Letter to an Unknown Woman
As Fisher requested I arrived at his house this morning, excited to finally discover his plan. When I arrived he had pen and paper laid out on his table. He offered me some breakfast. I had already eaten, but I accepted some coffee. We chatted while Fisher finished his breakfast, then he cleared his things, placed the pen and paper in front of me, and before I realized what he was doing, he was dictating a letter for me.
Dearest Sam,
I pray this letter finds you well. I trust New York is treating you as it always has and that business is good. Lem and the children are in good health and high spirits. Now forgive me for being forward but allow me to speak more bluntly. Sam, you know what kind of man I am. You know that I am honest, and have never been one to take advantage of a friend, but I need a favor that requires the help of a man in your line of work. A dear friend of mine has recently experienced a heavy loss, and I was hoping you could help the friend of a dear old friend. I am afraid we have no time for the usual formalities associated with this kind of transaction, but my friend and I are departing for the West in less than a month and a half. I have enclosed a letter in my friend's name and $50. I realize that this is far less than the usual price, but it is the most I can offer for the happiness of my friend. I am placing this entirely in your hands. I trust you will make all the necessary arrangments, and I trust your judgment in making the most important decision. Please respond as quickly as possible, so that I know that this letter has found you, and that I can rest at ease knowing my friend is taken care of.
Your Friend,
Fisher Jones,
Actor
I was full of questions, but Fisher urged me to first take the letter to the Post Office, full of worry that it would not reach its destination in time.* I set off for the Post Office immediately and was able to deliver the letter in time for it to be sent out that day. When I arrived back at Fisher's house, he had me sit with him, and explained the letter he had just written.
Fisher has an old friend in new York named Sam Sherman. Mr. Sherman puts men in search of wives in touch with women living in Europe. The men correspond with the women for a period of time, then if the man wishes, the woman comes to America and they are married.** Because of the time we have, Fisher is requesting that Mr. Sherman simply choose a woman and send her to Sylvester. It will in all likelihood be at least twenty days before we receive Mr. Sherman's response. We can only hope that Mr. Sherman will agree to this.
*Although the first message by telegraph, "What hath God wrought!", was sent by Samuel Morse in 1844, the first commercial telegraph wire from Washington D. C. to New York was not completed until the Spring of 1846.
** Many early American settlers married women they had never met that had been sent over from Europe. In present times these would be referred to as mail order brides, which today come mainly from Ukraine, Russia, Colombia, and the Philippines.
Dearest Sam,
I pray this letter finds you well. I trust New York is treating you as it always has and that business is good. Lem and the children are in good health and high spirits. Now forgive me for being forward but allow me to speak more bluntly. Sam, you know what kind of man I am. You know that I am honest, and have never been one to take advantage of a friend, but I need a favor that requires the help of a man in your line of work. A dear friend of mine has recently experienced a heavy loss, and I was hoping you could help the friend of a dear old friend. I am afraid we have no time for the usual formalities associated with this kind of transaction, but my friend and I are departing for the West in less than a month and a half. I have enclosed a letter in my friend's name and $50. I realize that this is far less than the usual price, but it is the most I can offer for the happiness of my friend. I am placing this entirely in your hands. I trust you will make all the necessary arrangments, and I trust your judgment in making the most important decision. Please respond as quickly as possible, so that I know that this letter has found you, and that I can rest at ease knowing my friend is taken care of.
Your Friend,
Fisher Jones,
Actor
I was full of questions, but Fisher urged me to first take the letter to the Post Office, full of worry that it would not reach its destination in time.* I set off for the Post Office immediately and was able to deliver the letter in time for it to be sent out that day. When I arrived back at Fisher's house, he had me sit with him, and explained the letter he had just written.
Fisher has an old friend in new York named Sam Sherman. Mr. Sherman puts men in search of wives in touch with women living in Europe. The men correspond with the women for a period of time, then if the man wishes, the woman comes to America and they are married.** Because of the time we have, Fisher is requesting that Mr. Sherman simply choose a woman and send her to Sylvester. It will in all likelihood be at least twenty days before we receive Mr. Sherman's response. We can only hope that Mr. Sherman will agree to this.
*Although the first message by telegraph, "What hath God wrought!", was sent by Samuel Morse in 1844, the first commercial telegraph wire from Washington D. C. to New York was not completed until the Spring of 1846.
** Many early American settlers married women they had never met that had been sent over from Europe. In present times these would be referred to as mail order brides, which today come mainly from Ukraine, Russia, Colombia, and the Philippines.
posted by Nathaniel David at 6:57 PM
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