Christmas Morning 1860.

Cousin Nannie.
     I took up my pen to write last night; but the many sorrows of the
past year came trooping up with their pale faces & tearful eyes,
demanding a place in my letter; & I did not wish to pen a sad one, for
I think letters should be as sunbeams, carrying joy & brightness to
the hearts of the absent loved ones; sorrow & discontent have a place
in all our hearts & their shadow is dark enough; why render it blacker
by recording it?  You perceive that I again am in a philosophic mood;
had you seen me yesterday morning you would have pronounced me
homesick, I had the blues dreadfully, but washed them away in a sea of
tears.  Blessed tears!  What would woman do without them?  Her heart
could not bear the drought of adversity, nor the fierce Sermons of
grief & agony, that often penetrate to the innermost chambers of her
heart, laying waste with their withering breath, the many bright
flowers of love, hope & trust, that are wont to bloom there, but
thanks to her "volatile" nature a few kind words & a shower of tears
will revive them again.  You perhaps are smiling at this & thinking
that Mary has changed, that she used to consider tears a weakness, so
I did, but then I had but little cause of tears & my heart had never
been crushed by sorrow.  Well Nannie I feel tempted to scold you in
being so dilatory in responding to my letter, but your missives are so
interesting to me when they come, that I fear to lose them entirely,
by scolding their writer.  I had learned of your sad mishap, before
you wrote; Am thankful that my favorite escaped with his life, hope he
is destined to grace the presidential chair of our Whole Union or that
of the Southern Confederacy which ever may be in existence when he
arrives at the glory & dignity of manhood.  This brings me to politics
& the awful crisis, now shaking our Union from centre to
circumference, I manage to keep tolerably well posted, thanks to the
kindness of Mr. Hamilton, who supplies me with papers.  But a truce to
Politics till after Christmas; therefore only one question & I am
done.  Is your liege lord in favor of secession?  It has been two
weeks since a line from home has gladdened my eyes & cheered my heart,
all well at home, several births in the neighborhood.  Mrs Jo. Manly a
son & heir Mrs Byron, another daughter.  I suppose you have learned of
the death of William Armstrong; poor(?) fellow you & I have enjoyed
many a laugh at his expense, he was an excellent young man, I regret
his death; it makes me sad to think that he & Cousin Tim were cut off
so young & when they were first beginning to be useful.

I have been taking holiday since last Wednesday, attended a wedding
Thursday night about twenty miles south east of here, had quite a
pleasant time, formed a number of new acquaintenances.  The bride was
Miss Anna Bell a relative of the McCutcheons, everything was in style,
she had eight waiters, there was a large crowd present & the supper
was superb, nearly all the girls were dressed party fashion I wore a
merino dress with lower(?) in the neck & short sleeve, though my
shoulders & arms were covered with lace.  I escaped without taking
cold, I presume it was owing to the rooms being well warmed & I did
not go out in the night air.  I received an invitation to a large
party to night at the Masonic Hall in Laguardo.  Mr Cartmel an old
bachelor of thirty eight offered to take me; I tell you he is nice, &
rich in the bargain, but I declined going, he will be here to day to
see if I will accompany him, the party is for the benefit of the
church, Laguardo is eight miles from here & I am rather afraid to be
out in the night air.  Cousin Nannie the longer I stay in this place
the better I like it, they accuse me at home of prefering Wilson to
Williamson. I do like it better in some respects though not in every
one.

You said something about Logic & love &c.  I agree with you in
thinking there is but little reason exercised in affairs of the heart.
Heighho!  Nannie what is love?  Shakespear says it "is a most discreet
madness, A choking gall & a preserving sweet" & I assume he is good
authority.  Nannie, tell Mr Beale (provided he & you keep it a
profound secret) that for once at least he is a prophet.  Mr H--- has
asked your humble Cousin to become his wife, I wonder what the men see
attractive about my beautiful phig.  I am afraid I will grow vain,
especially if that old bachelor falls in love with me.  He is at the
gate now, so excuse me for the present--

Christmas night.  Well I did not go to the party Mr C-- stayed till
three, also declined going, other gentle called so Miss Ruth & I have
been in the parlor nearly all day.  I stole off with Mrs Winford about
two hours ago to see a little sick boy, his sister is the belle of the
neighborhood, & report says she & I are to be sistersinlaw, as Mr H
has a very nice brother visiting her, she came home with me.  I do not
go there often Mr Hamilton boards there & people talk enough any how
&c&c

Tell Cousin Wes that I did not have the answer ready though I did not
tell H, that he took me on surprise for it was too plain a case for
that, he sent his card for me alone, though there are two other girls
here.  Nannie he is positively one of the ugliest men now extant, one
more nash of black on his face would have excited the sympathy of the
"rail splitter" has little black eyes & hair the color of ravens
wing., in religion, a Missionary Baptist, a mind not brilliant, but
well informed, is an English, Latin, Greek & French, scholar.  his
family are respectable & moderately wealthy.  I have no space to say
any more about him What do you think of him?  I forgot to say he is
very energetic, is only a few inches higher than I.  is twenty eight
years of age.

Cousin Nannie I know you are tired of this long letter excuse "bad
everything", for I have written in haste, a happy new year to you all,
it is too late to say a merry Christmas.  Good night.

                   Do write in the course of a month if not sooner.

                                      M. L. Pearre