March 8, 1885 |
Fahrlander Family | ||
| Siegelau, 8 March 1885 Dear Hermann! Never before did we wait for a letter so longingly as this last time. Now finally on the 25th of February we received the first letter. We did not know at all what could have been wrong and we had various assumptions. We did not know whether you could have been sick perhaps, or whether you could have had a different address so that you had not received our letter at all, that your letter which you mailed to us upon receiving the death notice of our dear Maryann could not have arrived here. Now that we have heard again we are less uneasy. With your last letter on the 26th of February were two newspaper copies (Sea Messenger) for which I would like to express my innermost thanks to you.* We were very much pleased to discover from your letter that you like it well in America and that you are quite content with your prospects. Especially for me it is a great satisfaction and gives me great pleasure that you are happy with your situation. We ask you very much to give us the promised closer information since we could not learn from your letter for sure what you really meant in the matter. Please be as good as to give us more detailed information soon. Concerning selling our farm here and coming to America, you are probably right in saying in your letter that you think it would probably be no good, even though I find it easy to believe that agricultural business would be more profitable with you there than here with us. It would nevertheless be difficult for us to leave our home country. Agriculture with us is in decline. The wages of farm hands and maids are climbing continuously. Real servants cannot be had even for high wages. Well, we are still hoping for a better future. I repeat again, that you have quieted my worries and given me inner pleasure now that I have seen your letter, that you are happy with your situation and prospects. From my innermost heart I wish you good luck and everything good that you undertake. If you would give us more detailed information in your next letter, we will be grateful to you. Your sistrer Rosa is well. The two older children, Victoria and Joseph, come to see us often and often stay here the whole day. Joseph suffered from pleurisy. The doctor came to see him twice. However, he is well again. Your brother Franz Anton is big, healthy and strong. It is true that we did hire a farmhand again for this year, but he is not all that important, so that your brother is in charge most of the time. Otherwise, thank God, all of us are well and wish you the same. Sending our best wishes and congratulations to you from the depth of our hearts, we are waiting for as kind a letter as your last one as soon as possible. Once again, best wishes from all of us and particularly from your Father, Fr. Ant. Fahrlander *Possibly a local German language newspaper with news of and for local German settlers. |
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