First, a long (and flowery) letter from a friend of Clarisse's who was unable to attend the wedding of Clarisse and Louis Rosenberg. A transcription follows because it will be difficult to read from the original writing, but I wanted to include the original. The original reads from the right side of the first page to the left side of the second page (and then right side) before coming back to the left side of the first page.
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| Letter from friend Flora, first page |
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| Letter from friend Flora, second page |
Oakland,
Jan. 10/88
Dearest
Friend Clarisse:
You are now
married and let me add happy and it is to wish you joy on the occasion that I
am writing this. May your marriage prove
a life long happiness.
I number Monday
among one of the happy days for I received your dear letter, it was so full of
good things that I read it over half a dozen times before I paused, or like the
bee, had extracted all its sweetness.
How happy I
am dear friend to know you are mistress of a happy home and to have such a
noble husband. I shall only say, you are
as worthy of his devotion as he is of yours.
How fortunate, Louis dear, was, in securing such a prize as you, dear
one. A model wife. I could fill a ledger with your good qualities,
and not a line with the bad ones. You
are simply perfect as far as human perfection goes.
Mr. Levy
told me all about the wedding, besides I read of the affair in papers. Yes indeed, you did have a brilliant
wedding. I pictured you in your bridal
dress, one of loveliness. Mr. L said,
“you made a beautiful bride.” Clarisse,
dear, imagine if you can, how I felt, one of your dearest friends, to be absent
at your nuptial. You were with me in
thoughts all that happy day. How I
longed to be with you, what yearnings, my heart felt as though it would
break. To think after these eight or
nine years being devoted and true friends, I could not see you married. You can never know sweet friend, how much I
suffered that day. You were constantly
in my mind. Several times in the night I
awoke, & my thoughts flew to you.
The next day you were still in my thoughts, wondering all sorts of
things, etc. (ahem!).
Oh, how
tickled I was when I heard from you. I
hope your new life will not interfere with our friendship. It is now so long since I have seen you that
I have grown quite anxious to and judge how you are looking in these happy
days. Well I will have to wait until
March & a long wait it will be to me.
Would like to pay a visit to you & may some fine day, indeed Ukiah
is too high for me. It isn’t the place I
visit dear, it is you. Don’t forget me,
when you come down in all your gayity.
Wrote & told Ida all about your wedding, etc. She is well and happy. How we miss her. You can well imagine. Oakland is still the same old d___ town. Nothing new.
Rosetta gets married this month, also Gertie J., and my turn is next –
Don’t faint – when I tell you – I had a proposal – “to go East.” No one wants this chromo. I am the same as of old. Mr. G. A D. was over Wedns. Had lots to say –
he marries for money – you can better believe.
Could tell you a good deal. I fix
him. I sit on him (you know why). Can’t imagine you married. While writing I say “Be careful now how you
write, Clarisse is married, etc.” You
write soon to me, Clarisse dear, and tell me all about “it.” I will be strictly confidential. Don’t forget me, dear one. Write like yourself. Oh! How I long to be with you this day &
have a long chat like of old, but what can’t be cured, must be endured. Oh! How happy you must be dear girl. Heaven bless you & Lou Dear. My heart’s best wishes to you both. Goodby & with much love & many a warm
wish for your future.
Believe me,
Ever Your True Friend,
Flora
[End of transcription]
Next is one letter containing notes from Lottie (Charlotte Cerf Elsasser, Moise's daughter), her mother, Fannie (Fannie Landeker Cerf, Moise's wife), and sister, Delphine (Delphine Cerf Stock, Moise's daughter). They send their congratulations on the birth of Clarisse's son. It follows the same reading pattern as before, with Delphine's at the end upside down.
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| Letter of Lottie, Fannie and Delphine, first page |
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| Letter from Lottie, Fannie and Delphine, second page |
Saturday
May 8, 1897
1155 Octavia
St.
Dear
Clarisse and Louis,
We heard
with great pleasure of the advent of your little son and congratulate you most
heartily. May he prove nothing but a joy
and pleasure to you and be a source of great happiness.
Have you
decided what you will call him? Whom
does he look like? I suppose Camille and
Aileen [Aline] make a great fuss over him.
Do you feel real well Clarisse now?
I sincerely hope so.
Mother has
not been very well, she hurt her foot and it was so inflamed that she had to
stay in bed ten days poulticing it. She
is all right again now.
We had quite
a fright with Yvon this week, we thought he had the measles and kept him in bed
for three days but it only proved to be a strawberry rash.
I enclose a little
bib pin for the tiny stranger and send him a big kiss with it.
With lots of
love to all the folks and the same for yourselves.
I am yours,
Lottie
Dear
Cousins,
Although a
little late in offering our congratulations to the birth of your son, accept
our good wishes, and may he prove all your fondest wishes may hope for. I suppose that he will be the boss of the
house, and his two sisters can take a back seat. I am happy to hear that your dear Clarisse
are doing so nicely. Tomorrow is the
barsmitvah I suppose, what is the name to be?
Tell your Father that Cousin Delphine Hippolyte’s Mother died a few
weeks ago.
I have been
confined to my room with a very sore foot, and am just out again after 2 weeks,
so can give you very little news. With
fond love from all the family to yours dear Parents, also Clothilde & Ben,
I remain,
Your Devoted Coz,
Fannie Cerf
Dear Cousins,
Accept
heartiest although tardy congratulations on the advent of the son. God grant he may be a blessing and a comfort
to you always is the wish of your cousin.
Delphine
Cerf
[End of transcription]
QUESTION: Does anyone know who cousin Delphine Hippolyte is?
The last letter is from a friend, Ella, congratulating Clarisse on her son's birth.
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| Letter from Ella, first page |
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| Letter from Ella, second page |
My dear
Friend,
Just having
been out all day on a coaching party. I
am very tried, could not wait until I had written a hasty word of,
Mazeltoff. God bless you both, my dear,
& I fervently hope - your husband yourself and the little girls – live to
see the Boy grow to as good a man as his mother is a woman, my dearest love.
Yours
sincerely,
Ella
Remember me
to your Mama & all.
[End of transcription]
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