Letter from W. W. Burgiss to Etta Bailey, August 29, 1886 · Greer Heritage Museum collection

Title

Letter from W. W. Burgiss to Etta Bailey, August 29, 1886

Accession Number

2022.1.4.10

Accession Date

February 4, 2023

Accession Creator

David Lovegrove

Depositor

Shuman B. Gerald, III

Description

While Will’s envelope (below) is from the St. Nicholas Hotel at Washington Place, the letter itself is on letterhead from Grand Central Hotel, where he was staying in the last letter. The stationery header reads: Keefer’s Grand Central Hotel, 667 to 677 Broadway, American Plan, $2.50, $3.00 and $3.50 per day. European Plan, $1.00 and upwards. Special rates for families and permanent guests. Keefer & Co., Proprietors.
As a matter of curiosity, the Natural History Museum in Los Angeles shows someone else’s bill from nine months earlier as being about $11 a day, so they had quite a range of options.

Date

August 29, 1886

Storage Location

General Archive Box #7 Folder #8

Text

New York, 8/29 1886
My dear girl
I have not as yet rec’d one word from you and it is now 6 o’clock Sunday “pm” Just think of it still I know you have written more as I know you would not be so mean as not to write me often you and I had such a “blow up” about you not writing me and if I thought you were mean enough not to write me at all after I have been writing you once and twice every day since I left home I would not want to see you again soon I wrote you this “AM” but did not write a very long letter but in fact I have written you every day since I left home and some days 2 or 3 times I have just come from “Central Park” where a Mr Sloan is a [bro?] of Duff Shoals and he has been very kind to me he has been 2 or 3 days showing me the sights I went out to “Coney Island last “PM”
#2
And saw the beautiful fireworks I saw the burning of the City of Moscow and heard the famous 9th regiment band play the “Mikado” Do excuse this short and poor letter but I only want to let you know I am constantly thinking about you Now do write me long letters and tell me all the news Etta I am tempted to believe you have been off frolicking with the boys and have entirely forgotten me but surely not I cant think it of you my may but still if you had written us you promised I would have rec’d it Friday “p.m” and this is Sunday “pm” and [worrifying ?] yet [mark, looks like an up arrow] was ever thus &C”
Write me the news and tell me what you have been doing Give my love to your Grand Ma and the balance of the family In big haste [durn ?]
As ever Yours
Will

References

National History Museum, Los Angeles County. GC 1002
Del Valle Family Papers. https://nhm.org/sites/default/files/2019-06/gc1002_web_finding_aid.pdf_0.pdf