Augusta: Amanda C. Armentrout to William F. Brand,
August 17, 1866
Summary:
Kate writes to Willie that while she knows he still loves her, she fears that he
is not as religious as he once was.
Gold Hill Va
Aug 17/66
W. F. Brand
Alone
Mills
Rockbridge
County
Va
W. F. Brand
Aug 17/66
My dear friend
I expected to send my letter this morn to the office
but did not so I thought I would write (some) & tell you that I am quite
well this evening & dear brother for what else can I term you now as you
wish to be free & let me beg you to try & be happy I am very
very happy this evening I feel that God has blessed me this day yes dear Willie
I have wept for joy & I can say with a thankful heart thy will be done
Oh my dear Father not mine though doest all things well but dear one are you
happy yes you are free are you as happy as when you were bound to your fond K or
has the first of this letter caused a sad thought to enter thy brow say dear one are you happy or would you ask her who is penning this to come to thy bosom again or what is the
cause of thy unhappiness Oh my dear one true happiness is not found in this
world now don't get angry with me & I will tell
you what my belief is; I believe that you love me as
fondly as you ever did but you do not enjoy religion as you once
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did
& you are not happy if you have tried to study
up what was the cause will I have decided I have
changed I know you think so but not that true heart as it once was &
what does it say if I would scorn you what would you do. Now Willie let me beg
you once more to come to see me as a friend an enemy as
a lover a brother or anything you wish I will be happy yes do anything that you
ask me & it is in my [added: power] but I beg
you to come as soon as you get this if you do not get it before Saturday come to
show people that I am not to blame & that we are friends we are
expecting a nice time at the mountain the 7 of next month come & [deleted: lets] join our party & lets be friends now don't my heart will not deny no pity if nothing else will bring you I will receive you as my friend but
I must close now may the rich blessings of our heavenly Father rest upon you try
& be happy, we know not what blessings are in store for us but come dear
one do come
Yours as ever
Kate
Come back, Oh Come! The past shall be
A cloud for ere
removed;
Come back and in my welcome see
How thou art still
beloved.
I strove in vain to bid my heart
Forget its early
dream;
For ah! the dream would not depart,
And thou wert still its
theme.
Come back, and never more shall doubt
Or cold distract be
mine;
My heart has cast those demons
out,
And now is wholy thine.
