(Half past 5 o’clock Friday evening) Sept. 14, 1923

I have just thrown out doing work and set grain to soak. Am going to have grain porridge tonight. But I believe it was far too early to make supper yet; therefore I will now write this here over.

Today I haven’t gotten much literary work done. The news from the village is that today is Halvor’s birthday; I found out this morning when I was out after milk. And then I also got an invitation to a big dinner. I thought it was awkward not to have the least to give him. So I opened the suitcase, took one of my new bow ties, wrapped it tightly, and wrote the following verse:

“Halvor, Halvor, you handsome neighbor,
I bid you a greeting today “on the day”!
Come here with your fist, it is known well
that your heart beats with the right punch!
Halvor, Halvor, you are now the boy!
Stand with the rifle and swift with his hand!
And good on his feet through the forest,
you have an eye like no other!
And the heart, Halvor, it is a gold nugget
Our Lord himself has rightly made it!
Of everything you can do and of everything you own
your heart is then the very best!”

Both he and his wife came to tears, I think. And she came with her regular: “You Rølvaag, you Rølvaag!” Wasn’t this nicely done of me? Their ? were there as well. As an entre, we had Patrick-soup, so cooked “Patricks” with beaten potatoes and sauce; cucumber pickles, red beets, bread, butter, coffee, apple pie and watermelons. I just think it was too bad that I didn’t have room for more. He wanted us to go out and look around for large ? in the afternoon and insisted that I had to come with. But then it began to get dark and a little rainy, and so we couldn’t. Instead we traveled to Big Ole to fish. It’s the first time I have had a hook in the water there since you left! But the weather was much too cold and bitter. He got a little black bass. Then we soon prevailed on land. They wanted to have me stop for coffee, but I said no thank you and walked home. The wind was blowing from the southwest, and I soon got to work getting the covers on the wall. Now I am finished with that and have adjusted the windows a little bit. And now it looks lovely. I got one chapter written in the forenoon. And this evening I am going to take it up again. Have something difficult to achieve: about a childbirth on the Dakota Prairie in the winter of ‘73; and then a home-baptism of the child. Good theme, all right, but difficult to address for our prudish puritans. 

It reminds me of your latest pieces of information: If the filing office was at Vermillion, how could they file? Grandpa has never told me that they came near Vermillion? And they were not all there those who took land! Now, this is just the paints:

1. Did a man have to appear in person in order to file, or could friends or relatives do it for him? Part of my plot hinges on this one thing.
2. Does Grandpa know of cases where people settled first and filed afterwards? After I get this straight, I don’t think I shall need him before I get to Sioux Falls.

Grandfather is doing me an unbelievably large favor with this work, him and then my own experience up here in the wilderness. I could barely have written this well if I had not gotten such a beautiful, intimate glimpse of the pioneer life itself. It is destiny that has been out here again, you see! This work will not be unlike all my other books. But I think I will do it well. Would the elderly just read it! On their places here I have found it completely vivid.

Slept well in the clothes you sent. They are remarkable! Yes, you are an exceptional, clever, and lovely wife! Today I have the socks on; you can be sure that it feels good in this cold weather. As long as my feet are warm, I don’t freeze on any other part of my body either.

Now you have to tell me about how it’s going at home. Does Ida seem to be satisfied with you all? And is grandfather at peace? Everyone else I don’t care that much about what they think. If you realize that 25 dollars is too little, we must of course get more! We cannot become sellers yet. And finally talk to Ida and see if she is satisfied. It is better to talk about things.

No, now I truly have to go cook! But this evening I am not washing cups. Haven’t drunk a whole bottle of your brew yet; but it is remarkably good. 

With many sweet pats and kisses all over!

Your boy

Ole