Christmas letter penned by woman offering her baby up, having mistakenly read an advertisement for an infant mistress as a request for an infant

Cheltenham, 1893. Letter. Very good. In a Christmastime letter of 1893, a woman writes in great error, apparently responding to an advertisement in a local newspaper in which a school is looking for a an infant mistress, to which she offers her own. Mrs. Holtham, a mother of six writes offering to part with her youngest child, “ Having seen in Citizen of the 21st that you are in request of an infant. I have an infant, three months old, very pretty, fair with blue eyes. I have five children besides from 11 to a year and 8 months. Should be willing to part with infant on conditions that It would have a good home and well cared for . Kindly write and state particulars and oblige, Yours truly...


Folded letter with creaselines. Overwritten in red, by someone greatly surprised by content. Mailing envelope affixed, address partially lost.