The original of this letter is in the possession of Verna McDaniel Pratt. I thank her for providing it to me and for allowing me to place a copy of it here.
All spelling and grammar errors have been left as written. I have added a few punctuation marks to aid in comprehension. I would like to note that Lucien McDaniel's education ended at the third grade.
Stroud, Oklahoma
9.8.1913
Miss Clara Stone
Dearest Sweet Hart, got your sweet letter this morning and to say I was glad to here from you wouldn't be in it. Just had to stand on my head about three times when I red it. This [letter] leaves me well an fine as silk. Hope you are well and getting along all right. You must not pick to mutch cotton or work to hard this hot weather. If I had my way about it you wouldn't pick any cotton at all.
Well Sweetness, you was some disapointed maybe because I didn't come last week when I said that I would but it nearly busted my hart. I wanted to come so bad before cotton picking started. Now I don't know when I will get to come. Just after I wrote you that I was coming, one of my horses run a nail in his foot and got so lame that he wouldn't do to drive at all. I was so afraid you would be a little mad because I wrote I was coming and then didn't come. I wouldn't make you mad or hurt your feelings, Sweet Hart, for any thing in this world when I love you so mutch. Clara, do you realy love me as you said in your letter? Couldn't you just love me and no body else? I don't want to ever love any other girl and know that I never will. You have all the love I can ever give any one.
You ask me, Clara, if I would forgive you for what you had done. Of course I forgive you a long time ago. I would give you any thing or do any that you ask me for. Any body as sweet as you are, who could keep from forgiving them.
Well, Scrumbuntious girl of mine, don't know mutch news to write to you. Have been going to a camp meating several nights this last week. They have bin having it in a grove under a brush arbor about a mile west of where I live. Yesterday was Sunday. They had a basket dinner on the ground, loots of fried chicken, you bet. Went down to Bob Renfrows in the evening. Less, Myrtle an Bert an Daisy and allmost every body else in the country was down there. We played croquet and eat ten gallons of ice cream and had a good time in general. Wish you could have been there to.
Sweetness, you don't know how lone some I get here all by my self so mutch of the time. I believe if you did, you would feel sorry for me and come keep house for me. Ha-ha—
Well this is Tuesday morning. Got your leter yesterday morning on the RFD and will send an answer this morning if I hurry before the mail is gone.
We had the finest rain here Sunday night and Monday. It is quite a bit cooler now.
Clara, Sweet Hart, you must not love any of theme old boys down there too mutch or give them all your kisses. Please save poor old me some of them.
I know that I love you more twice over than any of them.
Be a good little kid and try not to forget me entirely. If you can't love me big, why, try and love me some any way.
‘Tis said that absence conquers love
But O believe it not
Iv tryed alass its powers to prove
But thou art not forgot.
[This poem was written upside down from the rest of the letter.]
I may get my work done up and every thing out of the way so that I can come down this Sat. to see you. If I do come, I'll get me a club and run all them other boys off the place.
Will close with love and kisses to my Sweet Hart. XOXO
Lucien to Clara
Write soon - and loot of it.
By By S.H. X.
P.S. Lucien and Clara were married eight days after this letter was written.
