WILLIAM HIRAM RADCLIFFE - AUTOGRAPH LETTER DOUBLE SIGNED 06/24/1896 - HFSID 35383

WILLIAM HIRAM RADCLIFFE
The recent Harvard graduate writes to a young woman he is courting, explaining his plans for the summer, signs name in black ink
Autograph letter signed twice: "Will" and "Will H. Radcliffe" in black ink. 9 pages integral leaf, 4½x7 folded, 7x9 flat. June 24, 1896. In full: "My sweet 22 - Your "dear old Grandpa" intended writing you before he left College, but the last two weeks, there, were the busiest ones of my life - up to present time, and letter writing was entirely out of the question. I will briefly refer to the closing exercises on Class Day as you have, no doubt read the account of it in the paper I mailed at Springfield the following morning. I marked two of the three spreads I attended, and did justice to on that memorable occasion. The third was the Memorial Spread and perhaps was the largest attended of any. In the evening your old Grandpa took one of his sisters (nit) to the dance given in the Gymnasium, and there "tripped the light fantastic" till 2 A.M. I left Boston 8:30 the next morning - made a short stop-over at Springfield and reached home the following day more dead than alive. Anybody could have seen that with their eyes closed - and no wonder, three spreads and a dance plus a stop-over - but I smoothed this over by remarking that the absence of a mustache made one look so different; and by the way, I don't know whether I told you or not, but I shook it some time ago - got so heavy doncher know. Well I have been dozing around here ever since I arrived - in fact, am scribbling this in bed so please excuse writing, etc. Half of my goods have not arrived yet - the man did not get my desk packed before I left and the result is I came away without my pipe. You can hardly imagine how I feel without it. I can hardly make myself believe I am all here. Tomorrow must begin to get myself together as I expect several college friends here in the afternoon - who will remain till after the race, Friday. My dear little sister, I wish you could see that race and if things were not as they are you certainly should, but it is this way. There will be a large number of Harvard fellows in Po'keepsie Friday afternoon and evening, the majority of which I am very intimate with and I promised most of them before leaving that I would see to it that in case we won the Varsity Race Friday that they would enjoy themselves that evening. So you see if we are victorious I will have my hands full. I only hope we will be = and if enthusiasm in the Harvard section on the Observation Train has anything to do with it, Friday, I know we will be. Oh, Det, who do you suppose is downstairs, your Grandpa's Grandpa and Grandma. How old they would feel if they only know; and say, my dear, how long before you will be ready to visit your old Grandpa. I don't believe I can wait as long as I did last year for you to come now that your share of that promise is due. In regard as to what I substituted for those cocktails at the "meet" of the Electrical Section, will leave that, until I see you. Personally, as you will understand better, perhaps, if I tell you than if I write it. Glad to hear you enjoyed those garments of Opera. I have seen all of those you mention, I think. During the past winter and do not wonder you enjoyed them. The Doctor must not be renewing his youth. Has not "Mammy" answered your letter yet? Hang it, I've just been giving her a lecturing for not accepting your invitation and really the only excuse she gave was that she could'ent leave Father alone. Now there may be some truth in that as she has not had a very competent servant this spring but surely there is no reason why she should not have answered your letter and I shall look into the matter directly. Well my sweetness, this beautiful month of June is drawing to a close and what a charming month it has been. Indeed, you would have had a hard time to find a more appropriate one for your birthday. It is a great wonder to me I ever found out that this was your birth-month. If you will reflect a little you will remember that several times in my letters I have tried to get you to tell me when your birthday came, without apparently seeming to do so. The nearest you ever came to it was when you said "You were born in the month of roses - June". Consequently, I had to remember you with something that applied to the month rather than to the day. Hope it and its following numbers will each mouth help to entertain you and so make life easier to live. In sending you the journal there is one thing I want you to promise and that is to never let those "Side Talks with Girls" influence you one way or the other - there is absolutely no sense in the precepts there laid down and it is the wish of your Grandpa that you pay no attention to them. Now, my dear, allow me to express my best wishes for your future and wishing you many happy returns of the "month" I am, Your loving brother". William H. Radcliffe (b. 1873) graduated from Harvard University in May 1896, and worked as an electrical engineer and professor. Radcliffe wrote Telephone Instruments, Their Operation, Arrangement and Management in 1913 and Home Study Course in Practical Electricity in 1916. Normal mailing folds. Toned. Light surface creases. Slightly soiled. Otherwise, fine condition.