[Letter from Young John Allen to Mollie Houston, June 10, 1858]

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Bachelor Hall, Geo.June 10th 1858
My Own Beloved Mollie,

You have no idea how pleasant and gratifying it is for me just to read a few words from you, even the mention of my name from your pen; Oh! Mollie, there is a manna like sweetness that leaves [unclear] such little morsels, that my “very soul loves”; ah! it is the knowledge, the consciousness that it came from “My Dearest Spirit Mate”, that leavens and sweetess it all – My “own Mollie”, do you love for “me too” to be always giving you these little evidences and “demonstrations” of the love which I cherish and devote to thee alone? Well I can’t helpit speaking so [deleted] – out of the abundance of my [added] heart the (my) mouth speaketh.

My Dear, I put a long letter in the trunk I sent you and if I mistake not

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mentioned a few of the reasons why Mellie & I [added] we [deleted] thought our engagement should be consummated and My Dearest, I know you will agree with us if you will just consider for a little while what we’ve mentioned.

My Mollie, I know you have a judgement and a good one too; one in which I put much confidence and to which I expect to offer many a point for Counsel and decision yet, and I do hope my dearest One, You will not think us depreciating or disregarding it when we say that t is according to our “judgements proper, best and right [unclear] that we should marry before our return home”. I am candid and so is Mellie and serious. And now since Kause is married and I’ve heard and seen what I have – even since yesterday- I feel darkly convinced and highly [unclear] determined that it must or at least ought to be consummated soon and “not here”. Oh! I would not have it “to be here”for “anything, I have a great mind to say, in the world”Soon Dearest – you see to what extent I am solicitious about it, and I am in “dead earnest, or active, living, energetic earnest”would better express it.

You know me, My Love, and you know that I “love you more than I do myself and next”almost [added] “to my God”; and must know from this and from all my past history and intercourse with you that I Mellie & I [added] ask anything of “thee”, that would not be in accordance with right views, just propriety and prudence, and this time I have several opinions to corroborate [unclear] mine, Miss [unclear] Mellie, Uncle John,Si [unclear] Matt. told me Tuesday [deleted] Monday, was speaking to her something about me and of his own accord introduced the subject of our marriage and said to Matt, that ““his advice would be to do it before coming home, never wait til we get home””that is what he said Mollie according to Matt, and he thinks that remarks and observations will be made

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concerning us which we can entirely obviate by so doing this [unclear] .

Now My Dear Mollie – I am “perfectly happy and blest” in believing – as in “knowing”that “you do love me”, but Oh! how much more so will we both be when we can love each rend=”underline”>”other freely”. Dearest Let’s consummate our engagement before we come “home and be happy”and “prepare together for life’s future”for we’ll need to be together when we get out of college in order to get ready for the life we anticipate, and I want us to be together indeed and all the time and “freely too”. You understand me, Mollie, I mean in contradisinction to the stunted [unclear] and partial communion we have heretofore enjoyed. I shall say no more for I do fully believe you will agree to fulfill all. “God blesses”>you [added] the feverent ejaculation rend = “underline”>”my soul all the time”. Patillo – rend = “underline”>””Little Brother Patillo”” visited Matt Monday even – last and spent the day Tuesday- it is a gone case My Dear. Matt is “engaged”to him “sure” – Oh! I feel so queer about it. Please my dear don’t say “a word about it”“any body here or there”.

“Your own”

Young Allen