1932-12-7: Christmas Letter to Burdette

Elmshorn, Germany
Panjestrasse 12

December 7/32

Dear Burdette,

I received your letter this morning and I think I'll answer it now so that you will get it for Christmas.  this epistle will be short though because I've got to prepare a speech for meeting tonight.

Yes my pardner and I are getting bigger everyday.  I think that by the time I get home I'll still be able to take you across my knee.  Or are you growing too???  If such is happening we'll pull stakes first to see who is the strongest.  Lately I'm afraid my waist line hasn't been toeing the line.  I have had a cold which has taken me down a bit.  However, I can tip the scales at 169 pounds.  So you have been taking them out in football have you?  Mother tells me that you got kicked in the eye.  "Wie kommt das?"  How did that happen?  Do like I did once.  Wait until next year and give the other guy the same thing.  Or have you already done that?

And you are still clinging to the name Marjorie.  Well, well, well???  Take my advice and try them all out.  Perhaps you have already done that, what?  and I guess you took the "frolic" in.  Big affair, huh??  I presume you showed them all a good time for me.  as you now, I'm not in a very good position to do much for them.  These German frauleins are too big and husky.  I'm afraid to make a tackle at them so in a case like that I'll have to do without for a couple years.

How are you staking up in the store?  by now you ought to be one of the main force in that Crandall institution.  According to the calendar you are probably burning shoe leather trying to take care of that Xmas rush.  Or are you still wearing out your elbows on the counter.  These drug stores in Germany are quite different from ours at home.  A little behind you might say.  All you can buy in them is drugs, medicines, and corn pads.  They don't sell soft drinks, tires, motor boats, etc.

Well, "Det", the main purpose of this letter is to wish you a Merry Christmas.  As you know money doesn't grow on German trees either, I have to treat my pocket book accordingly and send you only a letter.  However, I will send you a souvenir if I ever run across a good one.  There are so many things in that line that are exported to America from here.

Von einem lieber bruder,
Clarence