Charlie letters

November 10, 1918

(From Funk, Nebraska)
(To Camp Lewis, Washington)

My Dear Soldier Brother:

Will answer your most welcome letter which I received this Fri eve.  Many thanks for the letter and pictures.  I sure was glad to hear from you.  I would not answered so soon but as I do not know how long you will stay on one place I will answer now so my letter will be sure to reach you.

We are having such nice weather here now.  But a couple of weeks ago we had quite a snow storm.

In Funk school, churches and all places for public gathering have been closed for three weeks on account of the flue*.  It was opened Fri at 12 oclock.  So today we had meeting at church.

Last Thurs in Funk they said the war was ended and the church bells rang almost an hour.  The next morning we found out it was only a false report.

So you think you are going across to help them get the Kaiser.  Sure wish I would have a chance to see you before you go.  But it does not seem to be any so I'll have to be satisfied any way. 

I must close and if you have to go across I wish you a safe journey over there and home again.

With Greetings,
Hilda (Peterson)

*From Wikipedia:  "The 1918 flu pandemic, commonly referred to as the Spanish flu, was a category 5 influenza pandemic between 1918 and 1920 caused by an unusually severe and deadly Influenza A virus of subtype H1N1. By far the most destructive pandemic in history, it killed some 50 million to 100 million people worldwide in just 18 months, dwarfing the bloodshed due to World War I (1914-1918). Many of its victims were healthy young adults, in contrast to most influenza outbreaks which predominantly affect juvenile, elderly, or otherwise weakened patients."

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.

August 22, 1918

(From Funk, Nebraska)
(To Camp Lewis, Washington)

Friend Chas.,

I was sure glad to get your card, I didn't even know you was a soldier untill I read it, but I've thot of you many times and wondered why you never wrote.  I thot you was soldier, I don't know if I ever will be, but things look like I might some day.  I'm going to register next Saturday.  Carl has been in France over one month.  How about Albin where is he?  Now something about whats going on around here.  Things dont grow fast around here now, but the corn sure ripens fast, some fields are ready to cut (illegible?), we drove one(?) trip(?) with the corn(?) finder(?) but we thot it is too green yet.  wheat averages nearly 10 hv(?)  around here, the pastures are quiet dry, the hay short, not much alfalfa this year, and too dry to plow now, we have about 80 acres left.  Willie Nelson you know, Nils Nelson, Millie has already left camp, he wasnt there more than two weeks.  Allin Nelson is there now.  When you answer this tell all about your experience in the army and what kind (illegible?) you have in the D. B. Answer as soon as you can. 

From your friend Emil G.