Leschono Tovo Tuosefú [= L'Shanah Tovah Teshuvah?] Lachen, September 20th, 1866 My dear ones,
 I want to sit down with a joyful heart to tell you we are convinced of our well-being, which as we saw from your letter, dear Heinrich, is not lacking at all where you are, either. Now, my dear ones, how is your business coming along, about which you have told us a lot? Dear Heinrich, as we saw from your letters, in your business you are still where you were before. this made us very happy that you have also been in the same place for so long. Now, dear Emanuel, how is your business in Clinton? Good, I hope. What are your son and dear wife doing? Hopefully he will be getting big soon. Dear Karolina, how did you like this summer in Clinton? I hope that you experienced a great deal of pleasure. My dears, I have been looking forward to a letter from you for a long, in which I found —. [money for fare to US?] Now, my dearest, finally coming to the most important thing. Now that the old year is coming to an end, and the new one is arriving, I can do nothing else but include to you, my dearest ones, my most hearty [page 2:] congratulations and best wishes. May God Almighty record you in the book of life,
so that you can experience lots of joy. And for you, dear Heinrich, may the Almighty bring you much luck/happiness so that you soon get a good business, and for you, dear sister, may the Almighty soon you grant you a dear and good bridegroom so that my wishes are fulfilled as soon as possible. And may the Almighty keep you, Emanual, and your family healthy and bring you much luck/happiness in your business. There is very little news here where we are, except that the war is now over, but my business is going very badly. For which reason I am almost
[of a mind?] to travel to you soon, but one can’t bring in any money from the farmers, with the result that I did some trading this year, but did not earn much. Now I am going to end my letter in the hope that my wishes are fulfilled. I greet you and kiss you all many thousands of times. Kiss each other for me. Greet all friends, uncles, and aunts for me. The one who is hoping this is your brother, as ever. Excuse my bad handwriting. Karl Mayer Good luck in the new year. Have enjoyable holidays.
 [Left margin:] Before I leave I’ll write you again. [page 3:] Much-loved siblings, 
I refer to the letter of our brother Karl in that I can inform you all of my well-being, as well as that of us all. Hopefully this will not be lacking in the least with you, either. Now, my dears, the summer has slipped away. We didn't have much pleasure this summer, though. Hopefully you did have a lot. Now, dear sister, how did you like it in Clinton? Hopefully well. Can chubby [little] Heinrich walk yet? Now, my dears, since there is very little news here, hopefully we will soon hear interesting things from you. So I am coming to the main things. Since the old year has some to an end and the new year has begun, I wish for you that the dear God will keep journeys of years happily and healthily together, so that our dear parents and G. [grandmother] can also experience much joy from you. Now, dear Heinrich, the picture that you sent with Adler, we sent to Aunt in Wallertheim as a present. Hopefully you will send us something similar in your letter. Also, all of you write to her and dear siblings should send their pictures to her. Also I congratulate Uncle Abraham and his family very much and also Aunt Hanne and her family, as well as Aunt Elisa, and see to it that they should be so good and should all send their photographs. Now I am finishing my letter, because it’s Erev Yom Kippur today and I still have a lot to do. Now greet and kiss each other for me and I hope to hear from my dear sister soon that you are a bride by the end of the year. [page 4:] Hopefully, you are all fasting well. The person who writes this is your loving and never-forgotten sister Babetta Mayer [24 lines of Yiddish] Dear children, 
With joy I take up the pen in order to write to you dear children. With great joy the letter from dear Heinrich came to my hand and from it I gather that you are well which makes me very happy that you also could assure that [two ambiguous words] do not [illegible] dear children and that the dear Lord [two illegible words] gives [you] much fortune that I [illegible] experience a lot that I pray for that every day. Dear children that certainly [ambiguous word] in no one [two ambiguous words] that I do not speak of you. I often have the feeling that I could only see you dear children. However it is impossible for I must comfort myself again. It [illegible] your sweet letter which you write, dear children. I assume that right that now the old year is over and the new one approaches, so do I wish that God keeps you all well and gives [you] much fortune that I still experience many joys on your behalf and you [ambiguous word] could give a little [illegible]. Dear children, which [ambiguous word] is that Father cannot do anything [ambiguous word] new [two ambiguous words] a lot. Today it is [illegible] [ambiguous word] now. I greet you all dear child and your [illegible] prompt answer. Whoever writes it is [your] mother. Greet my dear little Heinrich for me and kiss him for me [illegible]. Meir greets all my friends [and] thinks today it is Yom Kippur because it is written in haste. [different handwriting] Our dear father says to greet you warmly and he wishes you Chatima Tova at the new year. Something else to mention: Many greetings to Sara Mayer and all her brothers and sisters, and I wish her a happy new year and also I hope to get her picture. Please do this for me, dear Heinrich. The one who writes this is B. Mayer.