Sioux Falls, Sunday A.M. Sept. 8th 1929

Dear Mr. Rølvaag and family,

I assume that you all have now returned to your home in Northfield, so it is not out of the way if I sent some words from us. I have heard exceedingly little from you all this summer, but likewise you have not gotten many letters from here either. Today it is raining incessantly, so I cannot go out, (was in the church last P.M.) and so I said to myself that today you have to write, but then I find a lot that is interesting to read, for example Lutheranen, for this week there is a lot to reach, and then we have just gotten a new book The Norwegian Pioneer’s History in Minnehaha Co. that is very interesting to me, and suddenly it is almost evening, but now some words. 

The aforementioned story has been considered to get out there the past 3 years, and some few had certainly toiled with this task of gathering materials that could be of interest and use for coming relatives, but we do not have many that are skilled at writing, so the book is headed by poor language in many cases, and many printing errors. I did not know that there would be as many as there are.

But enough about that, in some days I will send one to you all so you yourselves can judge its worth. At the back of the book is a whole picture gallery, where Jennie especially will recognize many. The biographies are not so bad, but there are not as many as there should be.

Now a little from home. Tilda traveled to Chicago again on Thursday after having been home around 1 year. Ida has not taken up any steady work yet, so she is mostly at home. Christina manages the house upkeep, and is working on the preservation of fruit for winter use. Of the one apple tree we have here we got a number of apples. It was so loaded with apples that the branches hung all the way down to the lawn. We also got some plums here this year. There are also some plums and grapes on the farm, but of the apples there is not a single one on the farm that can be used because of a kind of rot. 

It was a hasty Wednesday of weather from the strong heat last Sunday and Monday to close to freezing on Wednesday. Since Friday it has rained a lot of the time until now and the cold is remaining so that we must fire up the ovens.

Augustana College began its business last week. John says that he really likes the new President Preus. I was be present at the school’s opening on Thursday and was quite impressed with his leadership and speech.

Here is an affectionate greeting to you all

From Father and Grandfather Berdahl

Now I hope to hear from some of you about how you have been doing throughout the summer, and how soon we can wait for the translated book.