High
Point, N.C.
[received Jan. 22, 19371
Dear
Mrs. Roosevelt,
If
it does not bore you too much to get letters from poor people,
please read this. I am a very poor girl, 17 years of age. Dady
works in a veneer plant. He makes very little and there are
six of us for him to provide for. You can imagin how hard it
is for us, wiht house rent, grocery bills, water bills and then
have to clothe us on what is left of his wages. I never have
any spending money, as other girls do. We use kerosene lamp,
because we are not able to use Electric lights, we sometimes
burn candles. I am sure you have never known the heart of a
poverty stricken girl. I see so many girls of my own age wearing
pretty cloths, it just makes my heart ache to know that I can't
afford to even dress decent. I only have 3 dresses that are
fit to wear in public. One of these was given to me by a friend.
I made one of them myself. I get the cloth off of a remnant
table at Penney's store here at High Point. I paid $r.98 for
the other one last winter. I wore these dresses all last winter
and this winter. Just wearing the same dresses over and over,
while my friend's get new ones real often.
Please
pardon me for being so awkward in writing to you, as you can
very readily see that I dont have much education. You must also
forgive me for being so personal, but I am so worried about
my present condition that I felt like I would not dare to ask
you for a new dress, no that would be entirely too much. I treasure
very highly even a $1.98 dress. I know you could send me one
of yours and never miss it. You always have such lovely clothes.
I have always wished I could have just one dress as pretty as
some that you wear. I am really in need. I just wish there was
some way I could work for you to prove to you my appresheation.
You are so sweet and kind I know you won't dissapoint me.
I
am sure that you have friends there, who perhaps have so many
clothes that they don't know what to do with them. Tell them
about me and please try to get me some dresses that have been
already worn, I will be so proud of them, I could never express
my appresheation to you. Send me anything that can still be
worn. I can were a size 16 dress.
I would like to hear from you at once.
Thank
you very much.
If
you are not able to help me at present, please write to me.
You
may rest assured that I have told you the truth, because I am
a Chris¬tian. I believe you will trust me. If there is a
doubt in your mind about this write to Revern C. K. G. . . .
for further information.
My
name is A. S. . . . I just put the word important on the envelope
so you would be sure to read this letter.
Miss
A. S.
P.S.
Please mail me the dresses, if you can get up any for me.
Please
let me hear from you at once. I trust that you won't take this
letter as an insult.
