AUTHOR'S NOTE: All spelling and grammatical errors are intentional. This is completely revised and reposted, because the old version sucked.

Dearest Maria,

I suppose we both knew this was coming.

I hardly know you and you hardly know me, but that will surely change as the eve of our wedding looms- nay, approaches- our minds as well as our hearts. If I'm to be an optimist, I'll tell you that our matrimony will join the two most prominent families in our area, leaving brilliant successors and a vast legacy. If I'm to be a pessimist...

Well. One of my most redeeming qualities is that I'm not.

My sisters are excited, to the point where I wonder if it is not I to be wed, but the five of them. I don't mind, of course. Girls will be girls and whatnot, and I suppose they're happy to be rid of me.

I jest.

I enjoy their company and they enjoy mine, even if it does amount to my sitting still as they tug my hair, enlist me in one of their schoolyard games, and/or make me the husband when they play house. Marta- my eldest younger sister, who is about your age- has matured to the point where I no longer have to play Pick up the Handkerchief, instead forcing me to pose for her as she paints. She's quite good at it, I must say, almost as skilled as a man.

Do you like to paint?

Josephine, though- she's my second eldest younger sister- despises painting and penmanship and all that ilk. When it comes to dancing, however, you could tie her to a chair and her feet wouldn't stop moving.

That traps poor, twelve-year old Grace, who is absolutely clumsy and wishes nothing more than to rip the combs from her hair so she could go run about the ranch in a muddy pinafore. She's juggled between her two sophisticated older sisters, and her two adorable baby sisters, doomed to the middle of the bunch. She's quite intelligent, though. I've already begun to tutor her in Latin, a privilege particularly limited as I'm still teaching myself. Ea est studious discipula.

Ida rests four years below her, just old enough to begin training and just young enough to remain a baby in my mother's eyes. She's a comical little girl, I must say, marching about like she's a woman of fifty-eight rather than a girl a half-century younger. She has absolutely no patience for anyone or anything, and I'm quite worried it will cause trouble when she's grown. Now, however, it is simply darling.

And then there is Anna, the most spoiled dear in our family. We can only assume she'll grow out of it, as a child of six can hardly be expected to have her personality set. When she's not acting up, Anna is the sweetest child, skipping about the hills bringing flowers to the ill. The neighbors adore her, and she can soften madre and padre with a mere smile.

I certainly wish I possessed that ability, as my father is currently lumbering toward me with a frown. I suppose he's found out that I spent an hour writing to you rather than working in the fields...

Oh, well.

With great respect,

Hector De Silva.

Dearest Hector,

Yur leter intrestid me grately. Papa says we are to wedd next December. I am so very exited. I told each and every one of my friends about it last night. At the Jaakson's barnyard danse. It was plenty fun. Papa bought me a new bonnet. It is pinc. It has rufles. It is pretty. My dres was pinc. It had rufles to, on the botomm of the hoopskirt. I like hoopskirts very much. I don't like petticoats. Petticoats drag down my step, which Mama always said should be lite and floatting. The mark of an attractivve lady. However, I ocasunally get traped in the door frame with my new steel hoopskirt on!

I had many suitors at the danse, as I did not no of our engagment at the time. I had many complemints. I dansed withh many. Here is a list:

Eduardo Simmons

Jasper Duoge

Stephen Madison

Hale Prescott

Juan Viennes

Felix Diego

Love,

Maria De Silva

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Jesse sounds gay, doesn't he? Oh, well.