| This is a beautiful letter written from Germany. The best I can tell is that the author of the letter, L.E. Fisher, was visiting Germany and was writing back to her cousin to tell about her trip. The best part of the letter are the beautiful pictures she drew in the margins. At some point, I'll scan them in here. The envelop piece also says "The view from our window at Hotel Bregaglia Promontogna. | ||
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Nov 18th 1878 Dear Cousin Warren Your last letter was rather sarcastic on the frequency of my epistles but I will show my forgiveness by taking no notice of your insinuations. This letter is intended to be purely cousinly and at the same time artistic. I don't know how many photographs Cousin Lizzie may have sent you but perhaps you won't object to having a few sketches of the scenes of our most extraordinary adventures-- No. 1 (sketch here) No. 1 is a view from our window in the hotel Via Mala at Thusis. To be strictly truthful it should have a "flock" or "herd"--which ought it to be called?--of goats in the foreground but I am afraid my goats might be mistaken for pigs--so I didn't try it! No. 2 is a cheerful scene at Ragatz -- the churchyard. It is all full of these modern "monuments." They are all black and have a bright piece of tin nailed over the ridge pole to shed the rain, I suppose. The children are all buried together--I mean, in a separate part of the yard--and their crosses are all bright blue. No. 3 is a house corner which was just over the way from us in Heidelburg. I take for granted that it was the Virgin Mary. At any rate it was very odd looking, especially as it was the first one of the sort which we had seen. No. 3 "Familiarity breeds contempt" and now I don't supposed I should notice one unless there should be something very wonderful about it. No. 4 is a lame attempt at Heidelburg Castle. I suppose Cousin Lizzie has described it to you inside and out but I don't believe she drew it for you. No. 5 is the square at Ratisbone--at least, the corner of it which my window looked upon. The hotel we stopped at was built somewhere in the neighborhood of the year 1500 and the hen they gave us for dinner was apparently of about the same age. The evening that we passed there was spent in watching the firemen getting in and out the windows of this old house. They were out for gentle exercise by torch light and the great thing seemed to be running up a long ladder and sliding down again in a long bag. No. 6 is the main street in the Swiss village of Rothenthiem (??). While I did it the horses were eating bread with hot water poured over it and a handful of flour stirred in. No. 7 -- I think I will close by giving you the portrait of a lovely peasant girl we saw at Friburg. Her wooden shoes and large umbrella were eminently picturesque. The whole costume was characteristic and beautiful! Very much like a costume I used to appear in at Edgartown--you may have seen me in it. I enclose a sketch especially for Cousin Virginia. Tell her she must imagine the ice in the background. With love to all. If you should meet Mr. Fay, you might exhibit this letter for his edification. Yours, L.E. Fisher
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