November 23, 1903

• November 23, 1903 was a Monday, but this letter is dated Thursday, so I suspect it was written on November 19, 1903.
  
  

  

  
  
  [envelope]
  Miss Nursie Whaley
             Medart,
  Wakulla Co.,        Fla.
  
  
  [2-cent stamp]
  
  
  [postmark]
  ASHMORE,
  NOV 23 1903
  FLA.
  
  
  [postmarks on back]
  CRAWFORDVILLE
  NOV 23 1903
  FLA.
  
  
  MEDART
  NOV 24 1903
  FLA.
  
  [body of letter, page 1]
  

  

  
  
       Carrabelle, Tallahassee & Georgia Railroad Co.
                               OFFICE OF AGENT
                        Ashmore Station, Thursday190_ Night
  
  
  My Own Darling Nursie:
                                                     Your very nice 
  letter came yesterday. While I missed 
  your letter Sunday, yet to knew what 
  was the matter as I had heard the ted-
  rifle news from out there. I am anxious 
  to see you as some one who who can me all about
  the affair out there. So many rumors are 
  afloat out here until I dont put any cre-
  dence in any of them. I know it is bad
  enough, simply horrible, but I feel sure 
  it cannot be as I have heard. John has my 
  sincerest sympathy in his double bereavement.
     I have lost one of my parents and can sym-
  pathize with him some, but I know that
  I can not realize how he feels. No, my love 
  certainly I am not mad with you. I am sure 
  you had an excuse to forget me for the time.
     When you say that I dont love you as you 
  do me I am obliged to dispute you, for Nursie 
  even you cant realize how much I do love you.
     If you could only know the change that has 
  come over me in the last six months. Before
  
  
  [page 2]
  

                                2
  I loved you I didnt care which way the 
  wind blew. I was careless and asked favors 
  of no one. If I went with a girl and she 
  didnt do to quit me I simply let her go. I 
  had begun to think that I should never find 
  a girl I could love. I knew that I could love
  one, and my darling in you I have found 
  the one and only love of my life. Sometimes
  it almost frightens me to know how completely
  my very life is wrapt up in you. I sometimes think, 
  suppose you get tired of me - which is likely -
  my life would be wrecked. I would not 
  care whether I lived or not, in fact I had
  rather not live - if I cant have you. Great
  Heavens sweetheart you talk about I dont love
  you. Tell me, havnt I proved it? I have shown 
  you in every manner in my power that I 
  loved you. You cannot say the same to me. You 
  have never given me one kiss, on caress of you 
  own free will. I always have to beg ever so hard
  for one kiss, but if you loved me it would be dif-
  
  
  [page 3]

  

                                3

  ferent. You know that well as I do Nur-

  sie. it is the one thing that hurts and worries

  me that you dont love me with as pure,

  true and deep a love as I do you. I believe

  you care a little for me, if I thought you didnt

  you would not be troubled with me any more,

  even though it killed me. I dont see

  why people persist in trying to break us

  up. I have never done any thing that they should

  talk about me to my back in such manner.

     They are none of my friends who do this even

  though I dont know who they are. This much 

  I will say to you. We will never be broken 

  up unless you do it of your own free

  will or that you do something that I think 

  the girl I love should not do. I do not for-

  give easily, neither do I get mad easily.

     But as for me going with you to pass

  off the time, there is no truth in it.

     You know if I were to be going for that 

  I would go with some one closer home. There 

  are plenty girls I could go with here, but

  
  [page 4]

  

                                4
  I havnt been with one in quite a while. 
     I only want to be with my own dear love, 
  and I want to be with you just because I 
  love you better than any thing on earth. You 
  say if you were to love me you would not know
  what to do, as you would never love another
  boy as you do me, but uf I were to lose you
  darling I would never love another girl at
  all. I am told that you are fooling me
  and you are told that I am fooling you, but 
  if you love me half as much as I do you, we 
  will show them yet, wont we sweetheart.
     Well I must stop. Excuse paper for as 
  you may know I am in depot. Will see 
  you Sunday if nothing happens.
                        Ever your own,
                                        John
  
  
  [in pencil]
     Will go to church if I can but am afraid
  I can get any one to attend to depot
  for me. Am going to try anyway. I am 
  nearly dead to see you. 
                                        Yours,  JHA
  
  
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