“When you shall break the seal of this letter, I feel assured that you will wish you possessed wings that you might be enabled to fly to your loving husband.  And as I think I see you approaching me through the air, surrounded by our little angels,—­may God protect them,—­the tears start to my eyes, tears which no man should be ashamed to shed, and I feel an inward desire to hasten to meet you.

“But now, dear Magde, I must control my thoughts, and so direct them to you, that they shall prove intelligible.  I arrived, on the eighth day of this month, at Goteborg, in safety and in good health.  I hope our father is well and capable of enjoying as usual, the balmy air and bright verdure of summer.

“Our little cottage is a pleasant residence, in spite of all its disadvantages, and I feel assured that both yourself and Nanna do all that lies in your power to cheer our mutual parent, when he is sick and dispirited.

“One night while our vessel was lying in the canal, I was visited by an evil dream, but dreams are empty and meaningless, and I hope that no more of my disagreeable fancies will be realized than that you at home, may experience a little anxiety and solicitude concerning the welfare of the absent one.

     “The Spring of the year is always the most severe season, for
     winter consumes the harvest of the preceding summer.

“Well, we have many mouths to feed—­God protect our children.—­When they are older they will work for us.  It was my intention to send you a small sum of money in this letter; but I was obliged to wait until Jon Jonson, who is here at present with his sloop, shall commence his homeward voyage, for I can place no dependence upon young Rask to whom I am obliged to entrust this letter, as he might be tempted on his way to the post office to enter a beer-house, and there lose the money.  I am forced to send Rask to the office, as I am obliged to remain on the vessel until it is unloaded.

“I will tell you in advance that I shall not be able to send you a large amount of money; but instead of that, I shall forward you when Jonson returns, a quantity of foreign goods which I have been fortunate enough to purchase and to place on board his sloop without paying the duty, which you know is heavy.  It consists of sugar, coffee, tobacco, cotton yarn, and a package of silks.

“You, my dear wife, must select the best, a silk shawl which you will find in the package.  Nanna may have the next best shawl, and you may give Carl the blue handkerchief which is at the bottom of the parcel.  I have not forgotten father.  I shall send him a small cask of liquor, and in the parcel of silks you will find a bundle of toys for the children.

     “You cannot imagine—­but still you must—­how pleasant it is to
     deprive oneself of luxuries that you may provide for the wants of
     those whom you have left at home.