Contributed by Kathleen Haynes      Contact Myrtle Bridges     June 12, 2009

Miss Wilhelmina Tate
Morganton,
North Carolina			18 March, 1901

My dear Miss Tate,
	I wish to thank you for your very interesting letter. I am always delighted when I can hear from my friends in N.C. 
I hope my good friends at Ron Villa have entirely recovered by this time.
	I am very much surprised at the statement you make concerning Miss Erwin and yourself - from information given 
through one of your best friends I was sure you would marry that handsome preacher. Miss Erwin was so interested in 
the gentleman from Washington that I could not allow myself to become more deeply in love with her. You can imagine 
my great surprise to learn that you both were single and would never be satisfied with any other names. 
	I have just returned (to) Lexington, Ky. where I had a glorious time. There were several Ky. girls aboard ship 
with me last summer and of course I fell in love with them. The North is the place for business and pleasure but the 
only girls in the world are in the South land.
	My mother, father and brother are spending the winter at Santa Monica, California and I feel like a poor orphan, 
but I have had a great time the past winter, mostly in New York. My busy season is here now but I find it a hard task 
to settle down to business.
	I came near going to your little city two weeks ago but could not get away from Lexington. I am thinking of another 
trip to Europe this summer, for my health. Did you notice that the last census had this great city is growing?
	This picture will show you how I catch fish in Michigan. In the picture I am the centre of attraction, my father 
on the left and one guide to the right. I had a great vanity printed on silk but all were given away for sofa pillows. 
I hurried back from Europe to take this Michigan trip. The same trip I wanted Mrs. Pearson to take. I have never heard 
from Mr. Childress since the winter I spent in N.C., nor have I ever forgotten about that fifteen cent duck he bought 
for Miss Hunt. Now I am sure you did not bargain for the long letter and humbly ask pardon. Give my kindest regards to 
all my acquaintances and when you have nothing better to do write me all the news of Morganton. I remember Miss Poe by 
the nice biscuits she could make. Sincerely Yours, N.A. Quilling.
Note if interest:
I looked up a bit on Mr. Quilling. His full name is Nathan A. Quilling and I found that he was a bicycle dealer. He married a much younger lady from Canada after this letter was written. Then later he and family were in Georgetown, KY. I don't know his connection to the Tate family was other than as a friend. Kathy

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