Odense 6 May 1913
Dear Ma,
Many thanks for the birthday card which you sent me. It was right nice and I was very glad for it. I am well and have it right good and hope that these few words may find you all the same. You can imagine I am finding myself right at home here in Fyen. It is right enough “Denmark’s Garden”. Fyen is not so hilly as Jyland.
Me and Bro. Hansen have visited most of our kinfolk and I have so many greetings to you that I do not know if I can remember them all at once. You know that we have visited Uncle Knud. I got the addresses of all my Uncles from him. So we visited Uncle Gjode. He lives in Sϕndersokϕv. He has a little house and farm, 2 horses, 2 pigs, 2 cows, a little flock of hens, one dog and a cat and 3 ½? land; 12 children (6 are living and 6 are dead). I saw none of the children. Their oldest son was recently married and they have a daughter who is engaged. I should say hello to you from him and his wife. She is also a relative of yours. So I visited a widow of Chr. Jensen. Her man was thy cousin. I also send greetings from her. She lives here in Odense and not many steps from us. I gave her some tracts to read, and she liked them quite well, and has prepared to come to meeting on Sunday. Her address is Torsgade 20, Stuen. Odense.
I have also visited your cousin Ernst Almind. He lives here in Odense; his address is Hunderupaej 34, Odense. He is a master carpenter and has a right good business and is one of Denmark’s handsomest men. We had a good time there. He has a right fine and capable wife. Bro. Hansen and I are going down to eat again one of these first days. He brought us coffee, but we said that we didn’t drink coffee and he was surprised and asked us what we did drink. We had some kind of beer to drink. He was not at home when we first came, but he came a little later. He brought us some cigars, but we said “many thanks but we don’t smoke either.”
We visited Uncle Marius. He lives in Bullerup. His wife was going with a train to Odense when we came and Uncle was in the field. She showed us where the field was. We bicycled to where he was and talked with him more than an hour. He was also glad to see me and asked us to come again. I send greetings also from him and his wife.
We visited Uncle Hans. He lives in Gerskov still. He has it right good and has many fine cows and horses and pigs and everything pertaining to a farm. He also has a red-haired wife, a son 18 years old and two girls, 13 and 8 years. He played many beautiful pieces on the violin for us. He also asked us to come again soon. I send greetings so many times from he and the wife.
Then we bicycled from there to ϕrritslev. It was so wonderful to come there and think that here was where little mother played as a young girl and was where pa and ma sported hand in hand – surely not! Ha! Ha!
The first we visited there was Hans Knudsen and Knud Marius. We met Hans Knudsen when we were going to the farm. He was going out to have a look at the poultry, but then said that they could take care of themselves. He took us over to your old home first thing. We were in all the rooms. The stall is made into 2 rooms. The old coal range is still standing there. Many thoughts went through my head while I was there. There are two big plum trees and a large apple tree in the garden. I am sending some flowers. The yellow flower is planted next to the house. The red flowers are from Dines Madsen’s garden. He took us to see all the cows and horses. We had to come in and have something to drink and say hello to Knud Marius and wife. They are fine people. At the same time we met Anders Nielsen and his wife. He is a brother to Knud Marius wife. They were glad to see me. We talked about an hour then Hans Knudsen and Anders Nielsen went with us down to the church garden. There is a nice stone on the grave where Grandfather & Grandmother are lying. I have written down what it says on the stone:
Husmand Rasmus Johanes Christiansen
Born in Daugstrup 15 April 1819
Died in ϕrritslev 26 June 1892
Hustru Mette Sophie Jensdatter
Born in Villinge 22 Dec. 1819
Died in ϕrritslev 8 April 1911
Rest in Peace
There is a nice little hedge around the grave. There is also a rose and a blue flower. I am sending a sample. Hans Knudsen showed us where his wife was buried and many of his relatives. We stayed for supper and had different kinds of meat to eat and old beer to drink so we had a good time. Bro. Hansen was with me. Knud Marius wife said next time we came she would have 2 beds for us. She was afraid that we couldn’t sleep 2 in 1 bed. The next morning for breakfast we had sugar cake and jelly and some bread and chocolate.
Then we visited Anders Nielsen and wife. They are also fine and they told us to come and visit them again next time we come.
Also we visited Dines Madsen and wife. He lives in ϕrritslev and has a blacksmith shop. He has a son somewhere in Ogden. He married a daughter of Knud Marius Handsen. When we came to Dines Madsen’s they had a letter from their son in America. He had had an accident with his eye and had had to have it taken out, but the other one is good. It was great sorrow to them. We ate with them and they asked us to come again.
I send greetings also from a brother to Hans Knudsen. I send greetings from all those about whom I have written and from those who live in the old home.
We also visited Jens Hansen in Villinge fields. We ate supper with him. He is a widower and has a woman to keep house for him. He was very glad to see me and told me to tell you hello.
I will close for this time with loving greetings from thy son,
Erastus
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