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Bell Letters: Mabel's father proposes to help Alec out

In our world of electronic and digital communications, one wonders what evidence of our day-to-day lives will exist for our descendants in the next century. Modern technology has given us the ability to be in almost constant touch with one another. But, will our emails and texts still exist a hundred years from now? For decades, letter writing was often an everyday occurrence for most people. Keeping in touch meant sitting down with pen and paper. Receiving a letter was often an exciting event, especially from someone miles away. And, for many, including Alexander Graham Bell and his family, these letters were something to be kept, not simply discarded once read. The Bells were profuse writers and as a result, their story can be told today through thousands of letters.

Born in Scotland in 1847, Alexander Graham Bell lived a unique life. Influenced by his father, Melville, a professor of elocution, and his deaf mother, Eliza; the loss of his brothers, Melville and Edward, to consumption; and marriage to his deaf pupil, Mabel Hubbard, Bell left a legacy to the world that few could imagine living without. How this came to pass is best revealed through the letters between these individuals. Here, we present those letters to you.

Bell Letters: Mabel's father proposes to help Alec out Back to video

Mabel continues to clarify misunderstandings regarding Alec and her father, Gardiner Hubbard, who proposed travelling overseas at his own expense to organize Alec’s telephone interests across Europe.

Prof. A.M. Bell Brantford Ont.

It is no trouble to Mr. Baird, it is merely making it possible for him to offer you the position if he desires to do so. Still I think it would have been wiser for Papa not to have spoken to you about it. Some one will have to get that appropriation if any one is to have the position it would only have been better if it could be some one not connected with you, and without your knowledge.

Still it is a perfectly fair and honorable proposition, and not an odious one, and I for one cannot see how merely wishing for the position and saying you’d be glad if it were offered you is intriguing for it. It is very hard on Papa that you should always misunderstand him and if you cannot at first glance understand what he says, go and say I don’t like his way of managing business matters. It is just as much as to say, I don’t think it is perfectly honorable way. I am more honorable than he.

Whereas his proposition re my patents is just not a business proposition, but a most generous loving offer, which I for one am not capable of. He means that he is ready to leave wife and children, and go out alone across the ocean among strangers, prepared to dislike him and to be annoying, not being gentlemen.

Stay tuned for next week’s continuation of the letter

The Bell Letters are annotated by Bell Homestead National Historic Site

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