Bennet, William Baker. "Letter and poetry to Miss Hattie, 1887 May 16". In 1887 [Folder]. Valdosta State University Community Archives: Bennett Collection (CA-05), Box 1, Folder 5. Valdosta, Georgia. Retrieved from https://vtext.valdosta.edu/xmlui/handle/10428/7047. 

Description:

A letter from W.B. (William Baker) Bennet to Harriet ("Hattie") L. Stevens, dated May 16th, 1887, in Quitman, regarding a recent visit in which he expressed romantic feelings which she did not reciprocate, and promising to honor her request to be "friends." He includes some poetry which he wrote immediately after the visit describing his despair at the change in feelings.

Subject Headings:

Brooks County (Ga.); Quitman (Ga.); Georgia; Letters; Family histories; Genealogy;

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Transcript:

Quitman, May 16th 1887

Miss Hattie

I take the liberty of sending you the enclosed verses, containing the thoughts that haunted my mind on last Friday night after I returned home & which I hastily penciled down. I hope they will not be offensive to you & I hardly know why I send them unless it be because it afforded me some relief in my sleepless hours to write them. I do not claim for them a poetic [merit?] but the fact that they truthfully portrayed my feelings may commend them to your generous consideration. The requests made in verses 6, 7, & 8 are not made as a matter of form but I most earnestly desire what I have asked.

I propose with your consent to make you a "friendly" visit some time this week if circumstances will permit, on the terms agreed upon between us. I may want to talk a few minutes only of the past by way of explanation but shall keep my contract not to harass you by [?] again upon your consideration
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a question you have already decided & decided too, after kindly giving me full opportunity to express my sentiments. And painful as was that decision, I frankly admit that with the feelings you entertain for me I do not see how you could have down otherwise. I grant that it was harder to bear than I had expected but I most candidly say that in all our interviews there was nothing for which I could reproach you, nay rather I should thank you for your candor & gentle forbearance. And now I ask that you receive me as "a friend only" & treat me with that cordiality due to long & true friendship. Don't think it necessary to be cold & distant lest I should take advantage of your kindness to bring up that subject which we both have agreed to consider "contraband" for I assure you, it is my honest purpose never to trouble you with it again, lest perchance time shall so change feelings & circumstances (which I do not expect) that you yourself shall willingly consent to a [re-hear?] in of the question.

As ever you sincere friend

W B Bennet
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To Miss H.L.S.

Thoughts on returning from a visit to her on Friday night May 13, 1887.

By her "friend"
W B B

1st	The night was dark, but darker still,
	The gloom, that settled 'round my heart,
	Oh! Can I bring my stubborn will,
	To 'accept thy verdict, "we must part."

2	Lady! I know that thou art kind,
	And would to none, give grief or pain,
	But Oh! The anguish of the [illegible],
	To love, and not be loved again.

3	How cruel fate has been to me!
	In manner, person, mind and heart,
	Nothing attractive, thou could'st see,
	Nothing, to woo, or win thy heart.

4	Friendship! How cold, when love is sought,
	And words of "high esteem," how vain,
	To one, whose every wish, and thought,
	Thy pure affections, 'twas to gain.

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5	Yet; Lady fair, I will not chide
	I know that thou art just and free;
	If weal, or woe, shall me betide,
	Say; will you kindly, think of me?

6	And when on bended knee, in prayer,
	Thy aspirations shall ascend,
	To the Great God, who'll always hear,
	Will thou remember then, "thy friend"?

7	Pray that his will, so hard to bend,
	May be, by love divine subdued,
	Till he'll accept, what [illegible] send,
	With humble [?], and gratitude.

8 	Pray, that in all his journey through,
	This this [sic] world of trouble, toil, and strife,
	He may by grace, be ever true,
	And meekly bear, the ills of life.

9	And when "life's fitful dream" is o'er,
	And the last [summons?] shall be given,
	Oh! May we meet, on that blest shore,
	To spend eternity in heaven.

W B B

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