Helen Hunt Jackson Papers, Part 6, Ms 0353, Box 1, Folder 10. NOT PART OF ORIGINAL PURCHASE.
Letter from HHJ to Hamilton Wright Mabie, 1883. Purchased May 2010 from Argosy Books.
Transcribed by Jessy Randall, May 2010.
1600 Taylor St.
S. 7
July 30, 1883
Dear Mr. Mabie,
In your first ED note of July 23 C.U. reading now today you say, “The Indian Reservation” – you mean Ind. Territory –
In the second – you give my extracts from the Colorado Springs Gazette – relative to the cowboys’ late outrages on the Utes [crossed out: as if they were] on the Ute Reservation as if they were committed on the Cheyennes – I can’t imagine how this happens – The extracts from the Gazette were clear & unmistakable –
I’m sorry – I dare say nobody will notice or know -- & the fact of the outrage is the same whether committed on Cheyennes or Utes – but still as you make me personally responsible for the title of the narrative, I am sorry it does not stand in accurate shape.
Do glance through my chap. on the Cheyennes – & the and the account of the Chivington massacre given in Col. -- & make a condensed picture of what they have had to bear.
Yrs ever truly
H.J.
Small manuscript (first verse of “The Way to Sing”) dated November 14, 1882. Purchased July 2010 on Ebay.
Transcribed by Jessy Randall, July 2010.
The Way to Sing
The birds must know. Who wisely sings
Will sing as they.
The common air has generous wings;
Songs make their way.
H.H.
Helen Jackson
Colorado Springs. Nov. 14, 1882
[in small, light letters at bottom: “generous” (probably someone clarifying the word in the third line]
4 letters from HHJ to William Sturgis, 1882, with 1 poem from Sturgis to HHJ, 1876, and a photograph of HHJ matching CC's ca. 1877 photo. Purchased February 2016 from Between the Covers Rare Books.
Transcribed by Between the Covers and CC Special Collections staff, 2016.
Los Angeles, April 6, 1882.
Dear Will
The enclosed telegram speaks for itself. I did not cry when I read it: but I wanted to. I am somewhat better this morning: – but still very miserable & croupy: am “in” for a week at least. You’ll have to dismiss me from your plans, I think. You might only lose time for nothing – … I’m too uncertain a critter now – I have set my wits together to settle in in this room for eight to ten days if need be. I shan’t start on that southern trip, till either Will – or the artist can go with me: that’s certain: It is also certain that I couldn’t do a thing now, if they were both here – & that’s the only thing that consoles me for the general delays all around. I never know such a piling up of perversities and hinderings and hamperings in my life. If I were only well now, I would start for San Fran & San Luis as soon as you could get back here – (always providing you wanted to do it) – but I shan’t be fit for all day work & hard trips & chance bedrooms for some time yet – Let me know what you do – I’m so glad you’ve got Perkins – everybody seems to like him so much. I’m sure he must be jolly. – Goodbye –
Yours always affly Helen
[Enclosure:] Western Union Telegraph from William Jackson, in manuscript, possibly in the hand of the telegraph operator) headed “Colorado Springs …” in 1881 to “Mrs. Wm S. Jackson, Case postponed again, may not reach you before May first, Wm Jackson”
Los Angeles, Sunday Morn. April 9 [1882].
Dear Will Your letter is just at hand – what an awful journey you had of it – I’ve been out in one of those sad stories – last Jan. that makes two in three months – semi-tropic country. No farther news from Will – on April 5 he was at Pueblo in lawyers office “preparing an affidavit”. He says “I can’t tell at all when this case will be ended, if ever!” No telegram yet from the artist – do not believe he will be here before the 19th as we had hoped. -- neither do I believe I shall be fit to travel before that time: so it is as well. -- I have evidently had a close shave on one of my serious bronchial attacks: -- & must be more careful in future in knocking about in these outlandish places. – I have not been out of the house yet -- If it is warm & bright I shall take a short drive tomorrow – but it is a cold rain today – I burned out a cold scuttle full of coal in my grate this morning before I got the mercury up to 65 degrees. Again I remark – “semi-tropic”! – The other half of the semi- is arctic! -- There are 5 ft of snow in the Yosemite – you can’t go there at present. I am wondering what you will do – of course you’ll let me know – Don’t worry about having left me here – for I am really very comfortable – I am thankful enough since I must be by for a time that I happened to be in this house & above all, in this airy, sunny room. -- Fancy what it would have been to be ill ten days at San Bernardino or Riverside! I should probably have had a long & serious illness, simply for lack of nutritious foods. -- I do hope you’ll hit it off with Perkins or some other fine fellow for your journey. Good luck to you – & much love always from – the other Helen. [In margin:] The antithesis between orange flowers under your windows – and coal fires inside your home is a notable thing.
Los Angeles, Tuesday April 11, 1882.
Dear Will Your note of today is at hand – You are very kind indeed to say you will hold your plans subject to my needs – I’ll do as much for you when I get a chance – but you may safely dismiss me from your mind this time: I am about well if the cold is falling off -- & I have less of the general sneezey-blowy-scrapey – abominable condition than I had had for the weeks before coming here: --. I suppose that particular army of entozooa (if that’s the way to spell ‘em) – has had its campaign on my mucous membrane -- & passed on or died. – whether as soon as I go out into the open air I shall breathe in a fresh corps of them to begin a new life inside of me, remains to be seen. I hope & pray not. -- Will’s “call” is now set for the 18th. – As Sandham can’t appear till the 19th -- & can spend three days here profitably. That will work in very well – in case Will starts on the 19th – for which I greatly hope. – If not, I shall start with Sandham on the 23rd or 24th. -- & push right through and hie straight back to Santa Barbara: -- letting Will join us when & where he can. – I have the feeling that he’ll come this time. – I think I’ve had my spring medicine of torments now. Goodbye – good luck to you & a jolly good time – I am sure to be here till 23rd or 24th so you can let me know what happens to you. Till then. – & always you know “care Roberts Bros., Boston” will find me sooner or later. - Ever yrs affly - Helen Tell McThail that I shall be there in the first week of May with the artist – & shall count on his taking us to Monterey. – I shall not wait or delay one minute, for Will, after Sandham gets here. – if he can join us at the start well & good – if not, he must overtake us somehow, somewhere!
Colorado Springs, Aug. 12, 1882.
Dear Will I want to introduce to you Mr. Richard Trimble – son of Merrill Trimble of New York whose wife was an intimate friend your aunt Hannah Hinckley – and is now I trust one of mine. I next will be in San Francisco -- & I want to tell you that anything you can do for any of them will be done for me. – so I know to what I am giving them a letter. I send them to the “other hill”. I am writing in the most frightful hurly burly – the bay windows all out – and pulleys being put in – pulleys which we might have as well had all these years but never found anybody who could ever put them in. Mr. Trimble is looking into the cattle ranch your time – and if you can persuade him to settle in your neighborhood, you will soon add a most charming acquisition to your bachelor circle. With love for you both -- ever yours Helen Col. Springs Aug. 12 ‘82
Envelope: William Sturgis Jr. Cheyenne Introducing Mr. Richard Trimble.
William Sturgis to “H.H.” Denver Pacific RR. 29 January 1876.
To H.H. You said write me a line when you reach home A line! I easily could fill a tome Should I write all that I forgot to say …
You ask the likeness of those past lines tender (May I say, Harper’s pattern sheet on a bender?) Ghosts of ships cordage substance gone and weight A Dorè forest, quaint and delicate, Lacking the castles gothic walls and gate.
As we go on – Cheyenne appears at last …
[William Sturgis, no signature]
Letter from HHJ to William H. Rideing, editor of The Youth’s Companion, 1884. Ebay purchase, February 2021.
Transcribed by Jessy Randall, February 2021.
Colorado
Colorado Springs
Friday June 13 1884
Dear Mr. Rideing,
Your note of the 2nd reached me just as I was leaving New York, & I have had no time to reply to it, till now.
It is a little disheartening to see how afraid you are that I cannot get the stories just right. But I shall try, nevertheless. I propose to make it my summer’s work to write those three stories, and I feel reasonably sure of success. For the Quaker story, I still have some special studies to make – and have ordered several rare old books of the 17th century for that purpose. For the Colorado story and the South Californian and Indian I have all I need. I infer, as you made not allusion to my Report on the Mission Indians, that you saw nothing objectionable in my drawing materials from that source. I shall combine the Californian element with the Mexican and Indian, to enhance the interest (and disguise my Indians.)
I have my plans for these nearly worked out, but I shall not be able to do anything on them before the first of July – and each of the stories will cost me at least a month’s hard work. But if I succeed I shall expect to be well rewarded by making the acquaintance, and winning the liking of a hundred thousand or so of your million readers!
Would it be too much trouble for you to send me the eight nos. of Mrs. Oliphaunt’s charming story? You sent them once – but I gave them away to a friend who wanted them for her children. She said she should paste them in a little scrapbook. I would be very glad to have them myself, for a constant sample and stimulus, before my eyes, this summer.
Yours very truly
Helen Jackson
