Name/Title
AU Harris, Joseph Hastings - 1895-06-06 letter to Bertha Elizabeth LambertEntry/Object ID
1990.1.36Context
[Ada, OH, to Miss Bertha Lambert, Westerville, Ohio]
Ada, O. June 6, 1895
Miss Lambert,
Westerville O.
My Loving Bertha:
It affords much pleasure this evening to have the opportunity of addressing you for a few moments. Your letter mailed at six in the evening found me the next morning at nine so you see they are somewhat fresher than when they had to wait for days before reading.
I felt that I ought to answer it at once, but the thoughts of a long Greek lesson rather forbade my doing so, although in one sense I certainly think I ought to be willing to sacrifice most anything to get to talk with you, but you know what I mean.
I don't know just what to say, but I know I never felt before just as I have since our visit.
It was almost impossible to keep still while reading your message of love. I think I have reasons now to be the happiest young man in the State, yes let me say the proudest also.
You spoke of my losing time. Indeed I have not noticed the loss, but on the other hand there is something which seems to impel me forward in the work with greater energy and zeal than ever before. Were you here this evening you might sit by my fire while we talk of the many subjects which we forgot to speak in our visit.
It takes considerable will power to say that I will settle down here and thus be separated from you, but considering that according to present arrangements quite a long time intervenes for us perhaps it may be best (as Mrs Selby said) to be separated somewhat and have to commit our thoughts to writing. Of course it seems hard to do so and perhaps it may be foolish to take such a view but we realize that our future depends much on the work and results of these fleeting years which seem so long to us now.
I would that we might both just be led by the Spirit of God in every idea and plan that we may take up, for we are passing over the waters now in which I believe more true happiness is stranded either now or as a result of this time in the future than in any other way and all simply because of blindness.
I can not help idolizing you more than ever for the very candid manner in which you talked of these things.
Your conversation showed to me more clearly than ever before the breadth of thought of your faculties and a degree of deep intuition and foresight with which I always realized that you were endowed.
While I know that our natural affections tend to lead us on perhaps to the sacrifice of some of the factors that shall tell for good in the future, yet your character shone forth to me in brilliancy, by choosing that which is highest and noblest.
I must say that in our walk that evening I could feel the threads of our “heart strings” blending into one life and character.
I think I can realize by experience now what the Poets say of love.
I am very busy in trying to work some of my studies out before time to go to the Summer School as the boys say I must go to Northfield.
You spoke of the lunch, perhaps you thought it was for yourself too and forgot to take it from the sachel, if so, you got left and I got the lunch.
The style just suited me. If she arranged as nice a lunch for her “point” I feel sure he will make another visit because I expect to do so.
C. B. Magill's “girl” is in my Greek class now. She is a nice lady and wears gold rimmed glasses, but “My O My?” I wouldn't think about trading with C. B.
Some of the boys here tell me I am in love because they saw my name in the Herald.
If you are so changed they must think there is something magical in my visit.
It is now just fife min. of 12. Just one wk. ago this time well —— you may tell the rest.
Both tongue and pen fail to express the love I feel for you, so with a [kiss] (one dozen) I bid you good-night and dream of you in slumber.
May God bless you is the prayer of your devoted Lover,
J. H. Harris.
