John Hedtke

Feb. 25-1958 Dear sister Amelia: We were so very sorry to learn from your letter this evening that your beautiful picture was brought to you with the glass all shattered and no back boards on it. August nailed it here on the kitchen floor & how they could tare off the back board is hard to understand. August went right up to our PO & told them but they said there is nothing to be done, aas he forgot to insure it & everything big or small is dumped into gunny sacks to put on the train and as the government doesn't pay the rail road by the pound but by the package only so it gets rough handling, yet why would they pull off the boards, I only hope you can find a good place to have a frome and glass put on, August says not to send me the 2.20 he would not accept it if you sent it, but use it for the expense you are put to. While I think of it please return Hobert'o letter simetime when you write. You ask where our grandfather & g mother Kielbauch are burried. here in our very nicely kept cemetary. He died may 29, 1905 age 79 grandfather was in a room upstair next to the back room. Father had the doctor to see him & mother cooked good things he could eat, and I visited him there, but I was not here when he died. I was living with Louise & Leon on our homestead nese Burke. Grandmother was staying with Uncle John & was not happy as she wanted to see her husband & be with him, so when Karoline Linn came for the funeral she took grandmother with her to bowdle where she was till she died on April 21, 1910 age 86 and was brought to Tyndall for burial. Karoline was good to her in her easy gooing way and she cried bitterly at this funeral. I visited grandmother while she was at Karoline's & did what I could to make her confortable by washing her feet & triming her long toe nails etc and as her eyes were dim I read out of the testoment to her & she repeated the vverses with me as she remembered what she learned in her youth and she told me many happenings in Russia when her boys were young. I only wish we could have made her last years easier for her. Our father died Sept 14, 1908, but they did not tell grandmother as she would take it too hard, but she said to me, he Joseph always used to visit her every summer now he has not been to see her for a long time & she wonders why. It was hard for me but I should have told her that he has gone to heaven & she will be with him soon. That would have been more ???? to her & our father. Amelia I don't have such a good memory but I kept a record of all such family happenings in the Bible. Much love to you & yours Amelia & August