Name/Title
AU Harris, Joseph Hastings - 1895-04-21 letter to Bertha Elizabeth LambertEntry/Object ID
1990.1.29Context
[Ada, OH, to Miss Bertha E. Lambert, Bartlett, Ohio, “Washington Co.”]
Box 479, Ada, O. April 21, 1895.
Miss Lambert,
Bartlett, Ohio.
My Loving Bertha: — It thrills me this evening to think of what an opportunity I now enjoy in spending this evening with you in this way. I feel sometimes that I do not appreciate properly this privilege and the (our) events of the past six months, if so it must be a lack of power of appreciation, for my whole soul surely is absorbed. I might have shown more appreciation by visiting you during this to you lonesome four months yes to me also for scarcely an hour passes but that my mind has realized a vacancy which you only can occupy.
But somehow in that neighborhood, whenever I am there, they think I ought to visit all of them and be at home too at the same time (I thank them for so doing). It always takes considerable time to do this, and while it would afford great pleasure to do this, yet it hardly seems to me like selfishness to say that as time is limited I should like to spend most of it in your presence and you remember that even the children protested bitterly against my staying at Alva's all the time last fall.
This has been a beautiful day, but acts stormy this evening. Everything moves on nicely here and they anticipate a large commencement. Contest will be quite exiting. These warm days make me feel like getting out and I shall have to take more exercise than I have been or a reward will be reaped.
I suppose Leonard got home all right. It seems just a little lonesome now to sit all alone from 6 O'clock in the evening 'till 11 the next morning with not a sound save the tick of the clock and the voices from the street. Alva Dille sent a letter stating that he will be here Normal and Fall Terms so we shall likely room together.
I hope you may not be disappointed in your Chorus class, however you will soon know about that. O yes I found one of your old classmates of Westerville last year. Mr. McKean you probably remember him. He has light wavy hair and like myself is not hurt with beauty.
He is in my Latin and German classes and said he was in several of your classes.
He expects to go back to W. this fall. Well I don't know about you writing to Prof. Smith. He inquires about you once in a while. He seems to think a great deal of his pupils.
I hope you are enjoying these beautiful days and can pass the time pleasantly. I listened to two stirring addresses today, one by Prof. Fess, the other by Rev. Tilly. I suppose Leonard has made one of those calls by this time, but I guess he need not say much as a letter came for him this wk. from Stockport, O. “You remember Miss Newton lives there or near there.” Of course I forwarded it at once.
Well what are you doing this evening? busying yourself some way of course if not at church. My heart glows in thinking of you and surely the breathing is deeper in thoughts of pure love, and I can not help thinking that at those times your heart is overflowing in the same channel.
The Y.M.C.A. work is moving along as well as could be expected. There is considerable enmity against the work, but think by being careful it may be lived down. I find it excellent training and realize that it is the means of deepening the spiritual life.
In the mission band we are studying South America and I never was more surprised, just to think that S.A. has but one missionary (including laymen) for about every 90,000 Inh. The field is wide open, awaiting workers, teachers, ministers, merchants, Y.M.C.A., Secretaries etc. Space forbids speaking at length on any of these questions which we both are wont to speak of so much when we are together.
May choice blessings be yours, soothing your fears and anxieties, making light your burdens, filling your pure life with love and sunshine.
So taking the best of the many kisses you have in store for me I will have to say good-night once more.
With love,
J. H. Harris.
