Sept. 23.
Dear sister & family,
Sat. morning was rather busy reading letters for a while. Got 6 at once and we hadn't got any all week hardly, so they all took a writing notion at the same time. Got one from you, and one from Fred written a day later, and one from ma, Julia, Laura Krumm and Marie Scheeler. Today we got a postal from Marie & Geo. and one from Tena written at Atkins, so I guess we won't get any mail now for a few days.
That was sure sad about Eddie Wesack, but the Lord knows best and his parents know where he is, and he won't have to face the bullets. That community is certainly having its share of deaths.
We attended church services at Seattle yesterday. We left Townsend at a quarter to two o'clock and arrived in the city at a quarter to five. Then we left there at 5 yesterday evening and got back about eight o'clock. We took Lord's supper after the services and it seemed so good to be among fellow Christians again, it just made us homesick and the service was in real German to [sic].They still have German every Sun. morning and English in the evening and the minister & family talk German altogether in their home. The first I've heard since I left home and that's almost a half year now and it sure seemed good to hear the word of God again and sing the old familiar hymns. The Rev. also said he was going to see what could be done as to having services at Townsend once a mo. Said he knew of 3 Luth. Women here now. He married a man about a week ago from this Ft. and he is from Ia. to [sic]. So we are going to get acquainted with the guy. We couldn't stay the night with the Rev. as they just have a rather small house and 5 youngsters so we stayed at a hotel and paid $2.50 for a bed. Our boat ride was $4.80 besides our street car fare & supper & breakfast, but I should worry. The money wouldn't do a person any good if a fellow couldn't spend it and after a fellow is dead someone else fights over it if they don't start already when one is yet alive.
I should think Tena would be ashamed of herself if she has any brains left. Don't think she has any reason for complaint. She always got her share and if she just gave a grunt why one of us at home had to jump and help her, no matter how busy things were at home and when one of us got a new rag, she got it to [sic]. Wonder what she thinks anyway. Guess the folks had a right to sell their place if they wanted to and I guess perhaps the rest of us can be thankful that it is afterwards it would of probably [sic] been lots worse yet. Like Slate Hoover. Well I had to carry the blame for quite a few things at home, but I guess perhaps by this time the folks can see that I wasn't altogether to blame. I never tried to run their busines [sic] anyway. I know about how T. speaks to you, I've seen that before. Well I hope she realizes her mistake before it's too late. She had a few sore spots to (sic] when Geo. got married. And we all know there weren't any blocks put in the road when she took the fever. Well I guess this isn't very nice to write in a letter, and after my going to Lord's supper yesterday, but I know I'm a sinner and I had it in thought anyway, and that's just as bad as writing it, but I just can't help it.
Things are very dry here to [sic too] altho it's been cloudy and dreary for several days, but still no rain. The Mrs. got a letter from the chaplain this morning written at Liverpool England dated Sep. 2nd. And the cablegram she got said they arrived in France the 4th of Sep. - they say the troops all go to England and across the English Channel to France as that is supposed to be a safer route. So it must not be so very far from Liverpool to France. Well 3 hrs. on water is enough for me let alone 10 days.
Well I think I'll go to bed and finish this tomorrow night. Herbert is snoozing already, so good night.
Tues. - This morning the letter came including the picture of the girls. Ruth doesn't look like Eleonora did, only her eyes are the same, are they not, but her hair is darker I believe. Course one can't tell very well by the picture. If Eleonora keeps on you will soon have a young lady. Thanks for the picture. I sure was anxious to see it.
You wanted to know if we still get the News. Yes, Tena has been sending it up till now, so the service flag has 17 stars in it. We had 13 counted up. Course we didn't think Kimm and Lager were included.
I hope ma is better again. They are having quite a time of it.
I've meant to ask Geo. in the letter I wrote him last if he knew anything of the whereabouts of Hans Petersen. We haven't seen him since over here, so he must be gone.
So Manda Eden is a widow to [sic] already and not a war widow either. Well mabey [sic] she will recognize her folks now again. Guess everyone gets their share these days or any other.
Herbert isn't in the store yet or don't know when he will get in, but he has an easy job now, working on Officers row and gets a little extra pay for it and doesn't have to put in many hours. But of course one would sooner work hard all day long and have their freedom, this being the other fellows dog is no fun.
Wetzel from Ia. is the mess Sergent [sic] of the 7th Co. now. He was one of the cooks before so no doubt they will have some Ia. made dishes now. Guess I won't make any Liberty cabbage this year, altho a hand full would taste pretty good to me. Herbert gets it at the Company pretty often, but these people are to [sic] patriotic to eat it I guess, or else it sounds to [sic] dutch, don't know which. Well it never agreed with me anyway.
Well I guess I'll have to ring off for this time. Am sending you a souvenir folder of U. S. Army life under seperate [sic] cover, but it will go as second class mail and probaly [sic] won't reach you the same time this does. Herb has gone through those drills etc. manhy a time. Well I must go to roost as 6:30 in the morning rolls around pretty fast. Write soon.
Emma
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Transcribed by Cheryl Siebrass. Contributed July, 2017
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