When you write to Miss Agnes—give her my love, and tell her that I mingle my prayers with hers for your conversion. Did you get my New-Years-gift? Write soon to Mollie.

 

                                                                                                Blairsville—Jan. 10^th 1865.

                                                                                                            Teusday Afternoon

 

My Friend Frank,

                                    Do you think the answer to your letter is a long time on the way? You will see that I have been travelling some. I came here last Wednesday morning, and do not expect to return until about the last of this month. Tomorrow I intend to go to the country to be gone about a week, and will then return to this place and finish out my visit here. I was glad to come away from home at this time, for it was very trying to see the sad face of my lover day after day, and hear his pleading voice/begging me by my love for him to reverse my decision. Just before I left home, as we were sitting playing a parlor game, he proposed to me in a low tone that he should play that game for me—that is that if he won the game, he would win me too. I said I would agree to it upon one condition, telling him that he knew what that was. He agreed to accept of the condition—which you also know. Well we played and both with so much earnestness that the rest remarked that we must have some money at stake. But he won, and gave me one look of mingled love and triumph before we announced the result to the rest whose attention had been drawn off by something else. The first opportunity he had of speaking to me alone, he claimed the right to seal the contract, but I said “no, we were only playing,” but he replied that he was in earnest, and should procure the ring and hold me to it. so I left the next morning and/that is the way it stands. I was anxious to get away that he might have time to think how far he had gone before the irrevocable step would be taken. I do not think he will write to me for I am visiting among his friends and we have thus far kept the matter a secret from all but my mother. Even my sister does not know it, although I think she has strong suspicions. Anna is very reticent and seldom gives her confidence to any one, and I cannot confide in anyone who will not reciprocate. Mr. W. is coming down for me when my visit is out, and—strange to say—I almost dread to see him. His friends are very kind to me, but I do not think they would be if they thought their son and brother was going take me—a strict Methodist—for his wife, for they very sectarian in their views. I think—if the thing should come to pass—that they would be much surprised, and would oppose it on that very account. But/if he was satisfied, what they would think would not affect me much, for I could keep away from them. I know he loves me dearly, and that it will be a hard struggle for him to give me up, but I must do my duty in the sight of God if I ever expect to be blessed. I have been rather despondent for some time past in my religious experience—owing no doubt—to being to much troubled about the things of this world. But on New Years day I was so much striven up by the sermon, that I determined not to go home without a blessing. I had a terrible struggle, but I went to class—a place which I never miss-and before I left that room I was powerfully blessed, and felt that no one had a more precious New-Years-gift than I. Oh Frank, you know not what you lose by refusing to accept the blessing which our Heavenly Father, through His Son is waiting to bestow upon you. Let not the prayers of your dearest friends be in vain. Think how it would rejoice the heart of your affianced to know tht you were rejoicing in the love of God. And the heart of your friend would leap for joy. May God bless you—Frank.

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