From: Bessarabia
20 October 1913
Tomorrow on 21 October, I am going to start on the journey to my home to see how my family is doing.
I also want to find out about my son Korbinian who was on duty in Kloestitz in Loos on the 13th of this month. I will report about this later to my children in Morton County, N.D.
Romuald Dirk
Note: The rest of the article is irrelevant!
From: Krasna, Bessarabia
22 October 1913
I had thought right away that my friend Niklas [Nickolaus] Kahl’s wife Aurora wouldn’t sleep with such things on her mind. When two weeks ago, I got Edition #10 of the Staats-Anzeiger into my hands, I saw Aurora Kahl’s signature and knew right then, that the truth was also coming from the Americans. For that I am very grateful to the lady correspondent because I know that the truth is above everything.
Seems that things have happened just like here with our H. M. when he drove out to pick up a load of wheat. When he arrived at the field and wanted to turn around at one of the heaps, he just then noticed that he had no line to lead the horses.
You old friends in the New World, you should give the guy from Anschakrak (Anschakrak - Tarutino, which is situated about 6 miles north of Krasna) a little break. When people here drive home from Tarutino they have a bumpy ride. But if you drive for a whole mile and you don’t know that you have lost the balance to your wagon, then you will have a really bumpy ride.
A similar situation occurred here when 3 guys drove home from the latest market in Tarutino. The driver was still a little sober, but for the 2 gentlemen in the rear, the lights had pretty much gone out. The wagon owner was driving and the 2 gentlemen in the back got into an argument. While arguing, one of them suddenly called out to the driver, “Stop, I want to get off!” When the driver stopped the man got off. They had stopped close to the post ditch and while dismounting he fell into the ditch. When the other guy saw this he also dismounted and he too fell into the ditch.
After lying in the ditch for a while, one of the men succeeded in getting up. When he had gotten upright and looked at the dark incline of the ditch, he imagined that it was his buddy standing in front of him ready to beat him. Imagining that, he screamed, “What, you want to beat up on me?” He then jumped toward the side of the ditch and started beating it with his fist. Then he said, “You will remember that you have driven home with me from Tarutino.” When the other man heard this he also managed to stand up and also mistook the side of the ditch for his comrade. He then also started screaming, “What, I am supposed to remember that I drove home with you from Tarutino?” Then he also attacked the side of the ditch and started beating it with his fists.
While this was going on another wagon approached. Its’driver inquired about what was happening with the two guys in the ditch. The reply was, “Well now, don’t you see that they are fighting each other?” However, when the man who had asked the question saw that one of the guys was lying in the ditch and the other one was beating the side of the ditch and the driver was thinking that the two were fighting, he realized that the three needed help, otherwise they would never make it home. He then dismounted and with a lot of effort got the two men out of the ditch. By day’s end, he had guided them home with great difficulties.
That is how things happen, dear lady correspondent. When the truth is written then “Also A Farmer” will rise and write like mad about the truth. But it will be of little help to such people. It is already 1 o’clock at night. I have to stop now and finish the rest some other time.
Now I send a friendly greeting to all my friends in the New World and to all the readers.
A Farmer
From: Haynes, North Dakota
11 November 1913
The butchering of hogs is the order of the day right now. A pig was also butchered at my father-in-law’s, but when one asked the butcher where the stomach was he did not know. Sure enough it was still stuck fast in the pig. Not every butcher manages to do that.
My godfather was also badly off. When he butchered a sheep, he hung it up by the head to clean it out. Of course, he said that it was the first one he ever butchered. Next time dear godfather, hang it up by the hind legs, and then it will work better.
I greet Uncle Valentin Herrschaft in Russia. We are sorry that Elisabeth is still so ill and we hope to receive better news soon. I also send a greeting to Zachäus Kopp in Emmental, Russia. Both of you should write more for the paper.
(*Editor: The story about the murder near Bison in South Dakota was told earlier in the paper. – We received $1.50. Many thanks!)
I also forward a greeting to all my friends in Strasburg, N.D. All of them should subscribe to the paper since it is the best for us.
Phil. Seifert,
Son of Martin