May 31st 1928 Letter to Clara Hinderer Baur from Cousin while living in Corvuso MN

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Letter to Clara Hinderer Baur from Cousin while living in Corvuso MN

New Orleans, LA May 31 - 1928

Dear Cousin Klara: Your letter and your Mother’s were forwarded to me today. I want to thank you and your folks for your sympathy and understanding. Mother left us in such a hurry and so unexpectedly that we were dazed.

The doctors seemed to think she would rally, her heart seemed so strong. She was unconscious for several days.

We were so rushed with hurried funeral preparations - and house preparations - that we found to no time to notify the out of town relatives. You see, they do not allow burials in Oakland cemetery on Sundays. And because of the severe cerebral hemorrhage Mother could not be embalmed thoroughly, so we felt we could not keep her until Monday.

I wish we could have reached you in time as there none of her own relatives present. One can think so much better of all those things afterwards, and there are always so many regrets along with the heartbreaks.

Mother looked so sweet and beautiful. We dressed her in gray georgette and she had so many, many beautiful flowers. Rev. Plocker officiated. I can not believe Mother is gone. She was buried on Saturday 19. Had she rallied she would have been a helpless invalid so it is better this way. I cannot picture Mother contented to live under such conditions.

Dear Cousin, I did not know of your great loss and my heart goes out to you. You surely are brave and I hope you will find your way clear for happiness and contentment in the years to come.

It must have been fearful to see your dear one suffer so. Your little boy is a darling and he will be a great comfort to you in the years to come. Just at present I know you must feel helpless and lost. But you have such Faith and always were so clever at doing things so I am sure things cannot be otherwise than all right again for your. You have my whole hearted sympathy.

I see by your letter that you believe me to be back in St. Paul again. I was called by my brother just before mother’s death. I haven’t been in St. Paul much late years and when I do go usually stay at a hotel for the boys all have small houses and plenty of children so there is no extra room and the girls always work to so feel in the way.

I really feel like a nomad - or a man without a country for we travel about so much. I never really know if I have a home. The company has sugar interests in Australia - Porto Rico - Cuba - Egypt - Florida - so you see it means some moving about for Carl has a great deal to do with all the developments. Last year we spent a great deal of time in Porto Rico. It was very beautiful there and we met a great many fine people.

Once upon a time such a wandering life looked the height of my ambition, but I have changed. Home is the best after all and one soon loses them through wandering about.

You inquired about 1195. It is to be sold. It is worth about 12 or 15 thousand dollars but doubt it will bring it. It surely hits hard to have to give up the old home. 42 years is a long time to be in one spot. There is no one of the family that can afford to keep it up tho, so it must go and all the beautiful memories with it.

It is fearfully hot here now and we are preparing to go to a summer resort. One cannot endure the tropical summer.

I am sorry I cannot accept your sweet invitation to visit you. I don’t know when I shall get to St. Paul again. Things will be different from now on. And also our plans are always so indefinite.

Dear Cousin, I hope your future will soon shape itself so that everything will be as happy for you as possible. Give my love to your dear Father and Mother.

This is quite a letter. I write so seldomly to anyone. Never have time, sad to say, so feel quite lost when I do write. The very best luck to you in any venture and just heaps of love to you and your dear little boy.

Lovingly, Johanna

source: Clara Hinderer Baur collection.