Original text

Frankenthal Feb. 27 / 1877

My own dear Bella,

Yours of the 8th inst came duly to hand & am always in better humor after having read your written thoughts. I know you are with me in mind & trust to God soon in person. I am not pleased to see in your letter you are [? grunting]. Hope it is only because you are used now of me sleeping with you & keep you good & warm. I will not omit to try & make you feel all right again. I have been feeling the way you write 6 months now & will have to content myself a short time yet. You know I teased you some what before I started, of doing so & so but I suppose you are assured I only teased you, but I tell you candidly I would not want again to live any length of time away from you. I do not want to write in every letter to come soon. I suppose you are aware I am as anxious as I can be to press one, two, yes a dozen kisses upon your lips & get some myself. I am waiting however patiently (because I can’t help it) for the good news when you tell me you have engaged passage.

Now my love I would like to read eight pages of you & get such letters every two or three days. I always write more than you do.

Zu viel ist ungesund sagst du l. Schatz, aber ich gehe doch erst um 9 Uhr fort + bleibe 3 Stunden, das ist doch nicht zu viel. Wenn aber du l. Bella einmal hier bist, dann werde ich nicht so lange ausbleiben + das gute warme Bett bälder suchen. Aber jetzt ist es so einsam + kalt. Auch muß ich gewöhnlich revenge geben, da ich bis jetzt meistens gewonnen habe + da würde es nicht gut aussehen wenn fortgehen wollte, beser die zweithe Parthie gespielt ist. Auch schreibe ich jetzt am Dienstag abend, so daß du nicht zu kurz kommen kannst.

If you can’t dispose of the dishes, you might bring the tea set, the others not. We can get new ones for the cost of freight. I suppose all knives & forks & spoons you bring along, such [trinkets?] as you like to have.

Yesterday was a young man Jew from Wisconsin here on a visit. Has been over 15 years & is now looking out for a business in this country. From Chicago a young man came to Mühringen a few days ago, a brother to the Mr. Lowenthal who went out with E. Kaufman.

All complain fearfull I suppose Hayes will get in as President anyhow.

Einstein is a strange fellow. If you can get a lady company would be more usefull to you. He is not much on the water himself & stays in bed when I was up all the time & the cabin for ladies are separated so he would not be of much service. Any lady would be more advantage to you. I will meet you on the steamers arrival & no doubt dear Pa will go with you to the steamer. A young man in Harrisburg Pa Mr Loeb of this place I am told is coming out, but I don't know anything about him.

Sal will get some more money I know for the debts we have out. We got Nates a judgment which will be paid. I think I will write to Nathan before long. You can not wait until Mrs. Erlanger gets ready.

On Pesach Mr. Werth. goes to see his Kale [“bride” in Hebrew], the first days & I will go home the latter days of Pesach. To day Purim we had something extra. [? Kniefler] & [? Wain] [?].

Last Saturday we went to Mannheim to spent the afternoon. You never wrote how you liked the wine. I hope it was all right & in good order. Now my honey I don’t know of anything also to write but many loving kisses from your own devoted husband

Isaac

Much love to Pa, Aunts, Uncle Henry, all the children. Why does none of them write. I would not mind to have Worcester or Websters Dictionary secondhand cheap. May be Emanuel can get one. Tell him to come along. He’s got enough to travel & go with him to Cöln to see his girl.

Transcribed by Renate Evers

English text

Frankenthal Feb. 27 / 1877

My own dear Bella,

Yours of the 8th inst came duly to hand & am always in better humor after having read your written thoughts. I know you are with me in mind & trust to God soon in person. I am not pleased to see in your letter you are [? grunting]. Hope it is only because you are used now of me sleeping with you & keep you good & warm. I will not omit to try & make you feel all right again. I have been feeling the way you write 6 months now & will have to content myself a short time yet. You know I teased you some what before I started, of doing so & so but I suppose you are assured I only teased you, but I tell you candidly I would not want again to live any length of time away from you. I do not want to write in every letter to come soon. I suppose you are aware I am as anxious as I can be to press one, two, yes a dozen kisses upon your lips & get some myself. I am waiting however patiently (because I can’t help it) for the good news when you tell me you have engaged passage.

Now my love I would like to read eight pages of you & get such letters every two or three days. I always write more than you do.

[The following is written in German.]

Dear sweetheart, you say that too much is unhealthy, but I only leave at 9 and return 3 hours later, that is not too much. But when you, dear Bella, will finally be here, then I will not be out that long and search the good, warm bed sooner. But now it is so lonely and cold. I also have to give revenge because I have mostly won until now. It would not look good if I wanted to leave. That is better done after playing the second round. Also, I am going to write on Tuesday evenings so that you can’t become short-changed.

[The remainder of the letter resumes in English.]

If you can’t dispose of the dishes, you might bring the tea set, the others not. We can get new ones for the cost of freight. I suppose all knives & forks & spoons you bring along, such [? trinkets] as you like to have.

Yesterday was a young man Jew from Wisconsin here on a visit. Has been over 15 years & is now looking out for a business in this country. From Chicago a young man came to Mühringen a few days ago, a brother to the Mr. Lowenthal who went out with E. Kaufman.

All complain fearfull I suppose Hayes will get in as President anyhow.

Einstein is a strange fellow. If you can get a lady company would be more usefull to you. He is not much on the water himself & stays in bed when I was up all the time & the cabin for ladies are separated so he would not be of much service. Any lady would be more advantage to you. I will meet you on the steamers arrival & no doubt dear Pa will go with you to the steamer. A young man in Harrisburg Pa Mr Loeb of this place I am told is coming out, but I don't know anything about him.

Sal will get some more money I know for the debts we have out. We got Nates a judgment which will be paid. I think I will write to Nathan before long. You can not wait until Mrs. Erlanger gets ready.

On Pesach Mr. Werth. goes to see his Kale [“bride” in Hebrew], the first days & I will go home the latter days of Pesach. To day Purim we had something extra. [? Kniefler] & [? Wain] [?].

Last Saturday we went to Mannheim to spent the afternoon. You never wrote how you liked the wine. I hope it was all right & in good order. Now my honey I don’t know of anything also to write but many loving kisses from your own devoted husband
Isaac

Much love to Pa, Aunts, Uncle Henry, all the children. Why does none of them write. I would not mind to have Worcester or Websters Dictionary secondhand cheap. May be Emanuel can get one. Tell him to come along. He’s got enough to travel & go with him to Cöln to see his girl.

Translated by Renate Evers