Augusta County: Mary Anna Sibert to David H. Evans,
June 11, 1868
Summary:
Sibert expresses her happiness that Evans can come visit now that his brother has
gone home. She states that she supports Evans in all his business endeavors, as
long as he does not let money become the only "idol" of his life. She also
discusses family news.
June 11, 1868.
Mt. Solon Virginia,
My Dear David,
I could scarcely wait until Mr. Jones came Tuesday Evening I was so anxious to
get your dear, & welcome letter & see if you were really coming
Saturday if you lived. I was so fearful that I should open the letter &
read that you could not come this week. I don't know what I should have done
with myself if I had been disappointed again. But you are coming. Oh! I am so
glad that I can hardly wait for Saturday, I hope & pray God will let you
come for I do want you to come with all my heart. I feel like I have not seen
you for a year just that long the time seems to me since you were here I am
sorry on your account that your brother was not permitted to remain longer with
you. but as his stay kept you so long from me I was almost selfish enough to
want him gone. I would have wished it if I had not known that he &
yourself were transacting business together, & that he is your favorite
brother. I love him because he is dear to you, & that brother of yours
does
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not know how dear his brother David is to my heart or he would
never think me selfish for wanting you to come while he was with you. but I
confess that it would have been very selfish of me to want you to leave him
& your business last week after you wrote that he was still there. I was
anxious to see you my love very anxious I know well that you were lonely after
his departure & for that reason I was sorry to hear that he left, but
glad when I knew you could come this week. I hope you & your dear
brother may often see eachother in coming years & that your love one for
the other may only increase as the years go by. I should like to see, &
know him for your dear sake, & hope that pleasure will be mine very
soon. I love all who are near, & dear to you. How much I would give to
see you today. You said you would tell me when you
come why you have been so long detained you must not forget. Did my letter of
last Friday read as if I had no wish or interest in your future welfare? it did not read so, & I did not write
so. All & everything that will promote
your interest & success in business, does, & ever will promote
my happiness. Anything with which you
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are connected is of interest to me & I only love & admire you
the more for your energetic efforts to do something for yourself. & I
love to encourage, & sustain you in striving so nobly, for God will also
aid your efforts, & bless them with all your heart wishes if you do not
make money the one Idol of your life. that is what I so often hope you will
never do, & what I alluded to in my letter of Friday, but the ideas you
made so clear to me in your letter on the subject have put away such fears from
my mind. You will not agree that much wealth often hardens the heart. in that I
give way to your better, & stronger judgement in such affairs &
will never mention a wrong thought on that subject, but I do agree with you that
wealth nor anything on Earth cannot step between
husband, & wife if they truly love each other. Many marry for money, & the gratification wealth
gives to selfish purposes, & with all they are not contented or happy
how can they be without love? Give me tender & devoted love in my
married life tho' it may be humble in situation I would thank, & bless
God for it as the greatest gift of all. If my pa should make millions with his
Steel process my only wish & hope then would be your love & that
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of my pa & his family & above all I would only
ask for your love & that I might make bright & happy your heart,
& home always. These are not mere romantic ideas, but true &
sincere feelings of my heart. I have so much to tell you when you come. We have
heard from pa since he left. say to Magnus to tell pa I read a long article in
the Register today written by Editor Wartman of
Harrisonburg of his visit to Elizabeth Furnace a few days ago. Ma says she wants
to see you so much & that you must not stay away so long again. If it is
your wish for Mr. Robert Heope to come with you bring him anyone who comes with you to my home is welcome for your sake. I am
sorry you will be so late getting here. Friday & Saturday will be long
days to me waiting for you. I wish it was this evening for I am so anxious to
see your dear face & I do earnestly hope nothing will ever keep you away
from me so long again while I live. It seems that I can't be satisfied in any
way when you are not with me my love. Oh how glad, happy & thankful I
shall be when you come Saturday so I can see & be with you once more. I
will feel like a new creature for I do love you with all my heart, &
Soul & it is such a sweet pleasure to be with you who I love so
entirely, & devotedly & it is so hard to have you stay only a
day & then leave me for two dreary weeks. You must be sure & come Saturday May God let you come & guide
your way safely, & I will make your visit happy & pleasant to
you my love, I desire so much to make you happy. All send love I send a loving
kiss to you, with the hope, & prayer that you will soon be here,
& make my heart happy as you only can do. I love you with all my Soul.
God bless you Ever my love. Come my heart aches to see you again. I think only
of you, & shall ever love you while I live
Yours,
Mollie Sibert
