Correspondence (incoming): Stanford, Helen (Mrs. Josiah Stanford), 1892-1895

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1218 Oak St. Oakland Sept 13th

My Dearest Jennie.-

Your dear letter of the 7th I found at Warm Springs - last Thursday. How much you have been through with in these days and weeks of your lone -liness and how much you are doing. I know how you are sustained - and believe you will be able to go on with the University. Aid will come from unexpected sources to meet your great earnest efforts. Very many people expected

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to between three and four thousand dollars - all of which - with the obligations and charities that I am bound to - are just about all that I can plan to meet this year -but dismiss Mrs. Bigelow from your mind - and I will do all I can for her with Gertrude's help. I may be able to plan for her in some way. What an army of people has been borne in upon you and Uncle Leland for support. It is marvellous that you have been able to sustain the weight all these years. I pass many a sleepless night planning for those who besiege me - though few in number I trust this financial stress will soon be over and that we shall have a fair outlook for another year. I expect every day and hour of your time is filled with busines affairs. I want to see you soon for an hour for I have something to give into your hands

of heart value to you- and possibly of historic value - I do not know. Is any one collecting materials for dear Uncle Leland's Biography? If you have a spare hour after Monday of next week I will run down and see you between trains. I came up yesterday to get my house reinsured as the old policy runs out tomorrow I wish I could rent the place for awhile - for then I could help more - but rents are very low now -so many large hosues vacant.

I am going to Warm Springs to stay until Saturday morning or Monday morning - have to go to the Dentists Monday - then will try to find Mrs. Bigelow. You are closely occupied with large affairs - and any small affairs keep me busy - for I have to attend closely to details. Do you not wonder how all these matters are educating us for the Beyond? We have to do so much

in this life, for these material habitations of the soul. Will our spirited bodies need ministering unto? Not until the work of our Earth life is finished shall we know. When our Beloved meet us and say to us - Welcome dear faithful heart -

God bless and keep you dear Jennie and may little Jennie be a solace and rest to you, in your weariness

Yours lovingly

Helen-

answered Mrs. J. Stanford

And meat from others with what she earns daily should make her very comfortable She told me the ladies of San Rafael very kindly gave her clothing and employment - I was glad to learn that she had some work to do outside of her comfortable little home - for she is a strong healthy woman. I felt most sorry for her boy of 17 years who has asthma - and had nothing to do - he would be so much better off if he had some light occupation - I talked with him and found that he liked gardening - and if I could reach them without so much loss of time - I would try to interest him in raising

and propagating choice seeds and plants - The boy of 12 and little girl of 10 yers go to school and are apparently strong healthy children - A married daughter is living in San Francisco - but Mrs. Bigelow told me is not able to render them any assistance - I wish all that we are trying to help, could fare as well as Mrs Bigelow - and hope you will dismiss her from your mind - I cannot understand why she has withheld from the parties interested in her all knowledge of her monthly receipts from me - and meantime, asked for help from you - When I see you do tell me - and then that Miss Cooper should be put to so much trouble - I should have written to you yesterday as soon as I reached home

but had a long sad service to render an old friend - and then came in and went to bed worn and ill - and am not in my normal condition to day. With my love and heart, Affectionately yours Helen

1218 Oak St. Oakland, Nov 26th My Dearest Jennie - I only received your letter of the 22nd yesterday - when I came up from Warm Springs - and was grieved to learn that you have been so troubled about Mrs. Bigelow while I have had the satisfaction since the 17th of Sept. last of feeling that I had relieved you a wee bit of our burden - and it seems very strange that she should have importuned you for aid in the meantime since the 17th of Sept. I have given her one hundred dollars - all of which she has acknowledged. I sent the last remittance - forty dollars - the 20th of Nov. This sum with the Masons help - and [ ?]