Collection of Letters by a Colorado Music Student

Colorado: 1885-1892. 11 letters, totaling 33pp, written by Stephen H. Leyshon from the towns of Williamsburg, Coal Crek, Oak Creek, and Pueblo, Co, to his grandmother back east. The grouping documents Stephen’s growth—the first three letters, dated 1885-87 (ages seven to nine), are in a much more rudimentary hand, and contain more spelling and grammatical errors (“I went down the cellar to feed our old cat lone and be hold I found a family of six little kittens three gray one as black as black could be…”). Meanwhile, in 1892, at age 14, Stephen writes with much more fluency. In the letters, Stephen describes his school and family life, his hopes and aspirations, and gifts he received (including one entire letter listing his Christmas presents). Also Stephen studies piano and singing and writes in depth about his teachers and his aspirations. In an 1890 letter on commercial stationery Stephen describes his job at a Pueblo, Colorado music store: “The Schreiber Bros. are very kind to me. They have an orchestra called Schreiber’s Orchestra…and I sell music for them and help them very much and they let me have my music 1/3 off.” A seven page letter, dated 1889, describes a trip to Denver on the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad to give a music recital. Afterwards, Stephen ends up giving impromptu performance in the hotel: “while I was at the Windsor why of course I played and sang and it created a great sensation.” In his adult life, Stephen moved to Pittsburgh to become a music teacher and church organist, a career he pursued for over fifty years. A rich document of juvenile life and growth in the Mountain West. Item #2980

Price: $150.00

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