From: Raleigh, Morton County, ND
28 April 1912
Because I have been in America for only 4 years, I still maintain that E. Bauer with his Low German dialect speaks the truth. Dear Bauer, I once read in one edition, I cannot recall for sure which one, in which you wrote that once you are in America, perhaps you could also write in High German. But dear Bauer, here in America you have to watch that you do not forget the Low German by using High German. Here one is settled on the open prairie just like a herdsman in your area.
For instance, if once in every fourteen days you get to town, then nothing else prevails than the traditional slang. With that, where should High German come from? Here in America it is the same. Something else, once you are in America for a year and you can say in English “Jesser” or “Nosser” (Yes Sir or No Sir), or curse in English then you do not even think about Low German anymore, much less about High German. That’s how it is among us, as you wrote in the last newspaper about all that injustice.
If one goes to somebody to buy grain for planting, and if the price is 68 cents in town, you will have to pay 75 cents because one claims that it is seed. But when you say that you want the grain for fodder, then you can get it for the price you would pay in town. It will come from the same pile, but you will have to pick it up the way it is laying there. Preferably they will go to the market and cheat by claiming to reduce the sale to the farmer by the transportation cost. If they find someone who will fall for this, then they have their hilarious laughter, and that will amount to a few bottles of beer. And so you can travel throughout the world, in doing so, you will still meet up with wolf and bear.
Now I greet my old neighbors Jos. [Joseph] and Isidor Leinz and Za. [Zachäus] Hermann. I would like to know how they are doing with their factory producing linen and other textiles. I wish they would subscribe to the Staats-Anzeiger because Isidor is such a good reader and writer. Yes, he can even write in High German. Well look, there also is the old Hefner Faldin Ritz. He too reads newspapers, and now he even owns the wine tavern. The market there must be good for jugs and pots that he will fill with wine for the customers.
There is very little news here. The people have too much to do, but almost everybody is already finished with planting.
Now a hello to Za. [Zachäus] M. Kopp in Emmental, the entire readership and the editor, Mr. F. L. Brandt.
Stolanus Wingenbach
From: Shields, North Dakota
7 May 1912
I want to immediately write again because my previous report in Edition #39 of the paper appeared completely correct and polished. Because the editorship applied such a finishing touch to my scribbling, I thankfully want to bring a little joy to Mr. F. L. Brandt and send him some money so that he can continue to digest our scribbling with a renewed spirit. (*Editor: We received your prepayment of $1.50 and sent you the desired Catholic House Calendar. Many thanks.)
Dear Staats-Anzeiger, you are the best newspaper of them all, except that you are a little slow in publishing correspondence. Most likely you receive too many of them, so that procedures are like in a flourmill, first to arrive – first to grind. (*Editor: Yes, dear friend, momentarily there is a lot of correspondence, but they all have to wait their turn.)
As soon as I have a little more time, I will present Mr. Editor with another joy and introduce three new readers. (*Editor: A heartfelt thank you in advance for that and hopefully all readers will follow your example.)
This time there is not much news to report from here. Adolph Riehl had the misfortune to have thieves steal a barrel of wine. Adolph is thinking about having police dogs come from Odessa to track down the thieves.
Karl Schreiner also had a mishap. Around noon he took his wife to a neighbor. The woman ordered him to pick her up again in the evening, which Karl promised to do. In the evening, however, Karl first wanted to prepare supper for himself. He placed the coffee pot on the stove and sat down along side of it. But, good grief, our friend Karl fell asleep and when he woke up it was bright daylight. “Well,” thought Karl, “the early bird catches the worm, and what one puts in the stove in the evening is cooked in the morning.” His wife in the meantime had waited for her Karl all night. She was worried that he may have had an accident. But Karl had wonderfully clear eyes in the morning.
Now, dear friend Phillip and men in Rumania do not be lazy about writing. I would like to know how both my cousins Kasimir and Isidor Both, and Alexander Paul are doing. I advise you all to order the Staats-Anzeiger. Especially you, Kasimir. You are an avid newspaper reader and also have the money to pay for it. The Staats-Anzeiger costs only $2.00 for the whole year for foreign countries, and in addition one receives a nice present. That is hardly an expense for such a good newspaper! Therefore, dear friends, get the Staats-Anzeiger into your homes!
Greetings to all friends here and overseas.
Phillip Kahl