Augusta: John D. Imboden to Annie Lockett, December
12, 1870
Summary:
Imboden teases Annie about Miss Parke and a Long Island heiress who has been
pursuing him. He also mentions that his business in the coming months will
concentrate on land sales between Norfolk and Danville.
Monday Dec 12 /70
New York
My own most darling,
I don't know when you will be at home again, but I reckon you will not object to find this letter there when you come, even if it should be several days old.
I write with the more pleasure to you as my hand is in from writing a long letter
to Miss Parke Perkins. Now wouldn't you like to see my letter to her? or at
least know its contents? If I thought it would make you really jealous, I would
send you a copy, for I like to see a jealous woman sometimes. But as a copy
would be very long I will give you the substance. I wrote to tell her how much
her poems were admired by several literary people to whom they were submitted. I
had to tell her what each one
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said, about each little poem (three in
all) and as they said a great many pretty things - and I wished to say some
pretty things too it made a long letter. Then I had to tell her where I meant to
have them published. Then the news & gossip of New York took up a page or two and then I told her that I had made up my
mind to get married soon and wanted to know what she thought of it, with her
peculiar notions on that old institution matrimony. I told her if she had been a
marrying woman, as she ought to have been when I first knew her, she would have
caught me before I ever saw my other sweet heart who is now to be my wife - but
the gig is all up now - it is too late. How often will you kiss me when we meet
for telling you all this?
When Miss Parke's Poems come out I will send you a copy. They
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are
mighty pretty.
Here I have been running on without telling you I have been sick all day. Took Cold Saturday night, & have not been to my office since. Getting better and hope to be out to [deleted: day] morrow as usual.
Am going with Jennie & Russie to see the Black Crook on Thursday night. Wish you were here to go with us. By the way I don't think I have mentioned before that the ugliest old maid I ever saw, who has $300,000 in her own right is making the way easy for me if I am matrimonially inclined that way. Previous engagements out of the way I don't think the three hundred thousand would be an equivalent for the ugliness. She lives on Long Island and gives the most pressing invitations to come out often & see her, & spend my Sundays there!
I am now a little hopeful that I will get back to Richmond next week, not to return to New York for a long time. I want now to direct my labours to the Country between Danville and Norfolk for several weeks.
When you write to Sister Ella tell her I am as mad as a hornet at her long neglect of my letter. She has not written me a line.
Bless your little heart how I do want to see you, and put my arms around that little waist till you pant about it, and then kiss the panting lips till they smile.
I won't write you any long letters till I get another from you. All this love making on one side won't do. You must say a little bit of it yourself. Now good night.
Give my love to all, and believe me as ever devotedly yours
JD Imboden
