[Letter] 1842 July 13, Washington City to Miss Whipple, Fall River, Massachusetts / J[ohn] H[oward] P[ayne]

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To Miss Whipple, Fall River Mass:


Washington City,
July 13. 1842.
After my long, long silence, my dear Miss Whipple - (if still you retain that name) -- it will almost seem an absurdity to say how much pleasure it has always given me to hear from you. You will smile, too, on learning that I have carried all your former [deleted text: communications ] unanswered [deleted text: [illegible text] ] letters about with me, intending to make the acknowledgment of them a delight of some resting time when far-distant among strangers. I believe, in the interim, I must have travelled some thousands of miles; yet it is not till this moment that I have summoned resolution to apologize in a short letter, for my omission to perpetrate the very long one for which I have so long waited in vain to find leisure.
Since I had the pleasure of seeing you, I have been very little in New York. Most of the time has been passed in Washington; -- a few months only excepted, which were appropriated to a journey West of Arkansas, among the Cherokees. John Ross, - to whom I so entirely devoted myself for four or five years or more, and on whose account my liberty was lost once and my life endangered, has not thus far realized my impressions either of his character or his gratitude. I have consequently for nearly a year withdrawn from him. Since then, I have been six months occupied in some Indian investigations for government, and have, for the last three months, b [document damaged: een ] awaiting the fulfilment [fulfillment] of a promise from


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the President, (with whom, and whose family, I have the pleasure of being on very friendly terms), to give me some office abroad; -- first, that of Secretary of Legation; -- but, latterly, that of Consul, -- perhaps to a port in England. The decision of this matter cannot be delayed much longer.
Your friend John Jay Hyde has seen me frequently in the course of these various changes and disappointments and hopes, - and, I had supposed, you would have known all about them from him. But your introductory letter to Miss Lynch, which was forwarded hither from New York, led me to think otherwise. I wrote to Miss Lynch, -- (as of Rhode Island), -- under a frank, and directed to her at the Hotel whence her card was noted. In the epistle I endeavoured [endeavored] to render every honor in my power to your presentation, which I deeply regret I was compelled to answer thus unsatisfactorily to myself. If Miss Lynch never got the letter, it can readily be found whether it arrived, by looking at the New York post office List of the last part of last
May. Should the lady really approach what you and Mr Hyde describe, I am certain my heart would have been a victim; so that, perhaps, it is lucky for me to have been screened from despair.
I have been too much occupied, - and may remain so for some time longer, -- to prepare any contributions for your work; but the moment I have cleared off the present claims upon my time and attention, it will afford me sincere pleasure to help you in any way yo [document damaged: u ] [deleted text: [illegible text] ] can devise &


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I accomplish. If I go to England, it will be in my power possibly to promote your interests in some manner. Meanwhile, I should like much to see your paper, and the story you wrote me about.
Your friend Mrs Luther has been here two or three times, and has been much praised and sought after -- not that a new face being sought after, here, involves any legitimate association with praise -- for there is no novelty in petticoats but receives that glory, in this metropolis of flirtation.
I am glad to hear that you have allowed a partner to choose you for himself; -- and, with moderate desires, and industry, and mutual confidence and kindliness, your chance for happiness will exceed those of most who are envied by the million, under the misnomer of the rich. You, especially, have a tenfold claim to being blest in matrimony, for you possess one of the [added text: greatest & ] truest elements of such felicity, in that endearing quality of adhesiveness, -- (the crown of immortality to Griselda, the patient, was it not?), -- which, in your case, I myself have put so thoroughly to the test, by the seeming, -- (though not real), -- carelessness of your recollection, that would have made any ordinarily constituted female very angry and revengeful.
The account of my captivity should be at your service, were it possible to transmit it to you; but it is done up in a cumbersome book.
By the bye, considering that I began with the


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promise of only writing a short letter, I think I have indulged myself pretty freely in spoiling the once fair paper.
As for the other points in your letters, they are obsolete now; but write to me as soon as you can, and then state any way in which it may strike you I can be of [deleted text: [illegible text] ] service; and, whether it turn out that I can, or otherwise; - be certain, I will, at least, henceforward try to mend my manners and be punctual. Meanwhile, with love to Miss Lynch, and to any of your Fall River Beauties who may deserve it, and who are not too lofty minded to condescend to an old bachelor's admiration,

Believe me Most Sincerely yours
[Signed] J.H.P. [John Howard Payne] /