[Letter from Mellie Houston and Young John Allen to Mollie Houston, June 12, 1858]

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Grantville GeoJune 12th 1858
My Darling Sister;
My Precious Dear Mollie;

As soon as Mellie received your Sweet letter this morning she came (immediately) to see me and brought it. She has just left with the request that I should write you immediately “for her” as she did not have time owing to circumstances.

So My Dear One, I am writing now in a double capacity, foryou know I could not [added] write “to you” for another and not some for myself.

And in the first place then let us both, for Mellie desires it, return you our many gracious feelings of gratitude and pleasure and “happiness for we are truly happy”– that you have so kindly

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(decided and) consented to have our engagement [deleted] marriage [added] consummated before coming home – for this may the “Lord Bless You – My own Mollie Dearest”. I am not careful or solicitious [added] as “to the place,” the most that I desired was that “it” be done. Yes My Dearest, “we can agree – we will agree, we never shall disagree.” Shall we “My Mollie”?

My Dearest, “we were not mad”. how could we be. You had not given any offers – Oh! “no. no. no. we were not, could not be offended” by our “precious absent one” – don’t let it trouble you then, Dearest, any more. You are “dearer to me every day – every hour.” Yes “every time I think of you” and that is “very, very often”, now that I am at home. I “know”I spend the “most”of my “time with you”by far. I can’t help it; You and subjects intimately connected with you and our future destiny are all that engage “my mind, my Soul”,my affections and thoughts now, except it be only for a very short time.at [deleted]

My Dearest, I know not what to write you, or how to write you – I feel just like [added] I could pour out my whole soul to you – not by [unclear] this way – but were I sitting with you, as in [added] other days we sat together in “sweet-sweet” communion in this “old Piazza”– Dear Mollie, as you remember them! But bless the Lord My Dearest – I anticipate, the next time we sit together here, a far sweeter, holier mingling of Soul and communion of Spirit than ever characterized our past intercourse. Yes. Yes – Mollie, “do please pardon me” for visiting you in this style, and indulging your name and its “dear Synonyms” so often – they are the overflowings of a once “full-full”

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of pure and precious love for thee and “only”thee – and therefore are intended for My Mollie’s eyes alone. Dearest, “I love you so” that I told Mellie this morning, that I knew “any place would be pleasant and we be happy there”, “at “home”or “abroad, on the land”or “on the sea””. Yes, Yes “anywhere, especially”, of “Jesus”dwell with us there, and I know he will, for he promised to be with us and “”he is faithful that promised, who also will as it.” Glory be to his”name for that. do you think, yes, “I know”you do, – that you “love me”better and better every day too, My own Mollie and that you are still willing to share the hardest fate of your own devoted Young, should it come!

Then God bless you [added] abundantly, more and more with grace and strength for the sacrifice. My own soul “blesses you all the time”. Oh! we shall be very, very “happy together” will we not Dearest One!

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As to what remarks would be made, I merely meant, Mollie, that if we come home and remained as we are now, that many would take advantage or rather seek advantage or opportunity to “make remarks”, for that as you know had long been their character and that they loved to talk especially about you &c – there have not been any made as yet – only [deleted] except [added] a few in regard our consummation [unclear] – they seemed to think that we would “never marry”, that it would all prove a magnificent four years of failure. Many have prophesied that we would never wed – but My Dearest, such a thought nevr burdened my mind for an “instant”, and I am truly “glad”, yes I do “sincerely rejoice”that the time is so near when all those “ban”, unfounded, uninspired propesies [sic] shall fail and

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we be “happily associated together for life”.

I believe I have taken up nearly all the letter for myself – nevertheless, Miss [unclear] Mellie joins me in reference to the greater part of it, as I have heard her express similar feelings &c to you.

She is quite well and so are all y(our)“little sister”; Dearest, I do love “them so much”, whether because I love you so or not, I can’t tell, but they are very dear to me.

I shallcome [added] down to Macon, I reckon, on the day before your commencement and be there only that day. I don’t want to be there long after I get with you – you [unclear] had better begin in time to pack up and prepare for leaving for you will find it quite inconvenient to do so if you wait til near the end in getting ready Dearest, let me suggest now in time, that you had better pack up all your things, “especially your books”, and have them ready to send on home before the last days. Select what articles you wish to carry with you to Oxford, and carry but one trunk with you there, and we’ll send the others from Atlanta down home; I think that will be the best arrangement for our convenience and pleasure &c.

Now My own Mollie – I will close by requesting you to tell me, in answer to this,to Mellie, [deleted] how must I do when I come down. Shall I call for you and see you Tuesday evening if I get there in time or at any other time atall, before you are through, and all’s done, or what shall I do – “just have it your own way”– I will do as you say. “My Darling One”, My precious Mollie, “Oh! that I could embrace you and say it” –

believe “us”ever

Your Loving Sister Mellie Simms [unclear] and devoted One forever Young J Allen