Name/Title
AU Harris, Joseph Hastings - 1895-08-04 letter to Bertha Elizabeth LambertEntry/Object ID
1990.1.49Context
[Ada, OH, to Miss Bertha Lambert, Iberia, Ohio, “Morrow Co.;” Enclosure: Program for Christian Associations, First Fall Term, 1895, Ohio Normal University.]
Ada, O., Aug. 4, 1895.
Miss Lambert,
Iberia, O.
My Loving Bertha: If it be your pleasure to listen a few moments I will pen a few thoughts to express the emotions that are constantly welling up in my mind. Your sunshine came to hand Friday while I was engrossed in buying trading & selling merchandise, but I quit business for a while, read your letter and felt like answering it then, but decided to wait for a more secluded hr. and now it has come.
I am in my new home (came yesterday) and feel justly proud of it, new carpet, good book-case and everything complete for a study-room except that you are not here and that is the greatest loss to me of any, but I have faith enough to believe that after awhile we shall both study together in a room equally as good, however I would very much have enjoyed being one of the children with you while you were writing. You would have had hard work to put me to sleep as you did Horace. “Berfy” seems to be in demand, but it makes me raise my head high up to think that “I have just a little the best right.”
You may be an imaginative little girl, but there is something in your life that far excels imagination for me. It makes me glad to know that you are having a nice time and I don't want you to feel that you are having more than your share of the good times for you are not.
Just compare my N. Eng. trip with your stay in Athens Co. saying nothing of the fact that I have many more privileges right along than have you, and likely will have until you get back to school.
I suppose you have not learned yet as to your school work have you? {ie} as to teaching or going to school. So far as the upper lip of that photo is concerned I can fix that by cutting these off as they are in the way every time I visit you, but since they belong to you now (or at least half of them) it will be necessary to have your consent before proceeding farther. What think you? I always have a trade-last for you for if no one else says anything my mind is always full of something nice to say about you and so the supply is inexhaustible. I say you are the nicest lady I ever met, and I defy anyone to disprove it. Marvin paid you quite a compliment on your singing. It made me feel pretty proud to read the notice of your musical concert in the Churchman. I wish I might be with you indeed, but will wish you a nice time and lots of money. I certainly think you are to be complimented on the success of your work this summer.
I talked with two lady musicians at commencement on that line of work, both were or had been teaching as you are, but had not more than half your number in class. Many thanks to the Editor for paper and the note. Dille never knew I was at Iberia until he saw the note in the paper and then he raised a howl. Alva goes to Dayton, Tenn. Sept. 10, as principal of the commercial department of Dayton University.
Mr. Fisher will be here Monday. Perhaps Miss Ervin's minister has more gold than I, but he hasn't so nice a lady Love. You are saving those demonstrations for me and can bestow no more than I deserve; pray tell me then what I may do to be deserving of a great number of those demonstrations, please tell me in your next issue, so I can be preparing. Yes I promised “Berfy” a visit and I shall be sadly disappointed if something prevents said visit. Mr. D. C. Yoder '95 author of class song is to be married Wed. evening. He graduated from the Scientific and expects to continue his course at Delaware. So goes the world and we yet remain.
I believe you said you were going home the first wk. of Sept. and that will soon be here.
You ought to have heard me howl last night at our Philo. called meeting against solicitors out on the train. The Ex. committee meet at 5 o'clock in the morning to decide. I wonder if I can waken that soon. Tuesday morning we commence business again. The first half-hr. after coming in to new quarters yesterday I spent in communion with God in Bible study. I want to so continue throughout this year whether I get quite so much done or not in other studies. With God's blessing resting upon us may not this yr. be one of development for both of us. It almost makes me feel loath to think of you giving up your music this yr. as God has so richly endowed you with that faculty which so few Christian workers possess, but you of course must decide that for yourself. I must leave you for this time. It is now 2:30 P.M. May the Lord bless and preserve you. I close by sending Love's token.
Devotedly, J. H. Harris.
