HEMINGWAY, Ernest (1899-1961). Autograph Letter Signed to His Father as a Child - Possibly the Second Earliest Known Letter by Hemingway. Oak Park, ILL, Mon. Sep. 28, 1908. 1 and 1/2 pages on a half-sheet of his father's stationery ("Clarence E. Hemingway, M. D...") on gray paper. Approximately 5 1/2 x 8". Toned, 2 vertical creases, some other creases, some wear, soiling, ink note on verso in unknown hand "Keep for - Ernest". Very good. Two dates in this letter indicate that this may have been two letters on one sheet.

Written in Hemingway's childish manuscript (9 years old) in pencil. Addressed: "Dear papa. - ." Signed on verso ("your loving son Ernest M. Hemingway"). "last night an inch of rain fell. thank you very much for the postal card. Oct 4 1909 I got some fresh staw [straw?] in flossys nest / All the squabs died I went to gampas [sic] for dinner..." This is the second listed item in Spanier & Trogdon (editors) Letters of Ernest Hemingway (2011).