Hamburg, Germany

Oct. 6,1889

My dear Mother & Father,

I’m all ready for church except my outside garments and there are not a few minutes bforeit is necessary to start.  It looks like a lovely day.  Two young ladies, German, are going wit us to the English church.One is a new pupil of the frauleins from Bremen public school.  The teacher is very devoted to Americans-to us.  She feels tenderly attached to them from the fact that she had a brother there, and one is there still.  She speaks very good English.  Yesterday afternoon I took a walk with h;er and Fraulein Greise who is to be here for six months.  We went to the old church yard.  . They were interested to see the grave which was not to be opened, which I told you I visited not long ago. After wandering around there awhile we started for Waterloo Platz where is the Waterloo monument. but I took a wrong street and landed in another part of the City.  And by turning back came into a part I knew and easily came home again.

Did I write you that Hannover contains now about five hundred thousand people.  It is thought at the time the Emperor was here that a million people were here in the City.

I have been to church and am now in my pretty room beside my table thinking of you , and wishing I could see you – That you could appear here in my room and take dinner with me which will soon be ready.  I hope our breakfast is rather meagre, by dinner time I am usually quite ravenous, unless I have taken the second breakfast which I go to on Sundays.  It is a glorious day – like our bright October- glorious indeed.  I believe it is the warmest day we’ve had since we came to H.- Since I wrote you Wednesday we’ve been quite busy studying.  I’ve thought a good deal about Zurich and had a talk with my teach who thinks about as I’ve written you all along.  There is no doubt but I shall stay here for the next five months at least.

I’ve not heard from you this past week.  I had a letter from Miss Bell yesterday, …. Just at this point I was called to dinner – and such a nice dinner too! Soup first- as we have every day – Then a nice brown leg of lamb with cauliflower, potatoes and dressing.  For dessert a kind of pudding and chocolate cream cakes.  I have just come in from the dining room.  The Teacher, Fraulein Fredericks, who goes back to her home in Bremen this afternoon is very fond of us – because as I said we all are Americans  and likes to be with us every moment we can spend.  I’ve not been able to spend money, as I’ve been very busy since she came and Sundays are very full- in fact- it’s the shortest day of the week.  How I wish you could go to church – I look forward to it from the end of one Sunday to the next-  and am very grateful to be where I can go to church. I am ;appy to know through Miss Gaule that there is an End. Church in Zurich- I should not be contented to hgo there unless there was.

Wednesday we have planned to go the Hildesheim, an old city near here- where there is a cathedral which was built in 1055.  There is a very pretty legend about this church, which Miss Bell related to me in her letter of yesterday.  I am to try to find out  the rest of the legend.  One of the Henrys was lost in the woods- he laid his rosary on a bush and fell asleep-  When he awoke a rose bush in bloom stood before him and his retainers came up.  He resolved to found a cathedral on the spot this rose bush- which it is claimed can be proved by ancient records to be 800 years old is about 30 ft. high and about 30 ft. in width- quite a bush! and climbs on one side of the church.  Miss Bell says we ought to visit this church. So we  have planned to go Wednesday.

We intend to call on Fraulein Meyer who  was visiting here last week and who sent Miss Swan a German Grammar which she acknowledged yesterday and there mentioned out coming to Hildesheim.  We are planning soon to go to Berlin and Dresden, which are not far from us.  I’ve always considered Germany, France and Italy large countries, but it is like going from one state to the other here – and the large cities are often very near together.  This country is small and not so thinly inhabited as the U.S.  In Dresden is one of the finest art galleries in the world and ranks with the Louvre in Paris and the two most renowned in Italy the Pitti and Uffizi.  We must certainly go there before going away from Germany.  There are a great many things to be seen in Berlin.  We shall travel 3rd class-  Miss Bell says she did and was very comfortable.So I think if she traveled third class alone, We, together can do it, surely.

Not many evenings age I played a little on the piano.  Tante Heidelburg was there and she was very pleased with my touch-  She said it was very good and wanted me to play last evening at a little musicale here in the house.  The same as we have every Saturday evening by the young pupils of the Frauleins.  But I did not. I explained about my hand (being burned?) so they excused me.  I do it up once in a while by that means I keep it very straight.  I told you, as I remember you are always pleased if anyone compliments me or likes me.  I told you that they kiss me every night and say “Gute Nacht  liebe Harriett (good night dear Harriett) Schlafen sie wohl” (sleep well.)  They are very affectionate and kind.

I am very well – My good appetite continues and I sleep and walk and enjoy everything.  Miss Bell had just received the ship letter I sent to her from Amsterdam at the time I sent yours.  It went to Sugar Hill Where I thought she would be –  and the lady there did not re-mail it to her for three weeks.  That was too bad- was it not?  When she was waiting for news.

I have been two busy to write letters the week. I ought to write to Adele and Miss Cushing, and hope to soon. We may go to Berlin & Dresden Thursday.  If so, I do not know when I shall have time to write letters.  One day this past week.,  I went to a loan library here and paid 75 cents for three months that allows one to take out any book for just as long a time as one wishes.  I took “Home Sum” by George Elbers… by the same you’ve read as , “The Bride of the Nile”.  I have begun the book and find it very fascinating in the German..  My teacher thought for my lesson to-morrow it would e a good plan to write in my letter to her about what I’d read in this book.  The German is mch harder than the book Miss Swan and I ha been reading together.  Hereafter we intend to take two lessons a week together and then do the Grammar work- and two lessons a week alone-  I have had more work in translating and can read harder German th;at Miss Swan cares to undertake- so this part of our work we are about to separate.

Friday evening we went to hear Emil Sauer — the finest piano player in the world.  Our tickets cost 371/2 cents.  It was one’s very ideal of beautiful music.  His touch was very delicate.  Also very powerful-  At times it was deliciously sweet – again, as if a whole orchestra were playing.  It as too grand to describe.  We went at seven and came home about nine- after which we had our supper.  Then a chat with the Frauleins.  Then to bed.  How I wish you could have heard him-  I greatly enjoyed the fine feeling brought out in the music – not by pedals, but by somethings not so visible-  I have always disliked the use of pedals – it was grand when he initiated a whole orchestra – yet used not the  _____ pedal

How are your eyes, dear Mamma?  Have you had a cold time this Fall?  I have been talking with Miss Swan until now there ‘s not much time to write  before church.  My darling ones, be happy – and as I always say – write soon and tell me everything.  I send a few violets to you which were given me by the Fraulein Fredericks who went away at five- just after we had had coffee.  She brought us (Miss S. and I each a bunch to-day and yesterday each a part of onel  They are lovely and sweet, perhaps there will be some fragrance in them when they reach you.   And now for this time, “Good bye.” which means, as you now- God be with you A farewell kiss- and much love to yourselves and my brothers & sisters.

Your own loving daughter,

Harriett E. R.