Letter from Asbury Coward to his future wife Elise, October 22, 1856
Title
Letter from Asbury Coward to his future wife Elise, October 22, 1856
Subject
Description
Letter from Asbury to his future wife Elise while he is at King's Mountain. He tells her how glad he is to have received her letter and that her illness has brought her closer to God.
Creator
Source
A2009.6, Box 2 Folder 1
Publisher
The Citadel Archives and Museum
Date
Rights
Materials in The Citadel Archives & Museum Digital Collections are intended for educational and research use. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants of copyright. For more information contact The Citadel Archives & Museum, The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, 29409.
Format
application/pdf
Language
English
Type
Text
Identifier
https://citadeldigitalarchives.omeka.net/items/show/1579
Coverage
York (S. C.)
Text
[Page 1]
Yorkville October 22nd 1856
My dearest Elise
Bless you for those cheering lines, I received yesterday afternoon. Next to seeing you in person, they were the greatest favor that could be shown me. That dear familiar chinography was a treat indeed; my heart leapt as my eyes caught the familiar address, “My dearest Asbury”. I felt assured that you were really improving, getting well, which I could not do while you were in that tiresome bed. I will confess that I was not surprised to learn that your fever returned on Thursday; for the thought that such was the case, flashed across my mind when I read your Mother’s letter, stating that you had not used the bed-chair that day. Nothing but my confidence in her, smothered the fears which were arising. I shall not quarrel with her, for I know she meant it for the best. I can never be sufficiently grateful to her for her kindness, but I shall show my appreciation of it, in my endeavors to make you happy. I thought I loved her before, but a new fountain is now opened, whose existence heretofore was unknown.
But the most gratifying feature of your highly prized letter, is the humility and submission with which you recognise the wisdom of God in your
[Page 2]
affliction. Though we cannot presume to fathom his insentable designs, still we may sometimes see some of the fruits of them. You are brought nearer to Him; you are made to feel your utter dependence upon His will; and you are taught to appreciate His mercy. When we think of the immense benefit accruing from these acquirements, we cannot but think them cheaply bought, at the price of any physical suffering.
I enclose, according to your Mother’s wish, a diagram of the room and the measurement of the windows. The carpeting ordered at [illegible] have arrived, but have not yet been opened. I shall not put them down before the middle of December. I hope to start the painting week after next. The piazza’s will be furnished this week, and the rest of the Carpenter work, about the end of the next. I watch the driving of every nail with deep interest.
Give my love to all & kiss all the children.
Yours devotedly-
Asbury.
Yorkville October 22nd 1856
My dearest Elise
Bless you for those cheering lines, I received yesterday afternoon. Next to seeing you in person, they were the greatest favor that could be shown me. That dear familiar chinography was a treat indeed; my heart leapt as my eyes caught the familiar address, “My dearest Asbury”. I felt assured that you were really improving, getting well, which I could not do while you were in that tiresome bed. I will confess that I was not surprised to learn that your fever returned on Thursday; for the thought that such was the case, flashed across my mind when I read your Mother’s letter, stating that you had not used the bed-chair that day. Nothing but my confidence in her, smothered the fears which were arising. I shall not quarrel with her, for I know she meant it for the best. I can never be sufficiently grateful to her for her kindness, but I shall show my appreciation of it, in my endeavors to make you happy. I thought I loved her before, but a new fountain is now opened, whose existence heretofore was unknown.
But the most gratifying feature of your highly prized letter, is the humility and submission with which you recognise the wisdom of God in your
[Page 2]
affliction. Though we cannot presume to fathom his insentable designs, still we may sometimes see some of the fruits of them. You are brought nearer to Him; you are made to feel your utter dependence upon His will; and you are taught to appreciate His mercy. When we think of the immense benefit accruing from these acquirements, we cannot but think them cheaply bought, at the price of any physical suffering.
I enclose, according to your Mother’s wish, a diagram of the room and the measurement of the windows. The carpeting ordered at [illegible] have arrived, but have not yet been opened. I shall not put them down before the middle of December. I hope to start the painting week after next. The piazza’s will be furnished this week, and the rest of the Carpenter work, about the end of the next. I watch the driving of every nail with deep interest.
Give my love to all & kiss all the children.
Yours devotedly-
Asbury.
Collection
Citation
Coward, Asbury, 1835-1925, “Letter from Asbury Coward to his future wife Elise, October 22, 1856,” The Citadel Archives Digital Collections, accessed April 25, 2024, https://citadeldigitalarchives.omeka.net/items/show/1579.