March 10th 1922.
Mrs.
L.L. Bunnell.
Dear
Mother :- I aimed this letter at you so you would get it April 3rd
1922. I sure wish you many happy returns for the day. I hope you are
perfectly well and will continue so for sometime yet. I was going to
buy you a present and send, but I couldn't find what I wanted. You
can look for it later. I am sending you a birthday card. I guess
you don't understand the reading on it. "It is best wishes for
your birthday." Well Mother, enjoy yourself and don't worry over
me. Does 52 seem any older than 51. The years keep creeping along
with all of us.
I
hate to ask for it, but you will have to send me about $1,000. I have
grown so fat over here, I have to buy all new clothes. I weigh just
exactly---take a guess, 198 lbs. What do you think of that. You
wouldn't know I was the same man. I pulled the scale a little that
time but my true weight is 176 lbs. My clothes sure fit me snug. You
remember how loose my new trousers were around my b-b-be-bel-
stomach. Well now I have to wear my belt so tight I am misery to keep
from bursting the buttons off. My vest and coat is the same way.
With my old suit, my trousers come almost to the top of my socks, and
oh how tight they fit. My face is as round as a pumpkin. I also
have a double chin. And my calves have grown so fast they don't
bellow for more milk. They will soon be ready for market. There is an
inch of fat on my chest. I believe I weigh more than 176. Scales are
very irregular over here. Everybody laughs at me because I am so
sloppy.
Yesterday
I received two letters and the dictionary from home. That dictionary
is much better than I can buy here. I was sure glad to hear from
Irwin, Karl, and Elvin. I will try to answer them now if I can.
Don't worry over those homesick letters if you get them I change back
and forth everyday (but not so bad.). Those two concerts is the only
ones I have been too. I have saw one since. Nobody knows when the
boats leave, just send the letters I do the same. I am sure glad
they take those young fellows to preach. I hope they take Irwin every
Sunday. I am glad to hear of the good luck to Spens, how are they
now. Karl is next; well Karl continue that scout work, by fall I want
you to be a first class scout. Remember that. Be sure and pass
that signaling good, and do it quick. Don't expect the lake to break
up with two feet of ice. Leave the ducks alone. Are all three pigs
alive. Don't get too sassy with Mr. Lows there over in school. Why
why do want to know what I thought when Charley Nelson fell out of
the buggy. I thought that he ought to have better sense than die that
way. Why don't you go tell him not to do that again. Ha ha. I won't
talk Swiss I will talk Duetch. Say Karl, what do you mean by old pigs
has a sore big, and old young sheep is getting sore and old Maude has
lost a front leg. How did Maude loss that leg and where is it. How
much do you weigh. Skinny comes next :-. I am as fat as a pig. I can
talk a little bit but not much. Do you take the bottle instead of
the land. How many did it take to kill Friday's calf. You had better
hurry up and get some eggs. Don't you kick Torcks while I am around.
What is coming winter or Messiah.
I
am in Basel. Pet all the cats good and hard for me, and talk to
them, play them, feed them and all. Sometime I'll help you.
March 11th 1922 1/4
It
was so late last night I had to quit writing and go to bed. Brother
Hirschi won't let me pray in English anymore. I don't know whether
anyone can understand me or not. Bro. Hirschi said he could. I will
now kuss Irwin a little.
Shut
up and quit calling me homesick. I know it without you telling me.
I think just after you wrote that letter to me you had about 18
inches of snow. How about it. Has the spring opened there when you
get this letter. I bet you can't work the ground until the middle of
April. I'll think with you that Lincoln hasn't got any team. I see
they got scooped the last game. How did you come out in your
opposite play. Say don't you quit school. I advise you to stay out
of a couple of weeks and help, but don't quit and lose a years work.
It won't hurt you to step out a few women just so you take the right
kind. Don't be so dead headed as I was. Does Merrill step the same
one all the time or a night Della-Oneda-Uleada. Tell him to begin
thinking about that five pound box of chocolates. Your gab doesn't
bother me. It is all interesting. If you do weigh 170 lbs, I have
you beat now.
Well
I have answered all four letters so now I will try and tell a little
Schweiz news. There isn't much interesting but I can tell a little.
I
understand why the Kaiser said, "Theund Goth." the talk of
God like a child. They have a higher language for themselves.
Say
take lots of pictures around home. Take one of the house, so I can
show these people what a good house looks like. Also send me some of
the Fordson working. They can't understand, a machine working the
ground. I would sure like to have either old pet Friday or hind over
here. You could sell them for a thousand dollars each in no time.
The champion cow of Shweiz gave 53 lbs in one day. I'll bet it don't
test 3%. All the milk is very skim.
That
fast nack or masquarade isn't last over with. There sure was some
hideous looking boobs. If that had been in America it all would have
been over it two hours. Here they use two days. All it was, was
parades of the masked bandits. They throwed out some poems and
stuff, but it all was dialect. I am sending you one. They also had
flowers, oranges, and all to throw at people just for fun. Many spent
so much money for that, they are starving now. They certainly don't
understand how to have a good time. They have no more order to a
parade than a bunch of cattle. I also have a few flowers they threw
out. I don't care to see more of those. There was sure thousands of
thousands of people saw it. I never saw so many people in my life.
This
afternoon I am going out and play football with some mormon boys. It
isn't real football but girls football. They just kick it back and
forth. I sure got terribly insulted last Monday. A women came up to
me and began talking. She thought I was her brother in law. I should
think that I was no Scwizer, i al most booted her.
Well
we are going to have a Elders meeting now so I had better cut off for
a while. Say, I was told Sunday that Olga Wunderley would leave
Provo March 13th. I was going to write to her, but now it is of now
use. If she doesn't go let me know.
Brother
Hirschi is put in conference President of the Basler conference. He
has two other missionaries to take care of . We hope to soon have
more. We are going to do a little traveling in other towns and try
to start another branch.
Well
it is time for me to cut off. I wish Mother many happy returns for
her birthday. May God bless you all, I remain.
With
Love,
LeRoy
P.S.
I can't get a Gillete blade sharpener here for $1.50. I can get the
best of blade razors here for .75 cents shall send you some.
P.P.S.
Say Irwin all of you add up those milk seconds for 1921 and send me
the totals. Also tell me how the cows are doing.
P.P.P.P.S.
(Otee) Is a Schwiz name.
P.P.P.S.
Howis Roy Hodson.
