Dear Reader,
The next score 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, 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!
Henning, MN
Oct. 9, 1898
Miss. Alice
Anderson,
Moose, Minn.
Dear Cos:-- “Great is Diana.” Also the Blickenderfer Typerwriter, not in
name only but also in deed. My school is
prospering as well as could be expected under the circumstances, but their
teacher seems to be pining away in unbelief.
Have held forth a week, “it seems so many years.” Last Wednesday night I was so lonesome that I
made up my mind that if I lived until Saterday I would go and see somebody I
knew, so as soon as I had finished my breakfast I made a bee line for Grandma
Whitings. A few minutes after my arrival
there pa, ma, and Maude came so I had quite a visit. Henry Ways folks came into Clitherall
Saterday expecting to stay until after Conference. By the way, I heard some wonderful news,
hardly dare to tell but guess I will.
Now hold your breath: Jennie Wendell is a Wendell no more. She is married, married, married. Her Lord’s name is Jasperson, I think, or
something like it. She wrote pa that she
had found a man who had accepted her hand without regard to age, race, color,
or previous condition of servitude. Her
home is in Oregon. So it looks as if I
had lost my only chance of happiness in this life, doesn’t it? Her husband is only 22 years older than she,
if I have been rightly informed. Such is
life.
How do you like being a Schoolma’am? What kind of a school have you got hold of or
haven’t you got hold of it yet? You had
better get a gun of some kind to take to school with you for fear and
trembling. I have been thinking about
getting a nine-shooter and going up there to protect you, no don’t grin. I mean it.
Perhaps when those 5,000 soldiers get there they will queel the red men.
(the Lamanites)
I believe that I did give up that you were
right about that 5 and 4 are 9 but I’ll take it back long enough to make
another attempt to defend my position.
Now you can say,
Charley and Jimmy are here, of course they
are, but it would not be right to say—
5 and 4 are 9, of course they are.
You would have to say, it is 9. In the first sentence when you use a pronoun
in the place of the compound subject, it must be a plural one, while in the
latter it must be a singular pronoun, and of course it takes a verb in the
singular number. Isn’t that right? Just look at it:--
Charley and Jimmy are here.
They are here.
And
5 and 4 is 9.
It is 9.
Would you say:- They are 9, or It are
nine? Take your choice.
I wrote a letter to Bro. Alex Hale
to-night. Had my forune told the other
day which said among other things that I was to marry Ethel Cook when I was
twentyfive years old. If that is the
case I guess I don’t want to get married near as bad as I thought I did. She is working at Mr. Lanes yet and uncle
Almond Whiting has not got home yet.
Have had two girls ask me to write to them
since I got my typewriter but have not accepted either propostion. There is a yound lady here at my boarding
place that I was told was pretty but if such is the case she has kept it hid
ever since I came here.
Last Saturday my road led me past the old
Latter Day Saint church where you used to live.
I had not seen the place since you lived there and did not know I was
anywhere near it until I came in sight but I knew the place immediately. The church is used for a barn now. The dreariest homesick feeling took
possession of me and it was quite a while before it left me. My mind was also occupied with the probable
cause of the “northern lights” that used to promenade around that old
school-house. Did not settle the
question to my satisfaction.
Listened to Henry Way and James H. Allen
argue on religion for about two hours Sunday and at the close Hen. Challenged
Bro. Allen to debate the question next winter and his challenge was accepted. I expect I had better take it down, print it
in book form, in twenty nine volumes and use it for the conversion of the
heathen and the Leech Lake Indians on Bear Island.(if there is any left by that
Time.)
Old Men and old horses must each have their
day,
When it’s tough chewing beefsteak and hard
grinding
hay;
No matter what races or money they’ve won,
They’ve got to stand back for a much
younger one.
They shake in their knees, and are weak in
the back,
Not fit for the office nor fit for the track,
If rich the old man can grunt by the fire,
While the old horse is pounded along
through
the mire.
At last they are both dumped away with the
rest
Who knows but old horses may finish the
best?
It’s a problem that’s bothered great minds in
the past,
And I think it’s a question quite likely
to last.
But one thing we know, our race is soon run,
Man’s labor is finished, the horses
work done.
And if simple justice to all things is given,
Many men will be barred while their horses
reach heaven,
I think there is more truth tham poetry in
it.
I don’t know who the author is but it must be
some smart man.
Longfellow is my favorite poet. I believe I can understand the feelings that
prompted him to write his poems. The
“Rainy Day” always fascinates me. And
there is another poem which struck me so forcibly, especially one stanza, that
I copied it. It is this—
“But in despair I bowed my head,
There is no peace on earth.” I said;
“For
hate is strong,
And mocks the song.
Of peace on earth good will to men.”
Edgar Allen Poe is another writer whose
gloomy spirit seems to harmonize with mine.
If you have an opportunity, and have not read “The Raven”.
Have been thinking of writing to T.M.Roberts
or Montgomery Ward & Co. to send me the price list on wives. I believe I could get up a club and get a
dozen at reduced rates. I know about a
dozen men who I think would take one.
Well I guess I will close my short epistle
wishing you all possible success. Allow
me tp subscribe myself
Your loving cousin
until—death
do us
part.
Leon
A. Gould
Henning Minn.
E.& O.E.
LOL Oh Grandpa, You are a hoot! But Edgar Allen Poe? All I have to say is you must have been melancholic when you read it. The part about the the girl hiding that she is pretty is just, just, so Gould. HA! : )
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