THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER
PHILADELPHIA, April 17th, 1883.
[MY DEAR BOY:]
You are to be nineteen years old on Wednesday. After two
years more you will be a man. You are so manly and good a boy
that I could not wish you to change in any serious or great
thing. You have made us very happy through being what you
have been, what you are. You fill us with hope of your future
virtue and usefulness.
To be good is the best thing of all; it counts for more
than anything else in the world. We are very grateful that
you have even in youth been wise enough to choose the right
road. You will find it not easy to keep upon it always, but
remember if you do get off struggle back to it. I do not know
but I think God loves the effort to do as well as the act
done.
I congratulate you my dear son, on your new birthday. I
wish you health, happiness and God's loving care. May he
bless you my son forever. I enclose a trifle for your
pleasure. My love to you always, but God bless you dear Dick.
DAD.
In the fall of 1885, Richard decided to leave Lehigh and
go to John Hopkins University, where he took a special course
in such studies as would best benefit him in the career which
he had now carefully planned. During this year in Baltimore
Richard's letters show that he paid considerable attention to
such important subjects as political economy and our own labor
problems, but they also show that he did not neglect football
or the lighter social diversions. In a short space of time he
had made many friends, was very busy
going to dinners and dances, and had fallen in love with an
entirely new set of maids and matrons. Richard had already
begun to send contributions to the magazines, and an
occasional acceptance caused him the satisfaction common to
all beginners. It was in regard to one of these early
contributions that my mother wrote Richard the following
letter:
