21 June 1890 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. ================================================================================= ================================================================================== 21 June 1890 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 ================================================================================== ================================================================================== Marion, LA June 21, 1890 My Precious Darling, After leaving you on last Monday I reached home safely about one o’clock, but had a very warm ride I can assure you. I found mother (Susan S. George Thomas) absent from home, as she was expecting us to come up from Monroe on the boat and had gone to the Landing to meet us, so she was very much disappointed. I never had as enjoyable a time in my life as I had spent during the last week. On Wednesday some seven or eight of us men folks went down went down on a creek about five miles below here & had a fish fry. We caught a super abundance & everyone had all to eat that he could possibly desire. I caught twenty six, don’t you think that did pretty well, considering that I had not been fishing in so long. On yesterday we had another fish fry down on the creek about a mile & a half from here & had quite a gay time, though the entire crowd only caught about a hundred & fifty fish & we had quite a large crowd, as all the ladies in town went & carried baskets. Also we had a shoal barbecued so you can see we had plenty to eat anyway. Then after dinner we played some games & spent the day in a very agreeable manner. You can rest assured my darling that I did not forget you at all during the entire time, for I have thought of you I don’t know how often since I came home, and just longing to see you. It matters not what transpires I always remember I have a precious little girl at F’ville whom I love better than life. Dearest Florence I hope you do not think I got angry the other night, for I did not. Your boy would not get angry at you for anything in the world if you don’t treat him like an iceberg. On Sunday night I only felt deeply wounded, because you would not kiss your boy good bye, knowing that I would be gone nearly a month. The reason I asked the other night, not when I left before to come home was because when I came home before I had not passed my examination & though that perhaps I might fail & then you would be ashamed of me & might desire the bonds broken, which I would most assuredly have offered you the opportunity had I have made a “slip up” before the court, but this time I could see no reason why we should not marry next Winter, if you loved me as you said you did & also knowing full well that I expected to be true to my heart & to you. I could see no reason why you should kiss your boy good bye & especially after you said you would grant “Every reasonable wish & request I might make” & I know that there was not the slightest harm in the world, loving each other as we did. It seemed to show me conclusively either one of two facts & it was that that wounded me & they are these. It either showed that you yourself doubted very materially your own love for me or that you were afraid to trust your boy implicitly as you should under the existing circumstances. Of course the later would be a natural consequence of the former, for if you were afraid you did not love me & though you might want to change then certainly you would be afraid to trust me. And I don’t think you have the slightest reason in the world to not have that implicit confidence in me that you should, for I pledge you my sacred word of honor that your confidence should not be abused by word, thought or deed on any part. Also I make the same pledge that I would most certainly marry you whenever you should say, if you did not go back on me. Still you could not trust your boy, then what am I to think but to look for a stinging blow telling me that you do not love me as you at first thought. Oh Florence, my precious, I know you did not mean to wound your boy that way, for you said you would kiss me when I came back & I shall look for you to keep that promise & I know you will, won’t you dearest? I can’t really believe in my heart that you doubt your love for me or that you are afraid to trust your boy. I know that never in my life & never will again love any girl as ardently & devotedly as I do you. You are the idol of my life & my star, my hope. It is for you & you alone that I strive to accomplish anything, if anything worthy of you I might attain. Now my little pet don’t let us misunderstand each other anymore, but on the contrary let us be more loving & affectionate all the time, what say you? I am longing for the day to come when you will be mine to love & caress all my life, oh Florence I love you so dearly. You asked me the other night where I wanted to kiss you goodbye. I’ll answer, first because I thought that if we loved each other truly & devotedly there could not possibly be any wrong as all other couples I doubt not do precisely the same. Also you know how Tennyson puts it in Locksley’s stall, “Westwood beside the sea & watches the stately ships and our spirits rushed together at the touching of the lips.” And I feel confident such would have been the case with us, I am fully satisfied we would have loved each other better & had more implicit faith each in the other, for if you had kissed your boy good bye, he have known beyond the peradventure of a doubt that you loved him far above all others in this world & he would never have doubted or complained at you anymore &would have moved along so peacefully & harmoniously. But I yet feel assured that you love & trust your boy & will keep your promise & kiss him when he returns, would you? Have you & Mrs. B. rec’d the Croquet set yet. I told Rufe Webb & also Jim Everrett about it & sincerely hope it will be attended to, so you can pass the time as pleasantly as possible & when I come back will beat you playing. I have put up the set here & we play almost every day and am getting in very good practice. I expect to go down to the Fog (?) about next Friday & spend a week fishing & frolicking down there & trust I’ll have an enjoyable time. I have not been sick any more, though Father (Benson B. Thomas) has had quite a little spell since he got home. I expect to go back to town about the second week in July as I can’t stay away from you any longer & it nearly kills me to stay that long & were it not for the home folks I would not have came at all & after this time I shall not leave you any more, my dearest for I long to be with you as much as possible not withstanding you say I come over so often that everyone knows it. My dearest Cousin May is still very low with Typhoid fever, she has been sick for eight weeks & her fellow goes to see her everyday. Very kind & affectionate in him isn’t it? I guess “Mum” will be happy in a day or so as miss Lou will return I reckon. I got me a couple more of nice handkerchiefs while at home & will sow them to you when I go back. They are silk & so pretty I think. Will give you one if you haven’t any. Ha! Ha! Must I let Mother see your letters? I know you don’t want me to, well then I won’t for I always want to do just what I think will please my little girl. But you must be sure & write your boy a kind sweet letter, won’t you dearest? Please do, for you have no idea how much good it does me & also how blue it makes me feel to receive a cold one. Write soon & a long letter to Your Loving Boy, Emmett ###############################################################################