Caroline Smith
152 Country Lane
Alpena, Michigan, America
August 25, 1892
Beloved Caroline,
Thank you for your letters. Thank you for
remembering me. I am preparing to cross the great Atlantic Ocean so I may join
you and your family in Michigan. There is no need for your father to travel
such a distance to New York to retrieve me. I have more than enough for the
full journey.
Mother passed shortly after you left for America,
and Father passed earlier this month. Mildred was wed yesterday; it was in
Father’s will for her to marry, to celebrate his death by taking vows he took
years ago rather than mourn him and put it off forever. William and Mildred are
wonderful together, and so happy. Looking at them makes me yearn to be near you
again.
There is nothing I want here, so I have given the
physical assets of my inheritance to Mildred and William as a wedding gift. Mildred
wants to live in London and raise her children as we were raised in the same
house, so the estate will stay in the family for some time. William would be foolish
to go against her on this.
I kept the rest of my inheritance for the journey to
America and to start a comfortable life there. Perhaps I will start my own business
as my father did here. Mildred insists I stay a while longer; I must comply, in
large part because my boat to America doesn’t depart for a week. Granted, by
the time you receive this, I will be on my way.
Be sure to tell John to shape up or I’ll have to
crack down on him. Tell Marie I’ll give her a story twice a day when I arrive,
and thank your parents for their thoughtfulness. As for you, Caroline, I love
you. I have since the day I saw you in the market. Now I’m following my heart,
for it’s gone to America. I ask a favor of you: don’t promise yourself to
anyone as of yet.
If I could, I would appreciate staying with your
family until I have my own home. Please also tell your father that I will
gladly take the farmhand job, if it’s still available, until I know what I’ll
do longer-term for income. Father taught me never to fear hard work.
Oh, Meagan married in May, before Mother’s death, to
a British gentleman. And she is with child, a fact of which she is very proud. She
wishes Mildred to hurry and join her in expecting a child so their children can
grow up together. There is never a dull moment here it seems, nor in America
from the sound of your writing.
I shall hope to see you again soon. Until then, I
send my love to you.
Josef Calloway
1325 Queens Avenue
London, England
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