Charlie letters

January 12, 1914

(From Funk, Nebraska)
(To Richvale, California)

Dear friend Charlie,

Now I have been thinking about writing you a letter so long, so I'll have to do that tonight.  Thanks for the letter and card.  It certainly was fun to hear that you are getting settled down and start to like it better now.  I hear you have all work you want out there, I dont suppose you ever have time to hunt.  Elmer and I hardly have time to hunt neither but ever once in a while we take time.  When Joe Lind came from Wahoo after Xmas, Dave came along out, They are hatching(?). Colhouse(?) and his family went to Wahoo the day before Joe and Dave came.  Dave hunts jack rabbits nearly every day.  There is lots of work with the cattle this winter, hawking fad(?) every day. 

Ludwig Bengtson told me, you wrote to him and said you, had been along in a wreck where 9 persons were killed, Is that so, next time you write tell me a little about it. 

We had a kind of party here one evening, about 30 persons were here, but we did not have very much fun because it was to many people to play any games.  We have been away on parties too, to Gust Petersons, there we had a fine time, after all the fun we took pictures, but I havent saw any yet.  Do you ever go on parties out there or dont they have any girls out there so you can have any fun.  I hope you can have fun out there once in a while, otherwise I cant see how you can like it. 

Next Friday evening we will have Luther League when they will elect new oficers, then is when you aucht to be here and get a nice job.  Do you ever see any coyote out there.  We see one once in a while out here.  I hope there will be a wolf hunt out here soon so I can get one.  Louis Hansen will have his sale Jan 28.  Mother is busy now, she is going to make carpets for Julius.  She's all afternoon to rig her fixen(?) up.  Elmer said I should write that he's going to Albin's letter soon.  The children spoke better this year than ever before in Xmas program.  still they hadent practised once.  Was you at any Xmas tree(?) last Xmas? Did you go waiting any time?  We were away nearly every day one week, but that soon stopped.  We had some fine slaying (sleighing?) during Xmas but the snow is soon off now.  Joe and I fell down in the mud, with the motorcycle and bent one pedal about straight up.  but the engine worked just as good for that.  I'm short on news now so I suppose I'll have to quit.  Duzenia says I should greet you, from her. 

From your friend
Emil Gustafson

Write Soon.

November 1, 1914

(From Funk, Nebraska)
(To Richvale, California)

I must now ans your card I recd some time ago I am busy husking corn &(?) I tell you it surly is as it all lays on the ground I am all alone home this winter so Ill have plenty to do well I suppose next year you will be going to the exposition or how?  Ive been thinking about going there if I can get somebody to go with but I dont know yet if I will or not.  Well every thing out here is dry as usal nothing doing at all well as there is a limit to my wind I must quit.

Write soon
Your friend
Ernest S.

[I remember how those old "I've fallen and I can't get up" Life Alert commercials used to crack me up because of this card.  I wonder if the Life Alert ad people had this card too?  -Karla]

More information:  hobble skirts

March 1, 1914

(From Funk, Nebraska)
(To Richvale, California)

Dear Friend Charlie,

I think it is about time for me to answer your letter.  We have had fine weather now for a few days but last sunday we had fearce weather, Still I didn't need to suffer much, when I didn't need to do more than shorse(?).  It was worse for those who had to go on your Grandmaws funeral.  Father helped to carry so he and Julius went along to Funk, Elmer, Mother, and Duzenia(?) were over to Wallen's only.  I stayed home by the stove.  Muddy roads east and west but north & south they are fairly well, all snow just kept sliding over them, it blew so hard it couldn't stop.  but it stopped in the stubble fields by all those Russians thats better.  Some water in the ponds, but the ducks havent come yet so that does any good.  Well nearly all to church this morn.  Elmer & Grandmaw were home.  Elmer has a pretty bad cold at present.  This afternoon I have stamped 30 of Juliuses wedding invatations.  that's all he had home so couldnt stamp more.  He's going to be married next week on thursday, 12 oclock March 12th.  So you see pretty soon it will be only Elmer and I to do the work.  Next Spring, during summer I suppose Carl will be home to help.  Bussy every day, very few days we are busy doing nothing.  The wolf hunt held in the hills ended up with seven wolves, but I didnt get any, The man who made up the wolf hunt, layed in dry creek which went thro the pasture where the rounded up.  (??) shot wolves with a big rifle, he said then he shot three but now they claim he shot six.  We had with wind so we had the poorest chance.  was over to your old place and got that kane(?) stack the other day was just two big loads.  The only implements over there now are the disk and the plow.  How do you like plowing in Cal. or havent you got started to plow, before the last rain.  Have you had any storms where you live this winter, See in papers they had som had storms in Los Angeles and around there but probably not as far north as you any time.  You dont want to box and wrestle too much out there.  I believe when you weighed last you had money in your pocket you know all those silver dollars weigh quiet a bit.  But I beat you in that.  Have to quit now and eat supper.  From your friend Emil.

Now it is monday morning.  Duzenia(?) and I rode with J.E. Lind(?) up to church, was quiet cold last night, blew from the south.  Last saturday the people northeast, out around Nelson's, should surprise Nels Nelson's.  Clause(?) had bidden them to come over to his place for supper, and the surprise should be in the evening, but, Nelson said they knew of it, Clause knew nothing of the surprise when he bid them com over.  One of Nelsons boys stayed home because they that shore(?) they would come.  They are packing their cars today will leave tomorrow or wednesday.

Write soon about everything.
Emil

"A view of Seattle by night is wonderfully grand" ca. 1914

More information:  Smith Tower, Seattle, Washington

"Visit the 42-story L. C. Smith Building: get a view from the highest building in the world outside of New York.  Take a look at Seattle, the "New York of the Pacific."  See her famous Harbors, Mountains, Lakes and Evergreen Hills.  The Building cost $1,500,000; 600 Rooms contains 2,330 Windows, 1,422 Doors, are solid steel, all Sashes and Frames are solid bronze; rooms finished to resemble mahogany, Fireproof structure, weighs 32,650 tons, rests upon 1,276 concrete piles driven 50 feet into earth 2 stories under ground; 4,732 tons of door and window frames, are steel.  Exterior of structure of white glazed terra cotta blocks, in steel, 47,800 barrels of cement and concrete.  In the interior halls are matched Alaska White marble veined; 67,736 square feet of plate glass; 8 speed elevators; main lobby walls and ceiling richly embellished in Onyx; 500 feet above the sidewalk an electric lighted glass globe, 8 ft. cir., shines a mariner's beacon.  In the Observation Tower is the Chinese room, cost $30,000 to embellish the walls and ceilings of hand-carved teak wood inset with 585 semi-porcelain discs, representing historic tablets from renowned Chinese Temples.  Also 40 bronze lanterns, etc.  A view of Seattle by night is wonderfully grand.  From J.E. Standley, Prop.

"Ye Olde Curiosity Shop, on Colman Dock front,  foot of Marion St.  Most Unique Shop in the World.  Everybody Welcome."

August 25, 1914

(From Funk, Nebraska)
(To Richvale, California)

Dear friend,

I have many times thought about writing to you, but you'll have to excuse me for waiting so long.  I should of wrote some Sunday, but some Sundays we aint home, and some someone else is here so I never got a chance to write, but I'll try to write you one to night.  Maby you have heard from some other friend out here, the corn dried up again, altho I think most of the farmers will get enough for seed.  Carl Larson and Gust(?) Peterson have extra good corn for this year, I think sure it will make 25 bls(?) but the wheat turns out around here 20 to 17 bls(?), and around Sacrament(?) and south of Funk it goes some better than 30; they had more rain there this spring.  The thresher are at Herman's now, but they had an expert out to fix the seperator so it should thresh out better.  but he must of told them to not thresh for a while because they didn't thresh this P.M. after Herman is done they should go to Clauses, then here, but it is L.L.(?) convention in Holdredge so Bengton, Lewis, and Markwood shoud thresh some then.  We have had three small rains lately, so people are busy plowing and disking, some are done plowing.

Luzenia(?) is out in Iowa now visiting Uncle Lunds, she will come home next Saturday.  I suppose you have heard that this family has gotten one notch smaller, July 23, Anna died, and was burried July 25.  just one month ago.  It sure is hard to loose a sister, but we can't help it.  Martin was home one week, also Oscar, Next Monday Carl is going back to school at Wahoo again, and one week or so after that Oscar will come home and stay a few weeks, till his school starts again.  Two years more if everything goes right there will be another preacher in this family, I think.  How is everything out there now days.  Do you get enough water to flood the rice good.  I suppose it has quit raining out there now till winter, Carl is away every other night, practicing singing and such things for the Luther League Convention.  There will be dandy programs they say.  We intend to put in 240 acres of wheat this fall.  Was at a party to Wallins some time ago had a fairly good time, there was about 30 or 35 young folks there.  Mulligan(?) is going to farm the pla land Herman had.  I don't know where Herman will be next year, but he is goint to have 80 acres of wheat out on Hollands.  My news are coming to an end so I suppose I'll have to quit.  We are all well as usual.  Hope you will write sooner than I did and let me know about everything.

Your friend,
Emil G. [Gustafson]

April 26, 1914

(From Funk, Nebraska)
(To Richvale, California)

Dear friend Charlie,

Now it is time for me to answer your letter.  Its fun to hear from you once in a while.  Thanks for your letter.  Does it still rain out there, it rains here today.  When we got out of church today it had rained and was still raining a little.  But it didnt rain much when we were on the way home, had a few small showers this afternoon, and the wind is from east and cloudy almost all around so we may get some rain tonight.  The wheat looks fine, we still pasture it, but if it rains so the ground gets soft, we wont pasture it any more.  Intend to chase the calves out in the hills some time this week.  Some pastures are just covered with white and blue daisys.  I suppose you are done plowing out there now.  We plowed around 15 acres, got about 55 left.  but we are done disking.  Expect to have one colt around the 3oth.  Herman has 2 colts now the kaiser and one other one, both pretty.  The boys from Lincoln came home yesterday.  Tomorrow Lawrence, V(?), George Swanson, Arnid(?) Hedstrom, and Phillip Anderson will go to Lincoln and practice up for War with the Mexicans.  They belonged to Military drill in Holdredge so the had to go, but it will take a long time before they get to Mexico, maby never, but they have to be prepared.  They order 128 men out of this County, had 75 yesterday so they may not get all.

Joe has one week left of school, then pretty quick I suppose he will start out for Wahoo, on his motor.  On four weeks more I suppose Carl will be home.  He will graduate from vocal(?) this spring.  He has been promised to play the pipe organ, this summer when Rev. Berg's will go to Mass., and visit.  Oscar is going to Swedeburg Nebr. this summer.  You ought to been out here the last weeks and seen it blow.  A person had about all he could do to hang on to the world.  I wish I could go to the World's Fair next year but I'm afraid I couldn't get enough money so,  I'd have to bum my way out and back, too.   My news are all gone now so I'll have to quit for this time. 

From your Friend,
Emil Gustafson
Funk Nebr.

P.S. Duzerig(?) told me to greet you.

June 14, 1914

(From Funk, Nebraska)
(To Richvale, California)

Dear friend Chas.,

I feel a little like writing a letter this afternoon so I'll try to write you a few lines.  We had one inch rain this Friday night.  This rain came in time to help the oats along.  The leaves, a few of them started to get red but now the oats is looking quiet and well except most of it is quite short. The wheat is getting filled in fine, Everybody expects to cut their wheat with a binder so that isn't very short.  The corn certainly grows now days.  Some corn is a little weedy otherwise it's fine.  I suppose you have heard that Anna is sick in Thyphoid fever.  She has been sick for 5 weeks and you can't say any better yet.  Maude Eckloff has been here nursing all the time.  Otherwise we are all well.  Carl is home now.  He is organist this summer while Bergs are out in the eastern states.  So you have already bought some more land, I'm afraid you are getting rich to fast.  Last Thursday they had 4 inches of rain, and some hail north of the River, in Kearney and Grand Island, so it nokked down their wheat.  Herman has been here now, we went out eating some cherries, and it rained a little so we nearly got wet but it has quit now.  He's in a hurry because you know it's Sunday night, so he has to go see his girl a while.  You aint as bad as that yet are you?  Elmer says I should tell you to tell Albin to write to him once in a while.   I have to hurry because it's soon time to go to church, or rather to  choir(?).  Next Thursday we are going to have our picnic, then is when you ought to be here.  Methodists had theirs Friday.  The Stars played Keene(?), Stars Beat something like 14 to 8.   The Stars win nearly every game they play this year.  I will come out there to the World's Fair if I get rich enough by that time, but I doubt that tho.  I'm afraid I would have to walk out and without eating also.  Oscar Morteson(?) has bought and old threshing outfit, so he intends to make enough money to get married next year.  Both Maude and Dazarig(?) tells me to greet you.  That's all I have time for so will have to quit.

Your friend,
Emil Gustafson

Write soon.