ALS
4 pp.
Letter from Adelaide E. Case to Charles Tenney
Addie apologizes for not responding sooner to Charlie's previous two letters. She
has read in the newspaper that Gen. McClellan is not granting furloughs and
Addie is disappointed in not being able to see him. Charlie had sent her poetry,
presumatively love poetry. Addie writes that she always wishes that she could be
a poetess and that she sees poetry everwhere in life and nature. Finally, Addie
comes to the main point of her letter. She claims that she sees Charlie only as
a brother, not a lover. She is conflicted over her feelings, hurting Charlie,
and the impact on family and friends. Laurie (Addie's brother) has been playing
a song, "Heart be still" in the background, and it has Addie's emotions riled
up. Addie hopes that Charlie does not take her letter badly for she does not
wish to hurt him. She points out that loving him as a brother places him in the
highest esteem, and that it is not an empty and cold declaration. Laurie
finishes his music and wishes Addie to go with him to a prayer meeting, so Addie
closes the letter praying that a guardian angel watch over Charlie.
