Charles E. Burchfield, Journals, April 9, 1959

Late P.M.- The Richter’s over for a little party- Mart & Hank’s gift, Alice in Wonderland etc. – a more complete edition of John Tenniel’s illustration- (while at the hospital I suddenly remembered what it did for me during a trying episode when I was in the army in S. Carolina in 1918- So I had Bertha bring in the cheap edition I had, and I again read it through with great delight) – this led to a desire to have a better edition, so Bertha told them it would be welcome as a birthday gift.

I had a feeling that Tom could not quite understand why a grown man should want a child’s book- So I called him to me, and told him how, at the battle of Singapore in 1942, the British Admiral (C.S. Philipps) in command of the Naval operations at the height of the battle, sat on the deck and calmly read Alice in Wonderland.

Charles E. Burchfield, April 9, 1959