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New York, N.Y.
Wednesday, Nov. 29, 1939.
Fritzie Lee marched into the lobby of the Hamilton this morning and we saw each other for the first time since about 1919 when I visited him at West Point. He looked familiar but his face is rather pudgy now and he is almost bald. Nevertheless he seemed much as he did long ago. He said his father had a stroke several years ago and has never fully recovered although he now goes to business but is more hindrance than help, being very difficult to get along with. He suffers a lot at night and Mrs. Lee is worn out trying to take care of him. From what Fritz said, I gathered that they have much the same trouble with him that we have with Mother – so I learn our problem is not unique.

Fritz said that several years ago he saw Virginia Kingsbury in Syracuse – she was visiting her parents (Mr. K. has since died) and living with her husband's parents at Morristown. He said she had had much trouble with her husband and didn't live with him all the time; I took it he was irresponsible and couldn't be relied on to support her. So what I understood was a rather "brilliant" marriage didn't turn out so well.

Ralph is a partner in his fathers insurance business and Fritz has some connection with it but I didn't quite get how; Fritz was a bit vague about it. Somehow I gathered that Fritz hasn't done too well. He has had a whack at one thing after another since resigning from the army – has never married – now lives at home. And to me, he looked a bit dissipated but he still has much of the old Fritz charm of old – but not as much as of old to me. But I was awfully glad to see him.