Dear Childern
I will wrighte you a fiew lines to lett you no that I am well and hope you ar the same   I am woorking to Chet BAILEYs now   I am going to stay this week yet and then I am going to

Kates

Sarah Katherine "Kate" (WOOD) REYNOLDS, Helen's sister.

and from thair to see

Mate

Mary A. "Mate" WOOD, Helen's sister, b. August 18, 1853.

   I havent hurd from Mate since I wrote to you   Edy came up fair time and stayed a week   I havent hurd from

Herbs folkes

Herbert M. WOOD, Helen's brother, b. November 13, 1859.

since I was thair   Mrs MAN is quite sick   I saw her last Sunday   She has got an awful dead leg   I hainte agoing to wright much now   Just enougt to lett you no I am hear yet
    Helen why donte you wright oftener   Donte you have time   I saw Mrs MUDG fair time   She said tell you she would like to see you and

the baby

Tessie Viola (STAGE) DARCY, Helen's eldest daughter.

   Oris and Lottie live to WHITLOCKs now   I havent hurd enything from my pension yet   Not since I was to the borough   I should think it was time   I donte no what to do aboute going away on the acounte of it   If I gett it or not I think I shal come out thair this fall or winter for I have got to see that baby   She will be a year old the 14 of this month wonte she   Tell

Birt

Albert Jackson "Bert" STAGE.

Clarence CHOLES inquired about him an how you was getting along out thair
Dear Childern
I will try and wright you a fiew lines to lett you no that I am well and hope you ar the same   I commenced to wright to you to weeks ago yesterday and for the wante of more paper I layed it by and then I thought maby I would gett one from you and so I did get one that week Thursday and was glad to hear from you and to hear that

Birts mother

Mary (KNAPP) STAGE.

is better   I intended to wright the next Sunday after I got yours but I stayed to Chets untill Saturday night and have got to go back Wensday   I came home to tie a comfiter for Kate SMITH   I tied to the week after the fair  

Mrs THETGAY

Lura (HIGLEY) THETGE, the mother of Louie and Loutie.

is better   was hear a little while today  

The girls

The THETGE twins - Mary Lura "Louie" and Lucy "Loutie".

ar working in

the factory

The THETGE girls, and a number of Helen's other friends, work as strippers in the cigar factory.

   Thair has ben some layed off   Vine is (at) the Bakery yet   I hear that

Uncle Arad

Arad SMITH m. Margery (GANOUNG) SMITH.
Many of the WOOD children spend time living with these SMITHs and their children.
Mary Elizabeth's father was Elias GANOUNG.

Working theory: Elias and Margery are siblings.

is sick   I havent ben to see him   It rained all day yesterday and all night   The river raised about to feet thay say   It was a long lonesom day for me hear all alone   You said that i must have got your other letter   I did gett it   I havent heard from Mate in a long time   I am going to wright her tonight   If I go out thair and she comes home with me then I cant count out thair but if she donte I think I shal come   I gett to dolars a week to Chets   I will send you a sample of the lace that Mrs BAILEY makes.  She is going to make me enough to put on a skirt for tenn sents a yard   She made me enough to put on my drawers   I have made me a shimby and put that edg on that you made for me   It is real nice   I am glad that you like it thair and that thay like you   I would like to see little Tess and would like to have her picture now she is a year old   Kiss her for granma forty times   I donte no as I can wright eny more now   I cante think of enything to wright   You no what a dread it is for me to wright   You must excuse me if I donte wright often   I will knit Tessy some stockings as soon as I can and send her   What dose Birt do for stockings now   I will knit him some when I come out thair   I will put the letter in that (I wrote) to weeks ago so good by for this time   my love to you all   Wright soon   From your mother

I hear nothing from

my pension

Mary is a widow. Her husband, Samuel T. WOOD died in 1866. Since them she has spent 20 years embodying the "it takes a village" ideal, as her children appear in various censuses living with this relative or that relative - usually a SMITH. Sam was in the war for approximately a month and a half when it ended. I am not sure she ought to be expecting much. It never materializes.

yet and I gess it will be allways nothing   I have got six dolars in my pocket and will have to more when Orson payes me for the quilts   My rent is payed up till yesterday   I bought me a new silk umbrel one seventy five   I dont ow nothing to enyone now.