Correspondence (incoming): begging letters, A

Obed P.O. July 12, 1893.

Mrs. Stanford. Madam:-

May an entire stranger presume to encroach upon your time and patience, begging you to be kind enough to read this missive through before you decide to cast it into the waste paper.

On account of your vast wealth, undoubtedly. you receive hundreds of applications asking for assistance. Knowing of the deep interest and

sympathy of both yourself and your departed husband in the cause of Education, I thought I would try to enlist your favor in behalf of a struggling institution in this locality, the Occidental College.

It is a thoroughly Christian Institution doing a splendid work but badly hampered by lack of means.

It needs at present six thousand dollars to clear it from debt, also another building which would cost about ten thousand dollars.

Then endowments.

of my intention to do so. I trust that the Lord put the thought into my mind and that He will incline your heart to help. May the Lord bless you and your own Institution and may it be a blessing to all who enter its doors.

Please think of the good you can do and Should you decide to aid the Occidental I believe you would thereby receive a blessing.

I enclose you a catalogue that you may see something of the work of the college.

I hope it will not be

2. You, without doubt, understand how hard it is for such institution to walk - they usually are obliged to creep - until the Lord puts it into the hearts of persons of means to help it upon its feet.

Should these lines gain from you a second tho't please write to President McPherron, Occidental College, Station "B", Los Angeles, California._ or to one of the board of Trustees.

I wish to tell you that no one has asked me to write to you or even knows

3. asking too much to let me hear if you feel that you can aid me in a most worthy cause.

Trusting you will not utterly ignore this plea

I am

Very Respectfully Mrs. S.A. Bell Obed P.O. Los Angeles Co. Calif.