Mary Kauer: Dec. 20, 1924 Rib Lake, Wis.

Dear Friends,
I hope you had a good weekend, mine was drama free. Just trying to get things ready for Christmas. Still lots to do.
Here is the next letter from Mary. Actually it was two letters in one envelope.

The first letter is written in ink and dated Dec. 16, 1924. The second is in pencil, dated Dec 19, 1924.

As always here is what was written.

           Rib Lake, Wis

           Dec. 16, 1924

Dear Howard:-

   Since you say you are

lonesome I'll see what I

can do for you. Here's

hoping it cheers you up

a little. Because I like

to see people happy.

  I got your letter yesterday

and oh, it was a dandy. If

I got one like that every

day I'd never be blue. But

I didn't think I'd get one

from you till today or tomorrow.

  Hilda just came home

now and she said, "Well are

writing to him?" that's the 

time I caught you. I told

her I had a brother to

write to, but I don't know

if she believed it.

  My sister was here

Saturday and she stayed

for the night, so I was

sorry you couldn't come.

I'd like to have you know

her. That was bad luck

for Saturday wasn't it?

The wind was terribly cold.

You might have been

stiff before you got here

and then what? If only

the weather was like the

picture on the card you sent

me. But it won't be for

about 5 months.

  I didn't go home Sunday

It was too cold to suit

me so I just hung around

here all day.

  Say Howard, if you think

you can come this week

come before Saturday, will

you please? Because

our school program is

Sat. and I mite go out.

But I think the weather is

against us, its so cold

again tonite. But if 

you can't come, will

you answer soon? Because

you write such peachy

letters. It tades a

(Swede) to be mushy

doesn't it.

It's getting dark now

so I had better get busy

and go to work.

         love & best wishes

           from Mary

P.S. I won't forget the

   (crazy Swede) for awhile

S.W.A.K.

My letter is all full of

mistakes & ink spots so

you'll have to close one

eye when you read it.

(End of the first letter)

              Rib Lake Wis

               Dec. 19, 1924

Dear Howard:-

    I'm in an awfull

hurry so please excuse

scribbles.

  I got you letter

this noon and of course

the teasing that goes

with it.

  I just wanted to

tell you that I'm going

home Sunday already

instead of Wednesday.

I didn't want you to 

make a trip over

here for nothing.Of

course, the way the weather

is today you couldn't

come anyhow. But

it might by some

miracle, get warmer

again.

  Say, do you know

what Mr. Bonneville said?

He wanted to know if

you were my brother

(not cousin) Must be

that I look like a

Swede after all. Isn't

that a shame? I thot

I was a respectable

German girl.

  Thanks for the

pictures, Howard. I

think I'll show dad

the one of you & your

pets. That's a cute

picture.

  Well as want to 

mail this letter tonite

I'll have to close

now.

          With love from

            your enemy

Wish you a Merry Xmas

and hope Santa is

good to you. He's

generally good to

           Babies.

I"m thinking that she didn't get a chance to mail the first letter and just sent the two together after she got another letter from Grandpa. 

I wish I could have read what he wrote. He must have been some  writer.

She for some reason likes to point out that Grandpa is a Swede and she is a respectable German girl. 

In the second letter she mentioned a Mr. Bonneville. He was the proprietor of The National Hotel that was in Rib lake at the time. I know this because of the return address on the envelope. 

I also think that Mary might have still been in school so, she could have been under 18 years old at the time she started writing and seeing Grandpa.

Anyway here are a few random pictures for you to look at.

This is I think Grandpa with a few of his cats. I wonder if this is the kind of picture Mary was talking about.

Looks like this one was taken after a snow storm. No idea what year it was taken.

I have no idea who they are. I'm sure they are someone that one of my relatives can tell me who they are.It looks like it could be from the 50's or early 60's.

 The next time you here from me will be after Xmas. Here is a Seasons greetings from from Anna Reichert (I think this is the right spelling) from Chicago. I don't know what year it was sent because the post mark and stamp are gone. Collected more then likely by my Uncle Peter.

Well that's all I have for you today. 

I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas and that Santa is very good to you all. 

Your friend,

Sandy