From: Petrofka, Bessarabia
31 December 1912

Today is the last day of the year 1912. A day that says good-bye, just like the human life on earth. This day reminds mankind of all that occurred. Therefore, this day should be observed more than the first day of the New Year. However, if you listen to the voices of the people nowadays, one has to believe that this day has no meaning at all and everything that is alive is longing for the day of the New Year. Oh how wrong mankind is with its’ opinion of not paying attention to the important things! I consider this day highly, because God has granted me the good fortune to live this day. With God’s will and mankind following his commandments then many would experience happiness in living to see the last day of the coming year. What will be in store for us on the first day of the coming year we will notice overnight, however that which will be waiting for us on the last day is shrouded in darkness. Certainly there will be days for many others and also for me about which we say that we do not like them. So far I have succeeded in keeping a spiritual freshness, physical fitness and most of all a happy attitude in my 55 years of life with a great emphasis on God’s given natural laws.

Dear readers, it is useless to work and struggle against the laws of nature, which the dear Lord has given us. There are people that struggle against such laws and refuse to cope with the fate coming from God. However, mankind can act as smart as possible but will not escape God's hand. The years go by and all of a sudden you are old. The hair turned white, you are losing your teeth and your skin is wrinkled. Once this time has arrived then you may try to rid yourself of the white hair by pulling it out singly, or may dye it black, brown or blue with one of those pomades which hair specialists are selling near and far. You may even try a modern wig, replace the lost teeth with dentures and apply all known remedies for wrinkles. Nothing will help. You can be sure of that. Every gray or white hair that grows back is a new thread for your shroud. Every tooth lost represents an eroded rock, which broke away from your dilapidated body. Every wrinkle is a molding for the inevitable six boards and two planks. Nature will speak through every tool of your body that has grown limp and tired, “Think about your departure, because your existence on earth will not last much longer! Make room for others!”

But of course, dear readers, you who are in the fifties don’t want to die yet. That would be too early! Keep in mind dear contemporaries that we are on the step where we have the duty and obligation to allow the body to become whatever God has decided for it as we are growing older. With the age in the fifties and up, one has to give particular attention to the body in order to prevent an untimely collapse. When young and in full manly vigor many will foolishly say that they don’t really want to get old, at least not too old. They will say, “What can I do with a few years more or less when my senses have grown dull and enjoyment is no longer possible?” But those people will whistle a completely different melody when they really have grown old! The dear Lord has instilled an impulse and self-preservation in every human heart. The closer death will come with its’ sickle the more convulsively these same men, who 30 years earlier had a disregard for life, will cling to life.

The longer a man has lived the more of an insight, intellect and experience he should have gained. It may very well be that many have reached “Methuselah’s” age, but have remained a child in regard to insight and experience. Every spoken or written word is useless for such people. But the man with prudence and experience should apply these values as he notices that things are going down hill to ensure that his remaining days are not wasted. In his old days he should not feel burdened with needs and pain, but as a good keeper of his remaining life cope with everything in the best possible way. To this I want to contribute a few words, as far as my experience allows.

If you are in your fifties and so far have taken good care of your body, then by the laws of nature you can be certain to reach the day and the limit that God has set aside for you. Perhaps many of the Staats-Anzeiger readers will now call out, “What? How did this simple-minded correspondent come up with a remedy to extend human life? A tonic for life perhaps or even a gold infusion like the medieval alchemists used to cheat people? There is no remedy for death!” But to that I answer that nobody can extend his predetermined life span. Likewise there are just as few remedies to artificially extend a human life, as there is a means to increase one’s height.

Still there is a way to reach the number of years which God has intended for us, and in line with that an art to extend the human life, a Makrobiatik (cosmos existence). Dear readers you will find out shortly where I am headed and that I do not have in mind any medicine or remedy from a drug store.

Every child knows that one can shorten one’s life span through a dissipated, slovenly and immoral life style. Likewise, everybody should know that we are able to extend our lives to the utmost through a decent life style. Of course, and this is my main point, a lot depends on the composition of the body, which has been bestowed on us by God’s decision. Many have inherited a body as strong as iron. They also have inherited health, enduring health. They hardly ever get sick. If they don’t have a deadly accident, even without caring much about their health, they grow very old. They keep their keen senses into a ripe old age. Their spirits remain fresh. Even their physical strength lasts well into the seventies, sometimes even into the eighties. More so if their attitudes and talents towards life are such that neither dark sorrows nor gnawing grief will disturb their nights and weaken their bodies. Sometimes such human species, even under poor living conditions and known shunning of health practices, stay healthy and reach an old age. To prove my point I want to mention many old warriors, who endured many difficult campaigns, suffered hunger and thirst, heat, wetness and cold at campfires and in hospitals, and later on in life did not have much left to subsist on. Yet they reached an old age.

Since it will take a long essay to conclude this topic I want to stop at this point and will continue with this subject later.

In closing, I sincerely greet all readers of the Staats-Anzeiger.

Romuald Dirk

(Continuation to follow)

From: Raleigh, Morton County, ND
7 February 1913

Dear Staats-Anzeiger!

In my previous correspondence in Issue #24, I talked about nice weather, but as of January 30 things have changed, and it is a grim cold spell. I don't have a thermometer, so I don't know how cold it is exactly, but it is awfully cold. People cannot keep their homes warmed properly. My friend Peter Löb, for instance, built himself a nice house last year, 16x32x10 ft. He tells me that when he gets ready for bed, he needs to put a scarf around his neck, wear his prairie coat, and cover himself with his Russian fur before getting into bed. That shows how cold it is here. Don't worry, Peter, things will change by July.

Mr. Peter Löb also had the misfortune of losing a prize yearling steer some good-for-nothings butchered right in his stall and carried off. That took some nerve and we are sure that those bandits will be caught sooner or later.

There is much strife among our young fellows. Just recently there was a nasty ruckus where quite a few came home with bloodied heads. Be ashamed of yourselves, you lads of German parents!

Greetings to the publisher F.L.Brandt and to all the readers of this paper!

Nikolaus Kahl

From: Petrel, Adams County, ND
10 February 1913

I have now become a reader of the paper. At this time, I would like to write about the foundation of the community of Neu Krassna, which was formed by mostly poor people in 1907, most of who had just arrived as immigrants to Russia.

Soon it was agreed upon to build a church. The construction began in March of 1909. The building was soon standing and cost us about $700.00. We were all happy for now we had a church where we could celebrate church services. Once a month, we even had a pastor read mass. The joy was not lasting, however. Pastor Johann Frei, of the diocese of Lemmon, South Dakota could not handle the distances anymore and was forced to give us up. We soon had a new pastor. A nice old gentleman, who also had to resign soon for health reasons. So we were priestess again.

So, several of the villagers decided to travel to Lemmon, South Dakota to ask the pastor there to visit us for Easter, since we all wanted to have confession heard as well. He came, not just once, but several times. During the summer months, this priest traveled but his replacement promised to come, if someone would fetch him. We decided on July 5 for our church service. The day dawned, but no one had fetched the pastor. One blamed the other. All the people arrived, no pastor. The former priest returned from his travels, but refused to come without being fetched and finally refused to come at all. So it has been a whole year that we have been without a preacher.

Personally, it does not affect me much any longer, as I am moving to Morton County. I do pity the people staying behind.

Greetings to my brother-in-law Philip Wagner, to the siblings, friends, relatives in Rumania and in North Dakota, the in-laws, my brother in Morton County, and all the friends in Emmons County, North Dakota, as well as all the readers of this paper.

(*Publisher: Thanks for the new readers, both will receive their copies this week.)

I wish the Staats-Anzeiger the very best for 1913 and many new subscribers too, as this excellent publication is the best paper for us all!

M. Ruscheinsky

From: Raleigh, Morton County, ND
19 February 1913

Here it is the middle of February. The weather is so mild that a few of the American farmers decided to begin their fieldwork already. They had to quit, however, since the weather turned rough again.

Jakob Dirk and his wife, and Mrs. Schreiner of Emmons County visited here. Jakob told me that a few Emmons County farmers are getting Canada fever.

In the fall of last year, a fat yearling pig escaped from G. Harsche's farm and disappeared without a trace. Rumor has it that his neighbors, Irishmen, a father and two sons, captured the pig. The people moved on to Illinois, however. Poor Mr. Harsche! The people who ate your pig now have the shame.

Greetings to the Kopp brothers in Fox Valley, Saskatchewan, Canada, and brother-in-law Barnabas Steiert! Greetings from your mother as well! She wants you to subscribe to the Staats-Anzeiger for her.

I wished the publisher more correspondents and see what happens? The paper is getting fat! Don't worry, Mr. Brandt, soon the farmers are back to their work on the soil and you will be left in peace again. Greetings to all readers.

Nikolaus Kahl

From: Wade, North Dakota
20 February 1913

I would like to subscribe to the Staats-Anzeiger and would like the pretty wall maps as the gift with the subscription. (*Publisher: All taken care of and the maps have been mailed.)

My comrade, Gabriel Bonagofski purchased a half section of land (320 acres) without first looking it over. All the paperwork was ready. After the purchase was complete, Gabriel decided to have a look at it one Sunday. The same day I was visiting Uncle Vincent Moser and there I met up with Gabriel. He was very upset. “Only a quarter of the land is usable, the rest is not worth a wooden nickel,” he hollered. Well, so it goes when one buys a cat in the sack!

Greetings to all readers,
Magnus Dirk

From: Gladmar, Saskatchewan, Canada
20 February 1913

Dear Publisher!

I get the paper regularly. I also received the calendar with great joy. I understand that the Staats-Anzeiger did not receive the money. I made the payment in Zeeland, ND. (Publisher: That's a misunderstanding. We did receive payment and your subscription is paid through 16 January 1914, as you can see. Thanks much.)

I always read the correspondence from the old South Russian homeland with great interest, especially the column of Mr. Anton Gedak of Krasna. Now, dear friend Anton, please forward my greetings to my brother-in-law Michael Rühl [Riehl] and my sister Katharina, as well as to Adam Ternes and wife. We thankfully received the gift from Adam. I would like to know, however, who this Michael Wagner is, who kept this present for three years, and who his father is.

So, dear brother-in-law Michael, and you too, Adam Ternes, subscribe to the Staats-Anzeiger. It only runs four rubles per year and that's peanuts for such a prestigious publication as the Staats-Anzeiger!

Greetings to all the readers of the paper.

Johannes Fenrich
Son of Heinrich