|
| |
Letter fragment from Walter Reed to Emilie Lawrence Reed, July 9, 1879 | |
 |
While |
 | cooling drops, none have fallen. Petou, the Indian, whom you re- -member, came into the Post about 10 days ago & said that he had been up into the mountains and had a talk with the Lord, the subject of the conversation being the excessively dry season, and he said he was told by the Lord that he would send rain in six days from that time- It did not rain within six, but it came pretty near it- It was at least encouraging to us to know that the Lord, had even promised it to Petóu. Now and from this time forth, the festive morning-glory will rouse him- -self from his slumbers and with much agility cast his tender tendrils about the twine strings which the "Nuncio" has provided- You "jess" ought to |
 | see my front porch and yard, my dovie, lovie, dearie, sweetie, lifie, wifie! The "hop, skip & jump" vines have flourished exceedingly- They cover the front & sides of the porch and the front of the house very nicely. And old mantee has so arranged the strings over the two side gates that they present the appearance of two arched door-ways leading into some charming jessamine-cov- -ered & rose-scented bower! "Hesche"! ain't old "Teesigon" talk- ing "weal" poetically for once in his life? And then your old hubby dear, whom you love more than you love yourself, & whom to have sitting on your lap (I mean, "yousig in his lapsig)" this moment, you would give $10 & ask no questions; as I was "a going to remark" your old ugly mantee has stretched a string across the |
 | front door, from one side of the porch to the other, & on this "cordon" (Oh! I beg pardon, I meant to say string) he has trained a hop vine which runs right over the door in the shape of a lovely "solferina rainbow"! Ain't that "weal" pretty, now, lovie, dovie, wiggie, piggie! I tell you, "I'se Jess dot fings ooking mitey boofersigs, I is"! But then, after all, there's something very important wanting; and that's you, my own joy & hope! "I'se dot" all these pretty "fings", but I "hain't dot" no "ittle oomsey" to en- -joy them & admire them with me! no little darling to walk around in the yard, gathering the morning- -glories which her artistic eye tells are the most beautiful, at the same time that she holds up her snow-white skirts & displays for mantee's own benefit, a pair of lovely little ankles! the very same darling ankles that you used |
 | to in years gone by, stick out from under your white, flowing morning-wrapper just to tantalize your old mantee! Now, you did, lovie, & there ain't no use to try to deny it! I was right there and I "jess" know all about it! "Boo- -digs", Miss Emilie Lawrence! No I ain't "dot" no wifie, dear, here, & it takes away the enjoyment from everything- I "jess" going straight out into that yard & pull them all down! But, no, on second thought, I'll let them stay, & tend them for my darling wife's sake- I'll consid- -er them hers, and I'll nurse them, oh! so gently & faithfully & when they look pretty, they will remind me of her & make me happy- and if anybody dares touch those "hop, skip & jump" vines now, since they are my lovie's; if anybody lays a hand on one of those "evening prides" (I beg pardon [lovie] |
 | "morning glories") I'll "jess" kick him right where he sits down! Now Do you want to know, sweetest wifie in the world, what your old "hub's" been doing to-day? Well, he's been down to the garden for a little ride & to see how every thing is growing. His cabbage, onions & corn look very nice now, and he hopes to have the pleasure of "cologning" his breath, so to speak, frequently with the "sa- voyittas" (I beg pardon, lovie, I meant to say "onions".) Confound this old spanish language! it keeps on running between me, & mi queridisima esposa (I beg par- don, lovie, I mean, my dearest wifie",) well, the fact I guess I "jess" as well let the "cat out of the bag" anyhow! Mrs Harrison is taking Spanish lessons from me! what |
 | do you think of that, Emilie, dear? I gave her one lesson last Thurs- day, & another this morning, and of all of the "tiene usted mi som- brero" you ever heard, occurred then & there each time! We take our lesson on the front porch at Captain Hentig's or in his dining-room, & all the time Mrs. Hentig is keeping up such a ding - do [n] gging on the piano that we can't hear our ears! Oh! I "spec" I forgot to tell you that Mrs. Hentig is very enthusias- tic on the subject of music- instrumental music- She began, a week ago, to take lessons from Gomez, the trumpeter, and practices 3 hours every day! The Captain has promised her that he will give her $20.00 a month, for every month she practices, pro- vided she plays 3 hours a day! |
 | The consequence hear [at] all hours of the day soft & sweet fragments of operas & other "ditties" floating through the circumambient atmosphere! Mrs. H. says she wants to take up painting one of these days! Now, I'll tell you what, my lovie, I'll do. If you will practice one hour every other day, during the two months you are in H'burg, I'll give you $40.00 a month! Now what do you say to that, my darling lovie? "Boodigs"! Just here, I hear a knock at the door, & on go- -ing out I find Mrs. Harrison with a nice plate of spring cabbage, (raw) with mayonnaise dressing - & a nice, slice of bread- I never tasted anything better, & am now fairly munching it down - I told Mrs. H, that I was writing to you- She said |
 | "give my very best love to Mrs. Reed & the baby, & tell her, now that she is in the valley & has plenty of spare time, she must be sure to write me a long let- ter"- And I wish you would, lovie, for Mrs. H. thinks a heap of you- Well! I sat down to write four pages & I've com- menced the ninth already- This will never do, dovie- If I go on at this rate, every day, I can't get it all in an envelope- So I must stop for to-day- Ill "jess" say one or two things before I close- Firstly, you'se the swee- -test, dearest, best little wifie that ever lived, & our little boy, Laurie, is the best-looking, & sweet- est little boy that ever lived! Secondly- I love's you both bet- -ter and I couldn't love you any better to-day than I did yesterday to save me! "Boodigs"! |
 | Thursday, 10th. 2 P.M. well! here I "is agin", my lovie, with my old "pen- sig," sitting at my writing table in what used to be my little dar- -ling's sweet, pretty parlor, all ar- -ranged by her darling little self; and "I'se dot" both feet planted on the Navahoe blanket which adorns the floor so uniquely - I don't know what "I'se a going" to write about, for I "writ" out on that nine pages yesterday. If I had the busy hum of Civilization "a roaring" about my carcass like my sweet "ittle oomsey" has, I could write real long, interesting letters just like those my darling does write & which please her poor old Mantee's heart so much. Love her precious heart! Every inch of of her darling soul & body, for she is mantee's hope, pride & joy! |
 | But as I "hain't dot" the "husy bum," (I beg pardon, lovie, I mean "busy hum,") but only the ever recurring monotony of a frontier garrison, I "jess" has to " scratch my old pate mighty hard to turn up a few ideas. One "fing" is very sure, and that is, if I ain't "dot" no news, "Is'eso crazy to see my little Emilie, wifie, that I must talk to her with my pen, or I'll have a duck fit! my, what would I not give, if my little lovie was over in the old bed-room across the hall, and our little Laurie in his Crib, singing "dah! dah! dah! Oh! if you were only there, my dovie, I'd fly to your arms & press your pure, sweet lips with many a passionate kiss of deepest love ! But you are not there, lovie, and poor, old "teesigon" could |
 | almost cry over your absence! But he thinks & believes that his two "apple dumplings" are happy East & enjoying so many luxuries of which they have been deprived, & so he won't cry any, my lovie. When mantee looks around this old room, he scarcely recognizes it, so different does it appear from that bright, cheerful room which my darling had for me. Mr Mills remarked a few [days] ago that the change was wonderful- He said, the first time he entered, our parlor, he was struck with the beauty & brightness that per- -vaded the whole, and admired your taste for effect very much. I'll just bet one "peso" that there isn't a lady in the Army who can arrange a room more beautifully than my little darling, if you will only give her the materials- And old mantee & little oomsey are going to get the materials! |
 | Aint we going to have a sweet little home at our next Post, Emilie, lovie? and ain't we going to have a pretty little home too, my precious wifie? and ain't there going to be a precious, pretty, cheerful little wifie to preside over it? and a darling little Laurie to make all things about it so merry & joyful with his dear, innocent prattle? And ain't old "hubby" going to be a dear, affectionate old mantee, and wear real good clothes too? Ain't we going to have all these things and many more, if the Good Lord spares our lives- Oh! I so love to picture in my mind our bright, happy home with precious "oomsey" and darling "bad daddies" & old "mantee" all there, and love overruling all in & about it! Heaven grant that my longing eyes may look upon so happy |
 | a home! |