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Providence Forge New Kent VA
August 30th 1869
Mr. Manley.
Dear Sir:
I write a line by Mrs Alston to let you hear, that I preached to the friends at Cumberland Baptist church yesterday; and find them very anxious to have a school. They worship at present under a beach harbor; but say they are going right to work, and commence the building of a house; though their means are limitted. They requested me to petition you for help; and will turn the building into a schoolhouse provided there is no objection to their using it for a church. 
They say they will build a (teacher's) room in some nice family; and take care of him as her to the best of their ability. 

 Thomas Bailey 

Transcription Notes:
the words with question marks are guesses as to what it could possibly be or what the word looks like.