Numbered
pages 177-182.
Lee
House, etc. Belvidere N.J. June 8
1899.
Dear
Cousin Henry J.:
Your
kind letter with inclosure was duly rec’d.
I was pleased to hear from you.
Your idea of publishing a souvenir pamphlet is a good
one. I am in favor of such a course. I
will assist in the matter as I may be able to do, and also will contribute my
share toward the expense of printing etc.
The reunion was first planned for the
descendants and kinsfolk of the two families to have a picnic gathering, to become better acquainted and spend a pleasant day together. Both the past reunions have been very pleasant days to me. I have thought if the distance was not so great, what a grand thing it would be if more from a distance could attend,--or if a reunion could be held at some central place where all who desired might attend; but such a thing of course is impossible.
I would be pleased to have you attend this year again,
but the long miles that
intervene
between us may make it not possible for you to be here.
We are all well at my home at this time. We have been having very warm weather out
here the past few days—98 and 100 in the shade. The papers report much suffering from the heat in New York and
Philadelphia, and a good many deaths.
We are now in the midst of the Strawberry season out here. There are lots of them in the
market. I suppose of course you have lots of them
out with you.
Mr.
and Mrs. Hay are also usually well at this time. They have their little Grand daughter with them now—she was three
months old yesterday and is getting to be a fat little girl.
I see in the papers that they are taking steps to hold
a Centennial Celebration in the shape of a World’s Fair at St. Louis Mo, in
1903. Well if life is spared and I do
not get
out
your way before that time I will then visit the Great West.—
I
have been sorry that you did not get into the old graveyard at Ramsaysburg
where Nicholas and Japie (Aten) Albertson lie buried, and where the old Harris
ancestors are also buried—You passed it several times, and I intended that you
should get into it, but someway you did not.—
I do not have anything
new
in the way of family history to give you at this time.
All
your distant kinsfolk out here, and about here are usually well so far as I
have heard.
If
possible bring Mrs. Aten out here and show her our mountains and hills, our
valleys and the Delaware Water Gap and other interesting places.
It
must be pleasant to have your daughter Stella home with you again.
We
all send love and kind regards to you all.
I am yours very fraternally and respectfully
P.S. I send papers along with this.