Letters - Miss Alice Anderson... I dreamed Thursday night... L.A. Gould

Dear Reader,
      The next scores or so of posts will be not my own writings, but correspondences of my Great-Grandfather Leon Gould. This letter is to his cousin, Alice, whom he later married! Great-Grandpa Leon had a large family (of 11 children), and journeyed as secretary to Alexander Smith in the RLDS church before eventually joining the Church of Christ (TL) and becoming an Apostle. His descendants have been blessed with a rich spiritual heritage and many true family accounts of  what can only be called miracles. If you read these letters and are interested in reading more of the Gould family history, look for a book titled "Trek of Faith" by Peggy Tucker. These letters contain the original spelling mistakes and have not been corrected. Feel free to print and keep these letters in your own family history files if you so wish. In the future, a book of Leon's writings will be made available. Enjoy!



                                                                                                             Moose. Minn.
                                                                                                             Dec. 10, 1899
Miss Alice Anderson,
Bemidji, Minn.

I dreamed Thursday night that I had got two letters from England, one from you, so Friday I went to the P.O. and got your letter but the others have not arrieved. Now perhaps I had better proceed to answer your letter. I am sorry that you were so disturbed as to think it necessary to do anything so distasteful as to write to me. I don’t see why Mrs. Nye should try to be offended at you, that I didn’t stay there over night for I told her that I couldn’t and wouldn’t, before you came in from the lake.

     As to coming to your place: How could I, any more than I have? Have stayed all night there and took dinner twice; I should think that was a great plenty.

    I didn’t blame you at all for not speaking to me in church, for I will own up that I tried to avoid it. Don’t ask me why, I cant help it. You should not have allowed it to cause you any uneasiness of mind. Whatever my actions may be, do not imagine that it is because I am offended. Nothing of the kind. Thank you for the invitation to Christmas dinner but I cannot promise to be present. My presence is not worth much anyway, and I am getting so I feel miserable and out of place in a gay crowd,. I’d rather be alone.

     I don’t know why Maud has not written to you. I supposed she had. May be she has been to busy lately.

    Tell the boys I don’t care for the school, thanks. I’ll be free in a week or more and if the Lord is willing I will quit the school business and leave it to abler hands. I’ve tried seven terms and made what I consider failures, so I think it is time to adjourn.

    You know a person in order to make a successful teacher must be able to put all their energies into the work and no one with a load on their minds is in condition to do the work. It took me six months to get this school under my control and I did not do it then without making enemies; but I can’t help it. I would have done the same if I knew it would make an enemy of the best friends I had, if I have any.

                                                                                                  L.A. Gould