Bertie County NcArchives History - Letters .....Letters Between Richard Alexander Urquhart (1889-1947) And Kate Nelson Fenner (1890-1956) ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/nc/ncfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Molly Urquhart murquhar@bellsouth.net January 14, 2010, 11:32 am [March 1, 1915] [Halifax] My own dearest Alex, My sho nuff long sweet letter came this afternoon and I’m happier than I have been since Monday. It’s the only real letter I’ve gotten in a long old time and I’m some kinder set up over it. Course if you are busy I’ll try my best to “put up” with short ones but it’s a hard job. I’d just simply tell you you had to write me long ones if I didn’t know I would have to send you notes some times for I know I have just got to get down to work and work all the time. I have been playing dunce this afternoon and embroidering a dress for a little friend of mine and I ought to be whipped as much as I’ve got to do for myself. I got another mighty nice contribution to the trousseau today and I’m half way in the notion to stop sewing on it and see what my friends are going to give me. They might get good and give me the whole thing. I don’t know what to tell you about your clothes for I never was a very close observer at weddings (not ever intending to try such a stunt myself). The best thing for you to do is to write to a Haberdasher and find out the correct thing for a morning wedding. It will certainly be morning, all right, and it matters not where we are married, for you will wear the same thing at either place. He will tell you every thing you have to wear, from your tie down. I reckon if you had looked in the tailor’s sample books you could have found out. Vogue could tell you, I know. I’ll try to find out on the quiet and I’ll write you if I succeed. I’m almost sure that you will have to have black and I’m real sorry for you can’t get near the service out of black that you can out of blue (getting economical already). I’m just as strong for a home wedding as you are and if there is any possible way I’m going to have it here. I have to foot my folks though, I’m most sure, for I’d never get their consent. I wish I never had said anything about June and then we could just jump up and get married one morning and then if they got mad they’d have to fuss after we are gone. I’m like you on the invitation subject but hate like the mischief to be cheated out of all those presents. We’ve got just the same right to ask for them that everybody else has. Maybe though my old man can buy enough for us to make out with. Kinder sound Margaret [out] and see what she thinks about the very quiet home affair but don’t tell her I told you to. I wouldn’t feel so bad about it if I knew somebody didn’t think it was terrible. I’m mighty skeered we’ll have to have it in Church in spite of all we can say or do but it’s a shame you can’t have your friends. I reckon the shame though is that your friends can’t behave decently enough to come. I’m sorry about it for I know you must want them. Do as you see fit about it, though, and I’ll attend to you and see that you don’t attend the “party.” And you just get that “small allowance” out of your head too cause you shall not have one single solitary drop. Hear me? Billie did take a curious way to move – maybe he just hated to leave and hated to tell you all good-bye. That’s the way I’m going to leave home. I don’t expect to tell a soul good-bye. Some of my friends have been over this afternoon pretending they were about to shed tears over my departure and didn’t know how they could stand to see me go. I might have shed a tear myself if I hadn’t have promised not to – see how dutiful I am? I’ve got to mind you and fool you into minding me. I hope you are enjoying the Bishop and that Buffet if he is there is not dogging you too much about joining the Episcopal Church cause you’ve got to be a Methodist preacher just to show the world one smart one. I’m not laughing right now at the idea. I’ve got to stop and write three letters. I never did finish Miss Jennie’s letter I started Sat. night. ‘Twon’t be so very long before another Sat. night either, will it? Harry said he was going to make you and Billie come up to his shop next Tuesday night. How ‘bout it? I hope when you do come again that we’ll have sense enough to plan our affairs and not do like a couple of simpletons. But if I love you any better than I do now I ain’t going to do a thing but just set up and not even think about the old wedding. And I reckon I’ll love you better cause when I ain’t mad and despising you I’m loving you better all the time. I hope you are writing me a long letter this minute. With all the love in the world, I am Your own always Kate Thursday night [March 2, 1915] [Halifax] My own dearest Alex, I’m mad with you tonight for sending me that little note today when I expected such a long Sunday night letter and I’m just going to send you a note just for that. The truth is I haven’t done my task on my trousseau so I’ve got to do a little work tonight. I had to go up to Weldon this afternoon to do a little shopping and got back just in time to get my note. I get so mad every time I want a yard of lace or anything for I have to either write for it or go to Weldon – and nine times out of ten fail to get it there. Brother came home this afternoon to stay till the season opens again and is more in love than ever. Mama says she doesn’t know what she’s going to do with such love-sick children. He informed me just now that I’d either have to have a very morning wedding or a very evening one for he had just ordered his blue clothes and didn’t have anything else but a strictly evening suit. He was very partial to the morning, however. I saw Harry just now and told him what you said and he said he thought he would go home with you Monday. I saw Jarl’s little girl today and she is certainly pretty. He and his wife came up and spent the day with Mrs. Norman – it’s the first Monday and he had to come anyway. The commissioners are still considering putting the jail nearer the Court House and said today if a single DAR protested they weren’t going to give us our five thousand for our school. They’re going to decide tomorrow and somebody is going to send in another petition to them begging them not to put it in town – or near the Court House. Some of the DARs are very much exited over it but I’ve got other things to worry over. I’m enclosing a card I got just now which I think that dunce nigger of mine sent. Did you ever hear of such audacity? I hope she’ll hurry and come home for I hate to cook. Don’t that sound good to you? I’m so glad your old Grip is gone but I’m mighty sorry Burges had to have it. I’m glad you hid out of being in the wedding cause I’m ‘fraid they might make you appear at the altar with Miss Carrie. I hope Fred and the widow haven’t busted up. Wouldn’t that be a shock to her if she wasn’t the cause of the bust up? I’ve got to stop before I write a letter. I hope you are writing me a long one so I can send you one next time. I love you right good tonight. With all my love, I am Your own always, Kate Monday night. [March, 1915] [Woodville] Monday Night My own dearest Kate – I can only write a line tonight for I have got to go up town and get off some Insurance reports right now. My Saturday and Sunday night letter found me waiting for it today and made the whole afternoon happy. I have been doing some working putting up a wire fence today. ‘Twas just cold enough to make me break my cussing pledge every time the wire would scratch me – If I had known I was going to have any dealings with barbed wire I would have fasted on something else. I’m mighty sorry Duck had to go away and leave you to cook – It seems like something is always happening to keep you at work. When I get you you haven’t got to do a thing but sit up and talk to me (and sing) – I wish I had my Sweetness right this minute. I must stop but will write a sho nuff letter tomorrow night. Know I love you better every minute. With all my love – I remain forever – Your own – Alex – [March 13, 1915] [Halifax] My own dearest Alex, I was afraid to open the mail this afternoon for I just knew I was going to get a note but when my fat sweet letter rolled out I was some kinder happy and have been happy ever since. I just love my letters – and notes too – and I know I would die if I didn’t have them to look forward to. I’m sorry you had to miss the show last night but some kinder glad that you did under the circumstances. Thought the lady had gone – but I don’t care how long she stays, do I? Maybe she intends “warming over old soup” since you were so glad to see each other. I’ll bet what old Evie has to tell that she told will be something to hear, don’t you? I thought of the cutest thing out today for the wedding and if we can carry it out it will be fine. Let’s get married about seven and make Mr. Travis stop our Thanksgiving train here for us. It’s a through train to New York and a nice one and the trip would be so much nicer in the summer. Then we could be married at home (I reckon, for we wouldn’t have many spectators). Little Sister swears she won’t get up at six o’clock to go to anybody’s nigger wedding but I told her we wouldn’t need but three to witness it and maybe we could get along without her services. The only thing that worries me is just the idea of the Groom oversleeping himself – wouldn’t that be a catastrophe though? Did Harry have any luck at Roxobel? Tell him the receipts at Edna’s show last night were twenty dollars but his will come during Court and he will get more. Don’t think the Reader was anything extra. I didn’t go for I had some letters to write but Little Sister did. Make Harry go to bed and behave himself for Aunt Clara is counting on your making him well. Maybe he has loved Em long enough and is ready to transfer his affection to Evie. I’ve been over nursing one of my chief school friends all the morning and I certainly did feel funny. It was the first time I had visited her since the school affair and wouldn’t have gone there if my conscience would have let me stay away but she was over there suffering by herself so I had to go. I never did believe much in “heaping coals of fire.” I am sorry Clifford is sick and hope he will soon be well – both for his and Mog’s sakes. Tell her I’m going to write her a letter as soon as I get time and tell her I really want her to come up when she gets as far this way as Miss Pattie’s. Also tell her to tell Miss Pattie when she writes that I have sent the hair on and am expecting the braid on every train. Am glad you like Swain and wish you could have come back with him. ‘Twon’t be so long now though, will it? Swain has just come in and says he thinks you are a fine boy but I ought not to tell you cause you are hard enough to manage now. I’ll do it, though, or bust. I’m writing at the office and Mama is ready to go so I’ll have to stop. With every bit of love in the world, I am, Your own always, Kate [March 14, 1915] [Woodville] Sunday Night My own dearest Kate – Burges decided to go to Kelford this morning so I went with him thinking I would have time to write a postal at least but we got there just as the train was pulling in so I just had to take it out in thinking. I wanted to write last night and almost did but I couldn’t find a soul that was going this morning and Burges only decided after breakfast when I was out at Sunday School. I wish I had have written for I feel like I ought to do something to make up for my sweet letters last week. Every one I loved better. I am tickled to death over your idea to have the NY train stop for us at seven thirty – please don’t change your mind. I think that’s the best idea yet, a quiet home wedding at seven and then take the train right for New York. I’ll guarantee the groom won’t oversleep himself cause he’ll be too happy. I’m going to have a talk with Mog tomorrow. I’m sure she will approve of a quiet wedding for she knows my dislike for anything showy. The first thing we must do Saturday night is plan every single thing about the wedding. It will be mighty hard to think about anything but how good I love my own sweetest sweetness but we must make our plans cause ‘tain’t so much longer thank the Lord. I spend all my time now thinking about how sweet life will be to me when I have you with me Sweetness. You are everything in the world that I love and I know no man ever loved a woman any more than I love you. I’m afraid I’ll be too happy. I wish we had everything ready and could be married next time I come. Sweet please don’t worry and work so much on that trousseau business cause I don’t want my Sweetness working so hard. Harry and Burges and the Zekes and I went over the Sallie’s last night to hear the Victrola. Harry said he thought it was fine but I don’t know what he really thought. He decided to give the Zekes a rest tonight so we are all at home. Fred has got the Mumps so couldn’t come up today. I think Harry kinder likes the widow too. I’m going to try to keep Harry here till Saturday night but I’m afraid he will get tired. Tell Little Sister I think the calendar is the best thing I ever saw. That artist had had some experience. I’ll write a long letter tomorrow night – Know Sweetheart I love you and want you more every single minute. With all my love – I remain forever – Your own – Alex [March 14?, 1915] [Halifax] My own dearest Alex, We had Nell over to supper tonight and she has just left so I can’t write much tonight – just enough to let you know (if you don’t already know) that I’m thinking about you and loving you all the time. I get mad every time I think about its not being last night. I slept this morning till ten and but for the fact of my grieving over your not being here I would feel right well. I saw Aunt Clara this afternoon and she said she had invited you up to see her so I’m expecting you real soon. Aunt Clara’s favorite sister came today so she is happy now. I talked to Nell about the wedding but I’m no nearer married than I was before. I ‘most decided to have a quiet church wedding with Margaret and Little Sister officiating and have all your folks up and then ‘most decided to be married here in the house with nobody but our families present but I never did decide sho nuff. It will never do for us not to have your people here and I want them to come. Aunt Clara and Aunt Susie will entertain all I can’t have here and I know I’ll always be glad we had them. We can do our final planning when you come again. Tell Margaret the peppers came from Oppenheimer’s in Rocky Mount but she can get them from Reuder’s, I’m sure. The tomatoes I ordered for dinner yesterday came rolling in today but I’m enjoying your share. I can’t write much tonight but I’ll make up for it tomorrow. Got something else pretty for the trousseau today. Ain’t I lucky? Harry’s girl sent it. I hope you are writing me a great long sweet letter right now for I want one some kinder bad. With all my love, I am Your own always, Monday night. Kate [March 15, 1915] [Halifax] My own dearest Alex – I’m mad and sick too tonight and I shan’t even try to write you a long letter. I have missed my letter more than ever before today and I just believe you could have gotten one to me if you had half way tried. Doggone old Bishop Darst for keeping you over at the house and making me get a little old note yesterday. I feel like I haven’t heard from you in a whole month and if I don’t get a letter a mile long tomorrow I’m going to cuss a blue streak. I’ve got to take a dose tonight that I cordially hate and I know I’ll be dead tomorrow and want my letter some kinder bad. My wrists and arms have itched for the last two or three days till I feel like I’ll go crazy so I went to Doctor today and he said I had too much something in my blood and gave me a dose. Honestly I feel like I could just scratch the blood out. I thought once I had poison oak but Doctor says not since I’m not broken out except where I scratched the skin off. Glad it hasn’t gotten to my face. I got a letter today from our President-General DAR in Washington urging me to be present at the meeting of the pages to be held there the seventeenth of April. All of them here have gotten crazy again for me to go but I can’t decide to save my life. I’ll enjoy it, I know, and it’s chance in a life time that comes to but few girls, but I will have to go to more expense than I want to or am able to. I wouldn’t hesitate but I hate to get my few dresses so early – What must I do? Honestly, I haven’t got any more business getting married than a kid for I don’t want to decide a thing by myself and responsibility simply kills me. You’ll be a very important factor in our house. If I’m able tomorrow I am going to Weldon and Roanoke Rapids to see some people about our school. We’ll have to go to Enfield and Scotland Neck this week too and then our work will be done. I’m ‘most scared to hope for it much. I have been to Church three times today. How many times did you go – or did you know I was going enough for us both? How did you all like your new Bishop? I forgot he was a widower when I was cussing him just now but I couldn’t have him cause he might want me to be an Episcopalian. We are going to have services here in the Episcopal Church Sunday and I know you’ll be tickled to death to go. I asked the old man to make your mother’s two porch chairs and he says he will bring them Saturday. He has gone up on them to $150 but I know she wouldn’t care about that for they really are dirt cheap. Ask her if she wants them shipped by freight to Kelford like I shipped Miss Lou’s. Don’t forget this and write me for I can make the old man carry them on to the depot and ship them. Has your friend left your part of the neighborhood yet and does she still say she is going to see your wedding? She’ll sho have to come with a mask on cause I wouldn’t let her in. How are Tommy and Lila getting on? When she’s away he’s a big talker but I notice he doesn’t act so big when she gets there and I’ll bet she fools him into getting married yet. I forgot I was mad and I’m going to stop this very minute. If I don’t get a long sweet letter tomorrow I’m going to be madder than I am, too. With all my love, I am, Your own always. Kate Sunday night [March 15, 1915] [Woodville] Monday Night My own dearest Kate – I love my Sunday night letter if my Sweet did cuss me out cause I couldn’t write much Friday night and then couldn’t mail a letter yesterday. I was some kinder sorry I didn’t write Saturday night after I did get a chance to mail a letter Sunday but ‘twas too late then. Next Sunday I’ll be with my Sweetness and won’t have to bother about mailing letters. I tried to get Mog to help me make some plans today but just as we got started somebody came and Mog goes to bed right after supper so I’ll have to wait till tomorrow. I asked her about the suit and she said she thought blue was the thing to wear in the morning with tan or gray gloves – I remember Lewis was married in a blue suit. Anyway I told the tailor to hold up the blue suit till I let him know and we will find out for certain. Mog approves of the home wedding but said she thought I ought to do just what you wanted about it and I think so too but still I’ve got a right to pray that you shall want a quiet one. I’ll try to talk to Mog some more tomorrow about it. I had a long talk with Lila this afternoon and she told me all her troubles, how she loved Tommie and he wouldn’t marry her. He goes to see her but is pretty indifferent and I think he has made up his mind to quit if she will let him. Marguerite is still here and will be for another week. I see her every day but generally manage to be on the other side of the street. We speak very politely but haven’t had a bit of conversation since our first meeting. She knows I’m done for good but I think she wants one chance to give me a final cussing. She better not cuss me much or I’ll have to break my fast on cussing and cuss back at her. She is writing to Pruden again so I think she is happy. Mama is crazy about the chairs and you can have them shipped to Kelford and I’ll have them transferred to the S.A.L. Harry and Burges went to Zeke’s tonight. Harry has been riding around in the widow’s car all day and seems to be enjoying himself. He was mighty nice to the Bishop and old Buffet thought he was fine. Everybody liked Bishop Darst. He’s not as good an orator as Bishop Strange but he seems to me to be more human. He had been here once before but I was away at school. So you’re up a tree about the Washington trip. If I were you I’d go but you must promise not to forget me and write to me every day just the same. Wear some trousseau and then hide it away till June. I wish I could go with you. After June everywhere my Sweetness goes I’m going too, ain’t I Sweet? I wish it was June now and I had my sweetness with me. I know May is going to be ten years long. Sweet I love you better tonight than I ever did before. Write me a long letter. With all the love in the whole world – I remain forever – Your own – Alex [March 17, 1915] [Halifax] My own dearest Alex – My sweetest letter in the world came this afternoon and though it wont none too long still what it lacked in length was more than made up for in sweetness. I am very sorry I said anything about the black clothes but I am still under the impression that black is the thing – I know it was when Sister was married for I remember hearing Alvis Patterson cuss Wallace out for making him buy a black suit when he hated them. I tried to find out what the thing was for a groom to wear in a quiet wedding but nobody seemed to know. You write to Shulman in Norfolk and he’ll send you a little leaflet telling you what to wear on all occasions. Your tailor ought to send those leaflets out or should at least be able to tell you. I hope he’ll say blue cause you want blue. I know it would have been a picture to see you talking to Margaret about the wedding. Wonder what she really does think about it. I don’t want none of her pity, though, do I? I had a terrible dream last night. I dreamed that I was down there at your house and that a crowd of us, Mr. Long, Mr. Bowers, the Bishop, and all your folks, were at the table and for some reason you got very affectionate and kissed me right at the table before the crowd. I remember having on a wedding ring and a cluster diamond ring as big as my head but still we weren’t married and I got some kinder mad and cussed you out. I must have stayed mad all night cause when I woke up this morning I didn’t know whether I loved you or not. Didn’t take me long to find out, though, did it? Aren’t dreams curious things and wouldn’t it be awful to believe in them? I told my dream in the dining room this morning and Duck said it was a sign that Mr. Alex was going to try to kiss me Saturday night but for me not to let him cause mens were hateful things these days. My partner in the DAR work is sick today so we haven’t done any work. I’m feeling all right after my good night’s sleep but Brother informed me at the supper table that I was looking mighty bad. Hope I won’t scare you when I see you Saturday night (Three more nights). I’m glad Margaret approved of the quiet wedding and she’s right when she says you ought to do as I say (generally speaking) but I’d just be tickled to death to just have somebody plan the whole thing (since I’ve had the privilege of selecting my smart old groom) and let me go through it as they planned it. I’d like to suggest they’d have it very simple and then I’d be done. You promised to plan it and told a big old tale. I’ll get you. Make Margaret understand that there won’t be a wedding ‘less she is here and I want all your people who want to to come. If we play that dunce stunt and get married ‘fo day they can all go back home that morning and there’s no reason why they shouldn’t come. So your friend is still there. That’s right – you stay on the other side of the street ‘cause I don’t want my old man cussing ladies. And then that’s a good place for you to be anyway. I wish Lila would go home for she makes me right tired making such a dunce of herself. Men are conceited enough, anyway. I’m glad Harry is enjoying his visit and hope he’ll keep on riding with the widow and get enough fresh air to help him. Hope he didn’t disgrace himself before the Bishop but he must not have since old Buffet liked him. I’m glad you like the Bishop. I haven’t decided about my Washington trip yet but I’ll have to in a day or two. I reckon doing so much trying to decide on things does make me look bad sure enough. I washed my hair the other day and took a little cold and that doesn’t go very far toward making me look extra good. It has rained hard here all the afternoon and I didn’t go to the office after supper so am here all by myself writing to you. Little Sister and two other girls went up to Weldon this morning to spend the day with Mrs. Gore and will be back tonight. Think they have got a big game of cards on hand. The train is coming now so I’ve got to stop and fix her some supper. I wish ‘twas Sat. night and your old train coming instead of hers. Tell Billie I say to come up with you this time. With all my love, I am Your own always. Kate Tuesday night. [March, 1915] [Halifax] My own dearest Alex, I’m mad cause it ain’t last night this time but I’ll do the next best thing to talking to you and try to forget I’m mad and look forward to the third Sunday. It’ll be a million years coming, all right, but I’ll put on a brave front and maybe the time will finally pass. I got up this morning at nine-thirty and Duck informed me that I looked like a devilish corpse. I wasn’t well anyway, and after sitting up for two nights I reckon I did look pretty much worse for wear. I wouldn’t have looked very jubilant anyway cause I knew everything in the world that I sho nuff loved had gone away on that miserable old train. I’ve been working like the mischief all day long and have got to work hard tomorrow and Wednesday. The State Committee meets here tomorrow to incorporate our Chapter and of course we’ve got to work ourselves to death to entertain and feed them. I have just come from Aunt Clara’s (after ten o’clock) where I have been making sandwiches. I met the seven and eight o’clock shoo-fly to see if any of our crowd came but they didn’t. And had to run to the last one and came near breaking my neck. I didn’t go with Fletcher, either. Haven’t even seen him today and don’t care if I don’t in a whole month. See, you haven’t got a single bit of an excuse to go up to hear the lovely Miss Rawls perform. But I ain’t that foolish so go on and hear her just once in a while and I won’t even love my honey any more. I can’t write what I want to anyway. Can I? Cause I don’t know how, but you know it all anyway, Mr. Conceited, don’t you? Cousin Annie said a whole heap of nice things about you tonight but I couldn’t think of telling you about them for you’d be some kinder conceited then. Uncle Johnnie said if she were a little younger, I’d have to look out. She said she had had her say to me about you and now she was going to have her say about me to you her very first chance. Little Sister got her third letter today from Mr. Gill addressed here so I judge from that the case is very one sided. I didn’t hear from Margaret today but am hoping to get a letter in the morning saying she’s coming. Be real good and remember that I’m thinking about you and loving you every minute. With a heart full of love, I am, Your own always. Kate. Monday night. [March 16, 1915] [Woodville] Tuesday Night My own dearest Kate – It’s raining tonight and Harry can’t make his call at Zeke’s so I can’t write much. I’m mighty sorry my Sweetness has been feeling bad and wish I could be with you. I’ll be glad when that DAR business is over with cause I’m fraid you are going to work yourself to death over the school. Why don’t you make some of the other members do some running around? Don’t put off the work on the trousseau till too late cause I’ve got to have my Sweetness in June whether it’s finished or not. I love you too good to wait till June. My old game eye, where the sty was, has been inflamed all day and doing some hurting. Dr. Garris advised me to go to an eye man and have it cut but I’m going to put it off till after Sunday. I think I’ll go to Norfolk next week. Wish you would decide to go too. How ‘bout it Sweetness – I’ll feel some kinder bad to have to go without you when I was so happy the last time we were there. Harry has decided not to go to Norfolk this time to see his girl. I went in Brett’s this morning to get a drink and there sat Marguerite lapping up a dope, I said Howdy do and suddenly decided to get a box of cigarettes instead and walked out in a big hurry. Cobb’s puppy, the one I gave him, got into Marguerite’s room and tore up her best silk dress. Tommie has got to buy a new one and Lila is mad as the old boy. I have laughed myself nearly to death about it. Tommie said it looked like he was doomed anyway, get out one place and in another. I hope my Sweet is feeling good tonight and writing me the long letter you promised. Know I love you and love you and love you all that anybody can love. With all my love – I remain forever – Your own – Alex [March 18, 1915] [Halifax] My own dearest Alex – I got my sweet note this afternoon and have been upset ever since I found out your eye was hurting you again. I am so anxious about it and I want you to hurry up and see the eye man but I’m praying you won’t have to have it cut. Wish I could go with you to Norfolk but I wouldn’t do you any good and I know I’d be the most miserable person in the world. I know I’m going to die every time you get sick when we are married. I wish Miss Lou hadn’t have burnt your eye when it hurt the first time for I believe if it could have come to a head it wouldn’t hurt you now. Don’t you rub it, hear? I’ve been working a little on the trousseau all day and but for my eyes hurting a little bit I’m feeling real good. My DAR friend is still in bed so our business is being neglected right now. There are other members to do the work but they won’t do it. I have nearly decided to not go to Washington but I may go at the last minute for I’ve got to go somewhere before long to buy me some things. If Margaret takes the Pictorial Review read “Why a Church Wedding?” in the last issue and see my ideas about one. I read it to Mama and Little Sister and they kinder agreed with the writer too. I’m real sorry for poor Tommy – it does seem that he is doomed sure enough. I wish you would have met the lady by yourself and had the cussing match – that is, if you had told me about it. I’ll bet she blows in Norfolk when you go down and I reckon I’ll have to go to protect my interests. I don’t reckon Harry is so crazy about going to see his girl down there – or his girl anywhere else. How has Fred gotten? I feel sorry for the poor widow. Brother has gone to Rocky Mount today and is going to see his girl Saturday and he’s some kinder happy. He ain’t the only happy person in the world though, is he? Company has come in and I’ve got to stop. I love you some kinder good tonight if I can’t write much. Please be careful and don’t catch cold for it might settle in your eye. I’m going to pray it won’t hurt you any more and I know the good Lord knows how good I love you and will answer my prayers. With every bit of my love, I am, Your own always, Kate Wednesday night [March, 1915] [Woodville] Friday Morning My dearest Kate – I got home late last night wet as a rat so thought I would wait till this morning to write. But as soon as I eat breakfast I have to go up town and have an Insurance man all over the country. I will write a letter tonight. Was mighty glad to find yours when I got home. Don’t you be sewing till your head aches any more. Let the trousseau go. All I want is the sweetest woman in the world and I don’t want her sewing on a trousseau till her head aches. I will write tonight. Know I love you better than everything in the world. With all my love – I remain forever – Yours – Alex [March 17, 1915] [Woodville] Wednesday Night My own dearest Kate – My game eye has been hurting all day and I’m about to have the Grip again but I can stand anything cause my letter was so sweet. I have read it ten times and love it better every time. Harry has taken cold too but both of us are going to doctor up tonight. He has just left for Zekes. I was hoping Harry would improve but this cold has about taken what little appetite he had and he doesn’t look much better. I hope you haven’t been going anywhere for the DARs today for it has been bad enough to stay in the house. I’m some kinder glad the snow didn’t wait till Saturday for I know the folks would have run me out of Halifax. Mog and I haven’t had much time to talk wedding much today but had a little talk tonight while she was doctoring my eye. I’ll tell you all the plans we have talked about when I come. Let’s make all our plans Saturday night and then I’ll have all day Sunday just to love my Sweetness – Sweet now we have made some plans the time when I will have you with me seems nearer and I’m happier every day. I have some big arguments with myself whether I love you better one day than I did the day before and always decide that I couldn’t have ever loved you before as much as I do that minute. You’ll just have to wait and see how happy I’ll be when I have you with me cause I just can’t tell you. So you are still undecided about going to Washington. If you do go, go by Norfolk and up on the boat and I’ll go down far as Norfolk with you. If you will have to be away one of “my Sundays,” please decide not to go. Washington would be a fine place to have my engaged made but Rocky Mount is all right in case you don’t take the Washington trip. Lila showed me a picture of her taken by Dempt and it was fine I thought. Don’t forget you promised to have it made ‘tween now and June. Know sweetest Sweet in the world I love all that it’s possible to love. With all my love – I remain forever – Your own – Alex [March 18, 1915] [Woodville] Thursday Night My own dearest Kate – Mog has got Emily and Evie over here tonight but I swore my eye was going out and I was having pneumonia too so I could get away and write to my Sweetness. My eye is still bad off but I’m almost well of my cold. I’m going to Norfolk next week and have Dr. Kennon work on the sty. Marguerite is going down Saturday and come back Monday so I’ll go about Tuesday or Wednesday. Quite a change since the 24th of March 1914 – Lila still stays with us. She has got the Grip and Cobb was cussing this afternoon cause he had to play the sympathy act tonight. She is pretty sick but I guess if Tommie is real nice tonight she will come back all right. Fred is in town and don’t look much like a man who has had the mumps. He went to see the widow this afternoon and again tonight I guess. He wanted to know when we were going to be married but I told him I didn’t ‘xactly know. He is strong for a double wedding, but I believe I’d rather go though a Church wedding than to be mixed up in anything with the widow. I’ll look up the article in the Pictorial Review – wish they had saved that for the July number. I’m sorry your DAR friend is sick but I’m glad you haven’t got to take all those trips. Only one more lonesome night and I’ll be in Heaven again. Know I love you all in the world and want you more every day. With all my love – I remain forever – Your own – Alex – [March 24, 1915] [sent c/o Lorraine Hotel, Norfolk] [Halifax] My own dearest Alex – I’m scratching you a letter here between supper and the eight o’clock train and cooking all at the same time so you’ll just have to take it as I send it. I’ve been getting ready for the Daughters tomorrow and I reckon it’s a good thing for I know if I had have sat still and just thought about your being down there I would certainly have gone crazy – and tomorrow the Lord only knows what those folks are going to think of me for I’ll declare I’m not even going to try to listen to them or do anything else but think about you. I wish I could have gone on with you but I knew I couldn’t for lots of reasons besides having to have the DARs tomorrow – and that’s reason enough to keep anybody from Heaven. I hope the doctor will decide on an evaporating process for your eye but I don’t know anything to hope about the dentist except that you’ll be able to grin and endure it. My hands are greasy and the pen won’t half write where they have been but I don’t care; I’m preparing for the whole blooming old county tomorrow and I’ll be some kinder glad when it’s over. I’ll try to be as polite as I can and as nice as I can, cause I reckon it’s about the last time I’ll have them – certainly for a long time to come. I wonder where you are this very minute – and what you’re doing. I’ve wondered that a thousand times since time for you to arrive in Norfolk but each time I remembered you said you were thinking about me every single time I thought about you and knew you couldn’t be doing anything I didn’t want you to and thinking about me at the same time so felt real relieved. I’m going to think about you all this whole night too, just to know you are thinking about me. The UDCs are planning to have “An Old Man Convention” and their first rehearsal is tonight and in the midst of all my work I’ve got to go to it at eight-thirty. Little Sister is mad because she has got to look ridiculous but they say I’ve got to be pretty so I don’t mind it so much. The job of looking so is all I object to very seriously. Believe they are going to have it about ten days after Easter. Wish you were a lady for the time being and could send me a few fashion hints. I’m feeling all right now and I might say I was well and happy if I wasn’t so upset over your eye. You were so sweet to say the doctor wouldn’t hurt you but I know that old knife is bound to hurt wherever it goes. You’re the sweetest thing in the world anyway – ain’t you? ‘Cept when you go joy riding with the girls. I’m so anxious to know if the lady went down the morning you did. Just curiosity, that’s all. Cause I’d trust you with her or anybody else in the world in Europe. I hope you find time to phone or go to see Cousin Ida – give her my love if you do and tell her I say I’m going down there ‘fo long. I’ve got to stop now and get this to the office and get ready to go to the rehearsal. Just know that I’m thinking about you every single second and praying for that old mean eye. With every bit of love in the whole world, I am, Your own always, Kate Wednesday night [March 25, 1915] [Woodville] Thursday Night My own dearest Kate – Just a line to tell you I’m home and how much I enjoyed my Norfolk letters and how they helped me. Had my eye fixed and hope it will get right now. It still hurts pretty badly. I will write a long letter tomorrow night if I can half see out of one eye. I thought about my Sweetness every minute while I was in Norfolk and of course I was good. So glad to hear you were well again. Know I love you better than the world and everything in it. With all my love – I remain forever – Your own – Alex – [March 25, 1915] [Halifax] My own dearest Alex – I would have written to you last night but I didn’t know where you were. You wrote me Tues. night (the last letter I got) to write you in Norfolk Wed. and Thurs. and that you would let me know when you went home. I wrote you there (Woodville) Thurs. night. You didn’t treat me right, Alex, while you were in Norfolk and I don’t care whether you get this tonight or not. I worried and worried when I didn’t . . . [remainder of letter missing…] [March 26, 1915] [Woodville] Friday Night My own dearest Kate – I am so sorry you didn’t get my letter from Norfolk – I waited till nearly twelve Wednesday night to write for your letter hadn’t come and then I was afraid to put it with the Hotel mail so I sent a Bell Boy to the Post Office with it so it would get off on the first train out. I guess he took my money and put it in the first mail box he came to or either put it with the Northbound mail at the Office. Next time I’ll mail my letters myself. I got both my Norfolk letters Thursday and they certainly did help too. I needed them too for I went right from the Dentist to Dr. Kennon and nothing in the world could have helped me as much as a letter from my own sweetest Sweetheart. Please don’t worry about my eye any more for it is all right now except black. Dr. Garris had to probe the wounds and wash the places out this afternoon but he didn’t hurt much, felt fine in comparison to what Kennon did to me. I hope I won’t have a black eye Sunday week. Half the folks here think it’s a bluff and somebody hit me in it in Norfolk. Cobb never will be convinced. I hope my Sweetness didn’t cry last night when you went to bed cause that would make me feel worse than anything else. Next time you want to cry just think how good I love you Sweetness and how thankful I am cause you are mine and how happy you have made me. Sweet do just as you like about the announcement party and reception and anything you want I will like cause I love you so good. I will make a list of the people to send invitations to before I come again. I’ll write more tomorrow night. Know I love you and want you more every single second that comes. With all my love – I remain forever – Your own – Alex [March 29, 1915] [Woodville] Sunday Night My own dearest Kate – ‘Twas some kinder good to hear your voice this afternoon if I couldn’t tell a word you said – I had been worried to death ever since my letter didn’t come yesterday and when I’d think that you didn’t address my Thursday night letter I just knew my sweetness was sick. I tried to get you last night but all the lines were busy. I never could understand what you said about my letter, whether you wrote or not but now I know my own sweetheart ain’t sick I can wait till tomorrow for my letter. I hope I’ll get two great big ones tomorrow to make up for all this ten years without one. ‘Twas such a pretty afternoon I was afraid my Sweet would be out joy riding and I was some kinder happy when Winton said they had you. The only thing I could hear at all plain was “eye” and my old eye was hurting real bad then as Garris had just worked on it. Maybe that’s the reason I could hear that. Garris said it would be well by Easter and it had better be well cause I’m bound to be with my Sweetness regardless. Course if it is all bloodshot and black and you are ashamed to go to Church with me I won’t get mad – we’ll just stay home and plan the wedding. Mog says she is going to see you Easter Monday and what we don’t plan you and Mog can. I wrote to you this morning and went to Kelford to mail the letter but just as we got in town the train pulled out. You didn’t miss much though cause I was some kinder blue when I wrote it. Lou and Charles took dinner here today. Charles is tickled to death over our marriage. Said he thought Kate was the finest girl he ever knew. But everybody thinks that and I know it, don’t I, Sweetness? Write to me good this week for I know it is going to be a year long. Know I love you better tonight than ever before. With all my love – I remain forever – Your own – Alex [March 30, 1915] [Woodville] Monday Night My own dearest Kate – I got my two letters today and am happier than I have been in forty years. I don’t understand at all why you didn’t get a letter from me every single day last week. I wrote Tuesday night from here and got it off on the early train Wednesday morning. Then I wrote Wednesday night in Norfolk and as it was late I wouldn’t trust the letter with the Hotel mail but sent a Bell Boy to the Post Office with it so it would go out on the first mail. Then I wrote a note Thursday night as soon as I got home and sent William to the Post Office with it so you would get it Friday afternoon. I wrote again Friday morning and again Friday night. The only way I can figure it out is that the boy failed to mail my letter from Norfolk and the Woodville Post Master didn’t get my Thursday night note off on the early mail. That would account for your getting three letters Saturday but what became of the Norfolk letter I can’t imagine. I don’t blame my Sweetness for being mad but hereafter you can always know I have written whether you get it or not cause I love my sweetheart so good. Talk about being worried I was almost crazy when I didn’t get my letter Saturday. I went up for the late mail and when it didn’t come then I tried to get you on the telephone but all the lines were busy. I was right there Sunday at two when the offices opened up and if I couldn’t have gotten you then I was going to wire you through Weldon. Of course I had no idea that you hadn’t gotten my letters and I was scared nearly to death that you were sick. I hope and pray that I won’t miss my letter another time ever in the world for I had rather anything in the world would happen to me than have to spend a day without hearing from my own sweetest dearest sweetest Sweetness. My old eye is nearly well. The cut on top has already healed up and the other one looks a heap better. It is still bruised but I hope it will look all right by Sunday (if Sunday will ever come). I’ll swear honestly without exaggerating it seems like it has been six months since I have seen my Sweet. I know I’ll be too happy to make any plans this time. Evie went to Norfolk to do her Spring shopping this morning and is coming back on the late train tonight. Burges and the widow have gone to meet her. She only had about three hours in Norfolk. I’ll bet she was a picture and those clerks will have something to talk about. We have got a new Doctor in Lewiston – Dr. Hassell. His father used to practice in Scotland Neck I think. All the girls, especially the Zekes, are foolish about him. He’s about twenty-five years old and has got a Hupp Runabout so all of ‘em are trying to be nice to him but he doesn’t pay much attention to ‘em. He wears a little mustache about like Bryan Phelps and looks like a typical “Rox Boy” but seems to be getting a pretty good practice. Garris doesn’t like his coming at all. Mog got your letter today and says she is going to send Clifford home by me Monday morning. He can join me in Scotland Neck or Hobgood either. I’m glad Mog is going cause she is a good planner and we will make her help plan some. I love you so good I can’t think about any plans when I’m with you. I don’t want to think about anything but how sweet you are and how good I love you. I’m afraid I’ll be too happy when I have you here with me Sweetheart – I can’t even imagine how happy I will be. Please write me a long letter and tell me you are not sick or nervous anymore and pray for Saturday night to come. Know I love you all a man can love and more too. With all my love – I remain forever – Your own – Alex [March 31, 1915] [Halifax] My own dearest Alex, I got my sweet letter this afternoon and I feel more like myself than I have for a week. I got one this morning too and I feel some what set up. I’m scared for tomorrow afternoon to come though for that old route mail is doing so curious lately I don’t know whether to expect a letter or not. I was some kinder disappointed when I didn’t get one yesterday and was most on the verge of cussing. I went up to Weldon this afternoon to help select some hats for Little Sister and a friend of mine and while we went in a fine new eight cylinder car still I feel just as tired tonight as if I had been plowing. They got their hats but I didn’t get a blooming thing. I don’t even admit to being a bride elect anymore for every time I want anything they tell me to wait, for brides-elect aren’t expected to have much. Duck has been in bed all day and I have taken her place so that may account for my being tired. Hope she will be well tomorrow for we’ve got to carry that blooming school petition to Scotland Neck in the morning and then to Roanoke Rapids and Littleton Thursday or Friday. This is our last week to work on it (and I am glad) for the petition has to be sent in to the Commissioners Monday. It looks kinder like rain now, though, and if it does I don’t know what we will do for we can’t go on a car and I certainly am not going on a train and have to stay all day. I know the new doctor has created some excitement down there and it will be funny to see the girls setting their caps for him. Maybe poor Evie will catch him for she has always been crazy about doctors. Ask the widow the next time you see her when she and Fred are going to be married. I’m real interested for I’ve heard so many say he wasn’t going to marry her. Doesn’t that sound funny, though? Wonder if they’re saying down there that you are not going to marry me. Everybody around here laughs at the idea of my being in love with or marrying anybody but that’s no reflection on you at all – it’s more of a reflection on me. I’m so glad that Margaret is coming. Tell her I say Aunt Susie is going to entertain her Club Wednesday so she really hasn’t waited till all the festivities are over. Wish she could have come this week to go with us on our trips and I would wait till next week if I could. I hope she will help us plan some for I really think we need help. Wish she would plan for us to just jump up one day and get married just so. I hate to go through it worse than ever but I reckon after I rest up I’ll feel better about it. Hope to anyway. I’m sorry you worried over not getting my letter Saturday and wish you could have phoned for I wanted to hear from you just as much as you wanted to hear from me, and badder too I reckon. I am so glad your eye is nearly well and hope it will be entirely so by Sunday – not that I care one bit how it looks but I know you’d rather have it looking all right. You spoke of two cuts in your letter this afternoon – what did you mean? You didn’t go and let the old doctor cut you all to pieces, did you? I forgot Monday was Easter Monday when I wrote Margaret to get you to carry Clif home and I think you ought to wait till Tuesday to carry him and stay with me Easter Monday. Tell Margaret I’m going to expect her Monday and for her to let me know what train she’s coming on. I know Miss Pattie is going to try to make her stay over there with her – but she’d better not. I’m tickled to death that Mr. Griffin likes his prospective sister but it’s no more than right that he should for I have always been crazy about him and Miss Lou too – the whole family, in fact. Must stop now and put a stitch or two on the trousseau. I’m going to pray for Saturday to hurry and come on and for it to stay a little while when it finally get here. It always flys by. With all the love in the world, I am Your own always, Kate Tuesday night. [April 7, 1915] [Halifax] My own dearest Alex, I’m going to have to send you another note tonight for we re all going around to Julia Gregory’s in a few minutes and I won’t have time to write. I haven’t felt good a bit today but I certainly have enjoyed having Margaret with me – we have done a little planning and what we fail to plan here you and she can when she gets home. I’m mad with her for she won’t stay over to the party tomorrow. I wish I didn’t have to stay for it either. When did you get the idea that the first Wednesday in June was the third when it’s the second? I’m going to suggest their announcing it for June but they may have to set the day and if they do it will be the second I reckon. You said I might have the privilege of setting the day, didn’t you? I was mighty glad to get my note this afternoon if it was a short one. Sorry you were such a bum fisherman and hope you’ll have better luck next time. And don’t you go and fish on that old river and catch any more cold. Reckon though you think if you didn’t die from one Saturday night that you are cold proof. You be getting up your list for the invitations for we don’t want to make any body mad. We have just come from Julia’s and Harry is in so I’ll have to stop – We enjoyed hearing the music but they played the wedding march for my benefit and I really did feel kinder funny. Get Miss Carrie to play it for you just to experience the sensation. Hope I can write you a long letter tomorrow night and will if I survive the party. I love you with all the love in the world and wish you could be here this very minute. With all my love I am Your own always Kate Margaret is going to Miss Patten’s in the morning – ain’t she a mess? [April 7, 1915] [Woodville] Tuesday Night My own dearest Kate – I have nearly worked myself to death today trying to keep away the blues but the more I did the more I thought about my Sweetness and wished I could be with her every second from now till I died. My sweetest letter helped me more than anything else could have. I’m sorry you didn’t mail my Monday morning letter after you were so smart about getting up and writing it. I didn’t tell the Mizells anything after Mog decided to go – we miss Mog in a thousand ways but I hope you prevailed on her to stay away from her chickens etc. long enough to make some plans. I shall watch for the announcement and hope I won’t find it among the obituaries as one announcement was put in the Observer once. Too late to hit Texas after tomorrow, ain’t that sad? I wish it could be the account of the wedding instead of the announcement. Then I’d have my Sweetheart and be happy forever. I know April and May are never going to pass. Tom Cobb had another attack of Appendicitis Sunday night and is going to Norfolk for an operation tomorrow. I am some kinder sorry and would go down with him but have got so many things to do here. He has got a mighty good nerve but still he dreads the knife. I guess if Lila knew it she would go down with him. I have got to go to Windsor tomorrow morning but not on the fishery trip. That has been called off I believe since Tommie got sick. Course I won’t going any way. So you have got some more School work to do yet – I’m going to cuss if Halifax don’t get it. Write me a great long sweet letter and tell how you feel since the announcement. Know I worship you and love you and love you and love you – With all my love – I remain forever – Your own – Alex [April 8, 1915] [Halifax] My own dearest Alex – Well it’s over with and I feel very much ‘most married. Honestly I do feel nearer married than I ever have and I just wonder how you’ll feel when you read the announcement in the paper. Everything was just as nice as it could be and everybody seemed very much surprised when Miss Emily read the telegram. Mrs. Gilliam, her mother, nearly had a fit when she saw it coming in and declared it was from one of her boys with bad news. My knees were somewhat trembling but otherwise I really enjoyed it. Mr. Gary came in and played the inner player and violin for us so we had quite an orchestra. I was so sorry Margaret couldn’t stay over for I know she would have enjoyed it. We didn’t do much planning and about the only thing I really had fully decided upon was for her and Little Sister to be the bridesmaids and she’s about to upset that by not being one. We did decide that she was going to get straight behind you and make you ask your boys and get them straight. I believe that if I were you that I wouldn’t ask John Fenner unless you really can’t find anybody that you’d rather have. It’s all right to have Harry. Margaret talked like everybody from down there was coming and I’m real glad. She said they were planning to come in automobiles and I told her I didn’t want the groom to start in one and get messed up on the road. I’d sho think he had hit Texas. Dr.Whitehead said he was glad it was to be in June for he’d certainly have to come up in a linen suit. All the folks here (at least Mama and Little Sister) cussed me out today because I didn’t postpone it till October or November and take the Washington trip but I told them I didn’t want to go to Washington (a big story). Miss Emily came in during the discussion and told me I was doing exactly right in getting married for there was nothing to be compared to being married to the beau you love. And there ain’t, is there? And I love you above every thing on earth and am glad I do. I used to be sorry. I ain’t going to be sorry any more, though. Am I? I’d like to know what the Zekes will have to say about the announcement. Of course they’ll pretend they knew about it long before. I think Margaret really thought we had told them and I know she must have thought we acted mighty funny. I never told them a single thing about it and don’t intend to. Evie made me mad when she told Aunt Susie that mess about my old man and I haven’t gotten real pleased with her yet. I’m so sorry about Mr. Cobb and I know poor Lila is miserable. I hope and pray that you won’t get anything else the matter with you before June for I know I’ll go clear crazy if you do. You had a good day for your trip to Windsor and I hope you went and enjoyed it. I don’t think a thing of that Fishery trip. Hear me? Write me the latest Windsor news about Fred and the widow. Margaret said she was to go to Baltimore soon to buy a suit and the widow told me when I heard she had gone to Baltimore to look out so I’m looking. I’m going to try to get out of the trip to Littleton but I’m afraid it’s hopeless. Aunt Susie came this afternoon and doesn’t seem any more grieved than she was Sunday. She’s very much interested in the wedding and trousseau and insists that I’ve got to sew my head off to get ready by the second. Reckon I will too. I’m going down to Norfolk sometime soon to see about getting me a few things. I ain’t going to have much though, and if you are ashamed of your bride you’ll have a good excuse to start to letting her appear alone. Our chances for the school are still good and I can’t go anywhere till I find out something about that or do all there is for me to do. I’m dead tired and am going to stop for this time and go to Sleepy Town. I love you a billion pecks. Write me a great long letter tomorrow night cause I’ll need one Friday when I get back from Littleton if I go. With all my love, I am Your own always Wednesday night Kate [April 8, 1915] [Woodville] Thursday Night My own dearest Kate – I love my sweetest letter today better than anything in the world ‘cept my Sweetheart and I have read it forty times. I’m so glad the announcement party was good and I’m crazy to see the account in the paper. Mog came this afternoon but I had to be away all the afternoon and she went to bed right after supper so I didn’t have a chance to talk to her much. She said my Sweetness was just as pretty and sweet as she always was. Mog and I will plan some tomorrow. I got a telegram this afternoon saying Cobb’s operation was successful and he was doing very nicely. I’m some kinder happy – I sent the telegram right on to Lila but I’m afraid she’s in Norfolk (much to Tommie’s discomfort) – I’m so glad my Sweetness has decided to go to Norfolk. I’m going too, as Chas. Jr. says. How about the first part of next week? I’ve got to go then but if you can’t go just at that time I’ll make two trips – Got to be there one more time with my Sweetness cause I’ll always remember how happy I was when we were there together. How ‘bout having a little wedding down at Cousin Ida’s? I think that’s a good scheme. Mamma and Mog and Clifford are going to Windsor tomorrow to the County Commencement. I wouldn’t go for a million. I have been surveying land all day and am so tired I can’t write any more. Know I worship my own sweetest sweetness and love you every bit in the world. With all my love – I remain forever – Your own – Alex – [April 8, 1915] [Halifax] My own dearest Alex, I’ve been cussing and working and writing all day till I haven’t got one grain of sense. I picked up the wonderful Scotland Neck Commonwealth this morning and found that its editor (Mills Kitchin) was opposing our school and saying in an editorial that the commissioners had no right to give us any money for it. After we had worked so hard on the petition. I got so mad I nearly died for Scotland Neck despises us and hates for us to have anything and I knew it would influence the commissioners for they are already half afraid. I phoned to our County Attorney and made an engagement with him for eleven o’clock and got in an automobile and flew up there. We can’t decide till tomorrow when we go to Littleton and if we don’t get the actual money we will get something just as good. Have been trying to phone to Mr. Travis in Raleigh and Will in Rocky Mount ever since supper. Couldn’t get Raleigh so compromised with a six page special delivery letter and left the message for Will. I want to get him to try to influence Mr. Newell to influence the A.C.L. to donate us some money. I dread that old Littleton trip and would give a whole heap if you would come up and go with me. I saw Mr. Long in Weldon this morning and he said for us to go ahead and let the commissioners donate the money and let the Scotland Neck paper kick. We asked him to go to Littleton with us but he wouldn’t go. I know every body is going to get after me about the announcement tomorrow and I feel sorry for you too. Little Sister said I did do a piece of blushing yesterday and I reckon I would have blushed more if the telegram hadn’t have created such a disturbance. I went to a funeral this afternoon and sent my pretty flowers. I hated to give them up for I loved them because you gave them to me but we didn’t know she was dead till last night, too late to order any and I felt like I ought to send some. They served for the wedding announcement and Easter and that was enough for the poor things if I hadn’t have made them serve at a funeral. I’m going to rest a little now, sho nuff – and then I’m going to settle down to sewing and I’d rather die. I hope old man Frank isn’t just talking and will get his Drainage plans through. It would certainly be a great thing for the State. That and the DARs school. Hope he’ll accept your offer – if it’s the best for you. I feel sorry for Mr. Cobb and will pray for him just cause you want me to. I hope you won’t have to go down but you’ll feel bad if he needs you and you don’t go. Then I know my letters will get messed up again if you do go – and that will be Old Scratch. But I ain’t going to get mad and will write just the same, won’t I? Cause I love you too good to be mean anymore. I reckon Margaret is with you all tonight and I know you are glad to have her back. She pretended she was a very busy lady. She said she had a heap of jobs waiting for me when I went down there to live. I’m crazy about Margaret and I’m so glad I am. I’m crazy about you all, though, ain’t I? I can’t write more tonight for I’m just bound to go to bed so I can be rested for my trip tomorrow. Hope I’ll have a sweet letter a mile long when I get home cause I love, love, love you and want my letters some kinder bad. With all my love I am Your own always, Kate Thursday night. [April 9, 1915] [Woodville] Friday Night My own dearest Kate – I have been thinking about you every single second all day and hoping your Littleton trip would be a success and you wouldn’t be all tired and worn out tonight when you got home. I don’t blame you at all for being mad with Mr. Mills Kitchin, ain’t he something fine to be editing a paper. I’m sure the editorial will never be seen outside of Halifax County and I hope it won’t frighten the commissioners. I honestly believe you all are going to get the school and would pray for you if I could. As soon as I read my Sweetest letter in the world twice today I looked for the Observer to see the announcement but it wasn’t in it. I guess they are saving it to grace their Sunday paper. I’d give anything if this Sunday was next Sunday and I was going to be with my own Sweetness. Every day without you now seems a year long and I’ll be the happiest man that ever has been on earth when June does finally come. Won’t it be Heaven to have you here with me for all the time – wish I did have you right now. I heard from Norfolk again today and Cobb is getting on all right but will not be allowed to see visitors for 3 or 4 days yet. How about your Norfolk trip? I hope you are going next week cause I’m getting tired of going to Norfolk without my Sweetness. Please go Sweet – I will try to get a letter to you Sunday. Know I love you all it’s possible to love – With all my love – I remain forever – Your own – Alex – [April 10, 1915] [Woodville] Saturday Night My own dearest Kate – As I always am I was some kinder happy to get my letter today but I’m real worried because you feel so bad and will insist on keeping on doing things to make you feel bad. I’m glad all that school business is over and if you take another trip for them or worry yourself anymore for it I hope Halifax won’t even get a look in when the final decision for a location comes. I don’t think it is fair to yourself or those who love you for you to overexert yourself and make yourself sick no matter what was at stake. I’m sorry you have got to see a dentist, I thought I had enough trouble with them to make up for us both. Please don’t let him hurt that front tooth. Who is the dentist you go to? I’d wait till I went to Norfolk. Sweetheart I wish you would get school and sewing and everything else off your mind and rest up a week for I’m afraid you are going to make yourself sho nuff sick. I wouldn’t have you sick for all the DAR organization and Paul Jones and everything else in the world. Please Sweetness for God’s sake write me that you are going to take a good rest and let the sewing and everything else go till you feel good again. I wish I could be with you tonight. I have been blue all day cause I knew I couldn’t be with my Sweetness. I feel like I’m cheated out of living all the time from now till June that I’m not with you. I’ll be thinking about you every second tomorrow but that ain’t like being with my Sweetest heart in the world. I know you will be busy all the time in Norfolk and will need rest at night but I’m going down with you if I come back on the next train. Be sure to write me your plans. I’m going to try to get to Kelford in time to mail this tomorrow. Please write me a long sweet letter and promise me you are going to rest some now. Know I love you with all the heart I have got. With all my love – I remain forever – Your own – Alex – [April 11, 1915] [Woodville] Sunday Night My own dearest Kate – I was going to try to call you up this afternoon but the wind was blowing so hard I knew I wouldn’t be able to hear a word. We can hardly hear on this line under the best conditions and when the wind is at all high there’s no use trying. If I could have only heard my Sweetheart’s voice though it would have made this long old day seem heap shorter. I haven’t had a thought today that wasn’t of you and how I loved you and wished I could be with you. I certainly hope this week won’t be as long as last week was. I have got a whole lot to do and I have got to fix up all my wedding arrangements too. I’ll get my list of invitations ready and decide on the boys. Did you have any special reason for suggesting not having John Fenner in it? I passed the Statue at the Depot this afternoon and Lena Cherry was playing the piano. I stopped by and made her play the wedding march for me. I think ‘twould sound like sho nuff music if a fellow had about three small ones aboard. The widow left for Norfolk this afternoon. I think Fred was to join her at Ahoskie and I wouldn’t be surprised if they got married. She said not and only had a small suitcase. She said she was going to stop at Cousin Ida’s and might go from there to Baltimore. Evie and Em tried their best to find out from Mog this morning when we were going to be married but Mog wouldn’t tell ‘em a thing. Burges took them to Kelford this afternoon and I wanted to tell him to get a paper to see if the announcement was in it but I didn’t want Evie and Emily to see it first. Now I’ll have to wait till tomorrow. Then I’ll have to read my letter three times before I even look for the announcement. I hope my own Sweetness has been feeling good today and ain’t going to work herself nearly to death anymore. Please don’t Sweet and get some good rest. The warm weather has brought the Shad up the river. Lewis caught ten yesterday and sent us a big one and it certainly was good. I’m going to try to bring you and Aunt Clara one next time I come but don’t count on it cause something might happen (and I want to be sure of a whole lot to eat whether I bring the fish or not). Stephenson was here today begging me to go with a crowd to the fishery Wednesday. Can I go? I won’t do anything but play a few little innocent cards. I haven’t heard from Cobb since Thursday but I’m almost sure he’s getting on all right. Guess I’ll hear tomorrow. I hope Lila didn’t go down there. I may have to go to Norfolk this week but I’m waiting to hear your plans. Sweetheart don’t you go anywhere or do anything till you have had a good rest and feel good again. Write me a long letter and pray for this week to pass. Know I love you with all the love on earth. With all my love – I remain forever – Your own – Alex – [April 12, 1915] [Halifax] My own dearest Alex, I’m tired and sick and everything but I’m going to scratch my old man a note just the same. I came into Weldon on the Seaboard on time and found nobody to meet me but phoned and Fletcher and Mama and Little Sister came in a few minutes. They got my card yesterday on eighty but Fletcher was late getting out of Church. I had a day of it yesterday and didn’t get over to Port Norfolk till nine last night. Mrs. Dix was with me though. She carried me to see “Broadway Jones” that afternoon and I really did enjoy it. I didn’t have time to go to anything. I was some kinder tired last night and ached from head to foot and don’t feel any too rested now but I’ll feel all right in a day or two. Have been taking your tabs all day and I’m hoping I’ll be real pretty when you come again. Guess what I did this afternoon. Urtie had wired Mr. Gary from Washington (thinking I was in Norfolk) and he hadn’t answered it so I got in a car bad as I was feeling and went to Roanoke Rapids to see one of the County Commissioners. Urtie wanted to ask one of them something but Mr. Hofer was gone so Mr. Gary is going to see another commissioner in the morning and wire her. I feel so much more encouraged about the school than I ever have before. Margie Averman wired that the Board had recommended the Halifax site and now it was to be voted on in Congress Thurs. The Board’s recommending it is half the battle but I’m not going to be too enthusiastic about it for just a little disappointment would most kill me now. Please don’t weaken on me. I went into Paul-Gale-Greenwood’s and saw the service and rings and picked out the wedding ring and had it engraved. What do you think of that? Better not weaken now sho nuff cause if you do you’ll lose $400 – that’s all there is to it. You couldn’t give it to anybody else with my initials in it. And I believe – since you were going to put all that money in the service – that I’d rather you’d put some more in it and get the ring. He (Mr. Thompson, the man who waited on us) picked out a lovely diamond for two hundred and eight dollars – just as pretty as the prettiest one we had in Woodville – and put it aside. I told him I’d write you and tell you about it and that you’d either get it or the service. I’d rather have a ring – not that one especially – for you can get a cheaper one and I’ll love it just as much. Everybody seems to think I ought to have one and since you are determined to buy something I really would enjoy the ring more than the service. I’d love both because you gave them to me – and for no other reason – but I would always have the ring with me and something might happen to the service. Mr. Thompson had a $238 ring with the $208 one and said he was going to show it to you but listen to me and don’t even look at it for it’s no prettier than the $208 one and I’m not going to sell it ever – I’d die first – and don’t see why I should care one bit if there was a tiny little flaw in it that nobody but an expert could find. I don’t mean for you to get this one though cause if you get a twenty-five dollar one I’ll love it just as good. Hear me? I mean it. I certainly did enjoy being with my old man those two and a half minutes in Norfolk and wish he could be with me this very minute. I’ll be so glad when we can take a little trip together when I won’t have to be running my head off in the stores. Going to take one too, ain’t we? I’m going to stop and go to sleep for I am dead. If I don’t write long letters this week just know that I’m sewing and can’t write but that I’m thinking about you every single second. I got your note this afternoon before I went to Roanoke Rapids and but for it I’d be sho nuff dead now. With all my love I am, Your own always Kate Sunday night [April 4, 1915] [Halifax] My own dearest Alex, It’s raining and Aunt Clara and Uncle Johnnie are here waiting for it to stop enough for them to go home so I can’t write but just a line to tell you how good I love you and how I wish it was next Sunday night. This has been another hard day on me but I’ll promise you to rest up a while after tomorrow. Mr. Gowen died yesterday and I was there with his wife helping her till last night at twelve and today I was there till the funeral at three and then went to the funeral and sang – don’t laugh. Every Shriner and big Mason in the world was there and the service was a mile long. They carried his body to Maure to be buried. The announcement came out on the last page of the News and Observer today. I thought once they weren’t going to publish it at all for I couldn’t find it at first. I’ve been called “Miss Bride” by a whole lot of out of town folks but I don’t feel very much like a bride. Some of them wanted to know if I didn’t feel funny and to tell the truth I don’t feel ‘xactly like I used to. Reckon it’s cause I love the groom so good. I may go to Norfolk week after next and will let you know as soon as I decide. Course I want you to go cause I want you to go with me everywhere I go forever. You just as well feel the same way too, cause I’m going everywhere you go. Hear me? I hope you won’t have to go to Norfolk till I do but I reckon we won’t get as mixed up as we did before and I know my old man is going to be good, ain’t he? I can’t write more but will write you a great long letter tomorrow. I love you better than the whole world and am praying for Sunday to come. With all my love, I am Your own always, Kate [April 12, 1915] [Woodville] Monday Night My own dearest Kate – I was so glad to get my sweetest letter today after the longest Sunday in history. ‘Twas too bad Mr. Gowen had to die – I didn’t think you and the Mrs. were on the best of terms but course my Sweetness had to be there in time of need. I hope you’ll begin taking that rest after writing me a long letter tonight. I’d even ‘scuse you for writing notes if you would rest up some, good as I love my long letters when I get them. I went by Lewis’ place this afternoon and Sallie was tickled to death over the announcement. Said she was so glad you were coming here to live. I hope you will like Sallie, we all think she’s fine. The Mizell girls say the Widow is coming home tomorrow so the marriage must not have happened. Fred bet somebody in Lewiston the other day $7500 he wouldn’t be married by July first. ‘Twould tickle me to death if he would weaken. I wouldn’t be surprised either way. Evie and Em were in Lewiston this afternoon with their new suits and white top shoes on – Em has got a crazy looking hat. I’m going to work on my invitation list some tonight and Mog and I will finish it up tomorrow. I’m going to try to put off my trip to Norfolk till you go but if I can’t I’ll go down with you anyway. I’m bound to be with my Sweetness every minute that I possibly can forever. I got a whole lot of pleasure in marking off April 12th tonight, wish it would have been Mary the 12th. Write me that long letter you promised and don’t do a thing but think about how good I love you for a whole week. Know I worship my Sweetheart – With all the love in the world – I remain forever – Your own – Alex – [April 13, 1915] [Halifax] My own dearest Alex, I know my last night’s letter was a mess and I hated to mail it this morning but it was the best I could do last night. Aunt Clara and Uncle Johnnie were in here and I was trying to be polite and write at the same time. You knew I loved you just the same though, didn’t you? I didn’t even tell you last night how good I loved my yesterday letter and how much good it did me. I had just come from the funeral and I believe if it hadn’t have come I would have been a fit subject for a funeral myself. I feel better today and I reckon if I rest up a tiny speck I’ll feel all right in a little while. Unless something happens ‘twixt now and then I’m going to Norfolk Thursday morning. I wouldn’t go just now but Nell is down there with Virgie and I want her to help me select some things. I think I shall get off at Port Norfolk this time and rest up and start shopping fresh Friday morning. I’ll stay with Cousin Ida. I wrote her today and don’t even expect to hear from her. I hope if you go on that old fishing trip that you’ll get back in time to join me cause that’s all the real pleasure that I expect to get out of the old trip. I’ll come back Sun. or Mon. I’ve engaged a lady to come and help me sew so I want to be here when she comes. I have a fine dentist in Weldon but haven’t had time to go to see him so think I shall wait till I get home. I’m not going to let him work on my front tooth. It’s my jaw tooth that’s giving me trouble. I wish you could have gotten me over the phone yesterday cause I would have loved some kinder good to hear you talking but it’s a good thing you didn’t call for I was away nearly all day. I despise these old extra Sundays anyway and I wish I could have been in Norfolk last Sunday instead of next. But you would have been with me and then it wouldn’t have been an extra, would it? I’ll tell you my Norfolk plans when I see you if I know them. You get your plans ready and your list too by then. Of course I didn’t have any reason for not having John Fenner in the wedding except that you ought to have some of your folks and friends. John is and has always been just like a brother to me and there is no reason why he shouldn’t be in our marriage if you want him or can’t find anybody else. I’m sorry our wedding march didn’t sound like music and I’m also sorry that it never will sound so to you – you get that three drinks idea out of your head too, for you certainly shall not have even a smell of one. I hope and pray the widow’s wedding will come off and they’ll be gone before we get to Norfolk for I haven’t got any time to fool with her. I’ve got to write to Evie and Em and tell them I’m expecting to have them up here to the wedding but I just keep putting it off. I know Evie is about to pop to find out all our plans. (She wouldn’t find out much up to now, would she?) Miss Emily wrote the announcement before she found that Margaret wasn’t going to be here and I’m real glad she did. They didn’t like the way it sounded in the News and Observer so they wrote it up again for the Va. Pilot and sent it off today. Look for it and save me a copy for nobody takes it here. I’m glad the shad have at last come and hope they’ll stay there till you can catch us one. I got such a sweet letter from Miss Pattie today. She said so many nice things about me I’m most scared for her to know me real good for she’ll be bound to change her opinion of me. I’ll love you, though, and be good to you and that will go a long way with your people – even if I am mean and slip up and cuss once in a while. I’ve got to write another letter and I want to get a little beauty sleep so I’m going to stop for this time. I’m so glad I’m going to see you before Saturday night. With a heart full of love, I am Your own always Monday night Kate ‘Scuse my writing on both sides of the paper – I’m stealing Brother’s tablet and can’t steal much at one time. [April 20, 1915] [Halifax] My own dearest Alex, It’s ‘most dark and I’m going to try to scratch you a note before lamp time for I know I’ll roast sitting near one. This weather nearly kills me when it first begins. I wish we never did have to have the old hot stuff. Let’s spend our summers in Maine. Everybody here is crazy over the school and for the first time I’m getting enthusiastic over it. Urtie writes that some of the states have withdrawn from the fight for it in our favor and that she is confident of our getting it here. She sent me a clipping from the Washington Post with the names of the lovely society belles who were acting as pages and mine was among them. It was right singular that some firm (Urquhart & somebody) was on the other side of the clipping. The News and Observer today has something about the school in it. Read it. The telegram that Margie and Urtie sent was asking if the $10,00000 would be forthcoming immediately and the Chairman of the Board of Commissioners wired it would be. The News and Observer had it one thousand. I sent her fifty more dollars to report today and I’m hoping it will be decided upon Thursday. They vote on it then, I know. I told Mr. Thompson at Paul-Gale-Greenwood’s that I would write you and that you would write them what we decided to do. He wanted to send them right out to you but I wouldn’t let him. He said he knew you were going to do just like I said. See, you are looking hen pecked already. I wish we could have looked at them together while we were there. The one I selected is lovely and if he doesn’t trade on us I’ll be all right. Let’s get it in time for the DAR meeting the fourth Thursday so I can show it off. I know all of them will be wanting to see it. Why don’t you get Mr. Peele to get it for you and save that much? Then too, I could see, I reckon, if he’s sending the right one. They say that crowd won’t to do to be trusted. I’m sorry you were so tired you couldn’t send me a long letter this afternoon but I love my note just the same. If there are any shad there Saturday catch Papa and Uncle Johnnie one and bring it with you. One big one will be enough if you can’t catch two. It’s so dark I can’t see out here so I’ll have to put up. I love my old man mighty good this evening and will be some kinder happy when Saturday gets here. With all my love I am Your own always Kate [April 20, 1915] [Woodville] Tuesday Night My own dearest Kate – My sweetest letter in the world made this long old day seem heap better and I love my Sweetness some kinder good for it. I have been on the go all day and am mighty tired tonight so I’m only going to write a note. Mog has got the Grip and is pretty sick. I told her housecleaning did [it] but she said she was cleaning up for the bride so I didn’t say any more about it. I told the widow today I heard it was the 28th but she denied it. I’m still hoping Fred will weaken. I enclose a telegram just to show you how “extremely fortunate” you are – That ain’t my Barkeep friend Dick saying all that either. Ain’t you glad you’re so fortunate? The worst part about my bringing the liquor home the other day was I sold a quart on the train. And who do you think I sold it to? Your beloved first cousin Will. He had promised to bring a quart to a friend at his home in Rocky Mount and forgot it so I let him have one of mine at cost. Very generous. ‘Spose they had got your husband for retailing, then you’d have been disgraced. I wish Saturday would come on. I may go to Rocky Mount Friday night on the late train and spend the day there Saturday and come to Halifax that night on 80. I think it is 80. Know I love you with all my whole heart. With all my love – I remain forever – Your own – Alex – [April 21, 1915] [Halifax] My own dearest Alex – I can’t write but just a line tonight for I have worried over fashion plates and dresses all day till my head is just splitting. I know you think I’m crazy for telling you to send the ring for the fourth Thursday. I thought it was tomorrow week till I went to Aunt Clara’s this morning. She is going to have the DARs tomorrow and wants me to help her but if I don’t feel lots better than I do now I’m not even going to get out of the bed – trousseau or no trousseau. The telegram was mighty nice and I appreciate it. ‘Course I’m fortunate – Ain’t I getting the sweetest old beau in the world – even if he does say he has been so bad? Tell Margaret to stop cleaning so much for the bride hasn’t had her house real clean in an age and wouldn’t know how to do around things too clean. I hope you can come up from Rocky Mount Saturday on eighty for that will give you four more hours here. Wish you could come every time on eighty. I’ll try to write more tomorrow night cause I love you too good to be sending you notes. With all my love, I am, Your own always Kate I believe you were scandalizing my beloved cousin Will. [April 23, 1915] [Halifax] My own dearest Alex – I’m going to have to send you another short note tonight for a woman is coming in a minute to help me select some patterns. You had your nerve with you all right when you opened my mail down there and you better not do it anymore – hear me? That dunce down there knew my name for he asked me for my full name so that he could engrave the ring. The DAR meeting is over and I am some kinder glad. Reckon it’s the last one I’ll attend till next fall. In fact there’s not but one more this spring. Hope you got your invitation list straight. If it took you all that time to make out a list the Lord only knows when you would get through with a trousseau. And you ask the boys you are going to have right away for it is due them. They’ll have to have their suits made as apt as not. They decided where to put the school this afternoon, I suppose, and I’m crazy to find out where they decided to put it. Our President-General lost out and I’m afraid we lost out with her but hope being my strong point, I’m still hoping. Must stop now. Let me know when to expect you. Wish ‘twas this very minute. With all my love I am Your own always Kate [April 22, 1915] [Woodville] Thursday Night My own dearest Kate – I have just finished typewriting the invitation list and from the time it took you’d think it was a mile long but I have about 175 so far. I guess there will be a few more to add. I was so sorry to hear you were feeling bad and I wish you wouldn’t work yourself down like you do. All time preaching prudence to me and still work yourself to death. Let the trousseau go, I’d rather have a live Sweetness without a trousseau than a dead one with a trousseau. I can’t tell until tomorrow’s mail whether I’ll go to Rocky Mount tomorrow night or not but if I don’t come on 80 Saturday you can look for me on the Scotland Neck Special. Tom Peele was away today and I couldn’t get a cashier’s check to send Paul Gale. Since you don’t need it for the fourth Thursday now I’ll wait till Monday for I want you to tell me all about it anyway. I got a letter from Cobb today. He’s walking around and will be home Saturday. Congratulated me on “getting in right one time,” thought you were just fine, and as soon as possible he’d place his foot on the brass and drink to the Health of Mr. and Mrs. Urquhart. Hope I’ll get a long letter tomorrow telling me my own sweetest Sweetheart is feeling good again – Know I love you all that anybody could love. With all my love – I remain forever – You own – Alex – [April 27, 1915] [Halifax] My own dearest Alex – My old head is still hurting and I’m going to bed in a minute so can’t write my old man tonight. I would try to scare up enough nerve to take that threatened dose tonight but the lady came to sew for me this morning and I feel that I must stay up as long as I can. I know the dose will floor me. Write me tomorrow night that you have seen Billie and Burges and John and asked them and that you have written to John Fenner. I told Fletcher this afternoon that we wanted him and he said he was tickled to death. Little Sister is going to write to the florists tomorrow and then I ain’t going to do another single thing – hear me? Did you ask Margaret about our new plans? Maybe after I take my dose I’ll feel more like getting through with it but I sho don’t now. I hope you feel more like writing tonight than I do and that you’ll write me a long sweet letter cause I love my old man right good. Wish ‘twas last night this time but it’s one night nearer the time when you’ll come again and then I’ll be happy. I’ll feel all right in the morning I hope after I sleep a whole heap and I’ll write you more tomorrow night if I’m not too tired. Anyway I’ll be thinking about you every minute. With all my love, I am Your own always, Kate Monday night – [April 27, 1915] [Woodville] Monday Night My own dearest Kate – I hope you haven’t been feeling bad and working yourself to death this hot old day. I have thought about you every minute and worried myself almost crazy cause I knew you would feel bad and try to do everything in the world. I talked to Mog about our little scheme and she doesn’t think it would be right after the announcement and invitations were sent out. I’ll tell you what we both think, that there is absolutely no reason on earth to have the reception. If Aunt Susie can’t have it at her house on account of her mother-in-law’s death then that’s a good excuse not to have it at all. It is not necessary at all and I certainly think you will have enough to do without having to arrange everything for the reception. If you have it at your house it will just amount to your having to do it all, Aunt Susie will probably order the refreshments and the rest will be left on your hands and I don’t want you to have to do it. I’d just tell Aunt Susie I wouldn’t have it in your house and call it off if possible. If you just will have something I’d just have the bridal party after the rehearsal. Mog says she wouldn’t have John Fenner so I won’t write to him until I hear from you. I will ask Tom Cobb if you say so. I don’t want to have George or Dick or any of that crew unless I could have them all and that’s impossible. Write me what you think about John Fenner tomorrow night and I’ll get Cobb or write to him at once. I asked Harry and will see John and Billie tomorrow. Mog says us wedding folks will come up Tuesday night and Mamma and Lou and Pattie etc. will come on automobiles Wednesday morning. I believe I would write to Sallie and invite her to come up. She was here this afternoon and was so glad you were coming to Woodville. Said she was proud to know that Lewis wasn’t the only man in the world that didn’t have a bit of sense about planning a wedding. I thought I was a right good planner. Sweetheart please don’t work so hard on those clothes and everything, let things run themselves and they’ll all come out all right. Please for God’s sake, rest some Sweet and do write me you won’t sick today or I’ll feel like committing suicide. Know I just worship you and love you better every visit. With every bit of my love – I remain forever – your own – Alex Send an invitation to Mr. & Mrs. Chas. O. Robinson Elizabeth City and if I didn’t have it in the list send one to Mr. M. L. Wood and Son Julian, Kelford, NC. [April 28, 1915] [Halifax] My own dearest Alex – Two whole days without a word from my old man and here I am working myself to death and needing a letter more than anything in the world. I don’t know why my letter didn’t come this afternoon for I know ‘twas written but if it doesn’t come in on the morning train tomorrow I’m going to do some cussing. I have felt a little better today and my head hasn’t hurt near so bad as it did Sunday. I was most dead then though. We have been real smart today and have gotten along fine with our sewing. If I don’t get my letter in the morning, though, I’m going to quit sewing for I’ll know the old man has at last decided to weaken. Lucy (my cook) said today that she didn’t think you were so very pretty but that you were well featured up. You see you have made a hit on our new cook. Brother is up the river fishing and I know I won’t shut my eyes till he gets in. Somebody just sent us a lovely shad and I had a rock for dinner so you needn’t bother about sending a shad even if you catch a barrel. A little fish here lasts a long time. I’m not going to write more tonight for I have worked hard all day and have got to stand and be fitted all day tomorrow and need a whole lot of rest. I love you if you didn’t send me my letter today. With all my love, I am Your own always, Kate Tuesday night. [April 28, 1915] [Halifax] My own dearest Alex – Your very brief note just came and I’m sending you one in return for I’ve got a little piece of work on hand that I want to finish tonight. I ain’t paying you back, though, cause I love my old man too good for anything like that. I’m glad Sallie is coming. I heard from the Ladies’ Home Journal lady today in regard to a bride’s cake I wrote her about and in the letter she said it was customary for the groom to give his ushers the ties and gloves. She said he also gave to them small souvenirs but that’s all foolishness, not at all necessary. I ain’t going to give my maids anything. I asked Mr. Gary last night who he thought was an authority on diamonds and he said Lumsden in Richmond was perfectly reliable. Said he never had any dealings with the folks in Norfolk. I declare I’m most scared for you to buy one and don’t you do it unless you know you’re safe and want to for it’s certainly not necessary. I ain’t even going to think about it cause I promised not to worry, didn’t I? I went up to Weldon this afternoon to see about my hats – just two – and I think they are going to be all right. Ain’t you glad? Must stop and write Margaret a line. With a heart full of love I am Your own always, Kate Tuesday night. [April 29, 1915] [Woodville] Wednesday Night My own dearest Kate – It is certainly funny that both of our Monday night letters should have missed connection. I got both my letters today and am some kinder happy. I have carried out all my instructions except about writing John Fenner, and I’m waiting to see which you think best to have, him or Cobb. I know you will tell me in tomorrow’s letter. I didn’t order the rings as I fully intended going to Norfolk Friday or Saturday but I hadn’t figured on the May Day business and I don’t want to be there while that is going on so I’ll write for the rings tomorrow. It’s ‘bout time for a Lady to have the engagement ring if she is going to be married in five weeks – wish it was five days. I’m so glad you are feeling better but I’m afraid you are going to be done up for fair when this sewing business is over. Please don’t let Aunt Susie have the reception at your house. I don’t think it is right for you to have all that on your shoulders too. The widow and Em & Evie left for Norfolk this morning and I guess the marriage was pulled off in good shape. They left the Cat here. I hope tomorrow’s Pilot will have the account of it. Em and Evie are due home Friday. Poor Cousin Ida is in for it again. John Urquhart ran away with me this afternoon and broke my buggy all to pieces so Mog says it looks now like the bride will have to walk if she wants to go anywhere. Write me a long sweet letter and tell me you are not going to work yourself to death. Know I worship you. With all my love – I remain forever – Your own – Alex – [April, 1915] [Halifax] My own dearest Alex – It was strange that both of our letters went astray yesterday and I just wonder what happened to them. I know one thing – I felt like screaming when mine didn’t come and I hope you didn’t feel half as bad when you didn’t get mine. I feel better this afternoon after getting my two sweet letters and I hope I’ll be all right after I get these miserable dresses off my mind. I reckon you think I must be making some real sho nuff clothes but I’m not making hardly anything. It takes time and thought, though, for what few I’m having and I haven’t a soul to make a single suggestion. Little Sister always made me plan all her clothes. Come on up here and help me plan some. You are in a mess if you really don’t want John Fenner for I told Anna Sunday that we wanted him. That’s what you get for putting off everything on me. I think it’s all right since it’s a regular family affair but I told you all the time not to have him. I don’t know whether he will serve or not but I leave that to you. I reckon it’s up to you to write to him. I think we’ll compromise on a little reception for the bridal party but I’ll decide on that later. I think like Margaret that we shouldn’t consider our scheme now that I don’t feel so terrible but I just felt Sunday like I couldn’t get married to save my life. I’ll grit my teeth and get through with it some way and don’t you even think you are going to swill a drink that morning. I’ve got enough to worry about without having to worry about that. I’m going to write to Sallie tomorrow. I don’t feel like writing to her tonight but am going to write to Margaret. Can’t write more to my old man. With all my love, I am, Your own always, Kate I feel a heap better. [April 30, 1915] [Halifax] My own dearest Alex – Just a line tonight to tell you how good I love you. I can’t write a letter though, for I’m up to my eyes in work. My sweet letter came all right this afternoon and it helped heaps – as it always does. I have gotten along fine with my sewing today and feel better about it tonight. Thought you had a date with a lady in Norfolk to go to the May Festival – or was it in Rocky Mount? I’m crazy to see my ring – now that it is ordered. I am so enthusiastic over it I think I must have wanted it all the time but I didn’t know I did. There is a nice train over the S.A.L. leaving Weldon at twelve o’clock for Richmond that connects with the Washington train in Richmond, I think, and I’m going to find out about it. It will be a so much nicer trip on a nice train. Little Sister heard from Newton today but I’m not even going to think about flowers. She and Margaret can decide on that part of it. Aunt Susie is about to decide to just have the bridal party and the two families the night before the wedding at her house. I’m in favor of it for lots of reasons. Can’t write more for I’ve got to write to Sallie now. Had such a nice note from a friend of mine in Macon, Ga. today congratulating me. Write me a long sweet letter tomorrow. With all my love, I am Your own always Kate Thursday night. If you haven’t ordered the ring and really are going down there soon, why don’t you wait and see it? So sorry old John U. ran away with you but I don’t care ‘bout the buggy since he didn’t hurt you. I’ll walk even if it does give me ‘pendicitis. [May 1, 1915] [Woodville] Saturday Night My own dearest Kate – I’m some kinder crazy about my ‘fo breakfast letter and have read it ten times. I was up and thinking about my sweetness when she was writing it too. That’s always the case though cause I think about you every minute. The rings came today. The wedding ring is pretty but I’ll never keep that diamond – I didn’t even know what folks meant when they said a diamond with a flaw in it but I know one thing – this one is mostly flaw. I’d rather have a perfect one if it wasn’t big as a pin head and I’m going to take this one back when I go to Norfolk and exchange it. I’ll send the wedding ring Monday. I guess I’ll go to Norfolk about Tuesday and will send the diamond from there. I’m sorry you are going to be so late in getting it and wish you had selected one Xmas – I believe Paul Gale are robbers anyway and don’t think the ring they sent could have been the one you picked out. I’m going to try to get somebody down there that knows to help me select one. I was mistaken about Fred and the Widow’s coming last night, they are to come tonight. Billie saw them in Norfolk yesterday. They are stopping at the Atlantic Hotel. I spent the morning on the river and got home just in time for my letter. But for it I’d be the bluest man in the world for I ought to be with my Sweetheart right now. Get some good rest tomorrow – Know I love you all in the world. With all my love – I remain forever – Your own – Alex [May 2, 1915] [Woodville] Sunday Night My own dearest Kate – I have been blue all day long till night came and I could tear off another day. But I’ll be happy enough on June 2nd to make up for May 2nd won’t I Sweetness? I sho did want to get on that train in Kelford this morning. If I could have I would be with my Sweetness right now and be so happy. I’m going to Windsor tomorrow and think I will go to Norfolk Wednesday. Write me if I had better see about the flowers on this trip. I will exchange the rings and have yours sent to you from Norfolk. I will bring the wedding ring when I come. I am sending the Virginian’s account of the wedding. Fred and the Widow are still at Zekes but are going to Windsor tomorrow. They are going to let Annie E. stay here at Zekes for a while. Looks like good headwork on Fred’s part. I hope my Sweetheart hasn’t even thought about old sewing [?] gotten some good [?] When are you going to finish? John Hill is here and Burges is going to bed so I’ll have to stop and talk to the thing or he won’t ever speak to me anymore. Write me a long letter and tell me you are feeling good – Know I love you with all my heart. With all my love – I remain forever – Your own – Alex – [May 2, 1915] [Halifax] My own dearest Alex – Well, next month this time you’ll be in jail for life. How do you feel about it? I went to Sunday School this morning at ten and felt right curious when I knew I’d be walking up the aisle that time a month from then. Aunt Susie went over there this afternoon and played over the wedding marches and I felt like a dunce again. I’ll be glad when it’s all over with – not only because I’ll be with you but I’m so tired of planning and unplanning I don’t know what to do. I know I’m not going to be as big as a shoe string and I don’t care if I’m not. I’m so distressed about the diamond. If I were you I’d get some one who knows a diamond before I went to Paul’s and look at some others before I said anything about the trade and then they wouldn’t be so likely to do you. I believe they are tricky. If you think they are not going to do you right about the diamond set and they have your money, get the silver service. You can take the diamond to another jeweler and have it valued and tell whether it’s worth what they charged. Mr. Thompson showed several to me and said they were all pure but [the] $20800 one had a little flaw in it that nobody but an expert could see. Honestly I couldn’t see it and didn’t see why it wasn’t just as pretty and if you can see it I just believe he traded on me. If you find he isn’t all right I hope you can get your money back and then let’s keep away from there. Jim Ely told me that he had a friend who was with them, a Mr. Ford, and he left them because they were slick crooks. I think they have a jewelry store of their own now – Gale-Ford. Paul-Gale-Greenwood may be all right though. I’d have that ring valued before I took it to them just the same. I don’t see how he could afford to cheat you when he was counting on selling you the silver service and having you for a good customer. It looks like everything in the world about the wedding has gone wrong and if I didn’t believe that a bad beginning made a good ending, I’d go crazy and call the whole thing off. Everybody is fussing because we didn’t get married now when all the flowers are in bloom. They say they won’t have a thing to decorate the church with. And I don’t care if they don’t. Aunt Florence sent me a copy of the Mt. Olive Tribune with a notice of my engagement in it. I’ll show it to you when you come, if you ever come again. It’s been a month since you were here. I know it’s best that you didn’t come today for I needed the rest but I hoped you’d come and wanted you just the same. We have decided to have just the bridal party and the two families over at Aunt Susie’s the night before the wedding. I suggested that for if we had a formal affair all of the men would have to have dress suits and that would be foolish to make them buy them if they didn’t already have them. Did you mean that Mr. and Mrs. Fred just went to Norfolk on their trip? Some trip, all right. Wonder why they weren’t married at the Atlantic if they stopped there. I’m crazy to see an account of the wedding. I wrote you that Evie and Em are coming up – didn’t I? Aunt Susie is going to have them at her house that night and if they want to stay longer, Little Sister is going to have them over here. I kinder hope they’ll stay a while for they’ll all think they’re terribly undone when I’m gone. Tell Margaret I got her letter and will write her if I ever feel equal to it. Tell her to tell Sallie to come over with her and stay here with me if Lewis isn’t coming. She wrote that your mother and Miss Pattie were coming up the morning of the second so I want her to come on with Margaret. You ought to write your friends who you said wrote they were coming and tell them to come up the evening before. It’s due you to do that. And you certainly ought to write Mr. Dixon. I can’t write more now for I have another letter to write. Be good while you are in Norfolk and don’t send me any candy. With all my love I am Your own always Kate Sunday night Tell Margaret to try her Sargol and if it’s any good I’ll try it. Monday morning – Don’t worry about the ring and if you can get your money don’t even get one. We can get one later if we want it. I worried all last night in my sleep about it. [May 3, 1915] [Woodville] Monday Night My own dearest Kate – I love my sweet Sunday letter next to having been with you but I see from it you are still worrying about the wedding – I wish you could forget all about the wedding and sewing and everything else (‘cept me) till June second comes. Don’t worry about the ring any more for they will never get my money for a diamond like that one – if you couldn’t see the flaw the light was in either bad or they changed rings one for I saw it as soon as I opened the box and everyone I showed it to noticed it at once. I expressed it back today, as I don’t think I will go to Norfolk till the last of the week, and wrote them I was going to stop payment of my check at the Bank. I sent them $750 for the wedding ring and told ‘em I’d pay for the setting of the diamond ring, as it had been engraved, and also pay protest charge on check. I’m done with them. I’ll try Gale-Ford when I go to Norfolk. I know Eny Gale real well and think he will give me a good deal. Write me the size you wear in your next letter. I went to Windsor this morning and while I was there Fred and the Widow came on the King. They are going to board at Freeman’s for a month and then start housekeeping. The left the Cat here. Mattie has promised her a bicycle to stay with the Zekes a while. Everybody in Windsor was surprised at the wedding and all expressed deep sorrow for Fred. I didn’t say anything cause I knew it would be repeated. Rosa had another breakdown and is under the Doctor’s care still. Everybody wanted to know how much money the widow had. I got me a S.A.L. timetable this afternoon and looked up our trip. We can leave Weldon at 1155, get to Norlina at 120 and leave there at 205, and get to Richmond at 505 or keep straight through to Washington and get there at 835. We will take that train unless the Coast Line can beat it. I’ll get the Coast Line schedule next time I go to Kelford. You hadn’t told me Evie and Emily were coming up for the wedding. I’m glad for I don’t want them to be mad with my wife. How does that listen? It’s a good thing Aunt Susie called off the reception if the men had to wear dress clothes for she would surely have had to send out into the highways. The Groom would most assuredly have been lit up if he had had to put on a dress suit. I got a very urgent invitation to be present at my class reunion on June 1st and 2nd at the Hill but don’t ‘xactly see how I can get there. Not being a graduate you can’t appreciate what a pleasure I’m foregoing to get married. The old man is getting mighty old, his class is having reunions. Tell Little Sister to let me know if I ought to see Newton about the flowers while I’m in Norfolk. I was counting on sending you a whole lot of candy but now I can’t do it cause you said not. Obedient. Write me a long sweet letter and know I just love you more every single minute that passes. With all my love – I remain forever – Your own – Alex [May 3, 1915] [Halifax] My own dearest Alex – I’m going to write till Mrs. Martin gets ready to fit me and I don’t care if that’s in a minute cause you haven’t written me a decent letter in a month. Just notes. That was some write up and some bridal tour North from the Monticello to the Atlantic. Let’s do that too and write it in the papers that we have gone abroad. I feel truly sorry for poor Anne Elizabeth and think less of Mrs. N. than ever. The idea of her leaving her own child. Wonder if they are going to have announcement cards. Hope they won’t send me one cause all my money has taken flight. Our invitations came today and are very pretty. It looks some kinder like business to read one of them, too. You needn’t bother about sending the ring for you are coming Saturday – I reckon – and you can bring it. You wouldn’t hardly send it out till Thursday anyway and I wouldn’t get it till Friday – but you do as you want to. I’m not to have the wedding ring till we are married but would like to take a peep at it. Now if you think those people are not straight and you can get your money you do it and we can get one somewhere else some other time. Little Sister says to wait to see about the flowers till she sees you. You can write just as well, anyway. You asked if you should see about them this trip. For gracious’ sake, how many more do you pretend making? That’s all right though, you won’t be able to make many more alone and then you won’t want to go. Must stop now and get to work. Write me where to send my Tuesday night letter. With all my love, I am Your own always, Monday night Kate [May 4, 1915] [Halifax] My own dearest Alex – I was some kinder glad to get my real letter this afternoon and it didn’t come before it was needed either. I had been all worried and nervous for a long time and ‘bout to pop to cry when something went wrong with one of my dresses this morning and I took that opportunity to cry all I wanted to. Mama and Little Sister came in and caught me and both swore I shouldn’t sew another stitch on a nice dress. I [am] going to send some of the sewing to an up to date dressmaker in Norfolk in the morning and she’ll charge so much I won’t be able to buy anything else to sew on so I’ll be able to rest some. Mama wanted me to see her while I was there and I wish I had have but I thought I could get along all right with this woman here, and I could if I wasn’t so wrought up and nervous. Take me with you down there to chaperon you. I weighed this afternoon and have fallen off five pounds so got me a bottle of cod liver oil but don’t think I’ll be able to take it for I’m tasting it right now. You’ll just have to take that filling woman as you find her. I’m so sorry your class reunion comes on the 1st and 2nd. Let’s go up there right after we are married. We could get there by six. What would you charge to go up there with your wife? I wouldn’t think of paying for the diamond setting for I never dreamed of telling him to engrave it. I never heard of one being engraved except with the date of the engagement. He engraved it so that you would be more apt to keep it. If you do have to keep the setting you can have another stone put in it. Mr. Gary said he always bought his diamonds – and he has some beauties – with the privilege of having them examined by other good jewelers and returning them if necessary. You’d better do that for they know green judges when they see them. I’m afraid the widow and Fred are both going to be disappointed over the amount both are worth. Harry said he heard over there that Fred didn’t even have the prospects of being near as wealthy as he is reported to be. I’m crazy about the Seaboard trip and we can go up to Weldon on a car. Mrs. Campbell has already asked to take us and others will ask. The Coast Line will put us in Richmond at two but the train is mighty dirty. We’ll talk about that when you come, I reckon. Mama is coming, so I’m going to stop and talk to her and rest some. I love my old man mighty good and I’m certainly going through the throughs to get him. With all my love, I am Your own always, Kate Tuesday night. My ring size is five and a half or 5 ¾ if you can get it. (over) Another ‘fo breakfast postscript – Remember you promised me you weren’t going to smoke this month but you haven’t said anything about stopping up to now. I’m just giving you fair warning that I’m not going to let you when you come up here. I mean it, so you might as well practice being without the terrible old things. Breakfast is ready so I’ll have to stop. I intended asking you about smoking last night but forgot to. I love you right good this morning but am going to stop if you don’t stop smoking. [May 6, 1915] [Halifax] My own dearest Alex – We had company last night till twelve o’clock so I had to put off writing to you till this morning and now haven’t but about two minutes before Mama leaves. I got along real well with my sewing yesterday and feel better about it this morning. You don’t have to answer John’s letter unless there is something he can do for you. Did Harry say he would serve? I never see anybody these days so haven’t seen him to ask him. I went to the drug store yesterday afternoon and the day before and that is the extent of my going. I’m so sorry we chose June 2nd. We ought to have had it before or after, for it interferes with everybody who is interested in Chapel Hill Commencement. Wallace can’t come at all and Sister can’t leave him till a day or two before – and I need her dreadfully. Then poor Little Sister is crazy to go up to see Conrad graduate. And of course the groom should attend the first reunion of his class. You can go though and I’ll stay in Durham or hide in Chapel Hill for you to see all your friends for a little while. There you go talking about liquor again. You are enough to make me go crazy, threatening to ruin the whole wedding and if I didn’t think you were just teasing me I wouldn’t marry you to save you and me too. And you write me you’ve let up on those miserable cigarettes – Hear me? I’ll fix you Sunday, all right. Of course, “not being a graduate” I couldn’t understand it, but that tune sounds something terrible. I’m glad you wrote to John and know he will be glad to serve. That was some wedding the widow had. It looked so foolish for them to tell everybody and then run when they could have married so easily in Zeke’s parlor. I reckon she’ll write the write-ups for the Pilot and that she will be something grand. I’m sorry the old man has got to be disappointed over his wife’s trousseau but he surely will be for I’ve got my doubts about fitting one trunk. This lady has made me one dress this week so according to that if she works up to the day of the wedding, I’ll have five. I really am trying to get through so I can rest at least a week. I’m going to eat raw eggs and sleep and try to get pretty. I think they are expecting Harry’s girl to spend a day in a few days. She is going to Boston and is very anxious to see the Gowens before she leaves. She’s bad as I used to be – you wouldn’t come to see me so I went to see you – maybe – anyway, I went down there and got my old man, didn’t I? Miss Jennie said I said that was the only way in the world to get a husband these days. I’m scared poor Gay Bean is coming to the wrong place, though. Swain Norman and Elliot Clark have gone off on a trip to Washington and New York. Ain’t that a mess? You take your last trip with these boys right away – don’t, you might not be able to. Don’t take it either. I’d rather promise you one later and then change my mind. Tell Margaret I say to write to me. Can’t write more for it’s time to send my letter off. I love my old man some kinder good this morning, and wish he were coming tonight. With all my love, I am Your own always, Kate Saturday morning 8:30 [May 7, 1915] [Halifax] My own dearest Alex – I’m sending you another ‘fo breakfast note this morning for I had something to do last night and put off writing to you. I asked Mama to send you an invitation and I want you to be sure to come – if you don’t come send me a nice present. I’m going to take you up on your smoking proposition and promise not to worry any more over the wedding if you will promise not to smoke. That’s worrying me more than the wedding, anyway. That will be the greatest inducement to keep me from worrying and every time I start to worry I’ll just think about my old man down there trying to stop. Course you can and don’t you say you’ll try another single time. Don’t do like you did, though, when you had me practicing to make you reform and you down there in Norfolk kicking up. I found the letter in my trunk yesterday that you wrote me immediately before your return from Norfolk last March and anybody would have thought a little saint had written it. You won’t like me either if you forgot about stopping smoking the first of May for I didn’t forget it. I just failed to mention it in my letters for I was half dead when I wrote them. Now that I’m not going to worry any more I can be a constant reminder to you. I think you were mean not to come over the other day when you had the free trip offered you but I’ll see you tomorrow night, won’t I? I’m glad you put off your trip to Norfolk. I don’t think I’ll have to go down. In fact I know I won’t so don’t get skeered about my chaperoning you. You didn’t have Lal and Leonard on your list so you’d better get their address. And you had a Mr. Early with just Norfolk, Box __. You’d better get his box number, too. I didn’t tell Little Sister to have the “At Home” part put on the invitations so she didn’t do it. I’m kinder sorry for it wouldn’t have cost anything extra, but most of them didn’t have it, so it’s all right. Anyway, I can’t worry. I think they are pretty and Everett Waddey said they were the latest thing. We are going to send them out two weeks before the wedding. Have already sent some to China. That’s some girl Ned is getting. Yes, I remember him and that girl has nerve. Hope the Zekes will get a car. Course I always have been afraid of old John Urquhart. Your letting him run away makes him worse every time. I hope I’ll get another sweet long letter this afternoon like I did yesterday. With all my love, I am, Your own always, Kate Friday morning. [May 8, 1915] [Halifax] My own dearest Alex – I was so near dead last night I wouldn’t even try to write so now I’m stealing a minute before breakfast to write to you. I had to go to Weldon after supper to see about one of my hats and the milliner told me to go home and go to bed for I looked like a dead person. I dreamed last night that you were trying to sing the greatest song to me I ever heard. It was in some foreign tongue so . . . […page missing here …] Write me what you decide about going to Norfolk and if you go you can bring me just a little box of Cumming’s candy – don’t bring a whole mess of it. Thank you. I’ll put your friend on the list. Can’t write more. With all my love, I am, Your own always, Kate Thursday morning. [May 10, 1915] [Halifax] My own dearest Alex – I’ve just gotten back from the Memorial Day exercises and eaten supper and miss my old man worse than I ever did in my life. I ‘most wish you wouldn’t come for I miss you so bad every time you leave. I slept real late this morning. Didn’t get to breakfast till ten o’clock – won’t I lazy? I feel a little better, too, than I usually do after you leave. I’m crazy over the idea of your coming again Sunday and I’ll get my Honey to carry me up to Weldon to meet you. If you don’t care. Course I’d forgo the pleasure of going up with him if you’d come up Saturday night instead of Sunday. Nannie Gary said she saw you on Aunt Clara’s porch this morning. You must not have gotten much sleep – or did your nap keep you from wanting to sleep? I’m so glad my old man is trying to cut out cigarettes – and I ain’t going to worry another bit either, cause every time I start to fret I’m going to think [of] him down there wanting to smoke and not doing it. I love you some kinder good for it, too, for I had worried about you ever since you were here last. Even if I wanted to worry about anything else I couldn’t for everything dwindles into insignificance when compared to you and what you do and when I know you are all right I couldn’t worry if I tried. Don’t forget to tell Mog to tell Sallie I say to come on and stay with me if Lewis won’t come. I think Little Sister has most decided to go to Chapel Hill the second. I’m going to encourage her going for she’ll never get over it if she doesn’t go. I know she thinks she’ll have the time of her life but she’ll be a little disappointed, I’m afraid. Nannie Gary and Mr. Gary are coming around to stay a while tonight so I’ll have to stop for this time. I may have to send just notes this week for I’ll be busy – not worrying – but you know I love you just the same. Even if I ain’t so crazy ‘bout getting married. With every bit of love in the whole world, I am, Your own always, Kate Monday night [May 20, 1915] [Halifax] My own dearest Alex, I sat up late last night and helped get the paper hanger ready to go to work this morning so put your letter off [till] now so will write till train time. The whole house is in a mess for everything out of the parlor is in the hall and sitting room and my sewing on top of that. My letter yesterday was mighty sweet even if you were regretting not going to the dinner. Trying to hold up the diamond ring to me to make me regret it too – aw now – nothing doing, old man, for I wouldn’t have you do the least little thing I thought was wrong for all the diamonds in the whole world. All I want in the world is for you to be good and love me. And you are going to be both, too, ain’t you? I knew I spelled Burgwyn wrong as soon as I wrote it. I got the old Revolution Burgoyne mixed [up] with him and then couldn’t straighten him out. We sent the invitations out yesterday and will send these two today. Things are getting so exciting. My first bridal present came yesterday – a lovely cut glass vase from Mrs. Gilliam. Mama had the chair sent to the depot yesterday morning but I think too late for the freight. Will see about the cards when you come. Glad Mr. Campbell gave me such a send off – who was your friend he gave it to? Must run to mail this. I love you mighty good this morning. With all my love, I am Your own always, Kate Thursday morning [May 21, 1915] [Halifax] My own dearest Alex, Another ‘fo breakfast note this morning but I know you won’t fuss cause you’ll be here tomorrow night. (Don’t that sound good?) The men finished papering the parlor last night and it looks real pretty but all the rest of the house is still in a mess. I’ll try to get somebody to dig out a place big enough to sit in by the time you get here. I’m beginning to speculate on what our presents will be. What you reckon Polly’s will be? Hope ‘twon’t be so fine that you’ll always be threatening to hock it. Reckon I can lock them up though cause my name will be on them. Don’t care if they were intended for you. I didn’t get the wine in Emporia for the wedding – just went to be going – like a dunce. They got two more Blind Tigers here yesterday and the men say they are going to tour the whole state and get everybody who has over a quart. Lewiston had better look out. That’s the truth. I’m glad the Lewiston crowd got beaten and hope they lost all they had so they can’t even scare up a stag barbecue this summer. I’ve told Harry about the gloves but Miss Bear is here again so doubt his finding out anything. Brother wears no. eight. I’ll try to find out Fletcher’s number by the time you come. I can’t write more now – am mad anyway cause you didn’t take time to write me from Norfolk. But I love you right good if I am mad. With all my love, I am, Your own always, Kate Friday A.M. [May 25, 1915] [Woodville] Tuesday Night My own dearest Kate – So sorry to hear that the presents won’t coming in right. Try to pray the right prayer and I’ll see what I can do along that line and maybe things will get better. I got a letter from Gilliam today saying he had risked a very small amount. I enclose his letter and one from Hargrett. Of course the boys will stay at private houses if you want them to but I’m sure they had rather be at the Hotel. You understand, they’d feel so much more at ease. Do just as you like about that though. I told Mog you were going to take your trunk on the trip. She said she wouldn’t think about it. She would only take a suitcase or two suitcases and come back by Halifax and get the trunk. I’m glad you are going to stop sewing after today. Please do and stop worrying too and don’t do a thing but rest and enjoy the tractor meeting. Mog wrote to you last night. I guess she told you we would all come on the train. We will kinder have a rush that night won’t we? What kind of suit will we have to wear to the reception? I haven’t got but one dark suit and that’s for the wedding. Must I wear that to the reception too? Mog and I have been fixing up one room all day – coolest place I ever saw. Know it will be fine in August. Write the old man a long letter and tell him you ain’t going to weaken ‘gainst tomorrow week – Know I love you better than anybody else in the world ever did love anybody. With all my love – I remain forever – Your own – Alex DONNELL GILLIAM LAWYER GREENVILLE, N. C. May 24th, 1915. Mr. R. A. Urquhart Lewiston, N. C. My dear Sol#SYMBOL 42 \f "Symbol" \s 12#: I wish to heartily congratulate you upon being so fortunate as to get a fine young lady to become your wife. I am sending you a trifling present – I’m a poor devil and can’t spare much – but just to spend a few dollars on a real friend at a time like this is nothing; acquaintances will do that much. I feel the highest regard and sincerest affection for you and I will always wish for you in the future as I have wished for you in the past the best of luck and happiness. May the second of June, 1915, mean for you the very beginning of life and happiness and may your future be as bright and as free from care and trouble as it now appears to you. Please extend to the future “Mrs. R. A.” the felicitations of the writer and may it be my pleasure to see you both in the near future. With tenderest wishes for the future of you both, I beg to be, Sincerely your friend, Don. Gilliam [May, 1915] [Halifax] My own dearest Alex, I’m sending you another ‘fo breakfast letter this morning for I was just too tired last night to do anything. Fletcher carried Nannie Gary, Little Sister, and me to Weldon yesterday afternoon for me to see about my hats and we had to stay the whole afternoon. After we got back I felt like I had been through a meat grinder. Didn’t even go to Church, but went the night before. I’ve got to go to a blooming old DAR meeting this morning and read a bunch of mess and I’d rather take a killing. I wasn’t going but the Vice Regent sent me word it was important for me to go to help transact some business so of course I’ll go like a dunce. Reckon some more school business has to be settled. Well we got some lovely presents yesterday. Mrs. Travis sent a sterling soup or punch ladle, a friend here sent a large cut glass dish for celery, another sent a fancy spoon, Mr. Page from Washington sent a little silver vase and we got another one of them brass things – can’t spell it. You didn’t enclose the letters you said you were so send them on. You’d better write on to Richmond about your room too for the papers say every house and hotel there will be crowded for the reunion. Tickets on sale from the 1st to the 15th. The papers say they are beginning to decorate now – celebrating our arrival. I wrote to Margaret in a big hurry yesterday and forgot to tell her it would be all right for her to have white sweet peas. In fact I’d rather she would have them. I reckon it will be best to carry a suitcase too and I’ll see about getting a big one. I’m sorry you all will have to be in such a rush Tuesday night. I wish the train did come just an hour earlier for I hate to have to rush through supper and everything but we can’t change the train schedule, can we? Yes. You wear your blue suit to the reception. Nobody will see you at the wedding, anyway –all eyes being on the poor bride. The breakfast bell is ringing so I’ll have to stop. With every bit of my love, I am, Your own always, Kate [May 26, 1915] [Woodville] Wednesday Night My own dearest Kate – I got a nice wedding ring in the mail today but not a sign of a letter, that certainly looks like the old man is kicked and right here in a week of the wedding too. I know you wrote but the letter missed connection somehow. I guess the ring is too small. I’m sure the letter will come tomorrow and explain. How do you feel now ‘tain’t but a week? I feel like I haven’t seen my sweetness in a year. I hope you [are] going to rest from today till the wedding – Please do Sweetheart, you promised. I’ve got a lot or writing to do tonight so won’t write more. Know I worship my heart and love you better every single minute. With all my love – I remain forever – Your own – Alex – [May 26, 1915] [Halifax] My own dearest Alex, My sweet old letter came in on time and I’m glad it did for everything was going wrong and it raining too and I couldn’t worry. I know a good cry would have relieved the tension but that old promise loomed up and I had to forget it. I’ll never make you another promise not even “I will” – for I know you’ll make me live up to it. But you are so sweet lately I could do anything I promised and be glad to do it. Keep on “staying stopped” smoking and have indigestion for a while – you’ll be all right in a little while. And I’m tickled to death that you are looking on that old Hill’s Ferry affair as you should and realize that every single thing my husband does from now on is just as much a reflection on me as it is on him. I’d lots rather you’d tell the boys to tell Jarl you had quit that kind of doing but maybe they’d find out after a while – I don’t care, though, whether they do or not so long as I know it. And I do know it, don’t I? I don’t think Little Sister has decided what she’s going to do about going to Chapel Hill. She is crazy to go and wants Sister to go on back with her and I’m crazy for Sister to stay on with Mama a few days for I’d be miserable on my trip knowing Mama was here by herself grieving herself to death. If they do go and I know it I’m not going to stay but a day or two and we’ll have to take our bridal trip around here on the banks of Quankey. I think it’s awfully inconsiderate in Little Sister to want to leave just then and she thinks it’s even more so in us to have set a time to make it impossible for her to go. Aunt Florence can’t leave her children to stay with Mama while we are gone and may not even be able to come up to the wedding. I’m going to write to Cousin Ida to come and stay – I’ll bet she can entertain her. Little S. will write Evie as soon as she decides what she is going to do. I’m glad Paul Gale didn’t get mad. But you were the one to get mad, weren’t you? You ought to enjoy hearing Aunt Sue talk about your Cousin Beck cause she is quite an admirer of me. I think it’s kinder nice to be married during the meeting in a religious atmosphere. We’ll just let them have a recess and be married then. He’s just going to have a series of services for a week so don’t be afraid, old man. Now listen – don’t you go to Norfolk and bring back any more than two quarts of any thing for any body for if you do you’ll make me miserable and I’ll forget all about the promise not to worry. You don’t need it yourself and you are not going to break the law for anybody else. Please don’t. Two men have been put in jail here lately and Joe McMahon, I understand, has been advised to leave town now while he is able to leave and took the advice. You may not be caught, but it’s the principle of the thing I’m talking about. I don’t care if you do think I’m narrow – I only wish you were a little more so. Little Sister wants the pink sweet peas so Margaret can get the white ones or daisies and the bride will have a shower of lilies of the valley and some thing or just the lillies. You can see about them if you want to and think it best. Ask Margaret. I really think just the lillies and fern are lovely – the maidenhair fern. You see him. Must stop and get to work. Write me when you are going to Norfolk and remember what I told you for I love you good enough for you to do anything I ask you to, whether I’m narrow or not. With all the love in the world, I am, Your own always Kate Wednesday night – Read the article in the June Woman’s Home Companion right away, on page 28. Tell Mog I say to read it and give you the points worth while. [May 28, 1915] [Woodville] Friday Night My own dearest Kate – Just a line cause I’ve got to hurry to bed for I will have to get up at 345 to make my train. I’ll try to get everything right in the City and will be a good as usual. I’m glad presents still come. Sorry Sid didn’t risk but a dime on us. I got a present today – a vase with silver on the outside and shaped exactly like a beer glass – maybe that’s the reason they sent it to me. I wrote the Jefferson to look out for us cause we were coming Wednesday the Second. Know I love you better every single minute and want to see you worse than ever before. With all my love I remain forever – Your own – Alex [May 28, 1915] [Halifax] My own dearest Alex, We had company till late last night so I couldn’t write to you and now it’s ‘most train time. I’m so glad you’re coming Sunday – only I wish you were coming Saturday night – and I’ll meet you in Weldon. If I’m not there when the train comes, just wait at the station a few minutes. We are to have Children’s Day services at our church that morning and that may make me a little late. Why don’t you come on up Sat. night A.C.S. and go – you can get so much riding for your $200 coming that way. And the meanest old train in the whole world. If you have time, see Newton (although L.S. says he’s the highest man in the world) and don’t see about an expensive bouquet for me for I don’t want one. Little Sister dreamed last night that the wedding was going on and the flowers weren’t here and that you were drunk. Wont that a wedding, though? ‘Tain’t going to be that way, though. I can’t write more for breakfast is ready. Remember you are mine every second you are in Norfolk and that I’m here just loving and thinking about you all the time. With all my love, I am, Your own always. Kate Friday morning. [May 28, 1915] [Halifax] My own dearest Alex, I’m scratching you a note to get off on the night train so that you will be sure to get it tomorrow. I’ve been working hard all day and feel like the very mischief and would cuss a little if I didn’t hate to set my husband such a bad example. I’m some kinder glad to get your promise to be so good down there. You know I said two (2) quarts but for emphasis I’ll repeat. I’m sorry you’ve got to tell another tale to Jarl about the dinner but if you had have told the truth in the beginning you wouldn’t have to tell it. Ain’t you your own man – yours, and mine? Got a note from Sallie this P.M. and she is coming. Said Lewis wouldn’t – or couldn’t – come. I’m real sorry about that but glad she can come. I think L.S. has almost decided not to go to Chapel Hill but she may go yet. Her face is a mile long and I just feel like I’d like to just scream at the top of my voice – and I would do it too, if ‘twon’t for my promise. Be sweet now and remember how good I love you. Better than the whole wide world. I’ll meet you in Weldon Sunday, but may be a little late getting there. Can’t write more for Charlie is waiting to carry this to the office and it’s train time. With all my love, I am, Your own always, Kate. Friday night [May 29, 1915] [Halifax] My own dearest Alex, I’m upset to death this morning for Mama is in bed sick. I’m always crazy from the time she takes her bed till she gets up. I don’t think it’s anything serious though. She ate a whole lot of beef and strawberry cream for super night before last and it made her sick. I gave her medicine last night and hope she’s better this morning. I’m near ‘bout dead with whatever it is I’ve got and am pimpled over my body just like anybody with heat. Dr. is giving me medicine and I think that is making it worse for the time being. I don’t do a thing but scratch and L.S. says I am about to run her crazy for the minute I start scratching she imagines she’s itching and goes to scratching too. We got some lovely presents yesterday and I know of several on the road. Dr. Ferebee sent a lovely ice cream or pie knife – one of the heaviest pieces of sterling silver I ever saw. Nell sent a great big mahogany tray with brass handles. Then we got two lovely pieces of cut glass from friends here and somebody from Washington (D.C.) sent a hand painted almond set with no card in it. Little Sister wrote to the store that sent it out and tried to find out who sent it. ‘Twould be terrible not to thank [the] donor for they might not respond when I get married again. It came addressed to Miss Catherine Fenner so it must be Miss Bettie Clarke. They were mighty nice letters from your friends and I felt ‘most married when I read them, too. We are ‘most married. What do you think of it? Wish I did know just exactly how you feel. I feel like I love my old man all in the world and that’s enough. Ain’t it? I can’t write more for I’ve got a whole lot of little things to do today. Hope you will have a good day in Norfolk. With all my love, I am, Your own always, Kate Sat. A.M. [August 26, 1915] [Woodville] Sweetest Old Wife in the World – I love the Babe – The Babe left her coat in Kelford but Hus he got it and fetch it home – write if you want it sent. I don’t like the looks of that varmint that got on the train with my Baby – I miss my old Sweetheart like Hell and I ain’t going to do nothing but work and cuss till she comes home – Have a good time and don’t worry yourself to death regulating “ought” – Make L.S. come to the House Party. Regards to Lillie and Dix – With all the love in the world – Your Obedient Husband 4 bottles today File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/nc/bertie/history/letters/lettersb234gms.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/ncfiles/ File size: 142.1 Kb