From: Emmental, Bessarabia
20 October 1911
Uncle Christian’s explanation to the young people in Emmental appeared in your newspaper, which is proof that the continuations will follow soon. Uncle Christian’s view I made note of completely in black; but since my right hand became inflamed again by the black blister, it was not possible for me to bring the continuations in an orderly manner; for that I apologize to the readers.
Continuation
“A freely born man should never have to be ashamed or afraid of looking some one alive in the face or to talk to him. But poverty robs many people of all intellect and willpower. An empty bag really cannot stand upright. What would you think of an emperor or government who would enact a formal ban that none of you could dress like a person with class and would be punishable with prison or slavery. Wouldn’t you say that you are a free people and can dress to your liking? Such a law would be an infringement on your rights, and such a government would be tyrannical. And yet, you have the notion to be no less tyrannical against yourselves when you put yourselves into debt with such clothes.
He who gives you a loan can take your freedom as he pleases, and every time when the due date arrives he can take everything. Your women and children do not have the slightest idea that the father at any moment can be as bad off as a church mouse. The wife and the children will say that the father also must buy, if Joseph and Michael are able to buy; that is why he has to buy everything just so that they can be on the same level with them. But paying off the debts went into oblivion.
But do not forget that the lender does not think that way. His memory is better than yours, because these lenders are from a faithful sect. They keep track of each day on the calendar, and the claim will be due before you know it. Although you may think about the debt, the deadline, which at the beginning seemed so far away, will in the end be here in no time. Whoever’s debt is due on Easter, will have a short Lent. – As ‘Milk-Seppel’ would say.
Now you may think that your circumstances are proceeding well and you can step over the line without a disadvantage, but the glowing colors of a sunrise do not last until evening. Therefore, save in time for old age and need. Profit can be momentary and uncertain, but expenditures are lasting and all too certain. It is better to go to bed without supper, than to get up again with debts. Acquire what you can afford and hold on to what you have, then you will know how lead turns into gold.
Fourth, dear friends, are experiences. Nonetheless, I advise you not to rely too much on your industriousness, thrift, and cleverness. As splendid as these things are, they still can disappear like soap bubbles if the blessing from heaven is not present. I have to cut the subject matter short now. Experience is the most expensive teacher. We can give advice but not the action. Yet, remember where advice knocks in vain, the door to assistance remains closed; and finally, if you close your ears to decency, it will soon hit you on your knuckles.”
This is how Uncle Christian closed his speech, and the people praised him. But when the auction had started, things again followed the old routine. Because they bought again like crazy, and Uncle Christian’s speech to them was just a common sermon.
For my part, however, I decided not to let this echo fade away unused. Although I had intended before to buy some material for a new coat, I went my way with the decision to wear the old one a little longer. If you, dear reader, want to do the same, then you will have no less an advantage than you’re always ready to serve Romuald.
Good old friend Anton Jochim in Harvey, N.D.! Through the Staats-Anzeiger editorship, I found out that you are in Harvey, and maybe you have read in the Staats-Anzeiger the various stories that I have written. Yet you do not let yourself be heard from. I mean it cannot be that you put the pen down, especially for an old schoolmate and recent teaching colleague. Through this little message I hope to bring you back to the pen again. Now if you were the type who is afraid of the pen, then I would not be surprised about your silence. But every one in the Cherson area knows that the pen is an old familiar thing to you, and now you have completely abandoned it. Since I don’t come close to the circle of your acquaintances and friends none can tell me that you are in America. But nonetheless, I have not heard anything yet. Wake up, old friend, and let something be heard. Then we will be friends again like before.
Greetings to your wife from my wife and me. I have two daughters in America, married to Ignatz Gross and Eduard Richter in Morton County, N.D. If it can be done, then visit them and greet them for us.
Respectfully,
Romuald Dirk
From: Emmental, Bessarabia 25 October 1911
The plowing for winter seeding has already been done for some time, but how it will turn out, only God knows. At the completion of planting, there were dry days, so that the seeds without moisture in the soil are waiting for rain, and it is still like that today. Until now we have had clear weather every day with some strong nightly frost, so that the Welsh corn could be harvested completely dry. But a lot of it has not totally ripened. One is making preparations to dry the same on specially constructed ovens, lest much of it should spoil. A pud (36.11 pounds) of ripe corn brings in 30 kopeks (Russian currency, 100 kopeks to a ruble); for a pud of corn kernels, 55 kopeks; for unripe corncobs, 25 kopeks; unripe kernels, 40. Besides this, I let my nephew Peter Januscheitis know that I have been in Krasna in reference to his fatherly estate, but could not contrive because of his brother Thomas’ absence. Yet I found out from the village office and the guardian that his share was given to his brother. It does not consist of cash, but of vineyards. After a concurrent assessment, his brother Thomas should pay him 400 rubles. Tomorrow, 26 October, I will travel to Krasna again and then intend to meet his brother at his home and get his statement. Joseph Riehl, in Krasna, died recently of a black blister infection. In the night of 16 to 17 October, two nice horses were stolen in Emmental. So far no trace of them has been found. A greeting to all my friends and the reader’s circle.
Romuald Dirk
From: Krasna, Bessarabia
4 November 1911
Little has been reported from our neck of the woods, so I will step right up and send in a few newsy items.
Last April I wrote of an episode about my friend Pius Tischner and the old wagons at market. He promised to behave himself from now on at these markets and he kept his promise for a while, until the Market or Bazaar at Arzis. There he bought two used wagons on 31 October, and this time he couldn't pass up the saloon. So he had a few too many and on the return trip, he lost one of the wagons. A strong fog had come up and the search was difficult, especially since he had lost his way. He decided to go home first, and search again later. He found the right way and made it home. There he had his own version of thunder and lightning from his better half. Next morning, when the fog had dissipated, he went looking for his wagon and found it without a problem.
Joseph M. Rühl passed away on 23 October, aged 46, leaving a grieving widow and seven children. My condolences to the family!
Zachaeus Fenrich of our colony had two of his horses stolen. The thieves were chased clear to St. Rauschan, where a police report was filed. By the time the paperwork was done, the thieves had escaped.
Our weather is still nice and warm, although too dry. The winter crop planting doesn't look enticing.
Greetings to sister Theresa and children in Maple Creek, Saskatchewan, Canada, and all friends and relatives in America!
Anton Gedak
From: Krasna, Bessarabia
8 November 1911
I often read this paper at friends and relatives homes. I even borrowed it from my brother-in-law Zachäus Kopp to study the contents. Now I hope to become a reader of this publication. I have also long toyed with the idea to submit a few lines to the Staats-Anzeiger. My brother-in-law Joseph Kopp in America, who also reads this publication, promised to report this to the publisher. The fee for a year's subscription has already been mailed.
November is here. The migrating birds have long left us. The trees have lost all their leaves and are waiting for their coats of winter. The city clock looks wintry as well. A cold wind blows out of the north. We have not had any rain for a long time and the winter crop looks quite miserable. Many have given up hope for a good harvest. Spring will tell.
Greetings to my brother-in-law Barnabas Steiert in America, and perhaps reader of this publication. Greetings also to sons-in-law Joseph Peter Reinhold and Adolf Kopp and mother. Hope these lines find them in good health. We are doing well so far, except for little Lazarus, who is ill. We hope he will improve shortly.
Melchior Weber
Der Staats-Anzeiger, 14 December 1911
From: Emmental, Bessarabia
8 November 1911
I was fortunate to read in Issue #5 of this publication where my brother-in-law Jacob Marthaller is in America. I received the address from a Mr. Georg Martin, but I did not quite get the connection as to Mr. Martin’s relation to us. I sent a photograph to brother-in-law Marthaller without a letter. I hope it gets to him. Meanwhile, he can reach me at: Romuald Dirk, Post Kainari, Village Emmental, South Russia, Bessarabia.
Heartfelt greetings to my brother-in-law, Jacob Marthaller, all friends and relatives as well as the readers of this publication.
Romuald Dirk
From: Brisbane, Morton County, ND
24 November 1911
The weather is not ideal for us farmers, since the snow hampered the threshing. Mainly, the flax will have to wait and most folks will have to thresh twice next year.
Another accident happened. The person who oversees the railroad tracks of the C.M. and St. Paul rail took the train to the nearby station and exited. Another train was coming and in the steamy cloud created by the locomotive, he was not seen, but run over. The man could not see the train coming either because of the steam.
The wife of Vincenz Moser is in the Bismarck hospital. She has been there for a month. We wish her a speedy recovery.
As rumor has it, we have thieves in our area. One person reported potatoes missing, another $40 worth of groceries and a third lost coal. What can you say? Truth went by the wayside and common decency left this world. Piety is in hiding and love is sick, mercy is under arrest and faith winked out, truth is buried and the conscience hangs on the wall and malice takes over, but patience shall overcome!
What is the matter with you, Johannes Giesinger? Write! Greetings to all friends and family, especially to Georg Jochim in Strasburg, North Dakota, and cousin Peter Becker in Krasna, South Russia.
Max Erker
From: Raleigh, Morton County, ND
26 November 1911
This is my first attempt in corresponding with Der Staats-Anzeiger.
We have snow since 9 November and the threshing of the flax came to an end. I have not threshed anything yet, and have little hope of doing so this year 1911. A short while back, I observed how Ed R. moved his threshing outfit to a different location. On day one, he moved the engine with the help of 12 horses for the distance of 5.5 miles. The next day came the separator with the same amount of horses to the location about seven miles from here. On day three, the engine was taken to the location as well, but then there was no water since the area is on top of a hill. In a small depression, they found some water and could begin, after the water truck was freed from where it had been stuck in the depression. So, they could finally get underway. They threshed 294 bushels of wheat, 74 bushels of oats in a mere 2½ days. They had started on 47 bushels of flax as well, but it was not in good enough shape to finish.
N. R.
From: Emmental, Bessarabia
November 1911
A belligerent wife is a house trumpet who serves her husband as a confession mirror. O God, how persistent is such a house trumpet, what horrible dinner music, how aggravating such a chamber echo… one would think she swallowed a rooster, which now has to crow from her throat, and she always has to have the final Kýrie Eléison. O God, says the man, what a pity, dear Kunigunda that you did not turn into a trumpeter. You have the lungs of a clarinet player. Peter Abraham always told the truth and Emperor Leopold I kept him as his court preacher.
Emmental weddings planned this week: Elias Maas, son of Johannes and Teofilia Müller, daughter of Mathias; and, Melchior Seifert, son of Anton with Eva Baumann, daughter of Johannes.
Eduard Löb was careless and fired a revolver bullet through his own hand on 2 November. Now he is at the hospital in Taraklia to heal up.
The stork came to the Zachäus Fenrich farm last week and there is a healthy young one. We merrily celebrated the baptism October 30.
Kind regards,
Romuald Dirk