A Sweet Letter.
Rahway, May 15th, 1858.
Stephen H. Branch—
Dear Sir,—Having read a great deal about you, I have taken a great interest in you. Although a stranger, I take my pen to address you a few lines, hoping you will excuse the liberty I take. It is pure admiration of your persevering character that causes me to write; for I have never seen your face to my knowledge. In your poverty, I deeply sympathised with you, and in your prosperity, I rejoice with you. And now I suppose you would like to know who it is that takes such an interest in you. I am a country lady. My name is Miss James, not the whole of it though, the rest I will give when I hear from you. I reside in Rahway, New Jersey. I hope at some future day to become better acquainted with you. If you take interest enough in the writer to answer this—please answer this at once, and direct to
CARRIE JAMES,
Rahway, New Jersey.
O Carrie, Carrie,
Why will you tarry?
Come, O come with me,
And my darling be,
And we will soon be three,
And roam o’er land and sea,
And free lovers be
To eternity!
O how I cry
To see thy eye,
And hear thy sigh!
O! I! O! my!
I almost die
To see thy thigh!
Good by, Carrie,
Thee I’d marry!
So come quick to town,
And I’ll buy a gown,
And to Potts we’ll trot,
Who’ll soon tie our knot,
And to the Astor we’ll go,
And put honey on our dough,
And say avaunt to woe,
And scream and jump Jim Crow,
Till the Rooster doth blow
His cock-a-doodle do,
And hens cut-ka-dar-cut.
And cats mew from their gut.
And we will gaze, and hug, and kiss each other,
Like Adam, our father, and Eve, our mother:
And we will toil like thunder,
In winter and in summer,
To have a brat far better
Than poor old Cain, our brother.
So do not tarry,
Sweet little Carrie,
But come to me,
And I’ll love thee,
Forever and ever,
And scold thee never:
And now on my lone bed,
I will lay my poor head,
And dream sweetly of thee,
Until thy face I see!