Letters to Myscie, A Western Love Story contains many photos of unidentified pioneers in New Mexico. We invite our readers to help us identify people and places when ever someone recognizes them. Together, we can place the names with the history.
Suzanne E. Smith
3-15
Thursday evening=
Just when I was settling down to have a good talk with you Mr. B sings out to me that it is time to go home so I have had to let this letter go untill [sic] tonight before I finish it. An other day and I have not heard from you yet Myscie. I must hear from you tomorrow I know. I received a postal from Jim to day. He is out in the Magdalena; Kelly; about 30 miles from here. He went out about a week ago. Mr. Bass gave him some letters of introduction to several people. He is going to write me a letter the last of the week and then I will write you how he is getting on. This postal is the first I have heard from him since he went out there. Where he is now is up in the mountains amoung the mines.
I sent you some cactuses the other day; did you receive them all right? I sent them for your mother. I gathered them one day before Jim went away. We took a walk out to Socorro Mountains one day. We were gone most all day and had a grand good time romping about around the mines. If you will take that picture you have of Socorro; the one Mr. B. sent me before I came away, you will see the city in the foreground and the Socorro Mts. in the background. Those are the mountains where we went; they are about 4 or 5 miles out from the city and are full of mineral. 
But the mines here have not been opened up or worked much as yet. They are waiting for capital to come in which it is sure to do very soon. I sent you a picture (I think) of the Torence Mine (if so) that is one of the places we visited the day we were out to the mountains. I will send you some more pictures and you will have quite a collection after a while.
And now I will try and tell you the names of those cactuses if I can remember their names= You will see that I have attached cards to each with a number. No. 1 is the decayed stalk of the "Pitella" No. 2 is the seed vessel of the same plant. It bears beautiful flowers. Tell your mother to plant the seed in some sandy soil and keep it very wet and I think it will grow. No. 3 I have been told what the name is but I do not remember just now. No. 4 is called "Entrana", the one I sent you is the male plant; when I find a female plant of the same species I will send it to you. The male plant does not bear flowers, but the flowers of the female plant they too are beautiful. I don't know whether your mother will be able to make them grow or not. I took them up with roots and I think if she puts them in wet sand they will grow. I wish I could get a nice collection for you but there are so many. There are hundreds and I don't know but thousands of different species of cactuses about here, and it would take a man a life time to learn all their names.
I sent you in my last letter a draft for the balance of the $10.00you gave me to get your album with. I am so glad the album pleases you Myscie.
I thought it would. I am very sorry the ring I sent you is too large Myscie. I had to guess at the size, but I thought I had it about right. About my watch Myscie if you care to wear it I give it to you. I have nothing that I want to call mine, individually but you Myscie, and I shall never have that which shall not be yours as much as mine. Do you know Myscie every thing I do lately or think of doing I seem to see you in it all, it seems as if I was doing it all for you and you don't know how happy and willing it makes me to do.
I don't believe there is any hour in the day Myscie; I know there isn't but what you are in my mind. Oh I have built many castles and Mr. Bass and I have planned so many plans for the next year and a half. If only half of them come true we shall be so happy Myscie. Be brave my dear girl and be true and it shan't be long that we shall be apart. Improve your spare time the best you can Myscie. Don't forget those good talks we have had and those crys. Oh Myscie everytime I think of the past I just love you so I want to take you safe in my arms and hold you oh so tight.
It is getting quite late and I must stop now. A good night my dear girl write to me twice each week Myscie, please. If you knew how much good your letters did me you would.
Good night dear
Your loving Joe
Socorro, New Mexico
March 17= 1883
Saturday afternoon
My dear dear Myscie
Your letter written the 10th came last night on the midnight train from the East. I was awake when the train came in. I heard it puffing away and rumbling away down the valley for miles before it reached Socorro. I knew it had something aboard for me, and it did seem such a long time to wait for morning to come before I could get it.
Friday morning I went as usual to the P.O. but, no letter from Myscie, instead I was surprised to find one from my Mother. Yes I was disappointed and it made me feel real blue, for I was so sure of hearing from you by Thursday nights mail. I had half a mind to sit down and write to you how bad I was feeling but I thought, now perhaps Myscie did write Sunday and did not put the letter in the office untill [sic] Monday, and then it would not reach here untill Friday night. So, I concluded to wait and see what Saturday morning would bring. I had a bet with Mr. Hoyt last night about your letter; he bet me I would not get one. I was confident I would and so I took him up. This morning he went over to the office before I was dressed and came back with the mail saluting me with Ah! ha! Joe! I've got you this time, nothing for you. I knew better all the while. He gave the others their mail and we sat down to breakfast. But I was positive and before we were finished George held up your letter and asked if I recognised the hand writing?
Oh Myscie you can't immagine how happy I was to get your letter and to hear from you once again. It was a real good letter Myscie and I thank you for it. Just the same loving true girl I left, all through. I can picture to myself as I read your letter, all you have written just as plainly as though I were there myself. I can see you over there in the "corner" just as plain as though I was sitting down there in one of those front seets. I see you all surrounded by those little loving jabbering twins.
I really believe they do love you Myscie for they are always so attentive to you and I don't blame them either. What you do do Myscie, you do with all your might. This I have always told you and the prosperity of your S.S. class is only an indication of your natural energy and interest. Myscie you say you want to know Mr. Bass. Yes and I want you to know him for he is one splendid fellow and we are inseperable chums. His family are mine and mine his. So just here Myscie allow me please to introduce to you my dear friend Ed. Mr. Bass; Miss Driver
"Miss Driver
It is with the greatest pleasure I am allowed to become acquainted with you, even in this way and when the time may come when I will see you face to face. For anyone to be such a dear friend of Joe's cannot but arouse a feeling of friendship in me. As he has always been considered my best friend and I will say here (deeming myself competent to judge.) You have in Joe one who is worthy of your love, knowing him from a boy as being one, the best were none too good for him.
Edwin A. Bass"
I am so proud to have Ed know you Myscie and I know you will like him very much when you see how he is sitting here by my side writing to Miss Guney, his lady. Mr. Bass expects to be married next winter or spring '84 and then will bring his wife out here with him. Ed and I are close confidents and we speak of you and Miss Guney as if we were all one family. I will tell you what we have planned for the summer of '84. Mr. B probably will go home next winter; be married and return her in the spring and go to house keeping. Then after they have got full settled, We are going to send for you to come out and spend the spring and summer with us and longer if you like (just for company for his wife)(?) Not much!. Won't this be just jolly Myscie? Oh dear, I can almost seem to see you out here with me now. How happy we shall be and then perhaps I will go back with you in the fall and ___ oh-My Dear Myscie can it be so near? Myscie I must stop here for it is tea time. I will continue tomorrow (Sunday) I will not have a chance to finish to night for I am going out to a grand garden time. I will write to you about it tomorrow. If I can I will send this off to night on the night mail and will send you the continuation Sunday night.
Good night from your ever true and loving Joe.
Letters to Myscie, a Western Love Story written by Suzanne E. Smith, All rights reserved. All photos © J.E. Smith Collection (From top)
Kelly mining camp
Socorro Mountain miners
Socorro 1883
Edwin Bass
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