第625期:一个改变了美国历史的小女孩

有一个11岁的美国小女孩,有一天突发奇想写了封信。这封短信被一些历史学家称为改变了美国历史。

信是这样写的:

Dear Sir, 亲爱的先生

My father has just home from the fair and brought home your picture and Mr. Hamlin’s. 我爸爸刚从市场回来,买回您和哈姆林先生的相片。

I am a little girl only 11 years old, but want you should be President
of the United States very much so I hope you wont think me very bold to
write to such a great man as you are. 我是个11岁的小
女孩,我觉得应该统,希望您原谅我这么大胆地给像您这样的大人物写信。

Have you any little girls about as
large as I am if so give them my love and tell her to write to me if
you cannot answer this letter. 您有像我一般大的女儿吗?如果您有,请代我向她
问好。如果您不能回信,请让她回复给我吧。

I have yet got four brothers and part of
them will vote for you any way and if you let your whiskers grow I will
try and get the rest of them to vote for you you would look a great deal
better for your face is so thin. 我的四个哥哥中有几个会投票给您,但如果您留胡子的话,我会尝试说服其他几个哥哥也给您投票的,因为您瘦长的脸上如果留了胡子会好更好看的

All the ladies like whiskers and they
would tease their husbands to vote for you and then you would be
President. 女人都喜欢男
人的胡子,这样她们就会鼓捣她们的丈夫都给您投票,那样您就能当上总统了。

My father is going to vote for you and if I was a man I would
vote for you to
but I will try to get every one to vote for you that I can I think that
rail fence around your picture makes it look very pretty I have got a
little baby sister she is nine weeks old and is just as cunning as can
be. 我爸爸会给您投票,如果我是个男的我也会投票给您,但我会试着让每个人都投您一票,我还
得您的照片周围那个栏杆(相框?)很好看。我还有一个妹妹才9个星期,淘气得不得了。

When you direct your letter direct to Grace Bedell Westfield Chautauqua County New York. 如果回信请寄给纽约州肖托夸县韦斯特菲尔德 Grace Bedell.

I must not write any more answer this letter right off  别不多言,盼能回信。

Good bye 再见

这封信写于1860年10月15日,写信人叫Grace Bedell.

收信人叫Abraham Lincoln,第16任美国总统。

Grace寄出这封信时,距美国总统大选的最终结果还有最后几周

四天后,1860年10月19日,Grace Bedell收到了林肯的回信:

Springfield, Ill Oct 19, 1860

Miss Grace Bedell, 亲爱的格雷斯·贝德尔

My dear little Miss. 我亲爱的小女孩

Your very agreeable letter of the 15th is received. 你15日的来信已收到,我很高兴。

I regret the
necessity of saying I have no daughters. I have three sons – one
seventeen, one nine, and one seven, years of age.
They, with their
mother, constitute my whole family. 我很遗憾没有女儿,只有三个儿子,一个十七,一个九岁,一个七岁。三个儿子和他们的妈妈就是我家庭的全部。

As to the whiskers, having never
worn any, do you not think people would call it a silly affectation if I
were to begin it now?
至于胡子,我以前从来没留过,您觉得如果我现在开始蓄胡,人们会觉得那样很古怪吗?

Your very sincere well wisher 此致 祝好

A. Lincoln 林肯

林肯在回信中没有说他会不会留胡子,但在几个星期后大选揭晓时,林肯已经留起了胡子。

不知道蓄胡是否对最后的大选结果产生了影响,但林肯总统留胡子的习惯却是从此开始的,并成了他的标志。

Grace的这封信改变了一个美国总统,因此有些历史学家说她改变了美国历史,也不算夸张吧。

1861年2月,林肯总统从伊利诺伊州乘火车去华盛顿上任途中,专程在Westfield停留了一站,见到了给他写信的Grace,并亲吻了她的脸颊。林肯的大胡子扎在脸上有点痒,Grace开心又害羞地笑了。

1867年Grace结婚,搬到了堪萨斯州的Delphos并在那里渡过了一生。

1936年,88岁的Grace Bedell在家中安静地离世。


参考资源

2010年美国电影Grace Bedell – https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1520907/?ref_=tt_mv