The German Trip, 1925-26
Letter to Mother from Halifax, Dec. 15, 1925
Dear Mother:
Just start a line to let you know we are much pleasanter situated than when last you saw us. We sure felt badly to think you did not see more and say goodbye to us. We now have an outside stateroom, with more room and four berths and a couch. We rushed to dress warm enough to see the Statue of Liberty, when the dinner bell sounded and all had to eat at one time, so lost out on that.
Aboard the Cunard ship Ascania
Letter to my brother Ralph Friday, 12-18-25
We have had a perfectly glorious trip. I am out on deck basking in the sun, a warm breeze is blowing, but the sea is very smooth. A heavy swell but not rough. The porpoises are jumping out of the sea from time to time. I can't believe it is December.
I think I have heard you say that an Englishman is never seasick. We have a ship load of them and tho I haven't had much experience with such things, I should call them seasick. The heavy swell has been very hard on many who have stood it pretty well to date.
The deck of the Ascania
We are having good times. The ship is filled to capacity in Third Class. Some Continentals, and other undesirables, but for the most part, good English folk going home for Christmas. Many of them from Western Canada.
We have many interesting things happen, of course. The first day out from Halifax was very disagreeable. Cold, windy with snow flurries every little while. Somebody started to parade around the rear deck, marching to the singing of familiar tunes. In no time at all, there was a long line of folks singing and marching and having a glorious time in spite of the weather. We must have marched a good hour.
The food is excellent, and plentiful, the not in such wide variety, I judge, As they get in the Cabin. With the exception of Eunice we haven't any of missed a meal-or lost one. She hasn't been real sick. The first Sunday afternoon out, before we got into Halifax, when we were taking the waves broadside, she lost her dinner, and I had a couple hours of uneasiness. I hate to say it, but I am a little disappointed in the size of the waves. I am not home yet, nor will we get to Plymouth until Tuesday. There is yet time.
I was so thoroughly excited when I left you last Saturday, I fear I left you with more than your share of the expense. Something about storage charges was mentioned, and various tips, transfer of baggage, etc. I am going to a check with this letter which I hope will help to pay part of the expense you were put to on my account.
I forgot to tell you about the car. I have left a check with the folks to be given to Carleton when the job is done. I would like to have you look at it, and give me your judgment on the workmanship, etc. I wish I might store it in the barn at Orchard St., but that is impossible as long there is snow on the ground. In case Carleton stores it, we will forget about it until Spring.
Yesterday, Sunday, was a very rough day. The wind blew a gale. The pitching and rolling of the boat woke us up at 3:00 a.m. About half of the passengers did not appear for breakfast, nor for the rest of the day. The family are all well and have taken their meals regularly. I felt the motion a little, but it did not interfere with my eating. The sea is very calm today, except for a heavy swell, and the sky clear and bright. We are expecting to land passengers at Plymouth tonite. Cherbourg in the morning, and will probably make London sometime Tues. night. It has been a very enjoyable trip on the whole, and I judge much smoother than we had any right to expect.
Last night, Sunday, it calmed down enough so folks went out on deck and sang hymns for a couple of hours. It certainly was well done. They knew their hymns and sang with enthusiasm. They sang many of those old Christmas Carols (English) that you and Helen like so well. I didn't hear any of that sort of thing going on up in the Cabin Class.
Clare and Eunice on the deck of the Ascania
This letter has been very rambling. I have drawn trains, rabbits, boats, etc., for Eunice in between times. We thank you both for your part in the surprise packages we found aboard the boat. It has been a great addition to our pantry and we have all enjoyed it immensely. We send love and trust that you are well and happy. ... Ernest
Neuss am Rhein Jan. 3, 1926
Dear Ralph:
I found that I had forgotten to enclose my check in the last letter I wrote, so I will send it in this.
I can't seem to get up my courage to write all the experiences we have been through. I hope I may remember them. Life from now on promises to be more humdrum, possibly too much so.
Spent Monday night in Dusseldorf. Came to Neuss Tuesday night. Everyone has been most kind. We are living at present in one of those small hotels, which apparently abound in Germany, not because people need a place to stay overnight but because they want a place in which to eat and drink, mostly drink. As I think that last statement over, I think I do the German people an injustice. They do much better than we do. Everything is good and very clean.
I went to work Wednesday morning, and in spite of the fact that Friday, Saturday and Sunday were holidays, I have the machine about ready to turn over. A few things missing, but nothing vital. I an very much impressed with Schaurte business and the men he has around him. He himself gets down at seven in the morning and puts in a full day. Business in Germany has been very poor for months.
I am glad of what little German I know, but I need a lot more, I am having difficulty using it at the shop because of the number of English-speaking men with whom kr. Schaurte has surrounded himself. He certainly has a passion for things American.
We have spent much time comparing prices here with things at home. Many things cost more, some less, but really I can see very little difference in the cost of the majority of articles in common consumption. We have not yet priced meat.
Either times have changed since I talked with Weber, or be didn't stick too closely to the truth. Servant help is cheap, and they work hard8 I can't afford to run behind much moree Weber has got to show me how or look for someone else, I am not much worried but what he will come across, under pressure, even what little I can give, but I don't see how he can make me work. You appreciate, of course, that I want to do the right thing, but I am not going to sacrifice what little I have, to Weber. I dont find conditions as he presented them.
Clare and the children keep well and reasonably cheerful. I am not worried about going into stores now, and if we settle in Berlin I shall make a strenuous effort to find rooms for light housekeeping, as we find the German diet a little meaty, and would like things we are used to. We are losing our feeling of strangeness, altho we make ourselves conspicuous in many ways. We are getting hardened to it.
We hope and trust everything is going on well at home. Give our love to Helen and the children, and the folks. Don't worry about us. We will drag thru somehow. ... Ernest
Jan. 15, 1926
Helen: (Mrs. R. E. Flanders)
Eunice is supposed to be having a nap but is playing with her toes and Ralph is drawing pictures at my elbow.
It is a real snowy day, first we have had, altho for the last two weeks it has been so cold and bright and clear we could only stay out twenty minutes to a half hour at a time, as the children get so cold. But I expect you are having real winter, too.
We thought in London it was a hardship to go without dry cereal, in fact nothing but oatmeal, and that lacking salt. They always make it up with the bacon and eggs, the salt part, I suppose. Well, in Germany breakfasts are less and less. Hard rolls, and warmed over bad coffee and cheese is a typical meal. I get milk for the children. At first they refused it but now will drink it. It's so white-livered and tastes like chalk. Served hot unless you tell them. Eunice has a boiled egg and Ralph just has rolls and jam. There are slices of black bread which I force myself to eat on account of bran, but I dislike it.
Our dinner is: much better, always a very nice soup and when we don't get too much sausage for the meat course, it goes best. The vegetables all cooked a trifle salt and more or less pickled as sourcraut. Desserts are not essential for dinner. They make a business of sweets and pastry in their homes when they have a Kaffee Clatch.
Last Saturday afternoon we were invited to a Mr. Hoting's home. He is the Supt. at the Schaurte plant and has lived twelve years in the US in the West and is living here now on an American Passport. Me speaks English very nicely and his wife understands a good deal, but only speaks a little. They have two small boys and a very nice home opposite the City Park. She has a young woman, a very sweet-facod German girl, to care for her children. They call her the house daugbter, and she is not classed as a servant, I believe she is a professor's daughter. She also has a woman to work in the kitchen, and do the heavy work, who comes in the morning and leaves around 8:30 or 9:00 pm at night, and they pay something like ten dollars a month. They showed the children their Christmas tree, and always at the side of the tree is a candy house of Hans and Gretel. He played some English records on his victrola and it sounded good to us. We were asked if we preferred cocoa or coffee or tea. We chose coffee, but it was not what we call good coffee at home. Cream is not used, and coffee is very high in Germany.
Have I written about the market square where all the country women come so many days a week and bring their vegetables? It is a very interesting spot. I secured a piece of Edam cheese. A few tents were up but mostly out in the open. It is in front of the oldest cathedral in Neuss, the "Quirinus Kirshe" begun in 1209. East tower is crowred with a statue of St. Quirinus, a Roman soldier WhO was converted to Christianity and became a patron saint of the town. We walked thru it but I dared not linger too long as the children were full of strange questions, and so we hurried out.
Helen dear, I can't thank you for all the things you did and gave us for Christmas, I am wild to wear that beautiful scarf, but am saving it for a proper occasion.
Ernest got Ralph a harmonica the other day, and started to play the only tune he knows on it. It nearly broke up housekeeping as it was Home, Sweet Home." Still we are getting along, only living is not cheap in any sense of the word. Weber has found a furnished flat of three rooms, which is only 60 a month.Whether heated or not we don't even know. Quite a dIstance from work.
Mother Flanders wrote you expected to go to New York with Nancy. We do hope things go along nicely for her, and we do think often of you all, and that pure "beer free" air you breathe in Vermont. Eunice has a hard cold, but Dr. Lawrence fixed us up, so I am not worrying.
Heaps of love,
Clare
P. S. Some Made to Order Stories" have saved my life many an afternoon. We have one left. Many thanks, Helen.