Marietta, July 26, 1862
Well my darling love,
Another one of your interesting epistles has just been received this morning the 26th and sent off the 21 of the month. It has taken the whole week to find its way to my sick heart, sick, because you have not yet made your appearance. Yes darling, night after night I have been sadly disappointed, after hearing the cars blow, I wait in almost breathless expectation for a half hour, then I begin to realize that my sweet boy has not come, for by that time he would have had time to find the house. If you can't get anybody to show you the way when you do come, you must just go to the Marietta Hotel and ask for Miss Jessie Choen; she will take pleasure in showing you the way. Lillie's house is not far from there. But if you enquire before hand, you must ask where Mrs. Gignilliat lives, not Dr. Nicholes for you know the house was occupied by Mrs. G. before Dr. Nicholes arrived. If no one can tell you where she lives, just ask where Dr. Setts lives; we live on the opposite side of the street two houses between us, and the one opposite him.
Darling I have just read your letter over. You say it is only six weeks since I left my love. Can it be possible that it is only six weeks? Well I really thought it was three months; it seemed more like three years to me. Let me see, we came the first of June, and it is nearly the last of July; well really we have not been separated as long as I felt we had. But oh! darling that is a long, long time for you and I to be separated, so do please come up just as soon as you can. Please don't wait for the examination, that takes forever to come off, and I am growing thinner for the want of seeing your dear face. I get poorer every time the eight o'clock train gets here and I find you have not come. I am very sorry you have such a weak opinion of my love. I know my heart is much stronger than my body. And I know my love for you is as deep as any body ever did love. I don't believe you can love any more than I do. Oh, do please while those boys are having such a nice time with those girls and such pleasant dreams, you come to your absent treasures Loulie and Eula. We are both well today. I think Dr. Cleaveland's little Pellets and Powders are helping me, for I have no pain in my side now and I feel much stronger since I began to take his medicine. The last time I wrote I believe I told you that our little Eula had dysentery. Well I wrote to Dr. Cleaveland and he sent me by some little Pellets that acted like a charm, it cured her right away. Now if you don't, I do believe in the Homeopathic practice. I hope he will make you believe in it, in my case too, dear boy.
Yesterday Aunt Eliza Hotchkiss, her husband and baby rode up from Lawrenceville they found out that we had given out the idea of going to see them so they jumped into the buggy and came here in a few hours. Left home at six in the morning and got here at three in the afternoon.
I wrote a nice long letter to grandma Brown for Eula the other day. Hope they will answer it soon for I have not heard from them since I have been here although I have written two letters to Sis Carrie. Do they ever write you?
Night before last I went with Witter, Rosa, Lillie, and Fannie to the Concert, given by some Ladies and Gentlemen from Atlanta, the proceeds to be given to the relieve of the sick soldiers. I liked the music much, and would have enjoyed myself if you were only by my side but I kept my eye on the door nearby all of the time hoping you would, would come. But alas! no, he came not, I am doom to disappointment. I will continue to look every night until you come.
That was a good joke on Mr. Mathews; I know he won't have any peace of mind now, for you boys will tease his life out. I told the people about his throwing his arms around Henry and triping him. I of course did not tell them the rest of the tale twas too good to keep. By the way the Homeopathic books speak of such dreams, and has a remedy for it, gives medicine that will cure it, so when you come you can study and cure your friend when you get back. I don't write oftener because I expect you every night. All join me in love to you and Henry. Make him behave himself. Eula sends a sweet kiss to papa.
Your fond.
Loulie.
P.S. I was in hopes your brother Henry was in the notion of Miss Joe again, but I am afraid as he wants to remain down at Dark Entry [1] that he has got out of the notion of my friend. Have they fallen out already? My dear aunt Molly has the greatest quantity of nice peaches, sends them around to all the big fish but your poor little wife gets 'nary' one. Mamie did bring a few from there that she begged for the other day, but aunt Mollie has not sent one to me although Annie promised to send some to Loulie.
[1] There is no record of Nate having a brother named Henry, although Loulie had a brother Henry - maybe that is who she is referring to. I am not sure where Dark Entry was, but it must have been in the lowcountry in Camden County.