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-Mary D. Edwards Summer 2000

1856-1861 16 items Letters of John P. Lightner to Amanda C. Armentrout Brand #11332

Brownsburg Rockbridge Co.

Sept. 14th, 1857.

(Angus)

Miss Midie;

I have taken my seat at the north-west window of my room upstairs in the dwelling of Maj. Sam’l Willsons, this evening, to transmit a few lines to you hoping that they will be received with the greatest pleasure, knowing you & I have had considerable correspondence, & so far as I know, it was good old, substantial, school-mate association, which we have friendly grasped, during the daily attendance at the C. C. School House, that royal place, of our past enjoyments.

I have a charming place to board at. There are only to [two] ladies, Miss Sallie Tate an old maid, & Miss Sallie Willson a very nice lady indeed, & is very handsome & pleasant; upon the whole both have quite a fascinating appearance.

There are but ten boarders here; six in one room & four in another.

John & I, & J. C. Pilson stay in one room together. I tell you we are very good boys & I stand under little necessity of correction; so you may anticipate, our "good deeds are excellent."

To make an acknowledgment of things, I do confess, that this is a high school in reality; nothing in comparison to that of Uncle Joshua’s, We are the high flung students of the Brownsburg high school: & it takes us to promenade the streets, & march to the sound of the bells when warning the boys of the hours of study.

I have not got acquainted with any of the Brownsburg ladies, although I see them more or less every day.

Some four or five of us had a very fine dinner to day; & what do you suppose it was? Why it was a very large watermelon, sweet & good: I know you could have joined with pleasure, in feasting on the melon.

I am very lonesome up here in one or two respects. 1st Is that Mr. Greer gives us too long lessons to learn. The other is, there are no nice ladies like you to go home, & associate with.

I do not believe I have seen any of you since the day of our departure; (a sad separating hour to me it was.) I saw John’s horse as I passed through Greenville Saturday, with some cattle on our way to uncle Pilson’s.) & I suppose you all were in the church at that time, & [I] would like to have seen you, but it was to late, for I did not get home till dark. I suppose you got those few lines which I wrote some time ago.

I have not forgotten you yet: & I reckon our days of going to school together are over; but as these are fast times, I will not say positively, for we know not what a day will bring forth. Are you coming up to Old Providence, when the time of that great to do comes off? I expect to be one of the band, a portion of the time. I had been thinking of writing, & Clay’s message hastened me to write sooner. John P. says he’s doubling his tongue around some Latin words, & hopes at the end of ten months, to be able to converse with you in that language: but he does not know that I’m writing to you.

And now Miss Midie, as it’s bed-time you must excuse mistakes, respond if you can, give my respects to the ladies, & remember me although we are some distance apart.

And in conclusion I am truly yours with much respect. So good night.

To Miss Midie From J. P. Lightner

P.S. How is Lucian.

John P. sends his regards to you. [Inserted in the margin.]