"You ain't Bessie, me Bessie.

Fer one thing, you're 'bout as young as she was when she went off 'n' got married, against me 'dvice, to that drunken, lazy dude." Her brow was lowering, and she proceeded to finish her letter.
"I am Elizabeth," said the girl with a trembling voice, "the baby you talked about in that letter.

But please don't call father that.

He wasn't ever bad to us.

He was always good to mother, even when he was drunk.