Milwaukee, Jan 10. 1886

My dear, good Auntie!

Cordial thanks for your dear lines, you cannot imagine how eagerly your letters are awaited and with what beaming face they are given to me by my little wife when I come home. - We are quite sorry to hear that you were ill again, hopefully you are restored to complete health; you should take better care of yourself, after all you now have such great help from your dear children.

I haven't heard from the parents in 3 1/2 months, I have already written 4 letters, and thus await their answer daily. Should there still be none this week, I will have to write again, I then won't know what to think of it, since they are usually so punctual in writing. - I also wrote on your behalf and hope to be able to give you good news then.

At the bottom of this letter, I also convey to you, my dear Auntie, the addresses of the parents, of Emil and the address of the Noack's, since they moved away from Hirtenstrasse (Shepherd's Street), in case you should want to write them yourself; as soon as I have news from the parents, I will let you know my success in this matter.

I am very glad the hectic Christmas time passed, and made room for a more sedate course of business; it is no small feat to work hard from half past six in the morning till two or three o'clock at night, and that for three weeks in a row. I couldn't have stood it any longer. - It is very cold here now, despite much heating, the rooms can not be gotten to warm up, and on top of that the high fuel prices!

Dear Auntie, you could not have caused us greater joy than you did by sending your dear pictures. Please, please send them as soon as possible, you shall not have to wait long for ours either. - But now, dear Auntie, fare well, a thousand greetings and kisses from my Lilly and myself to you, to Uncle, and to your dear children, and write quite soon to your

loving nephew

Eugene Birkholz

1501 Walnut St.
Milwaukee, WI

Addresses:
Mr. Birkholz, Town Clerk, Frankfurt upon Oder, Gubesser St. 11/12
Germany

Mr. Emil Birkholz
Berlin
Strassburger St. 34/35
Germany

Mr. Wilhelm Noack
Berlin
Brunnen St. 8
Germany

Translation by Oiver Wiess.