1932-09-26: Ich mörchte ein Geburtstag gift?

Elmshorn, Germany
Panjestrasse 12

September 26/32

Dear Mother and Dad,

"Ich mörchte ein Geburtstag gift".  In other words, where is my Birthday present?  Believe it or not but I am "ein und zwansig yahr alt heute".  Getting right along in my years, am I not?  I think my "mit" must have told the house "Frau" because I woke up this morning to see a big cake and twenty one candles on the breakfast table.  She also gave me a little book of remembrances.  So to say the least, I had a successful birthday.  But the funny part of the occasion was, while visiting one of the saints this afternoon I and my "Mit" were presented with another cake.  And when my companion told her that today was my "Geburtstag" she went into smiles from head to foot.  She was quite an old lady too, who has to scrape for her living.  But we dare not refuse a thing the saints give us for fear of hurting their feelings.  As Christ says, "This poor widow hath cast more in, than all they who have cast into the treasury.  For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living." 

I received my money last Friday.  And while in Hamburg, I bought me a rain coat.  It is getting so a fellow dare not get outside without one.  We have had rain every day for two weeks.  Whenever I get a new crease in my pants, it doesn't last thirty minutes.  I don't know how my Arizona blood is going to fit in with these winters here.  It isn't very cold yet but it has such an early start to what I have been used to that I expect the worst.  However, there is one thing about it, I'll never freeze to death in bed.  These "feather ticks" certainly make sleeping a pleasure.  And then again, I"ll be able to hold my own because I am carrying plenty of fat around.  This German "speise" (food) surely agrees with a fellow.

Everything is coming along fine.  Day by day in every way, I learn a little more.  Night before last, we held a little social with our saints.  My  "mit" and I were going to furnish half the program and the saints the other half, but as things turned out, I furnished it all.  When we came together and started compiling programs no one had anything but me.  So I gave my little debut and then sat down and wrote off some games while my "mit" executed them.  The party turned out pretty successful for we gave them more fun in two hours and a half than they had had all their life. 

I met Brother Post, from Tucson, while in Hamburg Friday.  He is on his way home, having been over here thirty months and receiving his release a couple weeks ago.  I told him to drop in and see you if he ever got around Safford.  I met his Dad while in Tucson, last year.

It is time to wind up the cat and put out the clock so "ich gebe in mein bet".  Lots of love and my the Lord Bless you.

Clarence.

(Handwritten in the side margin:  "I've never heard from them.")