Dell Rapids. South Dakota October 6/1948

Kjere Kusine Klara med Family.

Ja det er lenge siden jeg modtog dit brev er glad at pakken kom  Du sa intet om det var meget toll paa den.  Si mig det er du snil  Her sa dem jeg merket den gave pake vilde den gaa frit fra toll.  Nei du ska inte gaa i bry og sende mig noget for den.  Det er same som jeg bruker men jeg fik den korteste dem hade Da jeg kunde se paa foton at du var kortere end mig.  Om saa er at du har nogen gamle salt hus eler tre skeer eler av horn.  Bestemor Holm sente mig et par lenge siden. men dem brente op. naar huset var set i brand. I Iowa Naar mor og jeg var alene  Ja det var noget det ogsaa.

Ja Klara det er mangt som har veret gjort og sagt som er best (mangler det et ord her? best “usagt” kanskje?)  Du trenger inte at frygte at jeg ska noget si til bage der.  Det er ned trykende at tenke at guds ord. og at dem som kalder sig Guds arbeidere og Kristne. Kan gjøre some ting dem gjør til sit eget kjød og blod somvi her sier.  Mor og jeg forstaar nok khad din mor har gaat Ighemen Og gode løfter kan man ikke spise  Jeg har hørt dise same ord jeg ogsaa.  Mor har ikke Havt det saa godt heller enskønt hun fik penger 4 gange fra sin far engang fra en søskend barn som døde. men det var alt tat ifra hende  Hun fik ikke engang lov til at skrive til nogen af sine slegt  Nu kan vi ikke finde dem.  jeg skrev til mors søstre og bror saa vi ved hvor dem er  en søster var hos dem en tid. han sente sine penger til john og mor mens han var ikrigen (mener hun søsterens sønn som nevnt i brevet datert 26. Sept.?) John sente dem til Norge og fik taket for gaven  Mor hade intet at si.  men det var meget angret over sa John i siste tiden. men forsent  Jeg synes at det minste burde mor ha lidt respekt af dem hun men hun ska ha hvad hun trenger og mere velsgnels end dem som stor tror dem er.  Din mor er kommen ighenem striden og det ska ogsaa vi. enskønt det er trangt og tungt iblant.  det er godt at dine guter er saa unge som dem er  det blir nok ant en unge leik (de er visst redde for en ny krig).  Jeg haaber at vi kan faa skrive samen ennu en tid.  en af mine er nu hjeme paa fri tid i 40 dage  jeg er saa glad der for.  han har tat op poterne og gjor huset i stand til vinteren. med storm vinduer og døre same les. da baade jeg og mor har veret daarlige med kulde og flu (her tror jeg hun mener forkjølelse, og ikke kulde; hun har oversatt direkte fra det engelske ordet “cold” som kan bety både forkjølelse og kulde.  “Flu” er influensa).  det er en mase barne lamels her ilandet  over 100 paa 2 hospitaler der grace arbeider (det er sikkert Polio-epidemien hun snakker om).

Ja det er den rune duken jeg fik fra dig paa bilidet men den med frynser paa som henger overenden paa bordet sente Ole sine jenter til mig  tror knaft han viste det da han inte vil dem ska skrive til os.  Han har ikke skrivet til os siden han fik dise penger som var der.  Laura har ikke heller men hun skrev efter hun fik vide om det  din bror som er daarlig (Olaf) skrev til John og takket for pengerne han fik.  det kom dagen John døde same aften.  Han spurte om Jon trode det vilde vere bra for han at kome til America da kona vilde hit til moder kirken (hun var Mormoner).  John sa nei si han at han er daarlig og det er haart for den som frisk her nu intet hus at faa.  ja det er $ 65 maan for 4 rum. og det er da nesten umulig at faa fat paa. din bror gjør bedre med at holde fast i gamle norge.

Du maa hilse dem fra os og tak for fotone. hils ale dine fra os  vor staar det til med lile jenta mi der.  ruth Irene er ualmindelig flink til at snake og kome sig runt  er saa lei til at klive alses  Skriv snart  hils mor  tante Hannah har sag mig hvor kjek din mor har altid veret mod ale

skriv snart  det kan snart stopes som før ved du

Alma

Dell Rapids. South Dakota October 6/1948

Dear Cousin Klara and Family.

Well it’s been a long time since I received your letter  am glad the package got there  You said nothing about whether you had to pay a lot of customs on it.  Tell me please  Here they said if I marked it a gift package there wouldn’t be any customs to pay on it.  No you’re not to trouble yourself about sending me something for it.  It’s the same as I wear but I got the shortest one they had As I could see from the picture that you were shorter than me.  If you should have some old salt shakers or wooden spoons or horn ones (ivory?).  Grandma Holm sent me a couple a long time ago. but they burned op. when the house was set on fire. In Iowa When mother and I were alone yes that was something too.

Well Klara there are many things that have been done and said that are best (something missing here, she may mean to say “best left untold”)  You don’t need to fear that I’ll repeat anything back to anyone there.  It’s depressing to think that god’s word. and that those who call themselves God’s workers and Christians. Can do some of the things they do to their own flesh and blood as we say here.  Mother and I understand what your mother has gone through And you cannot eat good promises  I’ve heard these same words too.  Mother hasn’t Had an easy time either although she got money 4 times from her father one time from a cousin who died. but it was all taken away from her  She wasn’t even allowed to write to any of her relatives  Now we can’t find them.  I wrote to mother’s sisters and a brother so we know where they are  a sister was with them for a while.  he sent his money to john and mother while he was in the war (does she mean the sister’s son, as mentioned in a previous letter of Sept. 26?)  John sent it to Norway and got the credit for the gift  Mother had no say in the matter.  but it was much regretted John said towards the end. but too late  I think mother should at least get some respect from them but she’ll get what she needs and more blessings than those who think they’re really something.  Your mother has gotten through the battle and so will we. though it’s tight and hard sometimes.  it’s a good thing your boys are as young as they are  it wont be child’s play (seems like they’re expecting another war).  I hope we can write to each other for a while yet.  one of mine is at home now on a 40 days leave  I’m so happy about that.  he has taken up the potatoes and made the house ready for winter. with storm windows and ditto doors. as both mother and I have been unwell with cold and flu.  there’s a lot of child paralysis here in this country  over 100 in 2 hospitals where grace works (she must be talking about the Polio epidemic).

Yes it’s the round table cloth I got from you in the picture but the one with the fringe on it which is hanging over the end of the table Ole’s girls sent to me  I don’t think he knew about it as he doesn’t want them to write to us.  He hasn’t written to us since he got this money that was there.  Laura hasn’t either but she wrote after she found out about it  your brother who’s sick (Olaf) wrote to John and thanked him for the money he got.  it came on the day that John died that same evening.  He asked if Jon thought it would be good for him to come to America as his wife wanted to be near the mother church (she was a Mormon).  John said no tell him he’s sick and it’s hard for those who are well here now  no housing to be had.  Yes it’s $ 65 a month for 4 rooms. and that’s almost impossible to find.  your brother will do better by holding on to old norway.

You must tell them hello from us and thank him for the photos. say hello to all of yours from us  how’s my little girl over there.  ruth Irene is unusually good at talking and getting around  she’s so bad at climbing everywhere  Write soon  regards to your mother  aunt Hannah has told me how good your mother has always been to everyone

write soon  it can soon be stopped like before you know

Alma