Sunday, 1910-08-21. From Elizabeth Stuit to H. Beekhuis.

Woldendorp, August 21, 1910.

Beloved family,

You have probably already been waiting for a letter again, but as Father’s illness remains about the same, I don’t write quite as often. About 10 days ago we had a letter from the boys [in South Dakota], they also were all in good health, but it was much too dry in America.

They don’t have any garden vegetables this year, no potatoes, nothing. That does not look very good. Our beans are ready. I already have about 6 rows of yellow beans. We only ate them once so far. Tomorrow, I have to pick yellow ones again. The boys go to work all day. Redmer is ploughing already. Burema wants to teach him. If the weather stays nice, it will only be a short time, and all the fields will be clean again. Father himself says that he is getting better, but I can’t see it and the doctor doesn’t either. Father coughs a lot these days, but his swollen leg is a lot thinner. This afternoon the doctor was here again. Father would like it very much, if you could come again, but you are probably also very busy these days. The children have two weeks holidays, which is very helpful for me because I can hardly go and work in the garden with Father having such trouble with diarrhoea. Now Marie can stay with him and can call me when he needs me. You have probably heard that Tante Lena’s little Pieter drowned. It will be two weeks tomorrow. Poor tante; she is numb with grief. Dear ones, I must finish. Warm greetings from all of us.

Your loving sister, Elizabeth Stuit.

[Albert Stuit died one month later, at age 58. There is no letter about that]

[At this point: Elizabeth (21), Ena (17), Jan (15), Maria (10) and Roelf (8) are at home, though Ena is in service. Stientje (32) and Trijn (28) are married. Berend (30) and Pieter (23) are in America. Jan leaves for America the following year and Maria and Roelf emigrate ten years later. Family care is assumed by Trijntje in Slochtheren.]