Charity Chain Letter. Missouri widow. Send dime, two copies. US, 1895.
No. 5.
Faywood Ky.
May 11., 1895.
Rev., L. O. Dawson.
Tuscaloosa, Ala.
My dear former pastor,
There is a poor widow lady living in
Marshall, Mo. who has seven children all dependent on her for support -
except one, and she has a heavy mortgage on her home which will soon be
foreclosed useless lifted, which will leave her and her helpless family
without a roof to shelter them. She is struggling so hard to make an
honest living. That we have concluded to start this chain for her
benefit in which you are asked to kindly lend your aid. Knowing that
you are always willing to do all you can to help the worthy poor and
this is so small a thing that we ask only involving the expenditure of
ten cts (.10) - and the writing of two letters and it is in such a good
cause that I am sure God will bless you. What we ask this that you make
two exact copies of this letter changing the date and signing your
name. Send these to two of your friends whom you think will take enough
interest in it to be sure to do what you ask giving them as wide a
circulation as possiable. Put the next highest number at the head of
your letters numbering them both the same. Return this letter with ten
cts (10) wrapped carefully in paper to Mrs. W. H. Lawless, Marshall,
Saline Co., Mo., Box 790. Sending the names and addresses of the two
friends to whom you have written and they in return are asked to do the
same. Any one not wishing to do this is asked to return this letter to
Mrs. Lawless that she may know the chain is broken. Although this may
seem a small thing to do yet any one breaking this chain will involve
serious loss to the enterprise. The person receiving 30 will please
return without making any copies as this will end the chain.
Yours, Docia H. Buchanan
......................................................
[accompanying
letter]
..................................................................
Faywood Ky
May 11, 18905
Dear Parson
This was started by one of my best friends in Mo. and I do hope you
will help us.
We have such a nice garden all kind of beans and corn, And I am raising
a nice lot of chickens. We are preparing for you and your little family
so you must not disappoint us. I dont believe I can stand it much
longer, If you dont come and see us. You need not be alarmed if you see
some old weary worn traveler walking in with few "biled rags"
tied up in a red bandanner. For I am getting desperate.
We have a splendid Sunday School at Belle. They have a singing Master
now, and they sing with their might. I can hardly keep my pace as it
should be. Yet I feel so sorry for them. The teacher knows just about
as much about singing and has as much tune in him as I have in me. And
you well know I could not carry a tune in a tin bucket with a top on
it. I do wish you could be here next Thursday we are going to give
grandpa a birthday dinner. All of his children grand children and great
grand children are to meet at his home and each one will take something
for the dinner. We all met with him last May and he enjoyed it so much
and it seemed as if he grew younger and has been so proud of it. That
we are going to give him a big blow out this time. If you could be here
and help tell yarns it would be complete. We fully expected to have Mr.
Sowers but he will not be here.
Well I know I must stop. I have the other letter to the chain to write
and get them off this afternoon. Mamma papa and this[?] boy join me in love to Miss Maggie, Andrew
L., Mother D and a large share for yourself. Write to us sometime.
Your girl
Docia
Handwritten on unruled 9 1/2 x 7
7/8 paper (landscape format), as is accompanying letter. No envelope.
Paragraphs preserved. Original chain letter has 80 lines, formatted on
quarter pages. Periods after sentences supplied by DWV. Uncertain on
"biled rags" - perhaps colloqual for "boiled rags." Ebay lot 2265084986
"Buy it
Now" for $6. Offered by Thomas P. Turner. Entered by DWV on
8/27/04. A William H. Lawless was born in 1862 according to a
descendant in Marshall. But no family tradition of the chain letter, or
even of the widow's plight, remains.
ce1895-05_mo-widow_sdq2
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