1875.09.08 English
C O P E N H A G E N SEPTEMBER 8, 1875
DEAREST M O T H E R !
HERE WE ARE, ALL NINE OF US, DEAR MOTHER, TO HAND YOU OUR WARMEST AND MOST SINCERE CONGRATULATIONS FOR YOUR BIRTHDAY TOMORROW.[1] WE KNOW THAT WE ARE ALL IN YOUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS, AND SO ARE YOU EACH AND EVERY DAY, OUR DEARLY BELOVED MOTHER.
MY HEARTFELT THANKS TO YOU AND BOTH BROTHERS FOR YOUR BIRTHDAY GREETINGS WHEN I TURNED 40. NO LONGER A YOUNG MAN. I DO HOPE, DEAR MOTHER, THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE TO BENEFIT FROM THE ROBORANT[2], IT HAS HELPED A GREAT MANY PEOPLE SUFFERING FROM THE SAME DISEASE AS YOUR’S; BUT IT HAS TO BE USED CONTINUOUSLY FOR A VERY LONG TIME, EVEN YEARS.
THE LADY FROM THISTED IS STILL HERE, BUT SHE IS DUE TO LEAVE TOMORROW. HER STAY WITH US HAS PROVIDED AN OCCASION TO GO TO THE THEATRE QUITE A LOT, SOMETHING THAT OTHERWISE HAPPENS TO US QUITE RARELY.
THIS AFTERNOON WE WILL DRIVE TO THE NEARBY FOREST ON THE OCCASION OF OUR WEDDING ANIVERSARY[3].
FINALLY THE WRITING BALL IS TAKING IT’S PROPER SHAPE, AND IT IS SHEER PLEASURE TO WORK WITH IT, EVEN THE LITTLE ONES ARE CLAIMING THAT THE NEW MACHINE IS CERTAINLY MUCH NICER THAN THE OLD ONE, AND THAT THEY WOULD LIKE VERY MUCH TO WRITE ON IT.[4]
GREETINGS TO BROTHER JÖRGEN FROM “THE LITTLE ATTORNEY” WHO, ALREADY ON THE SECOND DAY HE WAS HERE, ATE HIS DINNER.
WARMEST GREETINGS FROM ALL OF US
YOUR DEEPLY DEVOTED SON
signed by hand: R. Malling Hansen
[1] Since the mother lives in Lolland, approximately 130 kms away, and RMH has seven children and the motor vehicle hasn’t yet been invented, we must assume that this sentence means that he is attaching a family photo?
[2] A strengthening herbal medicin (for more detaills see footnote in letter of 31 august 1875)
[3] It is their 10th wedding anniversary – odd that he shouldn’t mention it – and in that time they have had 7 children!
[4] Only now, in 1875, the high, manual version of the Writing Ball is ready. Until that point he had been working with very heavy models using battery and electricity.
