Llano County, TX - Letters: John H. McLean to Juan F. McLean, 1901 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 to Mr. Juan F. McLean of Woolsey, Ga. from his nephew, John H. McLean of Llano, Texas. Written on printed letterhead from Law Office Of McLean & Spears of Llano, Texas. Llano, Texas January 29th 1901 Mr. Juan F. McLean Woolsey, Ga. My Dear Uncle, Your letter was received about ten days ago and I have been delayed until this time in answering on the account of the necessity I have been under in the meantime, to teach the Supreme Court of Texas some law. I have not yet altogether relieved myself from that arduous undertaking, but while I am resting will dedicate my new fountain pen which Santa Clause brought me and at the same time pay a small installment on a debt of love owing to you and yours. We were fascinated with your Christmas story - the boys eyes fairly danced with excitement but soon they begun to philosophise, and made some quences(?) that were hard to meet. They could not understand how Santa Clause could cover so much territory in one night. My explanation was about as clear as that of the Scotchman as to what "metaphysics" meant. He said: "If you see our man a talking an a talking, and you see another man a listening and a listening, and the man who is talking don't know what he is talking about and the man who is listening don't know what he is listening at - that is metaphysics." In this manner I fully explained to them how it was that Santa Clause could be everywhere in one night. We, too, had our Santa Clause scene, something similar to yours, but I could not tell about it half so well as you did. The Christmas Tree is not half so charming as the old time hanging up your stocking and in sympathy with childish delights still remembered, I resent the encroachments being made upon the old regime with its fascinating impossiblities rendered plausible by wonderous mysteries. We, too, had our rush for stockings, - not heavily burdened but containing the things which strike the childish fancy - and - as to noise - well you can imagine the rest, and you can thank your stars that it is your privilege to imagine it and not have to undergo a demonstration. We all fot the things we would , unexpectedly of course, and I found myself enriched with the beautiful fountain pen with which I am now writing. I am using it now for the first time will get use to it after awhile and then will write so you can read it. Sister and Sam are somewhat on the Christmas tree order, and Lute, bless her dear sad heart, could not bear the ordeal of having Santa Clause come, so she went to the Sunday school Christmas tree to help others be glad, and the next day gave a children's part to all the little folks in the neighborhood, and made them have a good time. We can readily understand the hard times there, by what we are experiencing ourselves, but financial hard times are not the worst. We are sorry to hear that your health is not good and also sorry to know that the looked for visit from Cousin Alice is still in the undetermined future. We think of you all often and wish we could be associated with you more than we can hope to ever be. I know I would be better and happier for it, and hope no one would be any worse. Our evening reading is growing more natural all the time. It is truly a blessing to humanity that there is such a thing as influence, thought some of it is very bad. Wholesome precept is a good thing but good example is better, virtue goes out from a good life and renders better everything with which it comes in contact. I sincerely thank you for the good suggestions you have made to me by letter, but am more deeply grateful for the example of your own home life as I have seen it. I so long to have you again in our house. I feel that the best was not made of your visit hence it was so short. Since you give up in the contest as to the superiority of our respective states, I too, will yield, and force the ______ in your hand ) a c_______ trait of nature) and say that Georgia is unexcelled. We have been having some very cold weather for this part of Texas, have had ice an inch thick in small bodies of water, but not hear so thick on the river. One night the thermometer stood at 20 degrees above zero, which does pretty well for this section though one time in Texas - a little further north I saw it 10 degrees below zero, and snow about a foot deep on a level and saddle skirt deep in the drifts. We have had no snow at all to lay on the ground in several years, and we are wanting rain badly. Rain is our bug-bear, or rather the want of it. The farmers are wanting to plow and cant on account of the ground in places getting so dry and hard. Minnie and the boys are at home waiting for me and I will go back to them. I just came down to write you and to dedicate my pen between my assaults on the appellate court. They have gone against me in some case and as I said before I am now deeply absorbed in trying to teach them some law, on motion for rehearing. Love to all the folks, individually and collectively. Your affectionate nephew, J H McLean