[Letter of 1867 April 21]

[Letter of 1867 April 21]

1867-04-21

African American women

African Americans -- 19th century

African American Christians (Disciples of Christ)

Anderson, Caroline Still, 1848-1911 [recipient]

image/jp2

Correspondence

This material is made available for private study, scholarship, and research use. For access to the original letter or high-resolution reproduction, please contact the Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection (blockson@temple.edu; 215-204-6632).

Temple University Libraries, Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection

William Still Collection

Blockson manuscripts

William Still Collection

Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Libraries

blockson@temple.edu

BMS010X0129

Phila., April 2. 1867./ My Dearest Carrie./ I could not wait to hear/ from you again before I wrote, an inexpressa/ble longing for you has filled my heart to/ day and I have concluded that the only/ way I can satiate my desire in the/ least, is by writing to my [darling?]./ There was a cruel, foolish feeling in my/ mind which I cursed each day since I/ last wrote you, and that was that our friend/ W__would share your time at last, in/ writing to him: prehaps[sic] you think that my/ love for you is not as pure as it should be,/ else I would not allow that demon--/ jealousy to creep in my heart; but Carrie,/ you know we are all of us differently/ constituted, and my nauture is such,/ that love- with me is always mingled/ with jealousy, to a certain extent/ but when I marked the proud triumph/ with which he exhibited your epistle,/ I could not wish to deny him what I/ knew to be to him as well as my self/ a great pleasure. He showed me that part/ of your letter which spoke of me, your/ Lela, and said he did not know whether/ it was intended for my eyes or not./ I wanted him to say something about/ the paragraph but he would not./ Last night I received a call from/ Brother [Loide?]: Almost the first question/ he asked me was— When have you/ heard from Ca__ Miss Still? He did/ not stay long but sufficiently so_ to/ act that part, which is so particularly/ distasteful to us. He in bidding me/ good night, dragged a ring off my finger,/ and declared he would not return it,/ till I gave him a kiss. The ring is not/ mine and if it was, I should not, nor/ shall not comply with his ungentlemanly/ terms. He laughed heartily and sig-/ nificantly, when I referred to your/ views on the subject. He leaves the/ city to morrow[sic] evening for Brooklyn/ to attend the wedding of Mr. Furnace/ and Miss Williams. In all probabil/ity he and Mr. James Braford of/ Balti., will be at the Commencement/ in August. Matthews has been/ very ill, he says, confined to his/ room for ten days./ Carrie came home for a day- this week./ Her time will soon expire I hope./ Last week, saturday[sic] she and I visited your-/ cousins in Medford. We remained/ till Monday morning and had a/ very pleasant time. We like Dr. Jr./ and Lacretia the best. I correspond/ with the latter as her urgent request./ She has been immersed, and joined the/ church within the past two weeks./ Angia, disliked us, particularly Carrie./ Joseph I like, and William- and the/ other two girls of the “heads” I am/ particularly fond, and I think/ they like us. On the whole our/ visit was very pleasant but not/ rendered so by any exertion on the/ part of the young folks- save the/ oldest member of the family./ I hope I shall hear from my pet/ soon for the only comfort I have/ in your absence is, your letters, and/ the assurance that you are praying/ for me. I am striving by faith and/ humble prayer to live near to/ the cross of Christ, and I think/ I succeed. I need faith, and I/ am beginning to feel daily- yea/ Lovely the influence of the Holy/ Spirit. Go on- my darling there is/ a glorious reward for you. and a/ crown of unsullied brightness awaits/ you. I attended the funeral of Josie/ Ellender on friday[sic]. She died full of faith/ triumphant- [xx?]mes there Rebecca./ Good Afternoon my loved one./ Faithfully Yours-/ Lela./ Little Jimmie has gone to Baltimore Conference with his father and/ Mrs. Weaver. Mama and Carrie and Willie’s love and Mrs. Lynch./