ADDRESSED TO:    Mrs. Hellen Stage, Lambs Creek, Tioga Co., Penna.

FROM:    Clara Willoughby, sister-in-law, Darbyville, Ohio

                        Darbyville    Dec 5    1891

Dear Sister    I thought I would answer your kind and wellcome letter I recieved some time ago.  it found us all well and hope when this comes to hands it will find you all the Same.  Hellen I am sorry to hear your Mother is So poorly but hope She is Better By this time.¹  I got a letter from Aunt Hellen Stage² last night. She has got a dress for tessie.  I sent it for a Birthday present but if she gets it now it will be a Christmas present.  it is like Finleys³ and Johnys⁴ Dres.  I made thairs mother hubards.  They will have thairs worn out before She gets hers.  Andy⁵ Scolded me because I dident Send boath of the Children one⁶ But I dident think or I would.  Is Baby as fat as She was the last time I saw her.⁷  I thought she was the sweetest little thing.  I wish you would move back in the spring.  I am just sick to see you.  Fred⁸ is still aliveing.  he Sings all the time.  I think of you when I see him.  he is lots of Company to me.  we was at Circlevill Thursday.  Andy got a Suit of Cloaths and overCoat and Finley and me a cloak.  Mine is black and Finley is gray and I got me a neW dress and Johny a Coat.  I will send you a pece of it when I make it.  Andy is husking Corn.  he sold his hogs.  he has 20 and they was nice.  tell Birt Marthy Davis is dead and berried.  She was married and had a little babe.  it died 2 days befor she did.  Ida⁹ and I went to the Barian but dident Get to see her.  Ema¹⁰ dont go home anymore.  he and Ida fel out About a pillow.  and 8 of us throud in and had mas pictures taken and it Cost 32 1/2 cts and Harrison¹¹ thought it was to much and raised a racket about it and Pa sent him 17 Cents of it back to him and then on sunday Sarah¹² fetched her pictur back and said she was unable to give 32 1/2 cts for a picture so pa gave her 32 1/2 cts Back.  So She haint got none.  I would of give $5.00 fore mine Befor I would of done without it wouldent you hellen.  Finley said tell tessie he Could whistle and Johny can talk everthing anybody says to him.  hellen.  harison sits Stradle of the Cradle all the time.  they wont let thair ittle kid Cry atall.  he haint any better than Johny is he?¹³ and he haint as pretty as Johny.  helen Johnys papa has come hom and when he come he Brought Johny $250 for to get his winter Cloathes.¹⁴  wel I will quit for it will tage you a month to read this Scribling.  Send my love to all of the family.  GoodBy From your Good old sister

            Clara Willoughby

    to her sweat sister Hellen

A kis to all.

Notes from the peanut gallery:

1) Mary Elizabeth (Ganoung) Wood.  She must get somewhat better; she lives until 1901.

2) wife of Charles E. Stage.

3) Finley Willougby

4) John Emerson Willoughby (see notes in Emma Redding letter).

5) Andrew Thomas Willoughby.

6) Tessie Viola and Nellie Avis would have been 3 and 1 respectively.

7) I have a hard time imagining my grandmother - Nellie Avis (Stage) Ruppel - was ever "fat".  I doubt she ever topped 100lbs in her 85 years.

8) Fred is a bird.  Family lore always said Tessie and Nellie were named after the horse and the cow.  No one ever mentions that their brother Fred (b. 1895) was apparently named after the bird.

9) sister Ida Mae Stage.

10) sister Emma (Stage) Redding.

11) Harrison Redding.

12) sister Sarah Stage.

13) Most likely a reference to Renzo Redding.

14) $250!!!  For winter clothes???  I didn't spend $250 for my kids winter clothes in 2000.