The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 26, July 1922 - April, 1923 Page: 67

Bryan-Hayes Correspondence

is a sincerity, kindness, and affectionate manner about you in our
intercourse, that has always drawn me to you, and made me feel
that we were of the same blood.
Not knowing my wife since her womanhood, you cannot know
how great is my loss. In intellect, manners and heart, I have
never known her superior in her sex. When I took her to Wash-
ington (when she was young) she soon made herself felt in any
circle in which she moved. Voluntarily she retired from such
a life, for it was at her instance I would not consent to run again.
I have never seen her in any position that she was not the
mistress of it. She merited Irving's description of "the wife"
for she filled it. But my dear friend, words are empty on such
an occasion. She is gone, and I am so stricken, that but for
my children I would not care to stay here.
My children are well cared for by their Grandmother and
Aunt. You recollect them both, the latter married Ballinger
of this place, with whom I now live, for I could not be separated
from my dear ones.
Write to me, and believe me ever your friend
Guy M. Bryan.
BRYAN TO HAYES
Galveston, April 13th 1872.
My Dear friend Rud:
Your brotherly sympathy came to me in good time and de-
served an earlier notice. I have been so bowed down, and
stricken that I have not had heart for anything. When I tell
you that I idolized my wife, and sincerely thought her one of
the most gifted women of her day you can better appreciate
what have been my feelings. Even now, I can scarcely realize
that she will not come back.
I so deeply regret that you did not meet with her last sum-
mer. She is gone, and I am never to see her more. I cannot
realize this. What is this life? What is the future? 0 Rud
how I have thought and thought and to no end since my wife
has left me. But for my children, I would not stay here if I
could join her, so bright, so beautiful, so good and so gifted.
I have never known one to improve so rapidly in all that ele-
vates and adorns woman as she did. Could we have lived to-