Dear Ellen: Two Mormon Women and Their Letters

Dear Ellen, Page 022

Dear Ellen Brother Hiram I thank you very much indeed for the love you sent me and send mine in return though I do not know as you will be quite so willing to accept it since my name is Ellen S P McGary P S Mother, Sisters and husband join me in sending love t0 y°U aU E S P McG Ellen you must not think I did not appreciate your kind offer of Hiram to keep me from the horrors of Old Maiddom I thank you just as much as if I were at liberty to accept Ellen Spencer Clawson to Ellen Pratt McGary --------- --------- Great Salt Lake City June 2gth [1856} Dear Sister Ellen I received your letter on the 2jth of this month. I did not think you would take my advice and get married quite so quick, but I am happy to hear you have found your "Carey" at last, and I appreciate your answering my letter at such a critical period of your life. I dont know what made me, but I had a presentiment, after I had written it, that you would be married before you received it, for that is my luck to be "a day after the fair." You fooled me nicely in regard to John E. [Eldredge} I never was more thunder struck in my life, and I begun to think, "Well, thats always the way with girls that are so particular, and cant find anybody good enough for them, they are very apt to flat out at last; (not but what John is a good enough man, but then he has two wives, you know) but when I came to the Mrs McGary I felt quite relieved, and I laughed heartily, you may depend. That is one of your old tricks, and I shall be on the look out for you after this. I suppose you had so few relatives present at the 22