Letter contains strong language; been drinking; giving up the drinking

 Franklin NC
27th Augst                            18

              Mr. S. C. Gleaves
                 Jackson’s Ferry
                   Wythe Cty
                        Va

                 Franklin August 26th 1842
Dear Sir
     I rec your favour some time ago & would have answered it ere this but for the very good reason that I have been absent from home the most of my time & the rest I was engaged in dissipated habits such as drinking fk’g etc,-And if you will excuse my negligence for this time I will try and do better for the future.  My vocatons since I wrote you last have been pretty much as they were before. My principal one has been driving "Joshua" into the dark regions of glory there to vomit out his soul & faint away for awhile & then arise and try it again  I have one case that I attend to only at suitable times & that is when the moon dont shine which inflates my soul with rapture and about the time "Christmas" is coming I almost fancy myself in the "diamond vaults of heaven" fucking an angel

Her form is perfectly symmetrical-her hair of the darkest hue-her eyes are cold black & her countenance & appearance generally are indexes of a soul which if not for that one failing would elate a man to the verge of Heaven to behold her & her whole form in every respect, appearance, etc  Venus herself would have been proud to own, If she had lived in ancient times or as it is she might justly be call the Goddess of Beauty,  Oh Sam! such fkg as that is delightful & a man that would not take some pains in getting such cock in preference to these black ap'd whores ought to be ushered immediately into Tartaras there to suffer & burn forever,  But enough of this without I had more room or it was more interesting,  I was at Asheville last week and saw our friend Sepe and "Kip all was well"  I am now in the "Temperance Society" & have resolved never to drink another drop of the liquid fire.  I have tried it a long

time & have found it to be injurious in several ways & am determined By God to abstain henceforth, And to one whom I have as much good feeling for & regard as I do for you  I would just remark that I think you would find it to be much better to quit it.  But just do as you d---d please for that is the way I did & tell them all to go to "Hell (Dear) & respected I am, I wish to God we could be together once more & see  each others face but as that is impossible (I suppose) at the present I hope & wish you great success & much happiness in future life & hope that you may succeed in getting that seraphic Being you spoke of & that we may still continue our corrrespondence  I wish you to do one favour for me & that is to write to Rev Jesse Childress at this place & give him a most a hell of an abusive & slandering letter as he is one of the lightest & most contemptible dogs I have ever seen.  Give him hell-by God
With my best wishes for your future welfare.  I remain your affectionate friend
                                      J P Siler
                             Tom
Sam C Gleaves

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PS Write immediately and if concerned have your communication to him post marked at some other place
                                             Tom

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PS write Whim instanter else he will call here before your letter arrives here