Lachen, January 8, 1866 My Dear Ones!
 We received your letter of December 18 with the greatest joy on January 24 and saw from it that you are well, which hopefully will not have changed in the least. We can also firmly assure you of the same. Additionally, we saw from your letter that the Almighty Father has called the fiancé of dear sister Karolina to Him, which we humans cannot change, however, and must accept the will of the Almighty & think: what God does is well done, and He alone can quickly compensate for everything that we might hope for. And every day we ask the Almighty Father to replace everything again, so that we can again [hole - “say”?] Mazeltov to each other [hole]. Now dear brother do your [hole] [page 2:] And so one [hole] day goes by after another. Hopefully, I will repeat [hole] again, that Rachael has also told you that I am also an American & it is not for nothing that you all can give to me, since I am getting older and bigger every day & do not have much to do & like to work if I only knew at what —. But you shouldn’t think that this is [“chalemass”? = nonsense?], because other people are also complaining about the current German business. And I can firmly assure you that I always have in mind to support our parents as much as is in my power. I don't have much news today and therefore I am ending with the pen, but not in my heart, and I greet you, my dear ones, many hundred thousands of & kiss each other for me, & greet little Heinrich and all uncles, aunts & good friends & so I remain your eternally loving brother until death. Karl Mayer [same handwriting] Your father sends a warm greeting to you all & wishes you all [hole] [...?...] J. M. [Joseph Mayer] [same handwriting] Dear sister [hole] [= ?I hope to be allowed] to congratulate [you] again soon, & from [hole] there is very little news where we are. [hole] ... once again to America [...] once again live [hole].... Karl [page 3 and 4 not yet transcribed]