From: Krasna, Bessarabia
14 December 1913

Listed below is a part of the A B C that should be of interest to the readers. (*Editor: It appeared earlier and complete in this newspaper.)

Now then - The golden A B C for anyone who would like to live with honor:

1. It is formed with total eager,
Short and lovely, in a rhyming style.

2. I once came to a foreign land
There was written on a wall:
Be pious and discreet too,
Whatever isn’t yours you should let lie.

3. Watch out, do not curse in my house,
Lest God in heaven will punish
Both, you and me, at the same time.

4. Whoever looks into his own heart,
Will not talk of evil things
Because everybody with himself
Will find enough afflictions – whoever so will notice it.

5. less, but speak the truth,
Borrow less, but pay cash.
Leave everyone to his own,
That’s how you will remain as you are.

6. In this German alphabet
A lot of nice lecture is written
That’s why everyone should love to read it
And learn from its contents.

Toward the end of August, I drove around the Cherson governed area on business and with luck on Sunday, I arrived at some people’s place I knew in the town of Berlin*. There I was told that a well-to-do Jew lived in their vicinity. It was believed that he was an honest Jew who had bought, on a loan basis, a lot of grain in the surrounding area. The grain was delivered to the railroad station and from there he transported it to Odessa.

He asked his old father-in-law to please pick him up upon his return. The old Jew went to pick up his son-in-law, but he still had to do some business for himself. So the old Jew climbed into the machine and the son-in-law drove home by himself with the cart. He carried with him 46,000 rubles, which he had received for selling the grain.

He was ambushed 2 werst (o/a 2.1 kilometers) distant from the railroad station. He was tied up and thrown into the Welsh corn. The 46,000 rubles were taken away from him and the horses with the cart were chased off.

All the people in Berlin lamented about their money and are of the opinion that the old one has the money and the young one gladly lets himself be tied up. Of course, for 46,000 rubles you can let yourself be tied up and wail half a day long until you are found and set free. At the same time you can act like you were losing your mind. I myself am curious to find out how the story unfolded.

I send a greeting to Thomas Ihli. Two neckerchiefs for two little girls were sent off.

I also send a hello to brother-in-law Karl Schäfer and my sister, and Phillip Seifert and wife.

In Issue #19, I read the article by Nikolaus Engel that Mrs. Kilian Ibach had died. We express our heartfelt condolences.

Now a few words to the gentlemen Jakob Kopp and Kilian Ibach. Both of them were schoolteachers. If you are not readers already, then order the Staats-Anzeiger and write us from Canada. Then you also could find a lot of news from the old homeland in the paper.

Simon Fenrich died recently.

Dear Nikolaus Engel, obtain the Staats-Anzeiger and make known what I have written.

A greeting to the honored editorship, all coworkers, and all the readers of the paper.

Valentin Herrschafft.

* The village ‘Berlin’ in South Russia at the time

From: Krasna, Bessarabia
15 December 1913

I want to report to my friends in the New World that by the grace of God my family and I are still healthy. We wish all of you a Happy New Year, good health, a long life, peace and concord and after death an eternal happiness.

I also wish Mr. Brandt and all his coworkers a lot of luck. May the dear Lord keep them all healthy so that the newspaper will continue to be managed as well in the New Year as it was in the old year and even better. Then I know that until the following New Year, many more readers will be enjoying the paper more than in the preceding year.

As one often could read in the paper, many a reader was angry through no fault of the paper, but because of the untruth which is carried around in people’s heart and mind. If everybody would write the truth like other correspondents and then certainly no one would be angry.

But how is it nowadays in the world? If you tell someone the truth, then that someone gets mad. That’s what also happened with the “Also A Farmer”. Isn’t that right you “Also A Farmer”? How happy do you feel when you put down someone in the newspaper by telling the untruth? But if somebody only temporarily goes after a person who doesn’t write the truth about others and rubs it in a little, then that person will scream right away, “Keep your fingers off of that! There is nothing there for you!” That is not how it will work. You have to let everybody be what he is, and then you will stay who you are. Many correspondents are thinking that the “Also A Farmer” has scared me with his report. Nobody should think that, because the truth will not intimidate anyone.

Now we will soon have a New Year. Then everything will turn out for the better, and then when a tainted heart has improved then it can be said, “Oh Lord what incomparable treasure is a pure mind. Whomever this consoles will have courage when sinners have to hesitate. The heart filled with peace will not quiver, when facing death or when facing judgment. You bestow him with rest and peace.”

I send the best greetings to here and over there.

A Farmer

From: Karamurat, Dobruscha
2 January 1914

I ask the editorship of the Staats-Anzeiger to please let me know right away when my subscription to the newspaper expires, so that I can renew it. Also inform me how much it will cost in Rumanian currency. (*Editor: The expiration date is 15 May 1914. The honored correspondent can always read this on the yellow name label, because right below his name appears 15May14. So, it is paid up to 15 May 1914. Eight Francs will suffice for the renewal. The address is simply: Der Staats-Anzeiger, Bismarck, N.D., U. S.A.) As soon as I find out everything, I will forward the money. I will do the same for Rochus Ternes, who enjoys the paper very much.

Mr. Nikolaus Engel would like to know if his brother-in-law received the Power of Attorney. Yes, he did receive it, but he sent it to the State Department. Everything has to be translated to Rumanian and will cost 30 Francs. As soon as the Power of Attorney comes back, then the matter can proceed.

I would also like to ask the editorship to notify me if Blasius Müller is no longer a reader of the paper, because one doesn’t hear anything any more from him, nor from my siblings and brothers-in-law. (Editor: Indeed, Mr. Blasius Müller is a registered reader of the paper. But his address is now: Cullen, Sask., Canada.)

Brothers-in-law and siblings, namely Ignatz Martin and wife Agatha, and Michael and wife Gertruda, are hereby informed that our parents Jakob and Marianna Bogalofsky went on a trip to Krasna today, January 2. They intend to stay for about 3 weeks.

Greetings to everyone.
Romanus Bogalofsky