Sentence:  I would tell them I got a letter from home <WSD>stating</WSD> that five of my Negroes had run away and ten of Pappies But I wold say I recond he did not mind it for he had a plenty more left and then they would lean to me like a sore eyd kitten to a basin of milk '' . 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  express in words