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Title
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Letter: July 5, 1893. Carlos Easley to Audrey Davis
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Accession Number
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2024.16.3.43
two pages, 2024.16.3.43a and 2024.16.3.43b
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Accession Date
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17 Feb 2025
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Accession Creator
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David Lovegrove
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Depositor
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Kala Kennemore
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Description
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This is a notable letter because it is an intense proclamation of love which states Carlos and Audrey have been engaged, but Audrey has annotated a rebuttal and denial along the way.
Like the prior letter, which started this much-heightened relationship, the handwriting is clearly that of Carlos Easley, but the signatures appear to be something different — but have been blotted out by Audrey.
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Date
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5 July 1893
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Storage Location
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Box 21, Folder 2
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Concerns
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substantial foxing is interfering with legibility
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Text
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Greenville, S.C.
July 5, 1893.
My own dear Audrey:-
I commenced a letter to you last night, but I was so tired and my mind seemed so blank that I gave it up as a bad job. To-night however I shall endeavor to write you a short note to let you know I am thinking of you.
Please excuse the apparent presumption I show in calling you Audrey without your permission, but I do hate formality so much and in as much as we are [ illegible words, heavily blacked out with ink; appears to be two words, each with a looped descender in the middle. Written above, in Audrey's hand, "Sweet Hearts"] I don't suppose you object very much to my taking the liberty.
I expected you down this after-noon and went to prayer-meeting thinking you were there, but was disappointed. Are you not coming Friday? I shall be greatly disappointed if you do not. I have not seen you to have a real good talk since Thursday nigh. It seems an age since then.
My dearest, as I have told you before, I love you with all the intensity of my nature. I long to tell you of this love which is consuming me, but words fail utterly to accomplish my purpose. Believe me when I say that you are the only woman on Earth I love, for god knows I am telling the truth. I shall never love another as I love you. With you all things are possible, without you life is a failure. Truly my future destiny is in your hands. You are not willing to turn me away broken-hearted, are you? You have consented to be my own darling wife. ["wife" has been circled in pencil separately, added by Audrey later.] Just think of this: Have you regretted the decission. Darling it would kill me to have to give you up now, for I have my heart set on marrying you. When we marry I shall devote my whole life to your happiness. How delightful it is to me to think that some day I shall claim you as my own. Is this not, to you, a pleasant thought? I trust it is. [Written in pencil by Audrey: "No., with a big N."]
There is one of your many good qualities which I especially admire, that is your modesty. If there is anything I like it is a modest young lady. Now please don't take this as flattery, for I do not intend it as such. You are either too modest to tell me that you love me or too kind to say that you do not. [Audrey has penciled parentheses around "too kind to say that you do not," and written beside it "True."] Of course by engaging yourself to me I infer the former. [Audrey has penciled beside this "pure inference."] But, I do not like inferences. Let me beg you to think over this matter well so that when I see you, you shall be able to tell me whether or not you really do love me. How am I to know but that after due consideration you may have found that you were mistaken. I don't think I am asking too much of you when I ask you to grant this request.
Business has been exceedingly dull for the last week. The days seem to be growing longer instead of the reverse. Greenville distinguished her self yesterday. Her boys won the prize in everything both at Greenwood and Spartanburg. How do you like your present home. No doubt you are very ethereal in your thoughts. I hope the cool mountain air may do you good.
But I must not persecute you any longer. Please excuse a prosy letter and one full of errors.
Yours devotedly,
[signature obliterated with heavy ink. Appears to begin with the letter "J," similar to the "J. Brown" signature on the previous letter.]
P.S. I shall look for you Friday. If you do not come to Greenville Sunday, and it will be agreeable, I shall be glad to ride up to see you in the afternoon.
