Name/Title
AU Harris, Joseph Hastings - 1896-09-06 letter to Bertha Elizabeth LambertEntry/Object ID
1990.1.123Context
[Portsmouth, OH, to Miss Bertha Lambert, Westerville, Ohio, “Franklin Co.”]
Portsmouth, Ohio.
Sep. 6, 1896.
Miss Bertha Lambert,
Westerville, Ohio.
You Dear Girl: I was just ready to go to S.S. this morning when the cry “mail!” sent me to the door and there I found your letter and the Ada paper. I was not so sick but that I ate a hearty breakfast but I was just thinking how nice it would be to attend the same S.S. this morning, but since that was denied I was thinking of the letter when lo it came.
I beg pardon for scolding(?) you so when you were so busy. I wonder that you have done so well with school work and company at the same time. I am glad however that you have started in school and trust you may be so favored as to be able to remain in school until you are a “Mistress.” Please congratulate Carrie for me. If she desires a school I hope she may be able to obtain it.
You have pretty good work. You have not mentioned it but I suppose your “peepers” are as strong as usual. I am sorry about the books as I have neither Xenophon nor Vergil as several of my books were rented and some I sold as they were old texts. I hope to be able to take that Bible Study this yr.
It is just one month today since I left Athens. I sold 185 Studies in that time making my profit $6475. Carfare and board $1675 so I think that is doing first rate for me. You just wrote in time for this last wk Miss Tappan, daughter of Pres. Pastor, sent word to me that she would be pleased to have me call before leaving town so I called Fri. afternoon and had quite a little visit. She is pretty, but not so good looking as my “Sweetheart.”
What do you think of that? She is determined to become a missionary but meets with considerable opposition. She wishes to join the S.V.M.F.M. but is not a student. She has written to Sec. Sharman about it and as he did not invite her openly to sign the card she thought she perhaps was not wanted because a non-student so she was anxious to see some one who belongs to the movement. I have not met all the folks from the “ridge.” I went through the shoe-factory and found it quite a treat. I cannot say yet “Dear” when I will get into school. I think of leaving here Tuesday and will either go to Ironton or toward you stopping at Piketon, Waverly, Chillicothe etc to Col. which of course means W—
I presume the latter will be the route so I do not know where to say that you should write.
Perhaps I had better suffer the pain of waiting on your letter until I write again. 4:30 P.M. I just came from the Y.M.C.A. They have a series of lectures this month by the pastor.
I am pleased to know that I am remembered so kindly.
I would very much appreciate having a visit with Mr. & Mrs. Mayne. Their kindness and interest manifested while visiting at their home has been a pleasing recollection and benefit to me.
Of course you had a nice time with Miss Chandler. I can almost hear her myself.
Yes, I forgive you all and will continue to love you even more fondly than ever because you are the joy of my life and I could not get along without you even though you are absent from me so much. I think when there are any more changes in our school work we shall both have to go at the same time shall we not?
I shall keep you informed as to my intentions and whereabouts etc. and should I decide to work much longer I shall visit you while working at Chillicothe.
I hope we may have the opportunity of studying quite a good deal of missionary literature this year.
What a pleasure it would be to spend this beautiful evening with you, but since duty comes first I suppose we will have our pleasure pretty soon. We can be faithful and trust God to use us in His own appointed way. Do you get the Herald now? May God bless my Sweetheart and keep her safe during my absence.
Your Intended,
J. H. Harris.
