Sentence:  An Ohio soldier who , from a comrade just returned from leave , received an unfavorable comment on the conduct of his sister , <WSD>took</WSD> pen in hand and delivered himself thus : `` [ Dear Sis ] Alf sed he heard that you and hardy was a runing together all the time and he though he wod gust quit having any thing mor to doo with you for he thought it was no more yuse . 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  get into one's hands, take physically