Graduation Congratulations to Marie

Dear Mr & Mrs

June 24, 1941

Dear Mr & Mrs -

Your news was quite a pleasant surprise - and may I offer you both all the best wishes in the world.

Naturally there are a thousand and one questions I would like to ask, but instead will only hope that you two will write and let us know your address and tell us how you get along on your new venture.

I know that you will be happy and from experience I can assure you that each day and each week will bring you more happiness than the last.

There's an old line that just about tells you what I'm trying to say - "May the worst day you ever have be better than the best year you ever had."

Bob

P.S. That goes for me, too, kids. All the luck and happiness in the world to you both. Let us know when you get our package. I had the store send it out, so I'm rather anxious about it. Write soon, won't you, and give us all the details!

Love from us both,

L & B

According to good etiquette write a few lines to your Mother every week

Oakland, Nebr.
May 27, 1941

Marie -

As I haven't heard from you or Betty since you were to visit me I am writing a few lines.  I received this stationary from Lottie for Mother's day. Have you been so busy that you couldn't find time to send me even a card?

Now you should I think according to good etiquette write a few lines to your Mother every week. But I suppose that the younger generation will do different. But for some one who is educated as you are supposed to be now you should to be now you should stop and pause to think about your Mother. But if the Mothers don't get a reward in this world perhaps they will in the here-after. For we all must die!

Joe and family were down last Sunday. Also Garfield and his house-keeper.

The flowers are beginning to bloom here. One lily out side my window is now in full bloom and it is the color I like which is light yellow. Garfield and his house-keeper are coming up again next Friday May 20th to place flowers of those nearest to him who have passed on. I would surely like to see you all. I mean Betty, Martin, your-self and your father to do the driving of the car. No out-siders. Are you planing on coming?

If you are please bring some food for me ans as much as you wish to bring.

Please ring pictures we had taken or send them. I have been waiting for them now for more than 2 weeks.

If you go any place, please let Martin wear some-thing that he don't have to be so careful about if he gets the clothes dirty. You reminded him so after about now to get his overalls dirty. You used to say let him live. And please don't forget to take some drinking cups. I would be delighted to see you and if you possibly can spare me a little money. Or have your father given you some money for me.

Take things easy. Take coats along and some-thing on your heads please.

I must now close and good-by for this time.

As ever,
I am,
Your Mother.

Too Much Sweets Heats The Blood

Oakland, Nebr.

May 4, 1941

Marie -

I received your letter and was glad to hear from you. Glad to know you are all well and hope this letter finds you all well and happy. Thank you so much for the money and to be sure it was appreciated.

I see by your letter you are very busy. But please don't do any more work than your health permits.

Did you read my last letter over as you wrote your letter to me? I haven't had any answer to my last letter from Betty. I wish she would write as I like to hear from her also.

Yes I wish you would send me a picture of your-self. That was nice of you to send Elin a picture also. We have not heard from her since we sent her some things for her birthday. I had her wrist watch fixed and it cost $1.00. Did you send Elin any-thing else besides your picture?

Was Garfield down for a visit not very long ago? He wrote that he was down to Omaha to pay part of the taxes.

My mother's apple tree has been blooming now and surely looks pretty. The cherry trees it seems are dead or badly crippled. I have transplanted some lillies and violets. When you come up some times I'll show you them and explain more about the details.

May 5th

As I didn't finish this letter last night I'll finish to-day. I am a little tired but I hope we will have some sunshine soon.

Some-times one hears or reads about this being a man's world but when I told my mother this she answered that this was God's world. For what would we do with-out the sunshine or with-out light in the world.

You know of-coarse that next Sunday is Mother's day. Just in case you intended to send me something do you mind what I wish you would send me most of all? Well it is money. Perhaps your father would decide to give something would you please ask him to give you the money and you sent it to me? Because I need a pair of shoes very much. I have had the same pair for years that you bought for me one Christmas. They are really a half size too small also.

Do you intend to have a little party for Martin on his birthday? If you do don't serve very much sweets for too much sweets heats the blood.

I am enclosing a clipping of about a man whom I know when a child. He attented school when I did and was in the same room as I was. This clipping is from the Omaha paper and I am gong to save the article about him in the Oakland paper. He had traveled abroad and yet he did not care for girls or never married. He has 2 sisters and 1 brother and an aged father to mourn his passing. And what's more he left an estate of $50,000. So you see there is money in an education.

I hope you will welcome these little violets and the apple blossoms are from the tree in this yard. I pressed them in my dictionary. I picked the violets too in the yard.

Have you heard from Lottie recently? It is her turn to write to me.

My mother is quite well and tries to do what work she is able to do. David is getting along all right, in the hospital.

Write soon and answer questions. I have asked when you write. Please excuse pensil and poor writing. I am glad you write so well on the type-writer and don't hurry so that you make mistakes. Haste makes waste my teacher used to say when I went to school.

So good-by for this time. As ever, I am,

Your Mother.

"I have known all along that they were thieves."

Oakland, Nebraska

Feb. 10, 1941


Marie,


I received your letter and was glad to hear from you. Yes I’ll excuse you for not writing sooner. No you did not write to me on my birthday. I only received one birthday card from Garfield. Thank you for the $1.00 which you sent. I appreciate it very much.


I hope you all have dressed warm enough this cold weather. I am glad too if you haven’t been sick as well as Betty and Martin this winter.


My mother and Dave have had colds and my mother was quite sick. I did the work in the kitchen as best I could. The morning that my mother got up again to start work I thought she looked older and her hair grayer. I began to cry and I don’t know how many times I cryed that day.


Yes I am careful when it is so icey and I am walking out on the grounds. I don’t think I have had what one could call a cold this winter. We read in the paper about Charlie Parrish as we still take the Omaha paper. I have known all along that they were thieves. So I was not surprised to hear about this.


You forgot to mention if you have had Martin’s teeth taken care of. I mean those towards the front. Have you had time to take him to the Dentist and have them extracted? Please answer me about this.


I am very disappointed that you are not taking a course along medical lines. You know I have talked and written about this before. Why make speeches and face a crowd of people, all their breath coming toward the speaker. I once hear a minister say that once and he asked that the window be opened before he started talking. I have never forgotten what he said though I was only a child then. My advise to you is let the speaking down as much as you can in winter time when there is not much fresh air in the room. It is different when out at Campus where there is more air.


Tell Betty to write me what subjects she is taking now in school.


Thank you for sending Elin’s letter. The little letter from Marilyn was surely cute. I did not think she was so capable. If you have time send her a valentine or have Betty send her one – please.


I am sending you a birthday card and wishing you “Many Happy Returns of the Day”. I will answer Betty’s letter later.


My mother is better now. Dave went to the Dr. and got some medicine and pills to take. Answer soon.


I remain,
As ever,
Your Mother.

P.S. I sewed back one of the corners on the handkerchief so that you will be able to see which one is yours as it is very much like the one I sent to Betty.

Bicycles, Bloomers, & TB Tests

Oakland, Nebr.
April 8, 1941

Marie –

I received your letter dated March 24th. Yes I can understand how busy you are. But you choose your-self what you want to do. You don’t ask me if I think you are doing more than you should. I hope you read the letter I sent to Betty because I said in the letter for her to let you see it. Then destroy the letter.

I feel so foolish to address this letter to the Y.W. I hope you don’t get excited and start reading it out load to some-body. I do hope you will consider this too personal for that.

Thank you very much for the dollar. I am glad you are earning money now. If you could send me some money real soon I would surely appreciate it. I need to buy my-self some good stockings and bloomers and a few other things. Please be careful with the money you earn. Don’t buy any-thing more for Martin unless necessary. I hope he takes good care of the bicycle you bought for him and that he don’t let other boys ride it.

How did your T.B. test turn out? I am interested so don’t forget to answer.

I was to a funeral yesterday. I am enclosing the clipping that was in the Tremont morning paper. It was the first time I had been to the Babtist church since Elin was about 5 years old. From this church 4 of my ancestors were buried. This present church was built about 21 years ago and I had never been inside of it untill yesterday. This lady who died was an old maid 75 years of age. I had know her since I was a child. She was quite wealthy no doubt. Her brother they say is the mayor of Tekamah at present time.

The minister was a good speaker and I enjoyed the sermon very much. The minister is from Omaha where he is a bible teacher. He reminds me of the Dr. Lottie had when she had her operation. The minister’s name is Rev. Ralph Nelson in case you have heard of him.

I was looking through my little book and I cam to these few words which I think are good. Quote:

“The only real security that any one can have in this world is a reserve of knowledge with the ability to use them."

Unquote.

Well this is a rainy weather and you should not work to hard. We haven’t had very much sunshine here. I think the dull weather can cause one to be a trifle blue. But perhaps by to-morrow the day will be brighter and so these few words explains my point of view.

Don’t forget it is Elin’s birthday the 25th of April when she will be 30 years old. I intend to send her something.

I am sending Mrs. Bergquist a Easter card. Try and let Martin give Jackie something. Will you?

Please write soon. Also remind Betty to write. I must now close for this time. Read my letters over as you write to me.

I am,
As ever,
Your Mother.

Auto-Correction Has Been Turned Off

I must admit, the letters from my great-great grandmother, Christine Norby, are rather difficult to transcribe. The auto-correct feature of Word, usually so helpful, has met its match! And it thinks its smarter than Christine. Well, I think I managed to keep all of the wonderful immigrant spelling in tact and I love this letter for it.

I just hope you can read it without wishing this blog had a translation feature.

Oakland
Sept. 24, 1941

Dear Marie,

Et is long time since I wrot to you. Hopp jau are vell and like jaur vork – what I ment vith this line is to ask jau girls to be god to jour mother nave when she has after fang suffering fel better try to do vhat she sais – and food that she like.

David is home nave sa it shold be hard for her to stay her – He come home today in the afternoon.

Garfield take him upp from Blair. He is glad to be home after staing et the hospital seven month and agian plice be good to jour mother. I know et is hard some time – but jou knave if she breke down agian it vill be harder to get vell and et sais in the Bible Honor Jour Father and Mother. I She has that much af jou Marie – and I hopp to here the best. Betty is villing to help –

I vill send the card from Elin is sone et coms her greethings to jau all

From Grandma

(Christine Norby)