University of Virginia Library

Letter, June 23, 1861, from Adelaide E. Case to Charles Tenney

After receiving your very
welcome letter last evening, I seal
myself to comply with your request
to write you. Your letter gave some
very pleasant feelings and again it
some feelings amounting almost
to pain. because I thought there was
a little considerable,, of flattery min-
gled with it. Perhaps if you had
been in the room when I read your
letter, you might have seen me
indulge a very little in that
feminine weakness of blushing
for indeed I was surprised. There is always
some thing so disgusting to flattery
in any form and especially when it

from those that I wish to call by the
endering name of friend that for the
moment it creates within my heart a
strange sensation that is hard to conquer
I do not say this as a reproof. but that I
may be understood. you may not have meant
it for flattery but I took it as such,
so if you value my friendship please do
avoid flattery in every form towards me.

Although our acquaintance has been very
short it has been. to me, very pleasant. I shall
ever remember with feelings of gratitude your
short visit at our home and I sincerely
hope that sometime in the future it
will be repeated. Thus it is with life.
Today we form some agreeable andprof-
itable acquaintance that perchance tomorrow
may sever forever. When I think of this
cast a gloom upon my feelings, that is

hard to dispel. I have sometimes thought
that I would form no more acquaintances. but
a desire for sympathy obliges me to succumb.

As I opened youryour letter, my eye rested
upon the portrait of Col Elsworth. For a short
time I sat spell bound. and gazed with
admiration. then almost unconsciously I
exclamed.—Oh! that he should die. and such
a death. Cousin Jennie Case who was with
me immediately sprang to my side and
inquired what was the matter. thinking only
of my brother Hallie or Brig. but when I
showed her the portrait, she too was possessed
with the same feelings. Me dear friend
how shall I ever thank you for that
portrait. there was nothing that I could
have wished for more. but let us turn
to something else.

You spoke in very glowing

terms of my borther. I can but thank you
for in my opinion he merits it all

You say that you dare not hope that I
think more of you than a common friend.
No, I do not. how could you expect me to,
to be sure there are those I have known for years
that I have no kinder feelings for them
nor as kind asI have for you and have denied
them the request that to you I granted
still I wish for no nearer tie outside
of my home. than a true and warm-
hearted friends. perhaps you will ask me
why it is if you do I will answer you.
You also ask if I have objections to our
changing ambrotypes? I most assuredly
have. That was one of the sentences which
gave me pain. You may think me a
queer girl—but I have several reasons
for refusing that request. one is this.

our acquaintance has been very short.
But do not think that I deem that
a sufficient reason. far from it. If you
had heard the low vulgar expressions I
once heard uttered by a youth while
gazing at a likeness of a pure minded
noble girl. you would not wonder that
I then made a vow to never let my
portrait go into the hands of a gentleman
when he was nothing more than a
common friend. Do not imagine that
I think you would be guilty of such a
base act. no. never If I did Addie would
be the wrong one to be writing to you now
But that vow is made and cannot be
broken. I think that where a gantleman
and lady are engaged, then they should
change portraits. for then it is a sacred
gift but not till then. Now you have
my reasons in full In your letter you
spoke of that insurrection. and of your being
the second man in line. It would do no
good for me to praise you. but there was a
feeling of pride kindled in my bosom
when I read it. You asked if Laura knew
that you corresponded with me? Yes she does
there are but few things or secrets of mine
that she does not know. she sends her
respects to you and says tell him to
always do what he knows to be right. Is not
that godd advice? I understood that the 7th
had left Camp therefore I hardly
know where to send this. But my letter
is getting some what lengthy so I will
close with the request to write soon (what
a miserable pen this is) Yours in friendship