Llano County, TX - Letter to Juan F. McLean from John H. McLean, 1904 Wednesday, June 12, 2002 Submitted by: lab@boone.net (Linda Barton) ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ *********************************************************************** Transcribed from a letter in my possession written by John Hiram McLean to Juan Fernandez McLean. The letter is on printed letterhead from Law Offices of McLean & Spears in Llano, Texas. Llano, Texas Dec. 10th, 1904 Mr. Juan F. McLean Woolsey, Ga. My Dear Uncle, Your coals of fire have been most effective, they reach the good that is in us, and I wonder why all people do not resort to the "coals of fire" proscess and make the other people better, or ashamed of themselves because they are not. You have devout admirers in your Llano people whether they write often or not - the trouble is, not with you, but the people, too close to Mexico, I presume and have e___bibed the "manana" (tomorrow) propensity of the Mexican. We get a thousand little occupying things at hand and we think we will get them all out of the way and then take up social matters with some degree of satisfaction - but the things won't all get out of the way at once and thus we procrastinate - put off until tomorrow. A Mexican never wants to do anything today - is never ready - it is always "manana". This "coals of fire" business of yours has made me so ashamed of myself I am going to answer today even if I can't write three intelligent lines. Minnie is some better now but is not at all well. She was in bed about a week and to be really confined to her bed is not a common thing with her. I try to get her to go out doors more than she does, but she thinks she has no time for it. She has gone horseback riding a time or two lately and she came back each time very much exhilerated. To learn of your improvement is indeed gratifying and I trust you are still growing stronger. Improvements? Yes, you would not know the place. Where you have op__eys and rippling brooks I have hudro__ts and ____ ______ loose to see the water flow. Have just finished planting my orchard, - all kinds of peaches, some apples, pears, plums, apricots, blackberries and dewberries. I planted them all upon the wonderful prickly pear and expect to water them besides - in case of long dry spell and my hope's one high on the fa__et question. It won't be long until those boys will learn to scale a fruit tree. This year we are going to plant the orchard in melons to bridge over to the bearing juice of our young trees, and the next time you come we are going to be fixed for you. "The self reliant Harold and the strenuous Heber" are going to kindergarten. They ride their Shetland ponies, (which I believe you saw) just 36 inches high, and a gay ______ they have too. Minnie and I both (think) you have the boys pretty well "sized up" - applying "self reliant" to the one and "strenuous" to the other. The designations fit their natures admireably. You must be a good judge of human nature to seen what they were in so short a time. The suggestion you make my dear uncle about the bible lesson at night I know is good. The suggestion was first made by the beautiful example set while I was there. The impression had not died away and they led to some half formed resolutions before your letter came. You giving the same matter to me now by precept rev___fies those impressions and completes the resolutions. When you visit us again you will see how well they have been kept. I am delighted to learn that you have all been prosperous this last year and I can hardly wait for the time to be set for the visit we are promised from your family. I do hope cousin Alice can come soon and stay with us a long, long time, she must stay through the spring and summer for that is the time when Texas has on her Sunday clothes. We will bide the time as best we can though, will wait as long as we have to! Your cartoon made us laugh. Minnie, you know, is a Yankee and we all had lots of amusement out of it. It reminded me of a remark cousin John made while I was there which amused me no little at the time. I asked him how it was that he had the position of rural mail clerk when he was a Democrat and there were plenty of negros around. With a mischievous twinkle of the eye he replied: "A negro won't have it". I saw then that the political negro could not be ridden into the back yard of the south, so far as Georgia was concerned even by the i______ontal "Teddy". I am truly glad you are so well "hooked up" for hard times with your persimmons, sugar berries, possum and taters. Cut the "taters" off thought and take the juice out of the possums and dry up the persimmons and sugar berries, all of which would easily come about in case of an old fashioned Texas drought, and it would look like "hard-tack" compared with the luscious prickley pears of Texas, which thrives without either soil or moisture. In case of an emergency you had better come to Texas. We all join in sending love to all of you. Your letter has gone the rounds and returned after being read by each of us with endless enjoyment. Your affectionate nephew John H McLean