7 May 1897 Letter from James M. Smith, Sr.to Eva Slaton Submitted by: Dr. Robert S. Hendrick Date of Submission: 11/2008 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ ================================================================================== ================================================================================== 7 May 1897 Letter from James M. Smith, Sr.to Eva Slaton Materials from the Personal Collection of Dr. Robert S. Hendrick, Jr. Transcribed and submitted by Robert S. Hendrick, Jr. 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. ================================================================================== ================================================================================== James M. Smith Sr. to Eva Slaton (Addressed to Mrs. M. L. Brooks; c/o T T Slaton) ================================================================================== ================================================================================== Jas. M. Smith, Clerk Edward Everett, Deputy Clerk’s Office Parish of Union Farmerville, LA May 7, 1897 My Darling Sweet Little Eva Girl, Your sweet little messenger laden with as pure, tender, womanly love as ever pure, noble, angelic woman bestowed upon the man of her choice, came Sunday evening. Darling you can never write me a franker, sweeter letter with every word flowing direct from the fountain of your true, confiding, precious little heart, which music, love, hope and happiness beautifully bleeding together for us in every ripple and murmur. When I read its sweet, sacred pages I was a happy man and wondered if any other was ever blessed with a love (nearer “divine in its purity”), of a sweeter, lovelier, nobler and more angelic woman in this life? Darling don’t you believe your boy thinks there was never one more blessed? My answer is: no, none. Thou art the sweetest, noblest, loveliest and most angelic on “God’s green earth.” It seems to me that my little darling grows sweeter and dearer to me all the time if it were possible to do so, though don’t see how she could be more so- in fact cannot. Darling, the English language is inadequate and words would have to be coined to express my loving, heart felt appreciation for the nice sweet things you say of me and for the place I hold in you affection. Would that I were worthy of you high estimate darling. Even though I don’t merit it and fall so far short, I had rather have the good opinion, the trusting, confiding heart and love of my precious little darling, than any other on earth. I know that with all my shortcomings and imperfections she above all others will be the last to see them and then cover them with her love. I know she only it is, who can make my life perfectly happy. Yes dearest, I do believe you have sacredly kept that dear, precious little heart for our boy only. A “sacred reserve” for him and how it fills my very soul with joy and happiness to know that my little Angel Girl, after many long years has reopened that sacred door and permitted her boy to re-enter again there to abide always. But dearest, it is impossible, absolutely impossible for you to love your boy, with a love greater, deeper, broader, higher than his for you. I often ask myself the question: Is it possible that my own little darling loves me with a love as great, tender and fine as mine for her? Yes dearest, I do need you every day, hour & moment and I forgot to tell you in my last letter, I need you especially to play with and I’ll promise you to always try to entertain you with all things most pleasing to your taste, so make haste dearest and come. I am very lonely without you. Well I suppose you attended the Confederate Reunion at the Chautauqua last Saturday and hope you had a good time. If you had given me an invitation I might have gone over. Our May-Day picnic was a most enjoyable occasion, my Second best girl was there. I was disappointed at my best girl not being there, you missed the occasion of the season. As you refused to accept my invitation this time, I don’t know whether I’ll let you go next May or not, we will decide that question later. Darling why can’t you be as good and sweet to me as Mr. Ed Everett’s girl is to him? His girl came up on the boat night before last to spend a week or so. He met her at the boat with a buggy and has been to see her both nights and they are having a good time. I think he leaves as early as I do when I visit you- not later than I. Now I think it is so nice & good of her to come to see him when it is not convenient for him to her and the best evidence and strongest proof of her undying love. You know I have been telling you that I was a little fearful that Everett’s girl loved him better than mine does me from the fact she writes him so many more letters and now add to that fact a visit, and didn’t you think I have the very best reason for thinking so? You see they are having a fine, large, happy time on account of that visit, when if she had not loved him well enough to make the sacrifice & come, they would tonight be separated as we are & as I am unhappy & with the blues on account of my girl not coming to see me too, so I could be with her tonight. You say you have ever so much to tell me when you see me, also some good jokes for me. As I will probably not get to see my little darling until about the middle of June, I would suggest that you write me all about it as we will have plenty left to talk about any way. Darling I am so glad you continue to improve and hope the Good Lord will soon restore my own precious little girl to perfect health again. Dearest I would suggest that you go ahead & get your “wedding garments” in order so we will be ready to marry on short notice so soon as you recover. You must be a very prudent little girl& take especial care of yourself, so you will improve fast, for your boy is so lonely & unhappy without you. If I didn’t improve fast under Dr. Harrell’s treatment (having been under him for about 3 months already) it might be best to change doctors & get my friend Dr. Brooks or some other good physician there. My health is first class now & I am growing heavier every day & if I continue will soon be back to over 165 pounds again. I would have been much disappointed had I not gotten your letter Sunday. Darling you seemed to be so surprised at my answering your letter so soon before & at my expecting a reply so early after. I took it as a hint that you would prefer not to write so often but write as you had before, hence I thought best to defer writing you till now. I would like to hear from you at least once a week, but don’t want to occupy too much of your time in your health writing me, if it is at all taxing or tends to impede your improvement of that nervous trouble. Dearest your health is first with me of any thing & I want you to take especial care of yourself & not do any thing that would in the least check your improvement, but to get well so soon as you can so I can have my little darling with me all the while & then I will be the happiest man living. I will leave it with you darling whether we write once a week or as here to fore. With oceans of love and many XXX. Always Yours Devotedly, James ###################################################################################### File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/la/union/history/letters/smith/1897-05-07.txt