3 October 1897 Letter from James Monroe Smith to Eva Slaton Submitted for the Union Parish Louisiana USGenWeb Archives by Robert S. Hendrick, 2/2006 ************************************************ 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. ================================================================================= 3 October 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 ================================================================================== ================================================================================== (Addressed to Miss Eva M. Slaton) Jas. M. Smith, Clerk Edward Everett, Deputy Clerk's Office Parish of Union Farmerville, LA Oct 3, 1897 My own darling little Eva girl, Your tardy, but welcome little missive came last Wednesday evening and to say my heart was most glad when I unlocked my letter box and saw the familiar hand writing of the one I love so supremely well and is the inspirer of every happy and ambitious thought and the very sunlight of hope and life itself, is but a faint expression of an appreciative reception. Darling your letter was so long coming I could not help being restless & im-patient, though I felt sure it was due to irregular mail & then to I thought pos-sibly my sweet little girl might be sick & unable to write me. Yes, my letter was sent via Shiloh and don't see why it should have been so long on the way, so it went to Shiloh on Tuesday & there is a daily mail from there to Ruston, but may have been overlooked by the Postmaster which delayed it a day longer. I am glad Fletcher left Mobile when he did with his family, for it would have been a dangerous risk to have remained. Billy Heard & family are now at Shiloh & will be here in a day or so to remain until the danger is over. From what he said they had a hard time getting through quarantined places. I learn his little boy Willie, finding that every place they passed through, the people were very much afraid of any one from Edwards, Miss, would tell them that they were from Edwards to give them a fright & see the folks get a move & of course it made it difficult for Billie to satisfy them it was a joke & to be permitted to pass through or sojourn a day or so & he had to stop Willie's fun. Yes, darling that was a good joke on you, S'port & Monroe it seems were about to get a move on you. But I think I would have taken my girl's post in that fight & brought her home with me rather than had her sent to the woods. Darling we surely have a great deal for which to be so thankful, that you left Ocean Springs when you did. It was truly a narrow escape for you, Belle, Olive & May. Then dearest we have a great deal more for which to thank the Lord, that he is rapidly restoring my Angel to health. You don't know darling how happy I have been since getting your letter that you are improving so fast. Do you know that I have been so blue & unhappy over your poor health & especially so since I saw you last up to your last letter. But now I just feel that my sweet little girl will soon be fully restored & herself again & that I can soon have her to make her permanent abode with her boy and make his home and life perfectly happy. Yes darling, I think your scheme a good one & your boy will not forsake you on account of your recent exposure to yellow fever or for any one or any thing else. It is now time for preaching at your church. I will stop now & finish on my return. I attended the 11 o'clock service today& have been going all along during the week, a protracted meeting being in progress. Well I attended service last night & heard a very strong sanctification by Brother Lowery, the pastor, & heard the sweet singer Mrs. Kenna from summit, Miss. who is organist & leader in music. She surely has one of the best natural voices I ever heard, while not so cultivated as some, such (???) & yet so sweet. Brother Lowery has not yet convinced me that we can attain sinless perfection in this life. Dearest I fully intended writing you on my return last night, but was deprived of doing so on account of my uncle & aunt having returned with us to spend the night. I know you expected a letter from me today & I regret your disappointment. I always try to be prompt with my sweet girl above all others. It was mighty good and sweet of you darling to remain away from church to write your boy rather than disappoint him, though I would not have you do that if you feel inclined to attend at any time. You can go & then write me on your return. But why should I be advising the purest, sweetest & best little woman on earth and so much better Christian & more consecrated than I am? When we are married & my precious little girl becomes a part of my life, instead of me teaching her what Christian duties are, I know her sweet gentle, angelic influence will greatly improve & elevate mine & make me a happier, better more useful man in every respect. Brother Hardy I regard as a Christian gentleman, one of your best, but I can't think putting my little girl in his charge, would tend to make her any better, for I think she has already attained the highest degree of excellence in goodness in every respect it is possible for woman to attain in this life, but rather think the association would greatly benefit & elevate him & make him a better man. So instead of letting bro. H take charge of my girl, I prefer doing that myself& will be a most happy fellow when that time comes. Darling don't you think if you continue to improve so rapidly, we can marry the last of Nov. or 1st Dec.? I hope so. I just know we would be so happy. None happier. I know my sweet girl will keep the promise she made me & fix the date of our marriage so soon as her health will permit. Darling write me what you think about it. I am not urging it if your health doesn't permit. I have that confidence in you, that you will not defer it unnecessarily.Yes, no doubt you had a most enjoyable stay at the Chautaugua with Miss Bessie & Carrie. It seemed that you & Miss Bessie talked much when alone. I wish I could have been secreted near by & heard it. I know it would have been "a picnic" to use a slang expression. I should like to have heard you Miss B. dilate on your boy's shortcomings, but I reckon you didn'tdiscuss him at length, as your discussion related to bro. P and how badly you had treated him. Well I guess you had better send me that picture darling, as it may be some time before I can see it & will read the letters when I visit you. I am anxious to see it, send it to me soon. I am glad you have it, as I don't like for any other fellow to have my girl's picture, especially one I expect to be my sweet little wife some day. Yes it seems that they keep up with our visits pretty well, but don't you know it would be a treat to some if they could hear our conversations & witness our partings- those "sweet-good byes'? Suppose we write them next time. Darling I am so anxious to see you it seems so long since I visited you last. I am almost persuaded to visit you the latter part of this week, as Court will begin next Monday & last 2 or 3 weeks & I don't see how I can wait so long. I will be so busy this week don't know that I could leave hence it is very doubtful about my coming, so don't look for me & don't be in the least disappointed if I don't. Write me as usual or sooner if you feel like it. Darling let me say again that you don't know how much happier I am & how much brighter & better I feel over your improvement & pray the Good Lord that he will speedily restore my angel to perfect health again & that we may soon address her as Mrs. J. M. S.. With heart full of love & M. k's I am as ever Yours Devotedly, James ############################################################################