Dear Arthur and May,
I wish to thank you May for the nice meals you put up for us at my pleasant visit to you. My whole trip was pleasant and furnished much good for thought, and on my trip on the train alone I was trying to read but could not on account of my own reflections over the past and present. I am glad you spoke to me Arthur about conditions as they are and have been at your place of business. I have been too easy relying that the future would bring things right, but it does not, and it don’t do to wait, for when we hand something to a vulture it only wants more. The best way to set such men to think right is to find a way to get them placed in where they would have to think what they would do without us. That was the only way that I got anything from Lee and the Everett Piano Company and if I had not I would not have had much to draw on today. So take my word for it. It will be well for you to intimate that in as much as they do not now want to share fairly with you when they are only making a little money it is clear to you that they will never do it when they are making more for the faster a tree grows the faster it requires more to sustain it and as long as their desire is to get a head of you, you better look at some other field before too late. My feeling is that you take a strong stand without offending them. Just give them to understand that you expect them to know what is best for them and that you at present only have their best interests at heart and that that can only be showed by working together as outlined by [drits?] from the start, but if they now want to make a change of the program, you of course think that it is about time to take the hint without investing any more of your valuable time and experience if there is not a field for you to grow with the rest. If they get ahead of you they will never allow you to pale up ever or anywhere. As you said all of them a fair share for the start they had but that you must have something in return for the future and the first period with them when you only got a workman’s pay.
Hard as our struggles are they are in latter years our most pleasant reminiscence providing we manage to win out over the seemingle overwhelming difficulties.
When I was a little boy by Edeby I heard men all around me saying that they could see no way out of their difficulties for at that time people got only a bare living. I heard it, wondered and thought if there was no way out of it, and when I in the summer time carried drinking water to the men moving in the thick cloverfields and in walking over that stiff stubb until my chubbe little bare feet were bleeding I wondered if I ever would get another pair of shoes, and when I got them I was happier than at anything I could get now. Just because it seemed so unbelievable and at the same time I made up my mind get out of it, as well as some day get my father and mother out of it, and I did but slow. When I was twelve my chance came to learn the farm and I left hard as it was for a little fellow to leave home and the only ones who cared for you. I can see my mother yet in the doorway looking after me almost saying return, oh no but I was proud and determined and when I turned around she had gone in the house and I wondered if I really was never to return home to stay anymore. I was not.
But my struggles were not over they only became more and more difficult by each change and move so that my only and greatest pleasure often has been to master difficulties and in that there is joy such as we can not find in an easy life.
The nearly five years I spent learning the Cabinet makers trade at $1.62 a week and only a place to sleep was a struggle for after clothing ourselves well, and brother Gust, and I always brought something with us home for the holidays and sent something in between. Then after the period spent my travel in foreign lands brought uncertainty and sacrifices in leaving the advantage of a good name behind and then start all a fresh making a new one and besides to learn or get along with a new language. Then back home doing well, but taking a chance to start for America and start all over with empty hands and no one who knew me after all I already had mastered and overcome. But for all this I feel happy and have something that one only can get that way.
([On the side of the page 5:] Monday evening we had a gale here moot of the day it was hard to walk against the wind and to night is 16 above. Ma and Schue just got back from the picture show with red cheeks.)
In comparison your advantages are tremendous over what I had when I started and still the struggles we must meet are similar. Just study what is right and fair and insist on being treated that way if they ignore your real worth let them suffer.
I stopped off at Dudley St. and saw Gruff & Byrne they were nice but Mr. Byrne said he thought he was right about the price. I told them I would not take less the $1300 but would rather rent it. Then I went and got my ticket, got some money from the Bank, Law, my tailor called at Tellstroms office but he was out. Before I took the train I went in and found James Lawyer he was busy but gave his time. I told him that if I had wanted to rent the house we could have done so to a boarding house keep whom also could have used the rooms over the barn, but that I wanted to sell. I asked him to make me an offer, but he retorted what do you take? I said I would sell him the house alone for $9,000 and $13,000 for all. He said that they moved in to Renneallys at the corner but did not like it. Two of his children were sick now from it being too cold. He said he would talk with his wife and then write me. I feel that I may sell it to them in the end. Monday evening. I held this over to see if my salary would come, but no. I only enclose your check for $37.60. Thirtyfive for Bertil that makes it $100 and $2.60 for telephone charges. I will probably get so that I will send you the $200 soon. With love from us all. Your father,
John Anderson
([On the side of the page 6:] I have written a letter of nearly 5 pages to Herbert and Jennette and one to Bertel of 2 pages and this to you longer still but you know I like to talk or express myself best I can.]
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