LETTER FROM GRETA TO HER COUSIN SIGNE RYDSJÖ (1915)
Chicago, March 19, 1915
Dear “little mother”
From Lydia I heard about the happy event. From my heart I wish you all the luck and happiness for you, dear Signe. It is the greatest blessing to be a mother and hold your little tiny one by your bosom. And you, Signe, who have two little sweeties. I got a little jealous you know! Mom wrote and told me that your little ones were so sweet. The girl with dimples in her cheeks, Lennart and Mai were so sweet names. I couldn’t give Bob a genuinely Swedish name, the stupid Americans cannot pronounce it […]
I breastfeed him myself and give him the juice from orange and apple. He is now 6 ½ moths old. Chris is delighted by him and Kitta [Kerstin] adores him and spoils him. He lays down on the balcony all day and breathes in the lovely spring air. […] Enough spoken about my little boy. Dearest Signe, thank you for your sweet letter this winter. I hurt me so much to hear that your delivery was so difficult. […]
My dear, I would like to go home and visit you all. In all the noice and all the crowd business of the world I feel so lonely sometimes and miss my old friends. The new friends never become very close and the American woman is so superficial and selfish. If the war hadn’t been still going on I could have travelled home for the summer and met you all, but now I have to wait until next year. I guess Daniel is delighted by his family! […]
We had much to do the last week and now the spring cleaning is over and all is fine and there is no dust. Kerstin gives me an awful lot of help right now, which is very good. I was ill for a whole month and she took care of all the house and Bob too very well; she also cooked for Chris. – She will be a student at the hospital in May and she is so happy for really having something to do. She doesn’t have to pay anything, but she gets money which will help her for paying for the uniform.
Aunt Kerstin with little Bob
Write something to me soon dear Signe! Chris is still the sweetest man, we are so happy together and he adores Bob. Give Daniel my greetings, Aunt Lisa and Uncle John and kiss the twins on my behalf. Give me a formula for twins. I must have two next time!
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woman is so superficial and selfish. If the war hadn’t been still going on I could have travelled home for the summer and met you all, but now I have to wait until next year. I guess Daniel is delighted by his family! […]
