[envelope, 2-cent stamp]
Mis Nursie Whaley,
Medart,
Wakulla Co., Fla.
[postmark]
ASHMORE
JAN 11 1904
FLA.
[back of envelope too faint to read]
[body of letter, page 1]
Sunday night 10/04
My Dear Sweetheart:
As it
looks like I wont ever
get to see you again, I
will revert to my only
consolation - writing. Nursie
you have no idea how keen
ly I felt the disappointment
at not finding you at Mr.
Maxwell’s Friday night. I went
there only to see you, and then
not to even see you one
moment, why I wish that
I hadn't gone. I heard the
reason you could not be there
and of course did not blame
you, but Nursie, my sweet love,
you dont know how bad I
wanted to see you. I heard
your father was ill again,
and that is why I wouldnt
[page 2]
2
come out there to-day. I was
afraid that I would be in
the way, for I know sick
people dont like to be dis-
turbed and I respect their
wishes. While I had rather
have seen you to-day than
any one in this world, yet
I feel that your family had
rather be alone, and you,
perhaps you had rather I
would leave you alone all
the time - Would you Nursie?
Everybody was teasing me
Friday night about you. I
hated to let them know how
badly disappointed I was,
but I toiled them that I cer-
tainly would have enjoyed
the part more had you been
there. Mrs. Bell told me that
she went up to your house
[page 3]
3
that afternoon, but said you
wouldnt come. Nursie didnt
you tell her you didnt want
to see me? When I see you
will tell you why I ask. I
have felt badly ever since
anyway, but believe me Nursie
if I thought you did not
love me I would never write
you another word or ever
see you face again if I could
help it, but I believe you
do care for me a little, al-
though you dont love me
with a love like I have for
you. I know perfectly well that
I am not the kind of a
boy that a girl - especially
a pretty girl - fall in love
with, and I sometimes won
der that you ever notice
me. I have been with all
kinds of girls - country girls,
[page 4]
4
town girls, pretty ones + plain ones
but I never saw one before I
met you that I would go
out of my way to see. You
I have learned to love as
I never thought of, and
will never love again as
I do you. You need not
be uneasy about my falling
in love with Miss Young.
I have been in North Carolina
and saw some prettier girls
there than Miss Young is and
I didnt fall in love and
you may rest assured I
will not with her. By the
way I didnt even meet Miss
Young the other night at all.
No one seemed to think I was
worth introducing - and I didnt
mind. Sweetheart I had your
[page 5]
5
ring for you the other night.
I wanted to put it on your
finger so bad. Never mind
though when I do come I
will bring it. I dont know
when I will get to come
though unless it is some
Sunday afternoon for after
to-day I neither of my brothers
will be at home and I
will have to meet all trains
on Sundays, that is unless
I give up the agency here.
After Major gets off it will
be so lonesome I dont see
how I can live here. I know
you will pity me. Darling you
must write to me often and
long letters for I wont have
anything to look forward to
[page 6]
6
except your letters. The boys
at Sopchoppy have rented
a hall for a Young Men’s
Club which they are organ-
izing for entertainments, boxing
and all athletic exercises
and they sent me word
that I was booked as a
member. They also have
me as a member of the
band they are starting. I
dont think I shall go in
the band for I havnt time
to practice, but will stay
in the “club” as I am
fond of athletic sports.
Joe Gray and Major are
members too. Joe was
in the Post office Friday
[page 7]
7
when got your letter
and soon as I read it
he said, all right lets see
it, but I told him that
I couldnt show it to him.
He seemed surprised, but
I am not going to show
your letters to any one.
I think too much of them
for that. Do you know
Nursie that some of the
boys out near you dont
like me because they
think you do. I can
tell, although you of
course have no idea
who it is, and I have
nothing to say against them.
Major and Susie dont seem
[page 8]
8
to be getting along very well
although I dont know what
is the matter. Nursie I
know you are getting tired
of such a long letter so I
will stop. With much love
to my own pure sweet girl,
I am , Ever Yours,
Jno H. Ashmore
When I look at this paper
I am writing on it takes my
mind a long ways from there.
I bought it from a very pretty
girl in Poughkeepsie, New York
- a place on the Hudson River
seventy three miles above New
York City. I have kept it until
now as a souvenir of the
place, but decided to write
to you on it to-night. Sometimes maybe I
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