My Dear Girlie. Your letter came to hand Saturday and was awful glad to hear from you. It was behind a day or two and I become anxious to hear from you. Well, Liberal is going along as well as usual, only it is getting duller and duller every day. I am expecting Mullen back every day and can't hardly wait form him to get back. There is lots of people preparing to leave Liberal about 15 families altogether. I would have answered your letter the day I got it but I felt bad. I sent you a card this am [maybe a valentines card??]
I don't feel like writing now but I will try. The report I got that you were coming back and could not rest till I saw your mother. And I told her that it would never do for you to come back till you had tried everything else you could find out there, because what would you do here is doing so...
And she said that was so. You had better stay out there even if you can only make your board, if you ever get back here it will be a long time till you get away again I assure you. You know you used to say you would like to get away from Liberal and now is your chance and you must make the best of it. If you could get a place where you could learn to sew would be nice for you know you are not very adept with the needle and that is one of the requisites you know to what.
John Marshall has gone back to Gallatin. Cain gave him $23 to get out of the town and Cain never bought one thing of John only hired him to get out and he went last Friday. I hated to see him go but I will see him soon. Ellas said that Ed was coming back the last of the month, well I feel sorry for him as I and J. Marshall will be gone and several others but don't tell him so.
I think of you lots nearly all the time and sometimes when I feel blue I think much of you and then I feel better. I want to see you awful bad Sugar, but not bad enough for you to come back here and have to stay and now that you are away you want to make the best and Nat wants to see what kind of stuff his Mattie is made of. When I was away to school and was home sick I got a letter from Pa and he said "stand up to the sack fodder or no fodder." And I have often thought of it since.
[lots of newsy gossip I left out here.]
Of course you know what I used to think of you and you also know what I think now about you dearest thing on Earth.
Mrs. C. went on and told me all about you in her letter and she said that you had told her lots and she wanted me to tell her too. And then Ed said privately that he thought Clarks was pants so you can see that both of them are trying to find out about our affairs. When she said that you had told her so much I thought that all she got out of you she could put in her eye and I think she can.
I guess Ed would like to find out something so he could report it as he has done before, I will let on that you are struck with some other fellow it will puzzle them still more. Mrs C won't get anything out of me you can bank on that and I know you of old and am not afraid of you telling any thing.
Mrs C said that Ed would say something about me to see what you would say so look out and fool them there too. I am glad that Mrs. C likes Alta so does Ella too in the same way I suppose.
I am glad to hear that you are getting better and hope you will regain that lost flesh. I weigh 180 pounds and am getting so fat that I am ashamed of myself. Did you know that your Nat will be 22 years old on Saturday the 15th? Am getting old and still you say that I act like a boy and am one.
Keep on sending plenty of love as I need a certain amount every letter. ...
I get awful lonesome out here. I read nearly all day and after supper go over to your house and stay as long as they will let me. Your mother says she gets lonesome too and seems always glad to see me and asks me every time I go "If I get a letter today." I rec'd a letter from home and Ma said she was awful anxious to see me. Wonder if I will cry when I see her like I did once when I thought I was going to leave somebody or somebody was going to leave me. I don't guess you know anything about that as you was not present sugarlump.
My brother is going to run for sheriff back home. Well it nearly train time. I will stop and write some more after while or in the morning. After next Sunday the train will leave at 12 and arrive here at 3pm. considerable better you see. I hope you can read this scribbling as I can hardly myself as it seems I write worse than ever.
Today I have been drinking I suppose or smoking. The wind is blowing hard today and it makes me feel bad. Say, can I come over and see you tonight I won't stay late you know you used to drive me off, now don't you feel sorry for that? I'll forgive you though I am a fool as the above shows. Ben Bates wife came in the other day also a pretty girl about 19 Bro. Tull told me to set my eyes for her but I guess I won't as I have already got a bird form my cage.
Later
Well I have read until I am tired. I guess I will go over and see your mother after supper. There was two men had a quarrel over some aid that was shipped in today. Col. Hubbard is as spry as ever. The Philomatheans put off their entertainment for 2 weeks. Harvey Martin is still going to stay here. My business is awful dull although I manage.
Now I want you to get well as fast as possible If you don't weigh 150 pounds by the time I come out next Summer I want come do you here? So you must fatten up sugary.
There is going to be something going on every night this week excepting tonight, the ladies of the Methodist church are going to give a Valentine supper. I don't know wether I will go or not.
We had some snow last week and every time I see snow I will think of you, perhaps we will get to take a sleigh ride yet.
[lots more gossip about different people and establishments then Nat brings it to a close]
And now dear Mattie I must bring this short letter to a close. And I will expect a reply about Sunday so don't fail. You said that I had the most of your love, who has got the other pray tell; I thought the field was clear. I won't seal this till morning. send a long letter next time. Here is 2 kisses a piece for "those parties" and 100 for yourself. Write soon
Yours lovingly,
Nat Givens
The black sheep of the family