Albersloh, May 8, 1881

My dear brother-in-law, sister-in-law, and Franz,

We have received your letter of April 18 on May 7 and see from it that Franz is happy and healthy and arrived there all right. We had looked forward to that hour for a long time, waiting for the letter to arrive, until finally our wish was fulfilled.

We don’t have a lot of news to report,– just whatever happened during the last few months, as Franz will have told you everything else. Our wheat crop is good this year, the rye crop is not bad, not as early as it has been during other years. Our horse gave birth to a foal on Wednesday after Easter but it lived only from morning till afternoon. The horse had “white milk” three weeks before the birth, and we just couldn’t imagine how this was possible. We had finished our summer sowing by May 1.

Your brother August [i.e., Franz Horstmann’s brother] was dangerously ill during Easter vacation but has recovered, thank goodness. He will be permitted to make his first confession at age 8. Heinrich Seekamp had to join the army again four weeks ago. Sieburgers have another little daughter. Bernard Ewers has gone bankrupt, sold his house to Karl Holle, his shop is closed. Nothing is left. Heinrich Frank married Anna Kordt and they have moved to [Harfewinkel?].

We are all well. Husams are well again, too.

[This is followed by a list of crop and cattle prices.]

Write to us how Franz has adjusted to the work at your place because over there everything is so different from over here. If it is possible for your family to manage with Franz for some time, why don’t you come over here? We would be so happy to see you.

I will bring this to a close. Many regards from all of us, also from your brother Heinrich, his wife and his whole family. Write soon, because we really enjoy getting a letter from you.

Widow Horstmann