From: Krasna, Bessarabia
29 November 1913
I have to thank the editorship for going through so much trouble with my scribbling and fine-tuning of the report. I ask you to correct the mistakes this time as well. (Editor: Well now, it is not all that bad!) I have already been waiting for fourteen days to no avail for the Staats-Anzeiger and the Marien Calendar, which I was promised. I believe that this one was lost again. (*Editor: Surely it has arrived in the meantime, because calendars are rarely lost.)
In October the weather was dry. At the end of October, we have already had strong frosts at night, so that the winter wheat was damaged and we thought that it would dry up.
On the 27 October, a heavy rain fell on Tarutino with lightning and thunder just like in spring, but in Krasna we did not get much of it. Two or three days later we did get rain, but very little. It amounted to very little. Instead a thick fog settled in, so that in the mornings everything was always wet. In the middle of November, we again had strong frost at night. But on 24 November, we had a soaking rain; on 25 November we had rain and snow, which put the farmers in a happy mood, because the wheat started to show an average growth. Yesterday, 28 November, we had rain mixed with snow again.
Construction on the railroad started in October and is being worked on hard. But because of the ongoing drought the ground is hard as a rock, and the poor people couldn’t earn very much.
Thomas Ihli is hereby informed that I received the check. I have to send it to Krotna from there it will go to Warsaw and then from there, on to Odessa. Then I will receive the payment in the amount of 21 rubles. It would have been better had he drafted the check for Odessa.
There were several weddings this fall. I attended two and had a lot of fun.
Where is Romuald Dirk with his reports? I ask Mr. Dirk to continue writing!
Romanus Bogalofsky in Rumania asked the question, which is the front end of a sausage. Well now, dear friend, this matter is quickly decided. When one slings the sausage over one’s shoulder then one can see right away which the front end is and which the rear end of the sausage is. Now then, dear Romanus tell me, who can legally say, “My son, come here,” although he is not the father? No offense intended.
I send a greeting to my children Joseph and Angelia Söhn.
During a night, three guys smashed every window belonging to our senior mayor, Mr. Mathias Ruscheinsky. The lord mayor was in a deep sleep, and out of fear didn’t know what to do. However, the next morning the three “night birds” were apprehended and they admitted the crime. The anxiety was so enormous that one almost could assume that the three fellows were on the way to the gallows. The lord mayor was quite angry of course. He did not want to give in. The three guys should be taken to Kishinev to the Governor where they should be convicted without a trial in court, because the crime of smashing windows calls for severe punishment. But now the mayor came to an agreement with the three fellows. They will pay him 75 rubles and a village official will detain them for five Sutgen*.
The fellows are glad that they got by so easily and that they didn’t have to buy windows for the mayor, because the old ones were turning green and red already. They most likely originated back in grandpa’s time.
Boys stole sausages, beer, and hard liquor (Schnapps) from the secretary at the Fair. But he soon caught them, and they got a good spanking at the town hall.
I send a hello to the editorship and the reader’s circle. Wishing them all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Valentin Herrschaft
*It is assumed that in conjunction with the sentence, the meaning of the word “Sutgen” is a period of time, i.e. five “days.”
From: Schaller, Morton County, ND
21 December 1913
I did indeed receive a pair of spring-loaded shears as a prize. It is truly a valuable present. I suggest that all readers pay a year in advance in order to receive this prize, for it is worth the effort. (*Editor: We received the additional 25 cents and will send you the Marien Calendar as requested.)
Nothing new to write about from here, with the exception that once in a while a farmer will migrate from here to Canada.
My friend F. Hartmann informed me last Sunday that my godfather Gabriel Bonakofski [Bonagofski] bought a foot-operated organ. Playing the organ and singing are now in order.
I wish all readers of the newspaper and especially the editorship a happy New Year.
Emanuel Tischmak.
From: Raleigh, Morton County, ND
29 December 1913
St. Gertrud’s Community
We had the honor on Christmas Eve and also on Christmas Day to have the Reverend Bishop [Bishop Vincent Wehrle] in our midst. He said mass on Christmas Eve around midnight, after which many went to him for confession. At 2 o’clock was the early mass, after which all penitents received Holy Communion from the Reverend Bishop. The third mass was on Christmas Day at 11 o’clock in the morning at which Mr. Michael A. Volk with his well-trained choir sang many glorious Christmas songs. To cut a long story short, we spent an enjoyable Christmas in our new church.
We have dry, mild weather, but I think it will not be as dry everywhere over the holidays.
(*Editor: The paper will be promptly sent to the new reader, your brother Anselmus. Thank you for the order.)
A heartfelt greeting to my old former neighbors Johannes and Isidor Leinz in Krasna, South Russia. I wish them and all readers of the Staats-Anzeiger a blissful New Year and the paper several thousand new readers.
Stolanus Wingenbach
From: Raleigh, North Dakota
29 December 1913
Since I ordered the dear paper, my time has not allowed me to write a report, but now I have the opportunity for it.
First, I wish the editorship and the reader’s circle of the paper lots of luck and blessings in the year 1914.
We have mild weather and it almost seems like it wants to become spring already. But we certainly know that is not the time for it yet. Well, the nice weather makes us very happy, since it saves us a lot of feed and work, because the horses and cattle can roam on the prairie.
Much bigger was our happiness for Christmas, because the Reverend Bishop ……… illegible text …… was here and conducted mass. That was a great honor for our community.
I have an uncle in the New World by the name of Phillip Deck, and I would like to have his address. Perhaps he is a reader of the paper, in which case he may announce it himself. If he is not a reader, I would like to ask one or the other of the readers to report his address to me by letter or in the paper. Then Phillip should also order the paper right away. I would be very grateful for the transmission of the address.
Should our friend the “A Farmer” in Krasna, South Russia send a correspondence again, we would like to know the names of the fellows who were shot. We recently read about the incident in his correspondence. If it is the truth then it should be of no harm to him. Here are many that grew up in Krasna, and naturally, we like to read nothing more than reports from there.
I send a greeting to Aunt Elisabetha Erker and children, also to Romanus Dressler and family. I ask the editorship to please send him a copy of this paper so that he can sample it. Should he like it and want to read it, he should inform me, because I am ready to pay the paper for him. (*Editor: A trial copy will be forwarded to the gentleman.)
With a greeting to all readers and friends of the paper on this side and over there.
Lorenz Löb