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Onboard S S Saxonia Dear Husband: I will try to write a page every day, if I can. We left port yesterday right on time and were served lunch after we got settled in our staterooms. The have very good food and this morning at breakfast we had coffee, fresh rolls, butter, jelly, oatmeal, eggs, bacon. It tasted fine. It is so cold we are wearing our winter clothes and we cannot go out on deck. Everything is very comfortable on this ship with a large salon especially for the Swedish passengers to gather in to converse and write letters and do as they wish. The trip has gone better than we expected. I received Clarence's letter the evening before we left Norwood and was so glad to hear from him. But that Sophie could take it on herself to write such a shameful letter to me ... that astonished me. But I am very used to being scolded wherever I happen to be. I would not have sent such a dirty letter to her even if she had been my worst enemy. I cannot understand why she did this unless she was put up to it. Page 2 - Saturday afternoon (May 18) Have not written for a couple days. We have had. bad weather today with rain and gales but this afternoon were able to go on deck. We have had one warm day but otherwise it has been very cold. Yesterday I stayed in bed but today I am fine again. I was troubled with a cough while I was in Norwood and wondered how it would turn out when I went onboard ship but it seems I am getting rid of it because today I have not coughed at all. Irene is so well and has not been unhappy so far. Last evening when I was sick she asked if we had much further to go, so I gave her permission to lie down with me in my bunk with me. Otherwise we have separate bunks but share a stateroom with a pastor's wife from Michigan who also has a little girl. She and Irene are good friends. In the dining room where we have our meals, there are 16 at each table and 8 tables all together. There are mostly Swedes with a few Danes and Norwegians so Swedish is spoken everywhere we go. Even the waiters speak Swedish also. This ship is not making much speed and we may not reach Queenstown before Tuesday evening. Tuesday afternoon Page 3 We have not as yet sighted land but everything has gone well so far. We are well and my cough has finally left me. Irene is well and happy with her playmate. On Sunday morning we attended English services. Pastor Erickson preached in the afternoon: He speaks nearly every day. The meeting salon is very large but there is not room for everyone. On Sunday evening we heard a speaker sent out by the Swedish Government to look after the emmigrants in America and tell them they can live better in Sweden. It seems he cannot get his wish to get them to stay in Sweden. On Sunday, which was Pinkst, a church holiday, we had turkey and cranberry sauce and many other good things to eat. Also icecream. We have very good food every day on the ship and no danger of going hungry. I wonder how things are going for you at home. Hope you are well and getting along fine. How is Clarence doing with the baby chicks? No doubt there are not many still alive. I hope he has written and that I will hear from him when I get to Sweden. My thoughts are always with you...How things are going for you and I am not the only one. Here are so many women with little children, some are under a year old. Your Minnie
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