Autograph Letter Signed (“Ives”). Buffalo, New York, March 19, 1855, to ‘Jonny’ [John Champlin], apparently a former college classmate from Massachusetts or Connecticut
- SIGNED
Quarto, 4 pages, in very good, clean and legible condition.
1855 - Travels of a young New England businessman in "heathenish" Canada and the Midwest.
Ives writes describing his travels in Canada and the Midwest and Theatrical performances in Chicago:
"…Well you see I am in the States again and I can assure you that I felt as glad to get this side of the St. Lawrence again as the Jews did to get the 'other side of Jordan' after their forty years peregrination in the woods. It is no laughing matter, I can tell you, to ride four hundred miles by stage in the winter through the most heathenish county - as far as comfort to travelers is concerned - that God allow men to live in.
I would give you some little description of the last four weeks if I could do it justice on paper… I will merely say that I have had a regular tempers and no mistake – have seen the Elephant and the Elephantess too!…I have visited the Falls of Montmorency and slid down the great cone there – which is what few Yankees can say – and have seen Niagara in the winter which every person ought to see. At Montreal I made lots of acquaintances and had a regular jolly time. Colman's wife – the proprietor of the Montreal House – is a splendid woman. I got very well acquainted with her and had to play whist almost every night with her and sister. At Ogdenburgh i found some relations…One night my cousin, a man about fathers age and myself had what we called a regular old Connecticut time – that is eating walnuts and apples and drinking cider. We kept it up till about twelve…It was the finest cider I ever tasted and was almost as sparkling as champagne… So far Jon I have kept clear of all scrapes and am getting along as 'slick' as can be. Only a few weeks now from Illinois…
I look like thunder, have got nothing but a regular Canadian rig and furs… not supposed to be particularly fashionable at this season of the year… I expect to start for Cleveland sometime tomorrow…
I haven't had what may properly be called a tempers with a damsel this long while, the fact is the weather is not suitable for the dear 'craythers' to be out in. But I must tell you about the Theater I went to the other night. It is the only one open here now yet they got off some of the smuttiest performances I ever seen. One scene was decidedly rich – a woman (and a duced pretty one too) went through the operations of undressing and going to bed – pulled off dress and skirts, stockings and shoes and put on night cap and gown as natural as if she had been in her own room and no one looking. Of course all it amounts to was that she appeared at one stage after performance in a most duced low necked dress which was considerably too short for the fashion just now…There was also some very good light rope dancing by Mdle. Olinza etc. Oh John! You don't know what you lose by not travelling… write me without fail to Cinti [Cincinnati] or Chicago"
1855 - Travels of a young New England businessman in "heathenish" Canada and the Midwest.
Ives writes describing his travels in Canada and the Midwest and Theatrical performances in Chicago:
"…Well you see I am in the States again and I can assure you that I felt as glad to get this side of the St. Lawrence again as the Jews did to get the 'other side of Jordan' after their forty years peregrination in the woods. It is no laughing matter, I can tell you, to ride four hundred miles by stage in the winter through the most heathenish county - as far as comfort to travelers is concerned - that God allow men to live in.
I would give you some little description of the last four weeks if I could do it justice on paper… I will merely say that I have had a regular tempers and no mistake – have seen the Elephant and the Elephantess too!…I have visited the Falls of Montmorency and slid down the great cone there – which is what few Yankees can say – and have seen Niagara in the winter which every person ought to see. At Montreal I made lots of acquaintances and had a regular jolly time. Colman's wife – the proprietor of the Montreal House – is a splendid woman. I got very well acquainted with her and had to play whist almost every night with her and sister. At Ogdenburgh i found some relations…One night my cousin, a man about fathers age and myself had what we called a regular old Connecticut time – that is eating walnuts and apples and drinking cider. We kept it up till about twelve…It was the finest cider I ever tasted and was almost as sparkling as champagne… So far Jon I have kept clear of all scrapes and am getting along as 'slick' as can be. Only a few weeks now from Illinois…
I look like thunder, have got nothing but a regular Canadian rig and furs… not supposed to be particularly fashionable at this season of the year… I expect to start for Cleveland sometime tomorrow…
I haven't had what may properly be called a tempers with a damsel this long while, the fact is the weather is not suitable for the dear 'craythers' to be out in. But I must tell you about the Theater I went to the other night. It is the only one open here now yet they got off some of the smuttiest performances I ever seen. One scene was decidedly rich – a woman (and a duced pretty one too) went through the operations of undressing and going to bed – pulled off dress and skirts, stockings and shoes and put on night cap and gown as natural as if she had been in her own room and no one looking. Of course all it amounts to was that she appeared at one stage after performance in a most duced low necked dress which was considerably too short for the fashion just now…There was also some very good light rope dancing by Mdle. Olinza etc. Oh John! You don't know what you lose by not travelling… write me without fail to Cinti [Cincinnati] or Chicago"