May–December 1954

Kourion 10 Jun 54

Dear Rodney:

I have heard from Hannah that our stipend offer for the Curium coins is agreeable. I do not know whether or not there is any immediate rush about payment, but I have written her in any case that there is no reason that I can see why we could not advance her up to half of it ($1,250) at any point from now on. So I have suggested that she let you and Fro know how and when she would like this paid, and that I would ask you (herewith) to have Fro withdraw it from the New York account for her as she specifies.

I did not get as much accomplished in Nicosia as I planned. It seemed best to postpone discussion there of the disposal of Cyprus Airways stock until the actual transfer from George's name to mine had been effected. This is now in process. They are declaring a dividend this year, or at least this is up for approval before the stockholders on June 30. Not as good as last years, which was actually 8%, I now learn, but still healthy.

I am going to Nicosia again a few days before Dick's arrival to photograph in the museum Jack's Bamboula and Kaloriziki objects, and will tend to that and triptych formalities then.

I have heard from Mitford that the doctor thinks he will be well enough to travel by the end of June and that he expects now to be with us for about two weeks after July 15. He says that he had had in England the information about all our inscriptions discovered up to 1947 and that these are now written up.

In case my sister is coming out to these parts this summer. Don't get to any of the things I have asked Ellen about sending them. She sails from NY Dick in time, perhaps she could bring them. DST, and will be here on the S.S. Liberte Sat. July 3, 11:00 A.M. In Cyprus for a week starting July 16.

I have been helping Joe dispose of shards from the water works the last day or two: mostly surface, of course, churned, so we are saving a lot of space on them. Found some shards from under the Achilles mosaic, though, which will be useful. They lifted it, of course, and dug under.

Hope your summer begins well. Mine is ruined from the start, since the British have never heard of jellied consommé!

Yrs.,