Correspondence (incoming): begging letters, Bit-Bu

[enclosed in Bray 9/3/93]

United States Senate, Washington, D. C. May 4, 1892

Mr Mark E. Bray Hamilton Montana

Dear Sir:

I am in receipt of the carved cane you sent me from your brother. It is indeed a wonderful piece of work.

It is impossible for me to do anything in behalf of your brother until I know the circumstances of his case, and all he has to plead in mitigation. Then if I can consistently help him I shall be glad to do so.

Yours Very Truly Leland Stanford per H.C.N.

Cleveland Ohio Dec 12 01

Dear Madam

I apologize for addressing you, but I see from the paper you have from { ?} endorsed the Stanford University, and comments in paper says any poor boy or girl can get an education. I have been strugling [sic] hard to educate my three children two daughters & one son. I have about finished the girls education & just when my boy was ready for a college, I through the fault of others have met with reverses and was obliged to put my boy (18 years old) to work. I am not familiar with the cost at this university, also is there any free scholarships. Do the student board in the institution & c & c. I intended to educate my son for the Ministry (Presbyterian). But unless I can get him through on an economical basis I will have to give it up.

Hoping to hear from you I am sincerely yours J. N Bruce

49 Lincoln Ave

[advertisement clipping with a head photograph of a grey-haired woman]

{MME. ?} HASILEAH BRADLEY'S COMPLEXION ASTRINGENT

The beauty of a face is not in its graceful {contour ?} of lines but its complexion.

{So ?} often redness, roughness, black heads and pimples are caused by failure of the sebaceous glands to throw off the impurities that clog their small mouths, the result being that unsightly complexion that mars the beauty of women. The Complexion Astringent stimulates the glands to action, gently contracts their mouths and again leaves the skin as nature intended it In removing wrinkles use it in connection with the Complexion Beautifier. Using the Astringent to cleanse the pores and lastly massage the face as directed on jar of Skin Food.

279 1-2 MAIN ST., MEMPHIS, TENN.

dollar I have no one I can get to help me and if you would interest yourself enough in me to see if I am telling you the truth, it would only be a drop in the bucket to you yet it would mean a respectable living to me. I was at one time her Majesty Queen Antonia's designer and I treated her face and took the wrinkles out of her face and hands and I can teach you to do the same for yourself. I am dear Lady 66 years old yet I have a way of making myself young as 40 easy one tells me this - now if you will help me a little I will come to you if you say so and I will treat you and do the same for you I am a lady by birth and have been treated as such all over the world. Now dear Madam, if you will only answer my letter and help me a little you can say the word and whatever you say for me to do for you I will at once do so I will send you one of my labels that you may see what I look like now Now Mrs Stanford will you interest yourself just a little in my behalf and let one hear from you I will promise you faithfully as a lady should another that I will repay every dollar if you will only open your heart and help me now it will save me from being a broken down woman if you will do so now the moment I read of your generosity I felt God had something to do with my writing I do not mean no harm and I hope you will take this as it is meant and the lord will bless you

Albuquerque N.M. Jan 4th 1902

Mrs Jane L. Stanford Dear Christian Lady

Through the Sunday Record Hearald [sic] I have become in posesion [sic] of your name and I read of your great bequest I wish to bother you but a few moments and I do hope this will fall in your own dear hands - and I do hope you will listen to my appeal - even if you do not do anything for me I am sure I can satisfy you as to my honesty and as to my truthful statements. I am a woman of french birth - I was a widow when I first came to this country and 17 years ago I married Dr A. L. Bradley of this place, he was a man of quite a little means but death took him from me and that almost dethroned my reason I went back home to Paris France and staid [sic] until now when I returned others had got his money and it has left me without one cent - I have a nice way I could make a nice living if I had about three hundred dollars to start with I could go to Los Angeles Cal and start in the Facial Masage [sic] business and I could make the money back and pay you back evry [sic]