This is a letter written by my grandmother, Nora Gulbrandson Rodli during World War I in Alberta Lea Minnesota. She is writing to her sister, Emma, who lives in Pennsylvania. This comes from an original letter and the corrections are done in parentheses. The letter was written on both sides on a typewriter. She mentions her son Gilbert who was my uncle. Grandmother also mentions Dr. R. who was Dr. O.E. Rodli, my grandfather. She also refers to Royal who was Emma’s husband. Nora mentions Rolf in the letter and that would be her brother. I do not know who Alfie is. She mentions David her son and my uncle. There are pages missing--when I find them I will add them. She suffered from tuberculosis.
...ever be able to come out there, although I would surely enjoyed it, as I am not used to anything but a quiet life, and would like to be with you, but as long as I feel fairly well I dont want to leave, as I think Dr. R. needs a change more than I, and we will never be able to afford a trip like that for both. I am hoping that sometime this Autumn or Winter we can go someplace near here for a couple of weeks.
You are surely smart to have learned to write rapidly so soon, I dont believe that I save any time, as yet, but I hope some time to do so, but I presume it is doubtful unless I write oftener than I have heretofore.
Yes we had the party for the boys here, and a few days later we heard that they were rejected by the Government I mean the whole regiment, so far they are only state troops, but expected every day to be federalized, but they were not accepted as they had no armories in six of the towns from which as many batteries came, I certainly cant see that that has anything to do with volunteers for this war, but that is what they are giving as the main reason so now they are trying to raise money to build an armory. Another reason was that none of the officers were college men, that was in our own battery, I can see that a reason when they are so particular about they men who are accepted into the Officers training camps. The boys are all most awfully disappointed, here they have been ready for months and then to hear that it was all up in the air, of course they are expecting to fix it up but it is hard telling when it can be. The ones who have been drafted are worried for fear they will be called to go with the drafted men, Rolf is one and he thought of asking to be transferred, is there anything out there that he could get into? He prefers not to go into the Infantry. It is too bad that these mixups have to come, as it takes the enthusiasm out of the boys. You have not mentioned Alfie for some time, where is he?
Yesterday and to-day have been such dreary days, and David has a cold so I have all I can do to hold myself together. This is the worst that if I find the winter is too much for me this year, too I will feel that I will have to go someplace that is warm instead of coming to you as I would like.
Last week, no this week we finished our lawsuit against the Hart Parr CO. and lost, we are awfully provoked as it is MR. Dunn who represented us who lost it, you see the Motor Inn people furnished him, they as agents felt responsible, too, and we thought that with Mr. Mayland and MR. Dunn we had good talent they went into all the phases exhaustively, took three whole days for the testimony, I went up the last day and a half and thoroughly enjoyed it, especially, as everything came our way, but one of their contentions was that we bought from the Motor Inn, they had expected the Judge to decide this, but he left that to the Jury, too, MR. Meighn their attorney made a lot of this in his plea, and Mr. Dunn had left at noon we think to go hunting and that left MR. Mayland to make our plea, and he is no speaker and not quick like MR. Dunn so we think maybe MR. D. may have made more of that in his plea, had he staid (stayed) to make it as he should. The jury went out at four o’clock and staid (stayed) out until 4.28 the next morning, we were sure of winning not the other side felt that they had lost, as it was very strange that is should go thus, but the jury men said the way it had been put up to them we had bought from the Motor Inn, but that there was no doubt that we should have damages, the Motor Inn people have cause to be thoroughly disgusted with MR. D. as we have a case against them now according to their own testimony. I dont jnow (know) what we will do.
Gilbert has been asked to play in the H. School band or at least try for it, he can get an alto for $15.00 but I know nothing of the values of those things, that was second hand, and he may not do anything with it, so do not like to have him use that money, he says he will pay for it next summer when he works, so I thought if Royal is not using his, maybe he would let Gilbert borrow it until he knew that he really was interested in it enough.
