Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-02-10
AN ANTIQUE GEM
By DR.. Frank Crane

BY DR.. Frank Crane
Here is a letter. and a letter within a let
ter, both quite genuine, which to me are in
teresting, and WILL I hope, prove so to the
reader The first is as follows
Having read with great interest your ar
ticles in Saturdays Globe entitled Grand
mothers Love Letter. was reminded of a
letter which I prize most highly, written by
my great grandfather in July 1899. He was
eighteen years old, and had left home to
learn engraving and painting.
He afterwards became a portrait painter
and we have three miniatures on ivory
which he painted when twenty years old.
nowadays our youth call their mother
Mate1i and their father Governor or the
old man. and when away, their correspond
ence often consists of a telegram something
like this: Send 100 bucks. Am busted
My great grandfather was related to
Ethan Allen and John Quincy Adams, and the
letter is written in a fine hand, with many
scrolls, and is for SIS. 1t had no envelope,
but was sealed with wax. I should be very
glad to show you the original and the minia-
lures if you to see them, but I have
taken the liberty of copying it, thinking it
might prove of interest,"
Yours very truly,
"GRACE SAALBURG"
The inclosed letter is dated July 5, 1893,
and runs thus:
Loving Mother:
Laying aside the cares and perplexities
which surround me, I attempt to answer
Iyour agreeable and affectionate letter which
came to hand the 9Th inst. 1t is not pen that
can describe the satisfaction 1 took in re-
ceiving line from one 1 SO dearly love.
once had the satisfaction of conversation
with you; but now l am at distant view,
often think of you, and cast back a thought
on all my friends, and there seems to glow
of Y01n Iyhi oh oil ol1o
the medium. But l have a double society of
friends in this place which are very agree
able to me- and sometimes l think this will
seem more like home than Enfield.
81 am now attending Mr.. Kings Mathe-
nautical instrumental Slope, as he has gone
a journey to Boston. But l must conclude
soon as Time passeth swift and company COM
ing into the store, demands my attention.
But, my dear mother, may the best of
Heavens Blessings await thee, peace and
prosperity attend thee, SO long as Time shall
remain.
For my part, am in health and am yet
to be numbered amongst the living, and yet
move and have a being, and so do those, I
hope, whose Fortune it is to live in Enfield
and its vicinity. l have some bad luck, and
some good-the former I must support with
as much fortitude as my weak capacity is
capable Of admitting.
81 have nothing more that l think on at
present, but must bid you Adieu!
| Madame, 1 happy to subscribe my
! self,
"Your most obedent and humble son,
LUTHER ADAMS ALLEN"
How this old letter may strike others
cannot tell, but to me it's antique courtesy, its
air of gentle breeding and the beautiful re-
spect and love of the writer for his mother
have given me delicious ten minutes.
If the absent boys who read this today are
stirred to sit down this night and write tc
| mother of
Past is going to add considerably to the sum
of human happiness.
| Verb. sap. o filius!
| Copyright, 1921, by Frank Crane)