Tscherne Karpas Bregschtain Letter 1921

Letter from Tcherna Karpas Bregschtein (1865-1942), the wife of Hershel Zorach Bregschtein (1842-1912), to Hershel’s sister, Hinde Sarah, married to Harris Horwich, and living in Chicago. 

Poniemon, September 28, 1921

My dear sister [in-law] Henrietta [Hinde Sarah Bregstone Horwich (1860-1924)] and your dear children,

You can imagine my dear, my joy and happiness at having at last received a letter from you. I am already used to the fact, my dear sister, that you are not very regular in your writing but I could not help feeling anxious because I had written so many letters without receiving an answer. I sought to console myself that I had written to the wrong address, because last summer one of my letters had been returned. Finally, I became so desperate that I asked Goldie Levinson the address of Fishel Levinson who lives in Chicago and sent him a letter to turn over to you. I then began to wait for the answer to this letter so you can imagine my joy and happiness at having received a letter from you.

Now, thank God, your Ann [Anne Horwich Friedlen (1887-1934)] is well. Oh God, what thoughts I had because I did not hear from you for a whole year. Your brother-in-law who was here [Bernard Horwich] told me that your Ann was very sick. You can imagine, my sister, how worried I was all the time, so I am doubly happy to receive your letter but I am... so pleased with your health, but I hope when you come here you will be willing and go to Carlsbad. Your ill health will disappear. Oh, how happy I will be when I have you with me once more. I dream so much of the time when I will have you with me again, because I have no other duties and, am, as they say, a free person.

I have a neighbor now since I rented out 1/2 of my house, and although this is not very pleasant, one must do this when one is alone.

 Your brother-in-law [Bernard Horwich] was here, and he must have told you how I expressed my deepest wish that you would be here with me. He appeared to me as being a very fine man and takes after his... mother. Our cousin, Kuhne, is sick with kidney trouble, and she must drink a lot of milk and no dark meat. My daughter Rochel [Rachel Bregstein Hurwitz (1889-c.1944)] visited me yesterday and I was happy to be able to show her your letter. She was also overjoyed that you were coming, because my children know you so well, but your children do not know us at all. 

Dear children, I beg you all to please see that your mother comes here for her health, and I will return her to you in the best of health and spirits. Rochel is going to send you a photograph of herself and her darling Irina [Irina Hurwitz Aruliansky (1917-1944)].

…….about our dear sister-in-law Betty [Betty Bernhardt Bregstein (1877-1941)], I have often thought that she felt that way about me, but I cannot imagine her treating you that way. My sister, I received your $100 during Passover and I sent you a letter of gratitude. Your being a widow and still sending me money has made every cent doubly dear to my heart. I have so much to tell you, dear sister, that I am not writing you one tenth of what I have on my mind. I understand how difficult it was to write to me about my dear brother’s death. He was my only brother, but it would have been a lot worse not to know about it. Please write me the date of his death so that I can at least set candles for him and be able to write a letter to his wife and thank her for the fine way in which she treated him. Yes, my dear sister, so it goes - a short time in the world and death takes everything away. It cannot be helped. We are born to die.

My Rafael [Ralph Bregstein (1888-1960)] is in Germany now. I'm so glad that I have him near me because he is such a good son. God bless him. Marie [Mary Bregstein Lowenstein (1891-1970)] is now in Berlin with her husband [Lasar Lowenstein (1893-1969)] who is finishing his studies this year. My Morris [Moise Bregsteinas (1894-1958)] is in Marienpol as an officer in the Lithuanian army. I received letters regularly from my youngest [Wolf Bregstein (1905-2004)]. He has suffered enough in Russia and even now he has not been properly fed where he is. I cannot send him anything from here across the border. But he is not to suffer long - he finishes school this summer.

• Now, my dear sister, I wish you all a happy and…year. Your well-wishing aunt,