Dear mother
    I thought you were never going to write and I dont know but I have waited nearly as long as you did   I would not have seen

Ella

Helen Augusta (WOOD) STAGE, my great-grandmother.
Consider the context. Mate missed out on seeing her sister (Helen) as she moved to Ohio. She's explaining how she couldn't have made it.
In some parts of the family, Helen is "Ella". Her aunt, Sara Owen, addresses her as Ella. Her sister refers to her as Ella when speaking of her to their mother.
It might seem that Mary E. Wood did not have a good handle on her kids' preferred names. To her, Helen is Ella and William is Will (he went by Harry).

if I had come for I should not have come till past the middle of March   I would liked to have seen her before she went away   In what

part of Ohio

Albert Jackson "Bert" and Helen "Ella" (WOOD) STAGE recently relocated to Mt. Sterling, OH.

are they and what is their address   You said you would send me

the babys

Tessie Viola (STAGE) DARCY, b. Oct 14, 1888.

picture   Did you forget it   I have not been up to Odessa but once since you were here   I have seen

Bert and his father

Working theory: Elbert OWEN, son of Samuel OWEN and Sarah D. (GANOUNG) OWEN. Mate and Elbert would be first cousins (her mother and Sarah D. Owen are sisters).

   I had them bring some of my thing here   They were going to move up in the village   Bert has got a team   I have not heard from

Liss

Working theory: Liss is tied to Bert and Sam Owen somehow, if only by living near them? In 1889, do "up" and "down" correspond to north and south as they do today? Mate spent some time living near Lodi, NY, which might constitute "up there".

in a long time but I owe her a letter   I think I shall go up there before a great while

    Ruth VANLOON is dead   Dont forget to write it to Ella   Mrs DUNHAM is dead (the one that gave me the white apron)

    Are you keeping house   You did not tell me   I will come out there and live if you want me to   I have not said anything to Mr DUNHAMs folks yet about leaving and if I get ready to come I dont want you to get some new notion in your head and change your mind   You will have to come out and help me move   I want to stay till I get my money   I have not got any of it yet   I will send you some money any time you want it   I want to let DUNHAMs know in time for them to find another girl but I thought I would not tell them till I was sure   Write soon and let me know how you are and what you are going to do   I dont believe you can read this for I have rocked part of the time while writing