15 October 1889 Letter from Lee Emmitt Thomas to Florence Smith Submitted for the Union Parish Louisiana USGenWeb Archives by Robert S. Hendrick, 10/2006 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ Materials from the Personal Collection of Dr. Robert S. Hendrick, Jr. Transcribed and submitted by Robert S. Hendrick, Jr. ================================================================================= ================================================================================== 15 October 1889 Letter from Lee Emmitt Thomas to Florence Smith Explanation: Florence Eleanor Smith (9 Nov 1870 – 11 Apr 1957) was the daughter of long-time Union Parish Recorder William Callaway Smith (6 Nov 1828 – 23 Dec 1880) and Elizabeth Amy Manning (4 Nov 1837 – 15 Nov 1879). William C. Smith had moved with his father John Smith from Dallas County Alabama to Linville about 1840. Smith was elected as the Union Parish Recorder in the early 1850s and served until his health declined in the latter 1870s. Florence's brother James M. Smith served as the Clerk of Court for Union Parish from 1879 through 1900, and later held statewide office himself. Lee Emitt Thomas was a prominent politician with Union Parish roots. He was born in Marion to Benson B. Thomas & Susan S. George, both of whom were born in Perry County Alabama near the Town of Marion. B. B. Thomas owned a store in Marion (Union Parish) and seemed to have done well. L. E. Thomas (or Mimi as my family called him) received his law degree from Washington & Lee and returned to Farmerville to practice. Before 1900 he moved to Shreveport where he quickly became active in politics. His offices included: Louisiana St Representative from Caddo Parish Speaker of the House State Bank Examiner Mayor of Shreveport L. E. Thomas also ran for the United States Senate as an anti-Long candidate, but was defeated. Mimi is mentioned more than once in T. Harry Williams' book. Huey Long referred to him as "Old Wet Jug". Family lore says that Huey visited his house one night before he ran for his third term as Mayor and told him he would defeat him if he didn't support his programs. Mimi refused and lost all his savings running an unsuccessful campaign. Florence Smith, known as "Yayee" by the family, had a domineering personality. It can be summed up by my grandfather. When she was widowed he told my grandmother (her niece) "If Yayee moves in. I'm moving out!". Also, she insisted that my Aunt be named after her. From the tone of the letters, you can tell that she played very hard to get with Mr. Thomas. ================================================================================== ================================================================================== Transcription of Letter ================================================================================== ================================================================================== Farmerville, LA October 15, 1889 My Darling Florence, Could you have known how anxiously I watched and waited for your dear letter on yesterday evening and how disappointed I was at not receiving if you would not have delayed till Saturday to reply but would have responded on Friday evening as heretofore, but then I must recollect that you are kept busy with the daily cares of life & also that we fool mortals are doomed to disappointment anyway. I will not delay in answering yours but respond at once so that I may get another letter as soon as possible, not withstanding the excusable (????). No, I did not think you were fishing for a compliment, not at all, but you unthoughtedly stated that which did not correspond with the facts, though you may have thought that it did and I desired to convince you of your error. Hope you have rec’d the ring ere this, which doubtless you have as I registered it the next day to you just as I stated in my letter I would & you know that if there is any failing I have it is for always telling the truth, (except sometimes) that is characteristic of our profession. You spoke in your last letter of being afraid your letters were to affectionate; don’t think so no, never, but make them just as cordial & affectionate as possible and I shall do the same, but should you leave love out of your letter, that which adds an exquisite flavor to that which is already delicious, I fear that I not being too much moved by the Christian spirit of “doing unto others as I would that they should do unto me,” should do the same and our letters instead of being filled with kindness, cordiality and love, should become cold & formal and our correspondence instead of being a pleasure would prove tiresome and all of our fondness hopes & desires would not end in fruition. Let us not let that be the case and I am confident it will not on my part for I love you too well for that & trust you do me the same. No, my darling, I did not doubt your sincerity, but I only wished you to be certain of the fact that you loved me truly, for as I told you it was a question of momentous importance to me for I intend & desire to build my future & wished it placed on a firm foundation, that is the adamantine rock of your love & with that as a beginning I know that failure could not attend me. I could see from the whole tenor, contents & style of your letter that you felt wounded to think that I would doubt you or your love. I would humbly ask your forgiveness, for no injustice was intended. Yes I know the unintentional wrongs are sometimes the most cruel, but forgive me for this and I promise to be guilty no more, without a just cause. I am extremely glad to know that all of your homesickness has worn off and that you are so well pleased with the location. I am sure you must have a jolly good time as you wrote that there were five nice young men in the faculty and that all the ladies, except yourself, were “old maids”, why what an end of calls, buggy rides to you must have, as of course you must represent your sweet (?) but unfortunate companions in the faculty (???) wish I was a school teacher (excuse me) Professor down there myself. May be I will happen along down that way sometime, who knows. I had Guy considerably teased about putting so many locals in about Ruston College and he said Professor Shigh had them put there. Of course I did not let him know how I found it out. You need not feel the slightest uneasiness about my divulging anything, I have told no one except Jim Everett and I can vouch for his secrecy, because he tells me everything is why I told him and besides we are (???) “Chums” anyway if I may use the expression. (I don’t know whether it applies to boys or not. I expect Muu (??) knows of our corresponding, but further that that he knows nothing nor will he ever know. Why I make the above supposition is because he is always poking his nose into things and I slip off up to the office to write at night and he dropped in once and caught me writing. Don’t think he will say anything about it because he does know it for certain and people may suppose and think what they please so long as they do not know. You may trust me for secrecy for more reasons than one will prompt me to carry out the maxim of a “still tongue in a wise head” not withstanding my name spells T. E. L. L. E. T. (Tellet) taken backwards and forwards. One of the chief reasons is because such is your desire. You were mistaken in thinking that it was Mr. M. who told me that Mose wrote you such a long letter, it was Joe Shuster who told me that it took $.04 to carry it and I supposed by that it must have been a lengthy document. M. received his package on Saturday eve. You see Joe keeps up with every thing that passes through the P. O. and he would not have told me only I am boarding around there as you know. Muu also boards there now, so you see I get poetry and nonsense on all sides now, looks like I ought to absorb some of it don’t it? I was so sorry to learn that you were not coming home to stay but I am glad to know that you are among those who love you, still I know that we love you more than ever possibly could. Jim has been sick for the past three days, though nothing serious, only a slight attack of fever. Hope that he will be out soon. Bro. Everett preached for us Sunday, Mrs. E. came over with him. Jms. E. returned from the Fair at S’port on Saturday and reports that he had a most ‘jubiliferous” time and I reckon he did for he saw his girl and fixed everything up satisfactory and they are to be married during the later part of next month, sure and certain, but don’t you mention it as no one here knows anything about, though speculation is rife. Justice commands that I should clear Miss Bertie and myself of the suspicion heaped upon us. She did not show me your letter neither did I read it, honest, but she told me some of the contents, which I suppose the thought would be of interest to me and which I can assure you was for I am always glad to hear anything concerning your dear self. I am receiving a fresh stock of goods every day so think I’ll soon be able to supply the town with new goods and especially any young deserving men and what do you supposed this mammoth stock consists in, why nothing by patience, comprende vous? Am glad that you have such a high opinion of the Law and hope that my endeavors in that direction may never cause you to lower that opinion. Am proud to know that you are creating such a good impression among the good people of Crowley and vicinity and would that I could have been one among the numbered to have enjoyed your music. Oh, how I do wish I could hear you play “Wait Till The Clouds Roll By” as you did; that blissful Friday night, never to be forgotten, but enduring in heart and brain as one of the happiest periods in my past. No, my prior life has not had a single touch of romance or poetry to add pleasure to my arduous duties, but it has been very humdrum and commonplace indeed. I believe that a strong fervent love makes us think new thoughts and feel new feelings not known nor realize before, at least such has been my case. Why my thoughts are on you all the time no matter whether I study or not, it seems that a new light burns in my soul and it grows brighter and brighter all the time. Oh! I love you so much. I am surprised at myself sometimes and if some fortune teller (Dr. Busby for example) has told me that I would ever love anyone so much I should have doubted it, but living realities cannot be waved. Now, my dearest one, write me a cordial, affectionate letter, and if you think that they love (?) me I am afraid it must be because you judge me by the way affect you, but such I hope and trust is not the case, for if I could not write you a letter breathing love in every line I would feel that I had not written you an honest letter nor one that expressed what was in my heart. As it is rather late I will say “good night”. A pleasant reminder of the social at home. With Fondest Love, Emmett Brother Bird married Miss Julia Gumby (?) last Wednesday. Hurrah For him. I tell you these little men aren’t going to get left when the roll is called are they? Tell me what that Motto is. Emmett ##############################################################################################