Correspondence (incoming): begging letters, H

Hutchinson Kans

Dec 21, 1901

Mrs. Stanford

Dear Madam I am glad to know you even through the news papers but wish could know and talk to you face to face.

I see the most handsome gift from you for educational purpose I ever see in fact the heading was "Richest in the world" also that you had reserved several millions for charities &c &c I ask, humbly ask for a little share in your heart purse what would be little to you but great to me and now my dear Mrs Stanford let me tell you why I come to your door for help, I am a woman of 49 years never married & with my

Father of 75 years live all alone always have lived with him and we have known what was to have plenty, that is to have enough that we could & did do favers [sic] to those who were not so fortunate in a small way, but the time come in business when all of fathers worldly goods had to go through others unfairness he had deeded me a little home with near $1000 against it and thought we had plenty to pay it off & he went on two notes of $300 each and all went so those debts could not be paid, but we still rake & scrape to keep the interest paid but can raise no part of the principal, and you see his age alone makes him unable to work to earn anything and my best days & years have gone and have to be with & care for him so can do nothing to earn any thing

honorable to pay the debts, & we always have lived honorable & are respected & can do no other way, and have always paid what we owed till now, our nearest neighbors & best friends do not know this as we are just comforab[le] in the house they may think if they think at all that things are as usual but we feel the difference keenly for the past few years. so I have come [to] the conclusion it is no harm to ask alms of those who would not miss a few thousand as much as I would a few pennies. Now you would not mi[ss] 20 or 25 hundred as keenly as I a dim[e]. I have worked hard this year to raise and sell chickens & if you will believe me I have not had one killed for my self, fond as I am of them, father does not care for them much so I have denied myself & sold yes took & peddle them to get the bare necessities & pay interest. last month our toble [sic] bill was $6.72 and I & father are in rags everyday

but have respectable clothes to wear when we have to go away from home which is not often, but it is not a penny for clothing that I ask, I can get those common ones if we were out of debt with what I now save for other things, and if you will be good enough to help me what you feel you could God will bless you and I will never cease to be greatful [sic] and I will pay it back if it is [ever] in life so I can, & others who have to spare if you can get to contribute to you & you [send?] to me, such as Carnegie who spends so free and does not miss it. I see you have been such a successful financier that no doubt you can write & influence those who you are not close to successfully. I could not get this finished & off when I commenced so you will not see it till after Christmas but I wish you a merry Christmas & happy new year. Now please read & reread this true & sorrowful letter & put yourself in my place & you too would beg & pray for help & write to me at once please we [are] only women. Truly Lou Richards, Hutchinson, Kansas, Reno Co

same as 123