NAWSA GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE Breshkovsky-Copy of Postals [*?*] [*Barrono*] 1. Postals from Babushka. Dear and be loved Sister Isabel, our best and always young Nona: Now it is your dear stomach that make me pensif and sad. Yet I wonder why do you not change your diet? Such diseases demand to be cured only be means of a salutare regime. For instance, in your case it is milk diet which is necessary and you ought to have plenty of it if you wish conserve yourself to secure the welfare of June, your sister Catherine and so many others who regard you as an accomplishment of our world, not so rich yet of such treasures as a sage and virtuous soul. I give you my word, that I take care o myself, for I think it a duty to be as strong as possible till we are alive. I remember, June our child has had a "chevre" with a kid. Where are they now? You must have one for yourself. 29 October 1913. My beloved Sister: I was with you when your every tooth were torn ou out, and as you suffered before it, and during the operation, and after it. I was with you into the Sanatorium, where your best dodtor surrounded you, wondering: wondering what is the matter with your [excellent] health? What is the root of the bad fever persecuting you so furiously? All the time you are [convalescing] convalescent I am there to watch the progress of your stregthening forces; there to see you bathing in the besutiful lake Memphremagog; to see you take rest in a long chaise at the door of the dear birch house. [It] A [brings plenty] house full of charming and saint remembrances of a divine past of two happy and pure souls. . . . Now I am with you dearest sister, and so I will be till the last hour of my worldly existence. I kiss your hands, your feet; I bless the hour I saw you. Catherine. [*?*] 3. [Like this old Yakut woman I am happy. She is making butter, and delighted being photographed. I am sitting at my little table and smiling in my rapture to know you did get my words of love and I did read one letter more from you, dearest sister. Certainly it is you I would pray to be the redacteur of some my writings, but till now my friends don't mention them. I remember well the fine and plain language you use when speaking and writing, dearest. Our little boy is known about all the capitals of Russia and, love him more and more [?]. Be as well as I am now. "The order of Peace and good Will" is a beautiful example. Pity I am reading it alone.] [[18 November] 18 September 1. October/1913. How glad I am, my beloved grandson you were bathing this summer like a man. I know all you do near your Nonna, and I see you grow up and become a quite reasonable boy, who will speak German very soon. Go and kiss both hands and both feet of my dearest sister and your Nonna, I embras[c]e Ma and Pa and bless you.] Feb 19 [February] , 4 March [?] 1913. With picture card. My beloved grandson June: Having no possibility [to go to Croton-on-Hudson] of going to see you, [my dear boy], I resolved to send you these two boys, [that] who will tell you all about your old friends. One of them is Peter, the other is Ivan. They are good friends, never quarreling, and always obedient to their Nonna and parents. Perhaps they will come back to me and tell me how they [did find] found my grandson in America. It will be so pleasant to hear how big and reasonable is our June. [So I bless you and greet you parents. Your Catherine/] To June Barrows Mussey. August 14-27,1912. "I thank your grandmother for kissing your little foor for me. I hope that when she and I are old enough to need a support in our walks, you will be our chevalier, and your powerful limbs then will help us to make our visits to one another. No[t]w I am not strong enough to go around, but my foes do not allow me to travel [as far as I would]. Wait only a little, all will be right, my dear boy. I beg you, kiss both your grandmother's hands for her devoted sister." [*W*.] 2. [*297*] To Mrs. Barrows, [20] July 20 [/ 2] August 2, 1913. "Aunt Isabel: Aunt Isabel: [So] I [sm] go[ing] very often the whole day thinking of the fever which [does] is devour the health of our dearest friend, [this excellent woman,] this unique wife and citizen, this sister of [the whole [all] manhood] humanity. America without Isabel Barrows: It is too hard to think of it. [It is impossible.] This little, this plucky, this amiable, so witty, so skilful, so patient and al[a]ways, always self-[abnegated]sacrificial woman: [I got all your letters, my] [beloved daughter, certainly "the Sunny Life" will have a l[i]ot of] [readers. I sent you last week my own views on this book.] As for [the] 'Comrade Yett[e][?], I [did] have not yet read it, being assailed from every [part.] side And the days of good weather I [am] keep running around the shores of Kirensk devouring with my eyes the [great] green forests and meadows. I [am] have been quite well all [the] summer. I have enough [of] warm things for the winter,-quite rich." [You must be sure I am well and rich. The cards] [with different views are the best.] Oct 22 [October] Nov 4 [November] 1913. To the same. "Beloved w[i]orshipped Sister: "Every day I peruse your letter written at Birchbay Camp and examine the [nad] handwriting. This dear writing, so familiar to my eyes and to my soul, is handsome and strong, but for the last page, where you say: ["] Little June sends me a sprig of cedar [for me.] You are yet [feeb] feeble, my sister, and I fear to annoy you with long letters. Your soul has suffered so much for your own sake, for the sake of us all, that it is|no wonder it [may] needs to take some rest and devote itself to [the] contemplation. Such a rich life as has been yours has accumulated a lot of impressions that must be concentrated in one big picture, representing all the past. What [p] a treasure [do] you preserve in your [mi] mind and heart! What a blessed life! [Catherine/] 4. 6. 12. 11. June, dear boy: Our river is very large and beautiful, but I cannot travel on it. It is forbidden. Only five months the water is free from ice, and seven months it is fettered with a strong strata of ice, and serves as a good horse tract, to transport post-mails,wares and travelers. June, my blessed boy: You will kiss both hands of your Nonna and thank her, from my part, for the list of my faults. I perused it ten times, yet I feel very ignorant and stupid. Farewell dear boy. I like all your family, but I do not wish to be intrusive. Your grandmother. Nov. 5/18 [November] 1911. On Picture postcard to To June Barrows Mussey. June, my boy! We are now grown up people: I see you walking on your [o] own feet, with [M]amma, with grand[']ma. I am sure you [are riding] ride on [eth] [the back of[ your papa's back. Sorry[,] I cannot take you on my own back, which is strong enough to carry a grandson of your age. If such [mediocre] medium-sized [hounds] dogs can pull big men, the large grandmother can do it w[i]ell, if not so [rash] |quickly|. I bless you, my boy, and wish to know that you are well and reasonable. 22. Nov. 5 Decembre 1911. June, dear boy: I am well in the warm clothes your Nonna sent me. The shoes were long, yet we have hear good bootmakers, and now I sit with warm feet, thanking Nonna every hour for it. This is the way of traveling in East Siberia, throughout the spaces where there is no river tracks. The wares, the post mails, all is transported on horseback. I am sure you will have a pony to ride [o] on very soon; or a big dog for it. I kiss [you] and bless you. C.B. [W.] [Postal to June - J.B.B.] 11. 12/15 September. At home, sister: at home: How glad I am: you are safe and with use instead of at Honolulu. All your letters, pictures and paper's cuts are on my table. The next post-mail I will send you my words giving my estimate of your husband," my dear sister. But, you know well, I am not a writer ..... My health is so well now that I wish you would feel yourself as good as I do. I answered Mabel, your noble daughter and twice spoke with out June, who is said to be a big and extremely amusing and reaso nable child. 2/15 January 1913. My dear and beloved grandson: You will go and kiss both hands of our Nonna and you will say: Grandmother (Babushka) is well and would be glad to write much and to tell many good thoughts, addreessed to Nonna. Yet she is surrounded from morning to the evening: There are many, many boys and girls, having no mother, no father, no Nonna here. Be good my son, our dear June, for you are happy. le 31 de Mai. Ce n'est qu'hier que j'ai recu vos portraits, les livres sur les indiens et la repo[s]nse a ma lettre de Londre. Votre fam[m]ille e est avec moi sur ma table. Mercie. La noce de Miss Barrows est decide ca veut dire qu'il n'est pas danger. Les caricatures sur le tzar [est] et ses doivent grandir a present, apr[i]es la defaite. Je me porte bien. Ca ira bien. Catherine/ Transcribed and reviewed by contributors participating in the By The People project at crowd.loc.gov.