September 2, 1936
Handwritten letter of John from Saltair to his niece, Hilda Scheffler [Nikl], with letterhead: "Hotel Plaza, Washington, D.C.
Saltair, Sept 2 - 36
Dear Hilda. I've been waiting for Nephi to write you, but he is always so busy with other matters that he doesn't have any time to write. He arrived happily at home on the 31st of July after his many long trips. He probably told you about his travels when he was there in Elbing visiting you. He told me how well you received him and took care of him during his stay at your home and about his excursions to the Baltic Sea and hiking in the area round about. Also, he was so taken by the beautiful forests and the delightful nature and everything that he would have liked to stay. And how you finally accompanied him to the train station and took your leave from him, all at once he was so lonely and sad that he was crying as the train pulled away. He has said again and again that you took such good care of him, and I too would like to express my thanks for everything you did for him. He found work right away, after just a week at home, and we're living together in our little hut.
He'll soon be going to school to study radio and to develop himself in this field. He brought a lot of things back with him as souvenirs of his travel in Germany and other countries, and this will always remain in his memory -- but especially the visit with his relatives in Elbing. And you were able to see right away that he is a Galka, for he is the very image of his mother. He brought back six large albums of pictures that he took during his travels and also many pictures of all of you. I haven't seen them all yet.
The climate here is completely different than yours: great dryness in many places and then again flash floods and great heat, one after the other, and Nephi found that out right away. As soon as he returned, he caught the sniffles and that will last until the frost comes and then the sniffles will go away.
Dear Hilda, some evening you can come on over here, quick, quick, and see how we keep house together and maybe give us a little help and advice. If I could only visit you sometime and chat with all of you and give expression to my feelings, that would be a great happiness for me. Nephi will write soon and thank you for all the good things you did for him. From Nephi a thousand greetings to all of you.
Uncle Rudi.