ESTEEMED FRIEND, BEING AT LESURE AND THINKING IT TIME FOR ME TO ANSWER YOUR KIND AND NEVER TO BE FORGOTTEN LETTER WHICH CAME TO HAND IN DUE TIME. I WAS INDEED GLAD TO HEAR FROM YOU ONCE MORE, BUT WAS SOMEWHAT SURPRISED AT YOUR QUESTION, BUT WILL TRY AND ANSWER THE SAME: BUT WOULD SAY IT WOULD RECALL THE PAST, WHICH I TRUST WILL BE REMEMBERED BY YOU AS WELL AS I: MISS L. B. IF YOU PLEASE REMEMBER WHAT I TOLD YOU IN SAINT JO, WHEN LAST WE MET. I SPOKE OF THIS LADIE WHOSE NAME YOU HAD WRITTEN IN YOUR LAST LETTER: INDEED MISS BELL, I NEW WHEN YOU AND HER MET, THAT THIS SUBJECT WOULD COME UP. AND FOR THAT REASON I SPOKE TO YOU ABOUT IT IN SAINT JO. INDEED DID I NOT TELL YOU THAT I LOVED BUT ONE AND THAT ONE WAS YOU (I THINK I DID).
INDEED I AM FAR AWAY FROM YOU TO NIGHT AND WHILE I TRY TO WRITE MY TRUE SENTENCE TO YOU. I DO NOT WRITE AS A FRIEND, FOR IF I KNOW MY HEART, I AM INDEED A TRUE LOVER OF YOURS. BUT IN REGARDS TO YOU LADIE FRIEND, MISS ETTA. THAT I HAD A FARE MOTIVE IN VIEW WHEN I WENT TO SEE HER. OF COURSE I DONE TOLD YOU WHAT THIS MOTIVE WAS IN THE PAST. I WRITE MORE, BUT FOR FEAR YOU DO NOT REMEMBER IT AT PRESENT. I WILL SAY JUST HERE, THAT IT WAS IN REGARD TO OUR COMSPONDENCE THAT COMMENCED SHORTLY AFTER WE MET IN COOKE CO. BUT WAS STOPED IN A SHORT.
NOW I TRUST YOU HAVE THE IDEA, IF THIS WILL NOT SATISFY YOU ON THIS, I WILL TRY TO MAKE IT PLAINER WHEN WE MEET. IN REGARDS TO FLATTERY, I MUST SAY A WORD JUST HERE, THAT FLATTERY IS NOT WHAT I OFFER YOU. FOR INDEED I DO NOT WISH TO FLATTER YOU, NORR DO I WISH TO BE FLATTERED. FOR IF THERE IS ANYTHING I HATE IN COURTSHIP, IT IS FLATTERING. WHICH HAS LED MANY LADY AND GENT ASTRY, AND CAUSE THEM TO BE HEARTBROKEN FOR LIFE. THEN AS I SAY IT IS NOT FLATTERY THAT I OFFER YOU. THEN THE QUESTION IS, WHAT DO I OFFER YOU.
I OFFER THIS, A HAND TO GO WITH YOU THROUGH THIS LIFE. I OFFER MY SOUL MY HEART AND INDEED MY LOVE. WHICH IS TRUE LOVE AND THIS LOVE WILL NOT DIE WITH THE FLOWER, BUT WILL LIVE AS LONG AS TIME PEMITS ME TO STAY ON EARTH AND I TRUST THAT I MAY BE ABLE TO TRY OUR LOVE TOGETHER THROUGH THIS LIFE. IF YOU CAN (ILLEDGE ON THE FOLD OF LETTER) ME WORTHY OF YOUR ASSOCIATION THROUGH THIS LIFE. AND IF YOU CAN FEEL AND APPRICIATE ME AS A TRUE LOVER AND (ILLEDGE) TO SHARE YOUR LOT WITH ME THROUGH LIFE. I WILL INDEED BE A HAPPY MAN.
SO THINK OF THIS MY DEAR,
L. L. M.
I WRITE MORE.
