22 August 1897 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. ================================================================================= ================================================================================== 22 August 1897 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. ================================================================================= ================================================================================== James M. Smith Sr. to Eva Slaton Jas. M. Smith, Clerk Edward Everett, Deputy Clerk’s Office Parish of Union Farmerville, LA August 22, 1897 My darling sweet little girl: Your long looked for, slow letter came Wednesday evening about 6 o’clock and it is unnecessary for me to assure you that it met a most welcome reception. Darling it had been near 3 weeks since I had heard a word from you- didn’t know whether or not you made your trip safely, how you stood your trip and that perhaps you might be sick & couldn’t write me. I fully expected a letter even though it be short soon after you reached Cooper’s. Well, I looked and kept looking until I almost lost heart. I am sorry my letter was so long in reaching you which as you know couldn’t be helped under the circumstances. However, it is all right now. I have been so happy after receiving your letter to find you so well pleased and improving & doing so well in every way. You know that it is quite enough to make your boy feel first class & happy. Darling I am so hopeful and pray the Good Lord that your sojourn on the seashore may be the instrument in His hands to fully restore my angel girl to perfect health. Well I reckon before this you have met Belle and your future cousin Miss May Smith of Baton Rouge (daughter of Oliver Perry Smith, James Smith’s uncle). I understand she accompanied Belle. I know you will like her for she is a very intellectual girl with a smooth, sweet disposition. She is a graduate of the State Normal. Tell Belle and May they must take especial care of my sweet, little girl & that I requested you to deliver to them this message- Be sure now & don’t fail to do this for me & I will vouch for it, you will have the best attention. I wish I could be with you, it would be so enjoyable for us, but I hardly think you would think I needed the trip for my health should you see me, for my health is first class. Darling you need not be the least anxious about me overworking myself now since court is over as I don’t have much work to do, as the busy season will not open until a month or more. The weather for the past few days has been cool & pleasant, having had rain. I am sorry you danced & played cards to excess causing you to loose so much sleep, thereby retarding your improve-ment while at Cooper’s Well. Of course it was proper that you learn how to do those things for my entertainment in future, but I didn’t want you to do so to such an extent. I think too you did the right thing to leave there on that account. Darling write me in your next letter how long if you know before you return home. I think you should remain so long as you are benefited by all means. The reason why I would like to know so soon as you determine on the date of your return, I expect to the Camp meeting Fair at Calhoun which is on the 8th, 9th & 10th of Sept. & should you return by that time I will go back & forth during the Fair to Ruston to visit you. But so long as you improve & think your stay there benefits you don’t you come on my account as I can visit you later on. Dearest, it seems to me that I never did want to see you so much as now. It seems at times that I just can’t wait longer. I want to see you & receive that very sweet farewell you sent me face to face. It is not near so sweet by letter. You must be sure to send me your & Miss B’s pictures if you can find a Kodak. I know my little girl will look mighty sweet. Darling it is now 3 weeks since you left, do you feel much improved? Write fully as to your health, as you know that it interests me now more than all things else. Do you think there is now any probability that we could marry the last of Sept.? I will be so glad & happy when we are married & I can have the dearest, sweetest & best little darling with me all the time, for I am so discontented & unhappy without my precious little doll. Darling I just know no couple on Earth will be more contented & happy than we when the parson says we are one. I believe we are as near one as lovers ever were. I know I can say in all truth there is scarcely a moment that I am not too with my little darling in sprit, if I can’t be in person. In my mind’s eye I can see her every pretty little look of the eye & expression of the face & hear her sweet voice & see hr graceful dignified form. All I need to be a perfectly dignified man in this life is to have my angel girl with me all the while. Yes darling I know that your sweet little self is with me in all things, let it be losses or successes and I feel that no man will have a precious little wife whose whole heart & being will come nearer sharing with her husband and entering in his whole life as God intended as yours. Yes darling I know my sweet girl not only will, but I believe even does now share with me in all success I may attain and in all burdens I may have & can come nearer making those successes a success & enjoyable & those burdens lighter than any one on earth. But darling the chief ambition of my life shall be to make angel girl’s life as happy as can be & with as few burdens as possible. That was such a sweet little letter precious and could only emanate from the heart of the finest, sweetest and noblest woman in this life. There is none more trusting, loving and loveable than you in every respect and none whose sweetheart loves as intensely & devotedly as yours does you. I reckon Miss Bessie has returned by now and that you are now with Belle & May. You said you would write me again in a day or 2 of all your plans, but haven’t rec’d yet. I’m looking for it in every mail. Don’t but off writing me darling after getting this, as it is so long & takes me 2 to 3 days to get it after it is mailed. I will now have to close as my paper is out. Write me long letters & as often as you feel like it & especially about your health. With a heart full of tenderest love for my sweet little girl, I am ever, Yours Devotedly, James ##################################################################################