Lachen, December 17, 1855

Dear Son Mayer

We received your letter from Orleans on November 18th and see from it that God Almighty has led you healthily and fortunately to Orleans and that you had a good voyage, praise the Lord, and you were not sick, thank God, which was always what we wanted. Since we have prayed for you day after day and God Almighty has heard us. And since we see in your letter how you arrived in Orleans, [and] that God Almighty led you immediately to such good people [who] embraced you immediately and immediately gave you such a big present: You can see: When distress is greatest, then God is nearest. This gave us very great joy: that you now immediately have money again, because your travel money was so little. How you also sent us an American [illegible] from your present [illegible] we should enjoy looking at it [illegible]. We’re doing that, too, which God Almighty knows. I have to write you that this letter that you wrote from Baisara [Bayou Sara] on November 6th was received by us on December 14th and from it we saw that you found your uncles and aunts so healthy and [that they?] were so happy that and immediately bought you a horse and gave you goods, so that you should immediately head into the country, and that that will have seemed funny to you because you were still such a stranger, but I believe that would happen to anyone. But you have your dear uncles, where you now have great support, in that they immediately helped you, so that you might amount to something. Dear child! I believe that this first time heading into the countryside was not pleasant for you. But [as the saying goes] all beginnings are hard. But you know
that you would also have to slave away at home, though [illegible]

[page 2]

[illegible] hard to you. God will help and when you write again, write how you like the climate and how things went for you on your trip.

Dear Child. One is not rich immediately. Even if you cannot send anything at the moment, after all we do not know [many] times that we are working day after day if you can only provide for yourself. If you see that you would not like to travel long distances, [then] stay for a while in the area where your people are. You will still earn as much as you need for yourself once people know you a little. You know that your father is still working, that he always sees that he also earning something. He sends the meat to Kirrweiler and Maikammer, as you do as well. Now I have to write to you about Germany. Business is coming along as ever. Every week, we and Mayer slaughter 2 pieces, and a pound of meat [illegible].
We just slaughter[ed] a [illegible] that cost 50 fl [florin] and [illegible]  quarter weighs 70 pounds; a pound of skin costs 2 [or 12?] Fr. A pound of [illegible] costs 16 Fr. Today we just slaughtered a cow of Friedrich [illegible] that cost 20 [?] standard [/?] thalers for almost [several words, illegible] 90 Fr. that cost for a quarter. Today, I have the [illegible] to Wolf from Maikammer. We sold that for 8 Fr. Now I have to tell you that Mother and Heinrich are staying in Münster [probably Klingenmünster] with Grandmother, that Grandmother is now very happy and she is still very healthy and can walk as well as she did 10 years ago.

Now I have to tell you how the fruits are with us. A hundred pounds of grain cost 8 thaler. Spelt costs 7 thaler. Barley 6 thaler, 30-40 cents. A [illegible] of potatoes costs 36 cents. The tobacco business is bad this year. we still have ours. I remain your father forever.

Many thousands of greetings [illegible] Mayer.

[page 2, left margin:]

Dear Brother Mayer. I greet you many thousands of times and wish that the letter gets to you [in the same shape?] it left us. H. Mayer in Lachen

[page 3:]

Dear Brothers,

I was very happy that you all received my son so generously and have folded your [illegible] and have immediately done so much good for him and taken him into your protection. May God Almighty keep him healthy, so that he comes to something. Hello to my brother Aberle [= nickname for Abraham?] and his wife and children, and to my brother Gersre and his wife. Hello to my sister Hanne and husband [and] children.

[page 3, second author:]

Dear Brother Meyer, I greet you many thousands of times and remain your eternally loving brother, Karl Meyer.

[page 3, third author:]

Dear Brother, I greet you many thousands of times. Everyone sends a little greeting and if I bring meat, when will the [?] bring meat again? I remain you eternal sister. Karolina Mayer

[page 4:]

[page 4, fourth author:]

[several words, illegible] I must [several words, illegible] we received a letter from [illegible], whether we had got your letter. So we already asked for a letter from you, but now have written [illegible] and [illegible] them your trip. They greet you many times, your uncle and aunt. Now dear son I greet you many thousands of times and in the letter there is a kiss from my lips and I remain your dear mother for ever and believe only that. Neither a minute nor a day elapses. Regina Meyer and [illegible] give brother-in-law [illegible] and his wife and children, and my brother-in-law and his wife thanks for what they are doing for you and [then] see that [you] are [a] friend. [?] Renia [/?] Meyer and to do more will [illegible]

[page 4, fifth author:]

Dear Brother Mayer,

Now I’m curious to know whether you still have your [illegible], which I gave you as a present. Hello to my dear brothers Mayer.

Babette Mayer.

We are awaiting an answer from you soon.

[page 4, sixth author:]

Dear Brother,
Now I am writing you something else. Comment whether you gave Mayer his [“Lordret”? = ? ] in Orleans, because you haven’t written anything about that. Did you take your luggage with your clothes to Baisara [= Bayou Sara] or not? And whether you have needed all your food or whether you could have brought some more.

Heinrich Mayer

Hello from your friend August Mayer