Correspondence (incoming): begging letters, K

Dear Christian Lady

I read of your wonderfull [sic] benevolence and wish that the Lord would incline your Heart to donate me a few dollars. I have lived my alloted time in this world and the older I get the poorer I get with accidents and misfortunes now if you should take any notice of this and write to me and let me tell you why I make this appeal to you it is like the drowning one takeing [sic] hold of the last straw.

hoping I will not be cast off

Recpt C G Kmarr

from Catharine G Kna[se] ? 1636 Harrison st Frankford Phil, Pa

Jun 1st 1902

Dear Christian Lady

[same as page 31 of this section]

Ruggles, Pa Feb., 26, 1901

Mrs Leland Stanford Madam,

Pardon me for intruding upon you, but hearing of your wealth, and being good to the poor and needy, I will endeavor to ask a helping hand from you, though it may profit me nothing but under the circumstances I trust it will.

When I married my husband, my fatherinlaw [sic] had borrowed money, not paying any interest, living in a small farm and being well along in years had no way to raise the small sum, now amounting to $1600. We have had boarders and have done other work to raise it, but my health is poor, with two small children, no way in this place to hardly earn a living though I realize my own powers are weak as the weakest, yet, if God has willed that

through my faint effort, that my family may be set rejoicing, I am willing to try, at least, trusting to Him to give me some way to save our home.

Anything you can help me to will be very thankfu[l] for, as to my honesty I can refer you to any of our neighbors.

Yours Respy. Mrs L. H. Keocher Ruggles, Pa. Luzerne Co.

1199 Broadway Cleveland, O Sep 16, '99

Dear Mrs. Stanford

Will you kindly aid me in assisting a young friend in his efforts to gain a college education? I wish to form a chain of fifteen links for that purpose (as I myself am without the means) will you be the first one? If so send me five cents & ask two friends to do the same they in turn doing likewise till the fifteenth link is formed. I know I am a stranger to you, but I turned to you as one interested in the education of any young man, and I assure you he fully deserves any and all help given him. Please support me in this.

Mrs. Kolas 1199 Broadway Cleveland O. Sep 16-99