21 February 1897 Letter from James Monroe Smith to his future wife, Eva Slaton Submitted for the Union Parish Louisiana USGenWeb Archives by Robert S. Hendrick, 8/2005 ************************************************ 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 February 1897 Letter from James Monroe Smith to his future wife, Eva Slaton ================================================================================== ================================================================================== James M. Smith Sr. to Eva Slaton (Addressed to Miss Carrie Manning; c/o T T Slaton) Jas. M. Smith, Clerk Edward Everett, Deputy Clerk's Office Parish of Union Farmerville, LA Feb. (?) 21, 1897 My darling little girl, That was a long, sweet letter and read with great interest and pleasure. I am a very happy boy over the thought that my own sweet little girl will soon be fully restored to perfect health and looking as sweet and pretty as when I last saw her and spoke those sweet, sad words: "Goodbye". Dearest it is very comforting to me to indulge in the happy thought that I will not have to be separated from my little angel girl much longer and that I will soon have her as a life partner with sweet, charming presence to bring sunshine in my home and make glad and happy my life as none other can do. Darling what a happy man I will be when I can say my wife! How happy I'll be when as my wife I'll have with me while this life lasts, the sweetest and loveliest woman that lives to share my joy and sorrow, the mainspring of every hope and the inspirer of every heart (?) and noblest ambition. Darling I am very unhappy when out of your presence and how I long for the time to come when I shall have you with me when are one. How happy we will be then! To love and live for each other - one in everything that makes life worth living and married life one of ideal happiness. Dearest there is no doubt that many can assume that marriage is a failure. Where there is no harmony, no congeniality, no time, God given-love, no doubt marriage is a great failure and there can never be time happiness and content- ment. But my little darling to love as we love with our whole hearts and strength, with a love so pure, so true that it meets the sanctions of our Heavenly Father. I truly believe we have every reason to hope that marriage in our case will not be a failure but a happy success. Darling, how long do you think it will be when it will suit you for us to marry? Give me some idea if you can. I am very hopeful that you will so regain your health, from what you write. Have you sent off to have any of "the wedding garments"? I don't want you to do any work on them, but have someone else to do it. My little girl must take special care of herself and get well. It is unnecessary for you to do any work at all and you mustn't do it, but take plenty of outdoor recreation this beautiful Spring weather. Yes dearest I think your lady friends are doing you very wrong to interfere with you when you want to write your sweetheart and to be so interested (just from curiosity) in your private affairs, when you wish to keep them very private. I couldn't keep from laughing when I read your letter, for I knew that you no doubt had been subjected to great deal of embarrassment by the inquisitive and investigative tendency of your sisters for you know "women will talk" and have great curiosity. I regret very much that I can't secretly see them ply you with questions and hear your dodging answers and see your many blushes. I know I would have something to smile over for some time. Well I am sorry for you darling but I can't help it. You must make the ablest defense you can. If you can't think of no defense that will suit the occasion and you are in a tight for a defense, you can just use my convention speech if you think it will do. That is the best I can do for you. Well how is Mr. P- ? Has he been to see you and given his version of the causes that lead to your return? That flower garden friend that gave you such a sisterly greeting and wanted you as a permanent neighbor, was not on such a cold trail, was she? She had looked after your interests pretty closely and had about sized my little girl's return up to a "fine point". How much have you visited? I would wage anything that you have been out much. There is too much curiosity afloat. Now darling if that does keep you from going out, you mustn't let it do so any longer, for it's no sin if you are about to get married. Go and have a good time and get well quick. The other young sisters who told you I was "a lawyer and a widower with three children" is a pretty good guesser, isn't she? Was that all she knew about me? Darling, you were better posted than that and could have given her dots, couldn't you? Yes, you are right, I guess we will have a lot of fun discussing these things when we meet. It was mighty good and sweet of my precious little girl to think of me on my birthday and wish in her heart she could give me a "big dinner party". Yes if nothing providential prevents I hope to have my little angel with me on my next birthday (& long before then) and I know she will see about that "big dinner party" all right. Yes I reckon Minnie does think your being sick as an excuse for your return is a good joke. Darling I had forgotten sending you that little valentine in the long ago, which was so expressive of my feeling then and now. That love hasn't lost any of its order, but stronger than ever. I know that my little girl loves me, but darling you know it does a fellow good to tell him so and you don't know how I appreciate those three, sweet expressive little words "I love you" coming as they do from one as dear as life itself to me. No I never tire of your letters. It matters not how long they are. The longer, the better. Write me a long sweet letter again soon. Don't wait so long. I would have written sooner, but had quite a correspondence to get up with that accumulated during court. Besides darling I haven't been well for several days, bordering on La Grippe, but feel much better today. When shall I come? I never did want to see so much. Yours Devotedly, James #######################################################