On November 5, 1893 Belle's mother, Eliza Pratt Tisdale, wrote another letter to Belle's youngest brother, Harry.
TRANSCRIPTION
Letter in pen on Louisiana Senate Chamber Stationery from Eliza Pratt Tisdale to Charles Harry Tisdale. November 5, 1893. Original.
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[Printed “Senate Chamber, State of Louisiana. Baton Rouuge, La. 1883 Eliza has written “New Orleans” over Baton Rouge and the date “Novem 5th” and “3” after 188_ although the year is definitely 1893.]
My Darling boy,
Belle read your nice long letter the other day, & I was down there, she has moved from that house on Constance St. up on to St. Andrew, & is only a little over 2 squairs from us, you remember that large house on the opposite side of St. Andrew, on the squair this side of Annabelle's, & right oposite where the Inglers used to live. Well! They have moved there, & I am to move in with them this week. I did not want to move, I had much rather stay where I am. The house is to large, I will have a great deal more work than I can do, & I am not well
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any how, I never expect to be right well again & I only hope my life wont drag out to inferm old age like Mother's did. How is your Eye? You will have to be careful of it, once you get the Neuralgia it never entirely leaves you, so try & keep your feet dry, & dont sit in a draught. I am so sorry that we are not able to board you at the Time, we have nothing Harry, absolutely nothing. I want you to find out, (now be sure) if you can get the place of Beneficiary for next year, so you can finish your Course. I am so anxious for you to graduate & be independent. I see that your time is all filled up, I feel so sorry for you do tell me what you need, I am sure you must need thick Drawrs, & Shirts & Socks I will try & get you some, dont you prefer the net drawrs? Harry you spelt hurt, hert. Did you go out to the Cemetaries on the 1st? If you did I hope you took some flowers for Frank, if you could get them. I havenot heard from
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Lin for a long time, she is anxious to come home again. The dear little baby God bless her! Lin sais she is so goood. Lee has gone over to Algiers today Maud Marion was here last night. We cannot get a letter from Willie. He just vows he wont write. Marion has gone to Church. Robert has written twice since he left. We dont know what he is doing. Aunt F. sends love to you & M[arsh], so do Aunt E & Uncle M. well all are in bed but me, I dont feel like going to bed. Have you every thing comefortable in the way of a bed & bedding, & how do you get your washing done. Tell Willie to send us some pecans when Robt. Comes home, & some popcorn if he has enough. God bless you all & goodnight. Love to Lillie Willie & the babies, & kiss them for me
Your Loving
Mama
P.S. Dont you write to Uncle James.
Harry was no doubt busy at LSU that fall. I looked up information online to see what was going on at LSU in 1893 and found a website with a description of LSU's first football team. LSU 1893
This website tells the story of the LSU Tigers and their first game played against Tulane's Green Wave on November 25, 1893. I even found a list of the players on Wikipedia. Surprise! Charles H. Tisdale was Halfback! And his cousin, Joel Marsh Pratt, was End. The first coach, chemistry professor Dr. Charles Coates, had brought down the idea of having a football team from his time at Johns Hopkins University. The wbsite says:
"He rounded up LSU's team primarily from the student ROTC corps, but the Tulane team was largely composed of alumni and members of the Southern Athletic Club... LSU had no uniforms...so Coates sent his quarterback and future governor of Louisiana, Ruff Pleasant, to the store to purchase ribbons. No one knew what LSU's colors were but the store stocked purple and gold ribbons for the upcoming Carnival season. By a happy accident, the green ribbons had not yet arrived."
So on a cold and blustery day in November 1893 the LSU Tigers in mismatched clothing with purple and gold ribbons tied around their arms traveled to New Orleans for the first LSU-Tulane game. They lost to Tulane 34-0. Wikipedia says, "This was the game that sparked a rivalry between the Tigers and the Green Wave that has lasted generations."
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| Charles "Harry" Tisdale 1874-1913 |
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| Joel Marsh Pratt |
