Lach[e]n, February 17, 1856 Dear Son Maier, Your letter that you wrote on January 11, 1856 arrived here on February 14th and from it we see that you are healthy, thank God. That made us very happy. At noon on Wednesday when we saw your letter, we were all so full of joy that we didn’t want to eat anything more. You write that you have hardly received any answer to your letters [that] you have written to us. We have received all of your letters, and found the dollar inside your letter that you wrote from Orleans. You can imagine [hole in paper] great joy when we saw that you sent an American dollar in your first letter. The second letter, which you wrote on November 6 in Baisara [Bayou Sara] at your Uncle A. Levey’s home, we received on December 14 and immediately sent off a letter, so that you would be sure to receive an answer soon, dear Child, so that you would not live in any [?uncertainty?]. I think you will have received the letter. You can’t conceive the joy we had, when you already sold so many goods on your first trip and got such a large sum of money. It is good fortune when one comes to such a strange new land and can immediately fit in with humanity – for that one can thank God Almighty. Now we are also very curious about what articles of goods your business consists of. When you write again, write about that. If [or when] you are used to it, also the business. You will certainly be happy to do that. Dear Maier, just follow your dear uncles. You will also see for yourself that everything they advise you is for a good purpose, and [that they] do everything for your benefit [so] that you will certainly amount to something and can be a little helpful to us -- which are also in your thoughts if God Almighty keeps you healthy and brings you luck. You write that you want to send us 50 dollars by Easter. If you can already do that, then it would certainly make us happy. The fact that your dear uncles put you in a business so that you can earn something. Dear brothers, I thank you all for everything you are doing for my child now and in the future. Dear Maier, you write that your uncle D. Levey has said to you that your Karolina wants to come. If she should write you, for now that cannot yet be. You yourself will know that the others are all still little and one cannot demand anything of them because they are still going to school. [page 2:] And the American dollar that you put in the letter, we added to it and bought your sister Karolina a pretty dress, so that she already has a present from her brother, [and] so that she will certainly be happy when she looks at it because it is from her dear brother. You write that your uncle A. L. [Abraham Levy?] is asking his wife for prunes. I would be happy to do that. I would rather send them to her than eat them myself. But for now it is impossible because for that, one has to have a procurement opportunity. For now I don’t know of any opportunity at all ([anyone] who is heading to Orleans). For now, I don’t know of any more news to write. I greet you and my brothers and sisters and sisters-in-law many thousands of times. I hope that the letter finds them as healthy as us when it left us. Joseph Mayer [different handwriting] Dear Brother Maier, I have to let you know that I now have to provide Kirrweiler and South Maikammer [= communities near Lachen] with meat. You will know what a pleasure that is. I greet you and remain your brother. H. Mayer. [different handwriting] Dear Brother, it makes me very happy that you are thinking of me so that you already sent me a present. I greet you many times and remain your faithful sister and am hoping for an answer soon. Karolina Mayer [7 lines in Yiddish] Dear son Meir, It gives me joy that from time to time you write to us, and see then that the Almighty God until now hears and will continue to hear me and keep you healthy and give you a bit of fortune ... that I can be cheered by your letters when I can see that God be thanked you are healthy and God should only keep you continually healthy ... I [receive] more letters from your hand. Greetings to you a thousand times dear son Meir and your dear uncles and aunts and my dear brother-in-law and sister-in-law [different handwriting] Dear Brother Mayer, I was happy to hear that you have such good fortune. I greet you many thousands of times, and my dear uncles and aunts. Babette Mayer [different handwriting in right margin] Dear Brother Mayer, I am happy that you sent me a special greeting. I greet you many thousands of times, and also my uncles and aunts. Karl Mayer [page 3:] To Mr. [hole] I humbly ask, in the well-known manner, for you to get this letter for me to my brothers-in-law [Schimer??] in Orleans. If you can deliver the letter yourself, then the [people?] may have the goodness to send this letter for... to ...rten. I [illegible because of fold in the paper] A. Mayer [page 4:] [stamp:] HASSLOCH [= town NE of Lachen] [hole in paper] Abraham Levy [stamp:] .....ACH 2 SA . 7M Baisera [Bayou Sara] State of Louisiana, America Pruhsien Close to Maile