28 June 1878 Letter from James M. Smith to his future (second) wife, Eva Slaton

Submitted for the Union Parish Louisiana USGenWeb Archives by Robert S. Hendrick, 5/2005

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Materials from the Personal Collection of Dr. Robert S. Hendrick, Jr.
Transcribed and submitted by Robert S. Hendrick, Jr.

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28 June 1878 Letter from James M. Smith to his future (second) wife, Eva Slaton
This letter was written seven years before Smith married his first wife
Smith became the Union Parish Clerk of Court in 1879
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June 28, 1878 
Farmerville,  LA 
 
Miss Eva Slaton 
Esteemed Friend, 
 
   It is with much pleasure that I attempt to respond to your long expected, but 
highly appreciated and interesting epistle of the 12th inst., which made its 
arrival within the folds of last weeks mail, and I assure you read with infinite 
pleasure and in(???)ing rapture as I continued to peruse its lines of epistology 
originality and excellence. 
 
I agree that you were a little lady in responding to my last epistle, however, I 
did not attribute your procrastination to an act of carelessness or negligence, 
but to a lack of time, knowing your duties to have been very laborous and 
important and required you assiduous attention while preparing for your final 
examinations and closing exercises of the Institute. I should have responded to 
your epistle earlier, but having received in the 29th the day et apart for you 
to take your departure from Staunton homeward, I decided it better to await your 
arrival at Vienna before retaliating. 
 
Our town has been quite dull, with only an occasional entertainment, but the 
Brookhaven and Staunton girls from our midst having returned, the prospects are 
that it will soon "blossom at the rose", and be as gay and inviting in the 
remembered past. 
 
   I hope to soon welcome you in our midst as a ready contributor and partaker 
in the festivities that may occur. 
 
   You spoke as though your letter was unworthy of my attention, and that the 
few moments devoted to its perusal would be an intrusion rather than a pleasure. 
 
   I assure you that no such is a fact, and that the perusals of your letters 
are ever paramount pleasures to me, and any hope that in the future you will not 
be so conscientious, fearing that the time consumed in perusing your letters 
will be a tax rather than a pleasure, but that you will write longer letters as 
I do. 
 
   The closing exercise of the Institute from a graphical description of the 
girls were in no doubt grand, and will ever live in the memories of those 
present and reflect much credit and honor on the participants and Institute.  
 
Allow me to congratulate you on your safe and pleasant journey home and, your 
success in an educational career, and as being one of the many who with ambition 
and incessant application for but long months have crowned yourself with richest 
laurels of M. F. I. Which will ever adorn your fair brow with much honor and 
success and serve as a "souvenir" of that memorable epoch which they now award. 
 
May your future be as brilliant, prosperous and happy as your past has been 
progressive, honorable and successful, is the wish of your friend. 
 
Jas. M. Smith 

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