Page 230 - The Legacy of Abraham Rothstein - text

Letters

Mar. 3 54
Dear Jonathan,

I hope this letter finds you well and comfortable. I presume you
are going to school and feel bully, and surprise the teachers with your
knowledge of English and arithmetic. You surprised me when
learning Hebrew, you did not want me to help you. Now we all know
you are a smart boy, as you probably inherited from your smart
parents and your own good intelligence, but I like to remind you that,
when you associate with your school pals, do not show off and act
snobbish, it makes enemies. If they do not know as much as you do,
just sympathize with them. Write me about your schooling, the
country, the mountains, the cowboys who are still picturesque in
Colorado. I have looked at your guinea pigs, and they are the same.
As the old saying goes, “once a pig, always a pig.”

Grandfather

May 22 54
Mr. J. Gluckman,

My dear Johnny, I have not responded soon to your lengthy postal
card, which you were so gracious to bestow upon me, for which I ask
your forgiveness, which I hope you will be so kind to give. I must
thank you ever so much for that beautiful postal card, which was full
of thoughtfulness, beautiful expressions, and nicely calligraphous
imprints. I enjoyed mostly the last, which, although mine are not as
good now as when I was younger, yet I could feel those letters on
account of their colossalness and spaciousness between the words.
May I suggest that you use a larger postal card or paste two of them
together lengthwise, which would give you more room for larger
letters. I admire your inventive geniousness, big letters save me time
reading your correspondence (I have no secretary) and you save
much time, which you need so badly, to establish your boxing,
baseballing, and skating popularity. It would be interesting to know if
you have taken up a little Hebrew reading in that Sunday school class.
I have looked up the family almanac to check on the descendants
of mine, and behold, I find your birthday is at hand. Some day of this
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