July 11, 1869, Letter from Christian Frautschi to his parents and brothers in Switzerland
University of Wisconsin-Madison. Max Kade Institute. Frautschi
Letters (MKI/Frautschi3/C1869E)
Electronic version: http://frautschi-letters.mki.wisc.edu/let/C1869/Christian1869.html
Madison. July 11, 69.
Dear unforgettable parents and brothers!
You will have waited a long time indeed for a letter from us.
I myself was waiting for a letter from my dear brother in Minnesota,
who delayedso long. Concerning the arrival of the money, you will
have had notice through the Messenger, for your trouble, receive
my filial thanks, and also my most courteous thanks to the guarantors
and to Counsellor G. Zingri[?] for his generous help, although
I am personallylb unknown to him. I actually received 377 gold
dollars. The gentlemen of Bern take very large mouth fulls, where
they can take hold. In fact for their trouble or courtesy in issuing
the draft they took 22 gold dollars or 110 francs. That was indeed
my opinion originally; I shall never again ask for any money from
my homeland by draft [bill of exchange] but rather shall take
the rest by hand. Yet however we may be able to get hold of it,
our allotted portions that will be assigned to us will be notably
reduced before the balance can reach America. At the time that
I changed the gold into paper money, the rate was low; actually
one gold dollar brought 1.30 in paper and the 377 dollars produced
489 in paper; then a few weeks later gold climbed to 1.40, and
if I had been able to make the exchange at that time, I would
have gained 37 paper dollars. If one proceed to deceive himself,
that the paper dollar might gradually appreciate and equal the
gold dollar, yet would our appointed inheritance finally turn
out to be very small; for you shouldnit have any idea that a paper
dollar has as much value as a 5 franc piece; no, if we spend it
at a clothing store or the like, it has here no more purchasing
power than 2 francs have with you.
Brother J. Jacob purchased an entirely uncultivated farm last
winter, and now naturally has too little money to be able to begin
to cultivate it; he wants to find an opportunity to sell it again
and go farther north, where it suits him better to claim a homestead
out of federal lands; this is a very wise and prudent intention
on his part.
Although my head is so full of thoughts, and I would very much
like to write you about many things--about the natural and political
and religious aspects of this country. I want nevertheless to
keep it very short for this time, for I am so entirely along in
my new business, which claims all my thoughts, my strength, my
meager knowledge, and especially my time; also I think if you
examine the Messenger well you will be able to get many things
out of that I otherwise would like to write about to you.
Briefly, I would like you to note that you need not regret that
I have joined the Evangelical Association, for the German Reformed
congregation here in Madison consists for the most part of Freethinkers,
who don't want to know anything about repentence and conversion.
Many a discouraged preacher has already had to leave this congregation
as an unfruitful field of labor Such are the greater part of the
German Reformed congregations in America, and also many of their
pastors are only faint-hearted hirelings who are satisfied with
external forms and dead letters, with the result that most people
who have Christian feelings in them are leaving the lifeless congregations
and are joining the Evangelical Association or the Methodist or
the English churches.
You dear Mother! Let your fears disappear, that we perhaps desecrate
the Sabbath with work; let it serve first of all to reassure you
that the laws of the land forbid unnecessary business on sunday.
Then I go to church twice on Sundays and also Sunday School, where
I also help the little children to draw near to the [eternal truth?]
of the Gospel, to the best of my understanding. Wednesday evening
I go to prayer meeting, where the minister also is present. Concerning
my newly purchased business I cannot yet write much to you, but
shall later inform you about it in detail. Initially I am quite
pleased with it. since taking it over I have already made sales
totaling over 300 dollars; but don't imagine that I am soon going
to become rich or to fling about myself magnificently with gold,
for this is a moderately priced business, which also draws a good
deal of money away from me; but also don't fear that I shall be
unable to make out well with it, for it is, as the landlord said
to you, profitable and safe. I carry on my business with a certain
amount of anxiety (effort?), chiefly because it involves writing
in English; for I have to deal with English Businessmen in other
cities. For example from New York I order metal coffins, lacquer,
varnish, and the like; from Connecticut and Cincinnati silver
and upholstering materials and the like for fitting up the coffins;
from Chicago and Milwaukee walnut and other types of wood. Although
I am still weak at writing English, so far I have had no delays.
But having business letters written by others is not done here;
if one does that, he doesn't look like a businessman, and so I
contrive as best I can. Along with my business I am still doing
other cabinet work. When I must take a body to the burial ground
with the hearse, I hire a man who provides two horses, and to
whom I must pay 5 dollars for each trip. For poor people or children,
naturally one doesn't use the hearse.
In this country business people need a sober mind and a watchful
eye, for one is surrounded by all nationalities and consequently
by swindlers, who know how to conduct them- selves very properly,
and who naturally would be much too proud to break into a house
and steal or the like, but who under the pretense of right know
how to swindle everyone; they even feel very proud of it and glory
in it. One has already wanted to make an attempt on me, too, whom
I however repelled with anger.
In such matters the farmer is the most carefree and fortunate
of men. Two years ago I myself had a view toward going into farming,
but everyone laughed at me. Then I decided to devote the rest
of my days to my profession, although cabinet making work is very
poorly paid here because there are so many factories; indeed I
would have been able to establish myself just as well in Europe;
and carpentry offers employment here only during the summer. But
my present business pays materially better. But it seems to me,
if one has lived for 12 years abroad, as I have, under the authority
of others, it is his duty and mission to become independent; otherwise
we must not be inspired with the feelings of William Tell. Moreover
if you, dear parents, would know the evils of a journeyman's life
and understand it in a proper light, you would thank God that
I am now free for once and not become a thoroughly ruined subject
in body and soul. Disregarding the physical inconveniences of
the journeyman's life, please consider carefully how one runs
into danger of becoming unfected, dissipated, and poisoned through
the leavan of the lewd and godless company of journeymen by whom
one is constantly surrounded, by day and by night, working, eating,
and sleeping. I feel thank- ful to God that he has kept me until
now in a state of grace. Now you dear parents and brothers, I
can say to you that even though earthly good fortune was not weighed
for me here in America, I nevertheless feel very thankful to God
for the blessings which he has communicated to my soul. Although
when I left Europe I didn't rightly know what I was doing, and
my spirit and mind were wrapped in darkness, it is now my unshakable
belief that I am here through God's wise decree, and I can say
that the Lord has one everything well. Consequently with me as
with other Europeans, once one is acclimatized here, one is not
lightly moved to return to the old country, as we call it here.
However, Switzerland and especially my own native place--my father's
house--remain unforgettable; and I cannot deny that in spirit
I sometimes wish myself over with you, in order to be able to
exchange my feelings (thoughts) with yours; especially when occaisionally
I sit fatiqued in the evening twilight at the window of my little
room, my eyes turn toward Europe and my spirit
[The rest of the letter is missing]