Ambrose Bierce, Los Gatos, California, to Harriet Hershberg, Waterman, California, 1898

Scope and content:

Responding to her impression of his goodness Bierce writes, "It is pretty easy to be good to you, and I don't expect any credit for it in the books of the Recording Angel. He will say: 'Bah ! who wouldn't be good to Hattie Hershberg?' and then he will debit me with one selfish motive." He also mentions Kodak photographs of a group consisting of Hattie, Mamie, Dave, Selma, Louise, and himself, while assuring her of his devotion, "you are still the only girl in the world; and if there is a man who does not love you he is a scoundrel." Referring the Preston School of Industry in Ione, California, a juvenile correction institute supervised by a relative of Hirshberg's Bierce writes, "No, my pet scheme for making soldiers of the Major's little rascals is not practicable. The confounded Government is so particular about the moral character of its recruits that I couldn't enlist myself. This is a great disappointment to me. I had quite set my heart on getting Co. A into Cuba, to prove that bad boys make the best soldiers. But I'm assured that it cannot be done."

Physical description:

ALS, 4 p., with envelope.

Access and use