Tom [Guild] to Katherine Fletcher, 1888 May 5
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I will now try and answer your jolly good letter.
The "taffy" you spoke up was clear fact true sure. Suppose you have been to
church to-day like a good little girl and listened? to
what the eloquent divine said and really could not
tell if any of the
other girls had on a new spring hat or not.
I have been not at church to-day but a number of the boys came up here about eight A.M. and we went out of sight of the road and engaged in a game of ball. You see the morals of this part of the country are quite dipraved. Wonder what a certain young girl (B[ ]) would say if she only knew of it.
Most likely she would say "Go way you sinner."
Rats. Rats. Rats. Rats.
Well the old times at Johnson are all over and wont be repeated. but Katie I would like to see you and have one more of our long talks.
Just think how awfully tantalizing you were to the dear Freddy Ober.
I can almost see how you two looked that first night we four went up to low falls. You and Fred were sitting on the rocks when Bess and I came up from down below to go home and so contentedly!
I could see the "All broke up expression" on Fred's face as plain as day. But no doubt you saw it as clearly as I did and enjoyed it more Oh how cruel you girls are! You are a born flirt Katie and you did do that up in big style.
By-the-way! what has become of the boy any way? he doesn't write to me any-more.
I hear from our mutual friend Miss Ervins once in a
while. She is not going to Johnson in June.
So you won't have a chance
to kiss her soft cheek and tell her how much you love?
her.
We have been having a real "Wild west" time up here for the past two weeks The lumber companies are running logs on the river and employ about seventy-five men and each company fights the other. Last week they used their guns quite freely and had a big old time generally.
Am sure I am sorry Miss Galusia thought so
bad of me- for I certainly
did not give her away to Campbell or anyone else that I remember of. all I knew
about it any way was what came from certain church
members of Johnson and I wasn't the only one that it was told to either.
I did believe what was said at the time but before school closed I came to the conclusion that even church-members told fibs some-times and I think that if all the girls were as good as Julia they would not be a very bad crowd Isn't that so now?
That is a big joke
that [Rollis] is playing on Miss
Ervins I should say.
Dear girl it is too bad to trifle with her affections in such a way. Just think what will be her feelings when she finds that she is being trifled with. O dear what a wicked world this is any way. I have worked so hard since I came home that I am quite a good deal heavier than when I came home.
Guess I shall take your advice and not teach school not a present at least
I have begun going to the [J.C.G.T. again,]
Of course I meant what I wrote about seeing you before June and wish I could.
You remember you promised to give me the history of Blanchies troubles.
O dear it is a hard life isn't it, that is sometimes.
Shall look for a letter from you soon
Yours----Tom.
P.S. Please excuse the many mistakes. Bess has been making fun of my spelling lately. Write soon, yours Tom