From: Krasna, Bessarabia
25 January 1913
This is my first correspondence in the New Year. I would have written earlier, but a bad finger prevented me from it.
We survived the holidays and all was peaceful, and there was no news, either. The young men who rose at three in the morning to celebrate the New Year with their friends and shoot in the new arrival, all were groggy and tired and went to bed at dawn. It was 6 degrees the morning of New Year’s. Now I am not sure, whether these youngsters all got a collective cold or gazed too deeply into the brandy glass, I assume the latter.
In Issue #24 of your paper, I saw a correspondence from my friend Michael A Volk. I am glad to see that he too, is a reader of this paper.
I regret the news that my old friend Jakob A. Kopp is in such poor health. Let us hope the good Lord will make him well soon.
During the night of January 7, some uninvited guests visited the cache of Gabriel J. Schreiber, which contained 12 hams and 5 sideporks. They gave one ham to the dog so he would not interfere. In their mercy, they left one piece of meat for the owner. Suspects include a local and a Jew. If they are found guilty, the meat will be paid for dearly and not taste well!
We have had excellent weather since Christmas, 1 to 3 degrees below zero. January 18, it was 8 below and from the 21st through the 25th it was between 3 and 5 degrees above zero.
Anton and Emilia Kuntz invited my wife and me to celebrate their name day on January 17. Anton and Annemaria Bonjagowsky were also there, as well as Oswald and Asteria Terees and the widow Wiegenbach. So there were nine of us all told. We did not lack in good food and spirits. We had music from the gramophone, sang, ate, drank and made merry until the wee hours of 2:00a.m. It would be nice if St. Anthony were celebrated 4-5 times a year!!
Deaths since December 22 were:
Dorothea Tischner nee Rühl [Riehl], age 45, December 30;
Widow Eva Fehnrich, age 83, January 9;
Margaretha Jhli nee Heidrich, age 52, January 19;
Katharina Kranich nee Hartmann, age 55, January 19;
Joseph Merschbacher, age 58.
We have several sick folks in the village. Very ill are: Kasimir, son of Gottlieb Leinz and Jakob, son of Georg Bachmeier. It is doubtful that they will recover.
(*Publisher: Change of address is duly noted. Alpenkraüter cannot be sent to Russia.)
We hope to get rid of rough old man winter, as the sun is higher on the zenith every day and the days grow lovelier.
A true word and a faithful hand count for much in any land! Rest with a friend, who only cares for you, not yours. What good is the wealth of the rich man, if the devil keeps the key?
Greetings to the publisher and all the readers of this paper.
Sincerely,
Anton Gedak.