Dato: 24. september 1874
Fra: Anna Mary Livingstone   Til: H.C. Andersen
Sprog: engelsk.

Ulva Cottage, Hamilton. 24th Sept. 1874.

My dear Hans Andersen,

I have often thought of you since you wrote to me last, and wished to write to you, but never got doing so before. You would see from the newspapers, the great sorrow we have had tbis year. I did so expect to have had Papa take me to see you in Denmark. Instead of going the different places I fully intended to with Papa, I was obliged to take the sad journey to see him buried in Westminster Abbey. Both my aunts were there, and also my brothers and sister. We had all wreaths of pure, white flowers to put on his coffin. At 1 o'clock the procession entered the Abbey and the coffin was placed on velvet tressels. It was covered with a black velvet pall, edged with white Silk, and the top of the coffin was covered with white wreaths, and palm leaves. While the procession was moving along, the organ played most beautifully. Then we all sang that hymn,

"O God of Bethel, by whose hand"

"Thy people still are fed,"

"Who through this weary pilgrimage"

"Hast all our fathers led."

Then the procession to the grave formed. Immediately after the coffin, came Grandpapa (Dr. Moffat) and my two brothers Thomas and Oswell. Next came my sister and myself, and behind us my aunts, and then friends. When the coffin was set down at the grave which was all draped in Black. Agnes my sister, and I had to lay our wreaths on the coffin and then my aunts laid theirs. One of my aunts from the South of England laid a wreath of violets and primroses from a lane that Papa liked to walk in very much. We were ranged round close to the grave, and a beautiful anthem was sung, called "His body was buried in peace." Then the Dean read the funeral service and all was over. The Abbey was crowded, and the vergers of the Abbey said they had never seen such a number of people in Westminster Abbey sinch the death of the Prince Consort. There was a funeral service preached in the abbey the next Sunday: The picture of me that I send you is taken just as I stood at Papa's grave. It was my first visit to London.

Papa's two coloured servants were here seeing us last week. They were telling us a great many interesting things about Papa, and one of them calld Chumah mad a little model of the grass hut in which Papa died, and showed us the position of Papa's bed in it. It is very interesting to us.

I was very, very sorry to hear you had been so ill, but I hope you are better now. I should so much like, if you are able, to get a letter from you. My brother has gone back to Egypt again.

I am going to boarding school next week, which will be a new experience to me altogether.

I forgot to tell you, when speaking of Papa's funeral that our beloved Queen sent a most lovely white wreath, and she and the Prince of Wales had their carriages at the abbey.

I think I told you all I know so with much love

I am yours ever loving

Anna Mary Livingstone.

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