Dear Childern
    I resieved your Welcom letter 1 week ago yesterday or the day before and was sory to hear that you was sick   I hope that you are all better   You must all be carful not to take cold for it is harder than the first   I moved up on the hill a weeke ago last Saturday the second from Elder PALMERs and a monday I wente to stay with Sophi DOTYs mother   She had the grip   I came home this week a Monday and have ben trying to straiton the house a little   I had a leter from

Mate

Mary A. "Mate" WOOD, Mary E's daughter.

this week   She said that she wasent coming untill the first of April but I wrote to have her come sooner  

Kate ORSON

In an earlier letter, it was unclear if Orson was a last name. Here it is clear that it is.

wanted her to worked for them when she comes   I havent hurd from

Herbes folkes

Herbert M. WOOD, Mary E's son.

since I wrote to you   Nor

Kates

Sarah Katherine "Kate" (WOOD) REYNOLDS, Mary E's daughter.
"Ma" Wood tends to provide updates on her children in a laundry list fashion so, following "Herb's folks" come "Kate's folks".

either   I couldent live up stairs eny longer   Oh it was to hard work   I gett the house for to dolars a month   Thiar is lots of room in it   Nash hainte expected to live so I hear   Old Mag was hear yesterday   She said that she saw Will REYNOLDS up town   She said that

Uncle Bennit was dead

Who is Uncle Bennit (Bennett)?
This is news delivered by "Old Mag". Her identity and relationship would be informative.
The letter is "Ma" Wood talking to her youngest child. Could be Ma's uncle, Helen's uncle, Ma's great-uncle or an honorary title.
Not even enough for a working theory yet.

and

Charley

Working theory: Charles A. WOOD, Mary E's son.
There are always a lot of Charley's in play in this world. This reference coming in the middle of the family update laundy list and referencing a possible family memember makes me lean to this Charley.

wente to see him and he was drunk   If I could onley hear that he was dead

it wolde bee a releife to my mind

Is this an insult or a hope that Uncle "Bennit" doesn't suffer much longer? He doesn't sound pleasant.

  

Helen

Helen Augusta (WOOD) STAGE, Mary E's daughter, my great-grandmother.

do you think that

Will

William Henry "Harry" WOOD, not dead... yet.
Back when the Wood children were being parceled out, Harry went to live with the Frost family. The Frosts moved to Missouri; Harry went with them. He later moved Wyoming and was among the founders of the city of Sheridan. At the time of this writing he was alive and well.
d. June 23, 1915 in Sheridan, Wyoming.

wrote your letter   If he did I should have thought he would have said something about Mrs. FROST   I donte believe that he wrights them   I donte hear enything about my pension yet   Maby I will now someone els is going to take hold of it for me   now you see it advertised in your paper the pension agent ALLCOTT he getts

evry lady a pension

By now you've read at least one other reference to why she doesn't get a pension. Maybe it's the 2021 in me but I have this image of a pension-scamming racket.

She never does see any money.

   He sais that he can gett Mrs SWAN one   O dear how wish I could see you all   I wante to see

Tess

Tessie Viola (STAGE) DARCY.

so bad   Maby it is all right that you and her hafto be so far from me

I will finish up on this bit of paper   I donte no as I can think of eny more tonight   I am glad to hear that

Berts mother

Mary (KNAPP) STAGE, another of my great-great-grandmothers.

is better   I suppose the girls have tolde you who all have got religon hear   Mr and Mrs CAPLE came out last week and so has

Will

Well, we know it's NOT William Henry "Harry" WOOD.

   Thair hainte but

a fiew old topers

A "toper" is a drunkard. Thank you, Wikipedia.

left in town now   I wante to hear from you soon if you ar able to right for I shel feeal waryed about you untill I hear from you agin so gooby for this time.

Birt IVES folkes have all fluded out    I gess thay ar going to SeeAttle this spring   People say thay have enyway.