17 September 1896 Letter from James Monroe Smith to Eva Slaton Submitted for the Union Parish Louisiana USGenWeb Archives by Robert S. Hendrick, 6/2007 ************************************************ 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. ================================================================================== ================================================================================== 17 September 1896 Letter from James Monroe Smith to Eva Slaton Smith became the Union Parish Clerk of Court in 1879 and served until 1900, when he resigned to serve as a Louisiana State Senator. Smith had courted Slaton prior to his marriage to May Olive Kidd in 1885, but May had died in February 1895. Smith and Slaton married in January 1898. ================================================================================== ================================================================================== Farmerville, LA September 17, 1896 My Own Sweet Angel Girl, I am now alone in my office smoking a cigar and writing to and thinking only of the sweetest and loveliest woman on earth, my angel girl and future wife! Darling, I have been so lonely since I bade you that sweet, yet sad good bye for one long year, but it is some consolation to hope that it will not be always and that while our separation will be bitter and cause lonely reflections, still in spirit and thought, we are ever with each other. I know you are anxious to learn how long my headache lasted after our parting. I felt it no more after retiring that night, but did not feel very well for a day or two after, which was due to cold and parting with my sweet, precious little girl. However, I am myself again and feeling splendidly. I think you should have treated me for the headache in the way I asked you, which would have been an instantaneous cure. Darling, you see how good and obedient I am so soon after my return, to carry out the mandate of my sweet little girl by writing her again. That last visit! Dearest, can we ever forget it? It was so full of pleasure and happiness to me. I can’t hope to have such a pleasant, enjoyable visit again until my sweet little darling returns. How I will miss so long the music of your sweet voice, and those tender, loving words of love and hope. Dearest, you are all the World to me, - as dear as life itself. Can I ever forget that visit and parting? No never! Even darling, after our plighted vows of love shall have bloomed into their fullest fruition and sealed in Holy wedlock, which no “man” (or woman) can tear asunder, and as we travel together hand in hand and heart with heart along the pathway of life, radiant with the sunlight of hope, love and happiness, that visit and parting, I shall never forget, - but will ever cherish in my heart- as a sweet remembrance of the occasion of positive proof of my angel girl’s love & devotion before our marriage. The thought of your departure next Monday makes me sad & lonely, when I think it will be so long before I can have the great pleasure of looking into those pretty eyes that “looked love to eyes which spoke again” and upon that sweet angelic face. But darling, I sincerely hope it will not be so long as we think for now, and I wish to repeat the request I made of you, that you inform Dr. Massie or his wife so soon as you return to AL, that you prefer not teaching longer than he can get some one to take your place, and that you will remain until he can secure your successor without inconven-iencing him in the least. It is entirely unnecessary for my precious little girl to undergo a year of such hard labor, and I fear too that it might injure your health. If your financial circumstances require it, I would not even then be willing for you to do it, as you have worked very hard and continuously for several long years, and in the future, what labor is necessary for our success and prosperity, I propose to do that myself. Darling, I know you will grant me this little request won’t you? I don’t feel I shall go to Ruston again until you return, unless business calls me, as the town, every one and everything will look lonely to me without the presence of my sweet angel girl. Dearest, do you know that I think you have better control of your feelings any way than I have- that is, you’ll not miss me so much and experience such loneliness? Do you think so? I hope we will be able to marry next Spring or first of the Summer at farthest if possible. I don’t see how I can afford to be separated from my sweet little darling longer. That was a sweet long letter you wrote me last, so frank and candid and expressive of my sweet little darling’s tenderest love. You will get this tomorrow evening and you must be sure to write me before you leave, if it be only a short letter, and then write me a long letter when you reach AL. what day do you think you will reach Tuskegee? Be sure and take a sleeper and take special care of my precious little darling. Be sure to send me your photo soon, I will keep it where I can see it often. Address your letter as you have been doing, until I suggest a change. Send me your address in AL again as I have forgotten the name of the College. Excuse the lack of neatness of this letter as the ink blurs very easily. While writing this I have had two ladies to see me on business and several gentleman and have had to stop and write by snatches. God bless, protect and take care of my sweet precious little darling till we meet again, and giver her a safe and pleasant trip to AL is the earnest prayer of Yours Always Lovingly & Devotedly, Jas. M Smith ####################################################################################