feeling that may be called "intuitional", though probably an outcome of experience with B.D. and N.L., that Lo! must flop. [SF-VI; 944. (De Casseres, Benjamin. "The Fortean Fantasy." Thinker, 3 (no. 3; March 1931): 71-81. Reprinted in: De Casseres, Benjamin. Raiders of the Absolute. New York, 1937; as "Charles Fort: The Puck of Mysticism.")]
31 / Feb. 17 / Oh, well, I'm glad I'm taking these notes, for the psychology of them—yesterday Sussman came up with a feature-writer of the N.Y World, and told me that pretty good orders were coming in for "Lo!" So not a flop? [SF-VI; 945.]
31 / Feb. 18 / Whethe I'm wrong in predicting that "Lo!" be a flop I must think the Fortean Society will be. Super-checker—yesterday got an inquiry from New Castle, Pa., and a telegram of an U.P. reporter to interview mw on it. I can't get just the spirit of Super-checkers. If I start a Neo-Fortean Society as a burlesque on the Forteans I offend Thayer and Stern, who have spent time and money on those Forteans. [SF-VI" 946.1, 946.2.]
31 / Feb. 19 / Interview yesterday about Super-checkers—going to be another tomorrow morning. S-c is running "Lo!" close. [SF-VI; 947.]
31 / Feb 20 / Gme falsified—no indication that 353 would pass out. [SF-VI; 948.]
31 / Feb. 22 / Last night the La Dows had little to say and virtually no good to say of "Lo!" [SF-VI; 949. (LeDoux's???)]
31 / Feb. 22 / Much disgusted, after reading the ribald stuff in the "World", today. Also disgusted with the Telegram, last night. What I think I foresee is the appearance of the "Forteans" in all this. But I think that Dreiser is out of town, because he ran out of town after reading "Lo!" All the quotations on the jacket referred to B.D., and Sussman made them read as if description of "Lo!" What I expect is that somebody (Barnes?) will repudiate what is attributed to him, and start the yelp that I'm an impostor, etc. [SF-VI: 950.1, 950.2. (New York World, February 22, 1931.) (New York Telegram, February 21, 1931.)]
31 Feb. 23 / Last night—so like "realization"—L. Dw's fancied me playing s-c., not in any little hall but in center of the Stadium. [SF-VI; 951. (LeDoux's???)]
31 / Feb. 23 / Have cleared things for new gme, but am sitting around, defeated, in awful doldrums that remind me of times of the notes of 1907 or 8 or whatever. [SF-VI; 952.]
31 / Feb. 23 / See notes on "realization". My idea now is that I can imagine a system, and realize it, but with no immediate results. But of course S-c is not realizing. Also my interest little, Haven't played a straight game in a long time. [SF-VI; 953.]
31 / Feb. 23 / Realization? Been receiving telegrams from N.Y. Dock, which going into skyscrapers. See back to play phe of summer of 1929. [SF-VI; 954.]
31 / Feb. 23 / Gme—after several weeks not playing, and setting up for pictures, etc.—the only one lost was 53—and 53 = worst record. [SF-VI; 955. "53" was Greta Garbo.]
31 ./ Feb. 23 / About flops—I don't think that it is so much that I am easily discouraged, as that I am repelled by a sense of filthine[ss] in all this. [SF-VI; 956.]
31 / Feb 23 / No reservation now in belief that "Lo!" is a bad flop. [SF-VI; 957.]
31 / Feb 23 / I consider that I have been betrayed by "realization: or to transfer from Soliph world to "real" world. Should not have tried Super-checkers. Should not have renewed with 201, 260. [SF-VI; 958.]
31 / Feb. 23 / So then the idea is of a new gme that has no correspondence between external and internal. [SF-VI; 959.]
31 / Feb. 23 / Possibly, there was some mgd by which Srl got book published and Forteans started, but I've got nothing much but disgust out of it. So then I consider everything of "realization" a flop, or a success that might better not have been. [SF-VI; 960.]
31 / Feb. 23 / It does not pay. Said Annie: " I hope you'll never write another book. You've sunk the whole house into despair, today." [SF-VI; 961.]
31 / Feb. 12 / It looks to me as if there had been a hypnosis that broke when the book was read. / [illustration]. [SF-VI; 962.]
31 / Feb. 23 / [Indecipherable—see illustration.] [SF-VI; 963. Pabst's rough decipherment: "Ths rp -t 79 a frd rak ll- b hu-. Srl ct hy z ne3 gyr tht/ Shm pso Cnentru blr -n 576 hrs- ty -ne, hnso -ne Y phm f stnh."]
31 / Feb. 23 / Something I have not solved is what Elmer meant, when, leaving place in W. Square, he said he was surprised I'd be so easily duped. [SF-VI; 964.]
31 / Feb. 24 / Out of all this I glean that it is no flop. because in preceding months, I said that all I wanted was to get the book published. [SF-VI; 965.]
31 / Feb. 24 / A reporter rang the bell today. I not let him in—not only because sure had be a man handler, but because sure that there is nothing from anybody that can be any good for me. [SF-VI; 966.]
31 / Feb 25 / [Indecipherable—see illustration.] [SF-VI; 967. Pabst's rough decipherment: "Phm rog stuh la -ne rnm hss- engl hnso pzrtb -g rog ti- dph wrle nrmo te- beowl nmt-rnm-pprt ---- us thu eprs wrle tlp -t mtrs bnl- lzrdg- rpu."]
1931 / Feb. 25 / What;s the matter with me? Today I read over the Telegram article and don't see much to dislike in it. "Lo!" is treated with flippancy and I am called a 'genial rascal" and a "sly rascal," but the treatment of "super-checkers" is very good. [SF-VI; 968. (New York Telegram, February 21, 1931.)]
31 / Feb. 25 / [Indecipherable—see illustration.] [SF-VI; 969. Pabst's rough decipherment: " Lsu tpi nghu cho N- -r- mnectry wt stn vs- prtbd mci alp -po dri phm rog stnh mru lss trte hs lnce jc. / 375."]
31 / Feb. 26 / Things looking favorable. Second edition of "Lo!" coming out. [SF-VI; 970.]
31/ Feb. 28 / I said to self, absently. "No new one has scored,"—and 386 4'd. [SF-VI; 971.]
31 / Feb. 28 / turns into big day for Srl. [SF-VI; 972.]
31 / Feb. 28 / 1st gme bad defeat for Srl, who not clear what the new gme is about—except that Srl's side a Society. [SF-VI; 973.]
31 / Feb. 28 / After winning and pleased about it, went out and got "Post" and went away up mentally over the review of "Lo!" [SF-VI; 974. (New York Post, ca. Feb, 1931.)]
31 / Feb. 28 / 1st gme in long time. Was absently thinking of 350 when 3'd. [SF-VI; 975.]
31 / Feb. 28 / 350 and I drifted apart, but this 350's good day, Stands no. 4. [SF-VI; 976.]
31 / March 1 / Against all the - side, now I have some + feel[ing]. because of reviews in Post and Times. / Now I think no flop, but much success—say 5,000 copies. [SF-VI; 977. (New York Post, ca. 1931.) (New York Times, ca. 1931.)]
31 / March 2 / "Absent" 49 "saying" something to me, and 3's. [SF-VI; 978.]
31 / March 2 / Familiar phe. Looked them over and noted 3 that been doing little. 2 of them then scored 3's. [SF-VI; 979.]
31 / March 3 / Things look promising. / Bad: Of about 100 old readers, to whom Sussman sent publicity matter, I have heard from only 3. [SF-VI; 980.]
31 March 3 / Gme is reforming, I think, beause a stimulus—that Srl and all of them went broke in the depression. [SF-VI; 981.]
31 / March 3 / Got a favorable review from San Francisco and this is a + day. [SF-VI; 982.]
31 / March 3 / 350 "saying" something for Srl when scored 3. [SF-VI; 983.]
31 / March 3 / 260 doing badly. I played 260, supposed would be taken, but by some mistake was not, and soon 260 10'd. [SF-VI; 984.]
31 / March 3 / By the way, I have not seen Kendall, since the dinner, though I have been to the office a number of times. / I have a feeling of something of the magical in all this: The coo-operations of Stern, Dreiser and Thayer—the dinner—the expensive publicity matter and advertising—the reviews by Pascoe and Shipley—and the drop of me by Kendall(?), Thayer, Stern, Dreiser. / I offended them? / I have never known whether Dreiser saw the book, or a proof, before the dinner. [SF-VI: 985.1, 985.2.]
31 / March 4 / Acton (Hilliard), 249, passes out. / 31 / March 7 / Mind has been on 198. / Made 4 +10. [SF-VI; 986. "249" was Ernest Hilliard, and "198" was Theodore Dreiser.]
31 / March 5 / Everything +. Second edition of Lo! selling well. 1st gme = big victory for Srl. All winners favorites. / Next game 3 of these (49, 114, 350) repeating 10-ing. [SF-VI; 987.]
31 / Dec. 17 / 198 reaches the vote. See far back. [SF-VI; 1219. "198" was Theodore Dreiser.]
31 / Dec. 18 / Conclusion: Get little, at the time of willing—but do get later. [SF-VI; 1220.]
[1931] / Dec 25, 1931 / Ex / Whether Christmas morning has anything to do with it—a rooster—or both—crowed repeatedly. [SF-VI; 1221.]
31 / Dec 28 / I looked up 229, who not been doing much. 229 was the first to 30. [SF-VI; 1222.]
1931 / Dec. 31 / Ex / The roosters have crowed every day since, but not before 8 o'clock in the morning. [SF-VI; 1223.]
1932 / Jan 2 / Ex / Roosters have kept me awake two mornings. Sorry about this, but they're going to be killed. [SF-VI; 1224.]
32 / Jan 5 / 407 winds 1st place. Had dropped out of Pic. No Pics in a long time. But it looks like another case of a favorite reaching 1st place long afterward. [SF-VI; 1225.]
[1932] / Jan 6, 1932 / Ex / Roosters killed today. / Later—woke me up on 8th—one of them was killed. [SF-VI; 1226.]
32 / Jan 8 / I noted that 407 not scored in 3 days and likely to lose the lead. / Soon 407 = 8 + 30. [SF-VI; 1227.]
32 / Jan 8 / Soon after 223 was noted, 223 = 6 + 30. [SF-VI; 1228. "223" was Marion Davies.]
32 / Jan. 8 / 413 and 414 still doing very well. [SF-VI; 1229.]
32 / Jan 10 / 201 been remarkably rising from very far down. [SF-VI; 1230.]
32 / Jan. 10 / Been having defeats right along, but score keeps ahead. [SF-VI; 1231.]
32 / Jan 11 / Defeats right along for Srl. [SF-VI; 1232.]
32 / Jan 12 / 108 been very low. Since saw, been going up. / 413 and 414 scoring. [SF-VI; 1233.]
1932 / Jan. 12 / Ex / Crowing sounds about 7 a.m. So it probably wasn't the roosters. Hens doing it. Not loud crowing. [SF-VI; 1234.]
32 / Jan. 15 / I started 319 today. Had a glass of wine last night and talk with 319 about revival. [SF-VI; 1235.]
32 / Jan 15 / I am sorry I have noted that 76, 200, and 364 are lowest, because I want these, especially 200—because little if any in Fln+ to pass out. [SF-VI; 1236.]
32 / Jan. 16 / This whole gme very different from preceding ones—Srl keeping very little ahead. [SF-VI; 1237.]
32 / Jan. 18 / I got a letter forwarded from 468 E 139th. Early in the 1st gme, 225 made 8 + 30. [SF-VI; 1238.
32 / Jan 18 / I was thinking of 415 just before made 20. [SF-VI; 1239.]
[The following eighteen notes were clipped together by Fort. SF-VI: 1240 to 1257.]
32 / Jan 19 / 407 dropped from Pic. Has scored nothing in 10 days. / The revival by 419 was not much. [SF-VI; 1240.]
32/ Jan 21 / After (+) 200 made 6 + 30 but still the lowest. [SF-VI; 1241.]
32 / Jan. 21 / Wo—several nights, and revival of 419—419 been doing well. [SF-VI; 1242.]
32 / Jan 21 / (+) / The lows are— -37 / -76 / -200 / -312 / + 367. [SF-VI; 1243. (Names???)]
32 / Jan 21 / Since I saw 46, been going up rapidly, from far down. Did not start right away. / Was not much impressed with 46. [SF-VI; 1244. "46" was Joan Crawford.]
32 / Jan. 22 / 392 been doing well, since noted. But still far behind. [SF-VI; 1245.]
32 / Jan 21 / Wasn't 6 mentioned a while back as doing badly? Up quite high, now. [SF-VI; 1246.]
32 / Jan. 22 / 407 made first score since Jan. 9. Has dropped from No. 1 to No. 22. [SF-VI; 1247.]
32 / Jan 8 / I especially notice that 223 is one of the worst. [SF-VI; 1248. "223" is Marion Davies.]
31 / Dec. 31 / Been losing so score is + 30 - 20. Nothing like this in months. / Mind much on book. [SF-VI; 1249.]
31 / Dec 27 / Heard from 413 and 414 on 25th. 414 did very well today. [SF-VI; 1250.]
32 / Jan. 27 / 223 had made 3 30's in succession. But very far down. [SF-VI; 1251. "223" is Marion Davies.]
32 / Jan. 30 / Saw 79, about 20th, and believe 79 passing out of fln+. Since then 79, who been very high, not scored. [SF-VI; 1252.]
32 / Jan. 31 / Taking up a game that I had left unifinished, last night. I looked it over to see if any chances had "been made". I saw one for 6 + 30. It was done by 384, a favorite. [SF-VI; 1253.]
32 / Jan 31 / - 250 made 6 and could have made 10 + 30. I simply did not see till too late that 250 could have gone on. [SF-VI; 1254. "250" was Clive Brook.]
32 / Jan. 23 / 419 becomes no. 23. / Started about 50. / Next gme = 18th place. [SF-VI; 1255.]
32 / Jan. 25 / Fall of 407 been one of the steepest—now not even one of the 1st 25. / Some time ago I read that 407 was leaving the fln+. At this I always lose interest. [SF-VI; 1256.]
32 / Jan. 29 / This is a period of a check up for missing ones. Those not scored are mostly Srl's best—79, 114, 130, 407, 413, 414, / Also 381, but it not so high. The minus non-scorers are 257, 259, 262, 389, 399—all low, except 389. [SF-VI; 1257.]
32 / Jan 29. / Ex / Similar to this has often occurred to me. I was thinking, on my way back to the house, of the words "argument" and debate—of "argument" as applied to the plot, or development of a play. I had not seen the word so used, in years. I was carrying a newspaper. As I read later, in a review of a play, the word "argument" was so used. [SF-VI: 1258.1, 1258.2.]
[1932] February 13: I have been half dead, so weak I couldn’t go out walking, or felt weak walking a little, before today. Sat for the first time and read today. [SUP; 1. Steinmeyer, 267.]
[1932] February 19: Without being definitely ill I can’t take walks. Can’t smoke half as much, have cut down meals one- half, am sleeping poorly, have cut down beer. On Wild Talents I can only do 4, 5 or 6 pages a day. [SUP; 2. Steinmeyer, 267.]
[1932] February 20: Finished W.T. today. I can’t write more than mornings, but I don’t see that my writing abilities affected. [SUP; 3. Steinmeyer, 267.]
[1932] February 23: Going to Loews last night, I could not keep up, or nearly up, to Annie’s pace. [SUP; 4. Steinmeyer, 270.]
[1932] February 26: New difficulty in shaving—gaunt places in my face. [SUP; 5. Steinmeyer, 270.]
[1932] February 29: I sent W.T. to Sussman. I don’t give it any thought. [SUP; 6. Steinmeyer, 270.]
[1932] March 3: New pains in a chair. My bones no longer padded. I have had no sense of illness, but of weakness. [SUP; 7. Steinmeyer, 270.]
[1932] March 3: I look almost frightfully ill. My appearance startled the LeDouxs. I have refused to have a doctor, not only on general principles, but because of way my own body is presenting to me—kind of good to have cut down food, cut smoke, drink. [SUP; 8. Steinmeyer, 270.]
[1932] March 5: Saw Sussman. W.T. finally accepted. All seems well. [SUP; 9. Steinmeyer, 271.]
[1932] March 6: Sussman, like LeDouxs, was shocked at my appearance. So many persons now know about me and no doctor that it is a challenge to me to get well. [SUP; 10. Steinmeyer, 271.]
[1932] March 8: Annie has been almost fierce about getting a doctor. And then, a welcome diversion, another game of Supercheckers. [SUP; 11. Steinmeyer, 271.]
[1932] March 10: Thought with disgust having to see 113 again. 113 score. 8 + 30, 6 + 30. [SUP; 12. Steinmeyer, 271.]
[Fort died on May 3, 1932.]