From: Krasna, Bessarabia
2 January 1911
First, I would like to wish the publisher and the readers a happy New Year and thousands of new reader subscriptions! As long as my notes do not end up in the garbage, I will continue to write. (*Publisher: No danger in that, your correspondence is always of great interest, so please do continue!)
The blessed Christmas holiday and the end of the old year were celebrated with joy and gusto. We even had nice weather, warm enough for everyone to come out and enjoy the church service. The New Year was welcomed with gunfire. I am sure a few glasses of brandy were taken to satisfy the thirst as well. Some folks were bed-bound instead of church-bound in the morning.
On the subject of hunting, many people here, in the USA and Canada, who know my friend Oswald Wagner, are aware that he is a great hunter. One day he took his greyhounds and was off to hunt for a holiday feast. Finally, a fat hare popped up, the shot rang out and the dog went after the hare. So the rabbit, knowing the end was near, hid out in a fox den. Oswald did not want to give up on his meal, so he crawled halfway into the fox den, but the hole was deeper than he had thought and he could not reach the hare. He wanted to withdraw finally, but his jacket bunched itself behind him and wedged him firmly into the hole. He was stuck! He began shouting piteously when an old lady, out gathering wood, heard him, found him, grabbed him by the feet and pulled him free of the trap, which could have cost his life. So you hunters out there, beware of the fox dens. Not everyone can be as lucky as Oswald Wagner was!
Mr. Josef Hoffart from Brazil, North Dakota sent us these riddle questions in Issue #21. I think I solved them. For instance:
My friends would probably like to know who is now mayor of Krasna. It is Joseph Krams; son of Christian and our pastor is still Ludwig Rissling.
Old Peter Miller died on December 23. May he rest in peace!
Greetings to all readers of this publication, as well as publisher Brandt.
Sincerely,
Anton Gedak