Correspondence (incoming): begging letters, H

For reference as to the correctness of this, I refer you to the cashier of the Elizabethtown national Bank. H.C. Lewis or its President A. Dissinger - or our Pastor B.M. Meyer, or our Post Master J. H. Brubaker, If you feel to help us in the cause of Christ, send your contribution either to my address or Rev. B.M. Meyer not later than the last week of the present month for which I hastily thank you in behalf of our congregation.

Hoping to have an early reply.

Respectfully yours.

Mrs. C.S. Hoffman Box 224. Elizabethtown, Pa.

Clayton Ill. Dec 18, 1901

Mrs. Jane L. Stanford San Francisco Cal

Kind Lady:-

I see by the paper that you are a kind hearted woman. And wiling to help the poor needy and afflicted. So I will give you a short biog raphy of my self.

I am a young man twenty nine years old, I started to farm ing for myself when I became of age penniless except a few things my Father gave me.

2nd

I farmed the season of 93 & 94 paid cash rent, and was very successful. The fall of 94 when I got done my fall work.

I was helping my Father threa[sh] corn fodder, in order to lay up a few dollars. Which proved to be very, very dear work to me. I got my hand cought in a belt, and it was torn off. Now you can not realize how sad I fealt.

The idea of me just in the prime of my life, to be a cripple the remainder of my days was almost more than I could endure.

I felt like I would much

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3rd

rather be dead. I had a very tough time of it. I was operated on three times. The arm was first amputated by Dr. Joe Black & Dr. Garner both of Clayton H[ill?] Two mon. later I was operated on by Dr. Hatch of Quincy Ill. One mon after this I went to Dr. Prince's Sanitary Spring field Ill. I bade my folks good by, never expecting to see them again. For I had lost so much blood and suffered so much I had become very weak.

I would never of pulled through it if I had'nt been