On 26 Feb 1876, Mary McClellan Richards (age 17) wrote a letter to her aunt, Laura Virginia (Watt) Braden which read,
"Dear Aunt Lar: I will endeavor to answer your letter, and hope you will give me credit for answering it so soon. I have for it is quite a task for me to write; I am such a poor writer and what I do write sounds so simple to me, that I sometimes think I never will write again, but must [to keep?] the letters coming [?]. We are all really sick with bad colds [several unreadable words] yesterday coming up [several unreadable words] Cal writes me she had jolly time, went to two parties & two turkey [unreadable] and had suppers got up for her. I guess I will have to get to Delphi and have a good time. I passed an examination and was promoted to the 2nd year High School. I have five studies which are [unreadable], Grammar, Botany, Chemistry and Geometry. I tell you it keeps me at work to get them all. I can think of nothing more so goodbye. Give my love to all and tell Mary, Bob, and Alby I'll will write to them [unreadable] sometime. Ever your niece Mary Richards."
The next page (3), is in different handwriting and seems to be from Susan (Watt) Richards, Laura's sister and Mary's mother. However, it is not signed. It says,
"Dear Laura, I wish you could bring the children and come down. I would like to go and just stay a week up there with you if I had any way to go and come. I have been reading some nice books this winter, one called Gold Elixir, one The Second Wife. They were the best. Mary has not named her boy yet, waiting to see what Debby wants it. She wants to name him "Harry Burr. he is a nice big boy. Poor [unreadable] what will she do now wait until another Dunkard Preacher comes along I reckon. Does Mrs. Fish still get better and how does Fet [?] and Howard get along and is Miss C [?] at home this winter and how does the old woman get along Mrs Andrews was here and stayed all night not long ago and she was telling me all about her going to get married and she talked about that dear man. she is a little soft on the man question. Come down Cal says she will come and sew for you. Write soon, Love to all ."
Mentioned in the letter:
"Cal" = Clara Alice Richards, sister of Mary M. Richards, daughter of Susan (Watt) & Samuel Richards
"Mary, Bob and Alby" = Mary Jane, Robert F., and Alba E. Braden, children of Laura (Watt) Braden
Mary (who has not named her boy yet) = Mary Jane (Braden) Spring, wife of Henry Spring; sister of Laura's husband, William Braden; daughter of Burr & Mary Braden. The son she hadn't yet named was eventually called Robert Burr Spring.
Others mentioned have not been identified.
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