MR. L.L. MC COMB,

ESTEEMED FRIEND, YOUR LETTER AT RECENT DATE IS AT HAND. I WAS INDEED GLAD TO HEAR FROM THE ONE I CHERISH MOST DEAR. BUT OH HOW SORRY I WAS TO THINK YOU CAME SO NEAR, AND I DIDENT GET TO SEE YOU. I WAS OUT PAPAS, ONLY SEVEN MILES FROM BOWIE THE DAY YOU WAS THERE: AND OH HOW WE WOULD HAVE APPRICIATED A CALL FROM YOU:

I WAS AT A QUILTING LAST WEEK, DOWN AT MY OLD HOME ON FARMERS CREEK, AND (ILEDG) ATHY ALSO HAD A DANCE. BUT YOU KNOW I DONT ATTEND DANCES, BUT I ENJOYED MY SELF REAL WELL. MY DARLING YOU NEED NOT THINK I WILL FORGET YOU, FOR I NEVER FORGET MY DEAREST FRIEND. OR AT LEAST I THINK YOU ARE MY DEAREST FRIEND. THOUGH I MAY BE DECIEVED, BUT I TRUST I AM NOT:

I CANT SAY JUST WHEN I WILL GO HOME, FOR O DONT KNOW WHEN BROTHER WILL COME AFTER ME. SISTER WANTS ME TO STAY DOWN TILL CHRISTMAS, AND I DONT KNOW WHETHER I WILL OR NOT. I HAD MUCH RATHER SPEND CHRISTMAS AT HOME, FOR I THINK MONTAGUE IS SUCH A DULL PLACE: I HAVENT HEARD FROM HOME BUT ONCE SINCE I CAME DOWN.
MY DARLING YOU DONT HAVE THE LEAST IDEA HOW I APPRICIATE YOUR LETTERS. I NEVER GROW WEARY READING A LETTER WRITTEN BY THE ONE I LOVE AS DEAR AS I DO YOU. AS IT IS GROWING LATE AND COLD, YOU WILL I TRUST ENCURE THIS SHORT AND BADLY WRITTEN LETTER. AND I WILL TRY AND DO BETTER IN MY NEXT. PLEASE ANSWER AT ONCE, AND I WILL TELL YOU IN MY NEXT LETTER HOW LONG I WILL REMAIN IN MONTAGUE. I WILL CLOSE, WRITE SOON.

I REMAIN YOUR DARLING TILL DEATH,

BELLE STARNES

DONT BE ANGRY WITH ME DARLING, STOP THE TEAR BACK FROM YOUR EYE. TWAS A FRIENDLY TIMELY WARNING, GIVE FOR DAYS GONE BY. NOT FOR THE WORLD WOULD I DESTRESS YOU, CAST ONE CLOUD UPON THY BROW. LET NOT THEN MY WORDS DEPRESS YOU. DONT BE ANGRY DARLING NOW.

BELLE