Miss Kate Armentrout
Greenville
Augusta County
Virginia Miss Kate Armentrout
Jan 9th '66
Alone Mills
Dear Kate
I recieved your letter yesterday. after reading
& rereading it my feelings ware tinged with a
degree of sadness now I have taken your letter before me, for the purpose of
trying to answer its details something I never tried before & believe it
imposible now. While I gaze on you epistle my
mind wanders & I cannot senter it on no one
subject. Now believe me I am going to try to write what my heart shall dictate.
You are well aware I once loved you devotedly yes passionately up to the time of
our first enstrangement
Since then I have never have seaced to love you. But I cannot confine it to the
burning love I once enjoyed. Can I help it that I changed, I withdrew my
affections at a time when I thought all was lost that was dear to me. Oftimes
since then I have tried to be the same loving Willie I once was, but it seems
that I have failed Now dont
belive that you are forgotten for no other woman has
ever tuched a tender cord within my breast. You are
in my mind from morning till eve, yes my only desire to live is to perpetuate
your hapiness, give your hand to annother & I will leave this country wich will be a proof of
my feelings for you
I am so carless my bright visions of the future may soon fade
your mind must have been pushed to an unusual degree of temperment when you wrote I dont
belive I could commit to memory all the charges you
prefered, I will not attempt to excuse my self
of any for very probaly I am gilty of all I spent a Mery Christmas
& a plesent New Year, Evry girl that fell to my lot to entertain was flatered to a limited extent So you may term me a cold carless
flaterer & of the world worldly my early
landmarks have all nearly been erased, what do I live for. My heart says thee
while my actions do not prove it you may doubt this writing put it is the truth
What more shall I say shall I fill this
page with loving ephithets or with the sad realities of my changed nature. You
once knew me as a devout flolower of our meek
& generous Savoir. But alas for a long time I had only a name to live
while dead. This may be the sadest letter you ever
recieved from me I never intend to hide any of
my faults from you. I know not what kind of a reply this may bring be what it
may I hope it may have its desired effect. Alas you will say Willie will soon be
a ruined youth it may be so, but I hope to the contrary I am certain the
intoxicating cup shall never drag me down in its ruinous path of misery.
Since I left Augusta The grate I am has called for some of her fairest duels. It
seems that the fairest flowers are always smitten first. I recieved a letter some time ago from my darling sister oh how I long
for her emprace. Brother C was up to see me last
night got here late yesterday eavning &
started early this morn. He is looking quite well, dont
seem to take it very hard about loosing Bette, mans hard heart is hard to brake Dear Kate I pick up your letter and look at it.
Then say I cannot answer it, do not know how to commence so I will wait hoping I
may soon see you, when I can answer it more satis
factorily than by writing I expect to
make my apperance in old Aug
Sadurday week will call on you unless sooner
prohibited Do not let this uninteligible
letter give you any truble. If your hand is given to
another before I get down I hope you will let me have the plasure of thaking it once more Bro C told
me that J.V. & J.H. was at a party at your house some time ago very good
joke on them
Please write soon I will promise to try and do petter
next time If I have written any thing to hurt your feelings please excuse I
remain yours in hope in love & untill death
shall us divide
