The Lost Letter - or 'Two Men on the Bummel', Part 3
In October 2022, I wrote two posts based on letters that my grandfather Gustaf wrote to my grandmother Sally from a bicycle trip together with her brother Nils (his friend since childhood).
'Two Men on the Bummel' - Sepia Saturday 643
'On the Bummel', Part 2 - Sepia Saturday 644
At the end of the second letter, Gustaf closed with:
"I can't wait to get to Falköping and receive your letter!"
I thought that letter was missing, though, and had either not arrived yet when Gustaf reached the post office at Falköping, or had just not been saved for posterity. But recently I found it, among some others of later date. Unfortunately, just as Gustaf's letters to Sally from the bicycle trip lack date and year, so does this one from her to him. I can narrow it down to between 1926-29, though. (In 1925, they were still just "friends". They may possibly have become a "couple" in the spring of 1926, but I'm not sure - it may have taken longer. They did not get engaged until the autumn of 1929; and got married in the autumn of 1930.)
Fristad, Sunday a.m.
My dear friend,
I can't start by thanking you for your letter, as I don't know if you sent one or not. Hildur did not find time to go to the post office today.
I'm so wondering how you are – and where! Here, it's raining quite heavily today. I'm thinking it must be difficult for you if it's raining where you are, too. I'm hoping it will change for the better again in the afternoon.
The house feels empty with the two of you away. I hope your journey goes well so that you both get back safe and healthy. I've asked God to protect you, that's all I can do now – as always. Then I'm at peace in spite of all my worries. Now I know you'll find me childish and you may be laughing to yourself at me while reading the letter. But you did once ask me in a letter to pray for you, and even if you may have forgotten about that, I have not, and I'll never stop praying for you as long as I live.
Mum misses you both a lot. She's all right as long as she is working, but as soon as she sits down for a while to rest, she gets anxious and sad. Yesterday evening, she and I had to comfort each other best we could. We were sitting on the sofa in the living room. Hildur and Olle were in the glass veranda as usual. While we were down milking, I was wondering to myself where you might be just then. Now I'm hoping to hear from you tomorrow.
This afternoon I'm going to the party at Mölarp, if it's not raining too much. I'll be going alone today – I mean, not having you accompanying me, as I hope I would have had if you had been home.
Best wishes to both of you from all of us here.
Say hello to Nisse [Nils] for me.
And I'll close this letter with my warmest greetings from me to you.
Yours, Sally
One thing I want to ask of you both: ”Be careful” and do not cycle too fast.
Childhood friends,
and brothers-in-law-to-be:
Gustaf and Nils
Linking to Sepia Saturday 655 - Open Theme
Oh my, that letter was certainly not written and sent from a mere friend! That woman's heart was clearly in her words. It's no wonder Gustaf could hardly wait to get it. :) They obviously considered themselves to be more than friends at that point, else she would have been writing to her brother and asking after Gustaf through him. I'm so glad the 'missing' letter wasn't missing after all. How fortunate!
ReplyDeleteLaN, it's definitely clear also from the letters that Gustaf wrote to Sally from that trip, that "by then" they were definitely more than just friends. I just haven't been able to pin down exactly when "by then" was...
DeleteYes, what has aleady been said. My dad left a photo in his album with the words "Before we were Us." and from then on out he and my mother's photos had that different level of interest. There is such dear caring in your letter, can't wait to hear the other side of the correspondence.
ReplyDeleteBarbara, you'll find "the other side of the correspondence" in those two previous posts linked to above. I.e. Gustaf's letters to Sally, written from that bike tour. (I think you read them back in October when I posted them.) Towards the end of the first one, Gustaf writes: 'Nils is sitting with his watch in his hand, and muttering: ”It's absolutely crazy to write several pages, when you've only been gone for two hours!” ' - To me, that suggests that Gustaf's and Sally's romance was rather new at the time... ;-) (I think the boys were probably only away for three or four days, and the rest of their adventures told orally when they got back home. Their tour goes in sort of a triangle on the map.)
DeleteWas cycling a dangerous activity? I guess cycling in the rain out in the country up and down mountains? At least hills. I hope you can pin down the date. I recently told a friend she should always save the envelope at it always has the date. She had just saved a bunch of letters and tossed the envelopes.
ReplyDeleteKristin, for two young men in their early twenties, a stimulating adventure. For the mother and sister/girlfriend waiting at home (with no way of getting in touch), probably more cause for worry! ;-) Not as much traffic as nowadays but on the other hand roads in worse condition, no phones, and no way to be certain if they'd be able to follow their plan as to where to stay the nights etc.
DeleteI don't think I'll be able to pin down the exact year. G's letters were in an envelope, but that doesn't help when there were stamp collectors in the family... (LOL) (The stamps cut out, leaving no trace of cancellation either.)
What a wonderfully sweet letter to add a coda to Gustaf's and Nil's great adventure! I completely agree with everyone that Sally no longer considered this a "just friends" relationship. Having read your previous stories I had to laugh at her concern for Gustaf's safety. We have to wonder what level of anxiety and worry a trip to America might have produced!
ReplyDeleteMike, I dare not imagine! ;-) ... I get the impression from the letters that Sally probably got much of the "worrying" from her mother and sister. I never met my great-grandmother (she died long before I was born); but I did meet Sally's older sister Hildur in my childhood; and she was a great "worrier" too. (And as I remember them, expressed it a lot more than my grandmother did.)
ReplyDelete