Postmark April 25, 1899

Friday aft.

My darling,

Your long good letter reached me today & truly I was glad to learn you were not sick.

Darling you love long letters & I love you so I will try to write long ones.
If though you only knew how tired I was you’d say write a short one this time.
We have had a fine trade today. Largest order amounted to $133.35 so it warmed us up a little while.

I thought of uncle Paxton all the time & did wish I didn’t have to work so hard as you know he pitied me so for having to do so much.

I think Guy will come up late this aft & I hope he will. I sent word to Mrs. E’s I’d be out.

Guy said he wanted to learn to waltz & I wish he knew now.

I am glad you think enough of my promise to my God to not resist on my coming to see you however I don’t think there is very much danger do you for I always keep my promises.

No dear, I never fear that we will quarrel & break up. I don’t think there is any danger at all unless you prove to me that you are only flirting with me & don’t realy love me.

I am so sorry for you in regard to how you suffered with your teeth. I know how to sympathise with you however I’ve never had any filled. My teeth are all like dogs teeth (sound & round) & not a hollow tooth in my mouth.

I think Mrs. McDonald is right about your photo & send me one as soon as you have it taken so I can look at it now & then. I’l not [illegible] until after we are ---- Well you know.

I thought sure I’d get an invitation today but you didn’t send one. Maybe you haven’t any yet.

Darling Mother doesn’t even know where you are so how could she write. You must write to her every week after we are married.

Nelly when I was young I didn’t worry over business & money working like I do now & I sometimes I wish I didn’t now. As to the drive out & selling the cows you say. Were you a Gould you’d send me $45 for such a letter. Now darling I am glad you prize the letter but $45 would be no inducement for me to write another or not so much as you think. You refer to my letter. I didn’t allude that the worry was the whole cause of my feeling so well but it was knowing I had gone to make a trade & had succeeded.

Success is the whole of it & had I failed to make the trade then I would have know I had failed & then the question would be show if I had done my part & where ever there is failure this is hard to do & where you succeed it isn’t.

Darling money isn’t all to me. I prize you higher than all the money on earth & for the love I have for you inc writing you several (long) letters & not because I think you’l pay me.

It’s hard for me to write long letters because I never practice it but for your sake I try.

A few lines always seem to me a plenty. Just enough so I’l know Nelly is ok & let them come after, though if I write you long letters you write me long ones for I am happy when I am reading your letters & it takes me longer to read long one[s] so I’m happy more.

S is ok he left soon after I got there last Sunday & stayed all day. Went to see her Lucas.

My mother doesn’t even know your address or I guess she would write to you.

When we marry you must write her every week.

I write about twice a week & only a few lines.

Write long letters to your poor boy.

Glass

Have letters every day from people waiting rooms in Old Globe & guess will let them have them as I don’t want it to stand empty all summer. But if you come home we can get rooms some where else until they leave.