ROSE HARTWICK THORPE - AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED 10/13/1893 - HFSID 288188

ROSE HARTWICK THORPE
Content-rich letter discussing her stories and poems
Autograph Letter signed: "Rose Hartwick Thorpe", 2 pages (front and verso), 5x8. Pacific Beach, California, 1893 October 13. To "Dear Mr. Gof", in full: "What a negligent correspondent I am. I really thought I had sent the poem published in the Detroit Free Press to you, and you have not received it, so of course I have not sent it, but will do so now. I do not like to trouble your son, but it will be a great kindness if he will speak to Mr. Lee [?] respecting the rhymes in the Year's Best Days. I wrote to him, asking permission to use them, but received no answer. Because this has occurred on several occasions when an answer would have been in the negative, I concluded that his silence meant denial of my request, and did not press the matter. However, my collections will be quite extensive without them in the Year's Best Days, though, of course, the juvenile department will be much more complete with them, and the use of them in the new book would not in any way affect the sale of the Child's work, since that is more for the stories than the rhymes. I have written quite a number of serial stories in the past, nearly all for young readers from 15 to 20 years of age. Not less than a dozen of these have been published in the Golden Days, Philadelphia, Pa., James Elverson, publisher. Each story runs through about 12 numbers of the paper. I have, also, written three story books for young people of about 300 pages each, these are very nicely bound in cloth and illustrated. '[2 words illegible] Days' is a smaller book, bound in cloth, not illustrated. I now intend writing a novel as soon as some other work is completed. By the way copies of the Golden Days can be had (back numbers) for six cents each. Should you desire to send one or more of my serials they will be sent from the publishing house. I will give you some of the titles. 'A Thousand Dollars Reward', 'Jesse Burns, or Who Was the Robber Under Suspicion', 'The Story of a Princess', 'Kyle Collins and his Sister', 'Home Seekers, or Early Times in Texas', 'No Boys Allowed', 'Carl and Charles' (a Cal. Story), 'Grace Eldred's Blind Sister', etc. I was much interested to learn that you had been favored with such admirable contributions to your work as extracts from the writings of Gen. Lew Wallace and Dr. Ebers. I have just ordered The Prince of India for my daughter's birthday book. Very cordially yours". Rose Hartwick Thorpe (1850-1939) emphasizes her stories in this letter, but she was most famous for a poem she wrote in 1867, "The Curfew Must Not Ring Tonight." This poem, about a woman who prevents a bell from tolling until her imprisoned lover can receive a pardon from Oliver Cromwell, was said to be a favorite of Queen Victoria. It was put to music, and three silent films were based upon it. In 1895, two years after this letter, the Pacific Beach Woman's Club was formed in Thorpe's home, with her as its first President. (The group still flourishes today.) The first author featured at a club meeting was Lew Wallace (Union general and author of Ben Hur), mentioned in this letter. Two pinhead size holes at top center. Normal mailing folds. Second page has a 1 inch horizontal tear along top. Some ink lightly faded (still visible). Otherwise, fine condition.