1885.09.19 English

C O P E N H A G E N SEPTEMBER 19, 1885

MY DEAR BROTHER .

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR RECENT LETTERS. YESTERDAY DEAR BROTHER-IN-LAW JOHAN HEIBERG[1] PAID ME A VISIT; AS YOU KNOW HE WAS A CLERGYMAN IN CHICAGO FOR SEVEN YEARS. HE IS NOW VICAR AT VEJLBY CLOSE TO MIDDELFART. IN AULUM, WHERE HE ORIGINATES FROM, HE WAS DEAN OF HAMMERUM DISTRICT. WITH REFERENCE TO YOUR SMALL COMMENTS FROM TIME TO TIME ABOUT WORKING AS A CLERGYMAN IN AMERICA, I CASUALLY TALKED TO MY BROTHER-IN -LAW ABOUT IT, SINCE I FELT THAT IN CASE YOU WISH TO GET FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE CONDITIONS IN THE UNITED STATES, NOBODY IN THIS COUNTRY WOULD BE BETTER SUITED THAN HIM. HE SAID THAT HE WOULD BE HAPPY TO RECEIVE YOU AT THE RECTORY ANY TIME, PROVIDED YOU GIVE HIM NOTICE IN WRITING BEFOREHAND. FURTHERMORE, HE WAS OF THE OPINION THAT IF YOU IN FUTURE ARE TO FEEL DECIDEDLY ATTRACTED BY THIS PROSPECT, THEN YOU SHOULD JOURNEY OVER THERE FOR A PERIOD OF FOUR TO FIVE WEEKS IN ORDER TO FIND OUT FIRST-HAND ABOUT THE CONDITIONS[2].

THE ENTIRE JOURNEY – INCLUDING GOING THERE AND RETURNING – WOULD TAKE ONLY AROUND THREE MONTHS.WARMEST REGARDS FROM ALL OF US.

YOUR DEEPLY DEVOTED BROTHER

R. Malling-Hansen

[1] The brother of RMH’s first wife (by now deceased) Cathrine, maiden name Heiberg

[2] Brother Jørgen is by now living alone in Ringsted after the death of their mother. However, shortly after this he is to meet his future wife, who is of the family Thaning, mentioned in a previous letter from RMH. Some of the Thanings were friends of the family. They are to marry in 1886 and have two children. However, none of the children had any children, and hence this branch of the family becomes extinct.