"...Tokyo, Friday, December 16th 1921.
Many thanks for your friendly letter
of November 4th '21. On this Friday - today precisely six weeks ago - I left San
Francisco round about 10 PM. My dad will tell you the story of my second sea
journey anyway, and you'll probably have a good laugh at this too !
You already know that thanks to God I arrived safely, you should know
this since a couple of weeks..
They'll probably told you at home. I have so much to tell you but I will tell
you only the main things.
Please don't be upset if I only send you a simple postcard. I will put my
longer stories into my letters so you can enjoy them at home. I'm getting used
to my surroundings although I still can't understand a thing. I will understand
Japanese eventually sometime, I'm pretty sure about that. The writing is awful
!! the two characters I brushed on the postcard mean "hakoku" which
means "white land".
It pleases me to know that the three of you are well and healthy.
I'm really sorry Irene hasn't got the job yet, though.
You'll probably receive this card in the beginning of February. Please allow me
to wish you a truly happy New Year.
Unfortunately there doesn't exist a mail service that sends mail directly
through the earth...
Your dearest nephew,..."
(original words are in Dutch)
"...Osaka (19)15 August,
Dear my friend,
Many thanks for your cards.
I am collecting (:-) ( 5 - 10 cards at one time) and memorial pictures and
posters.
Pealse(!) send me them,
Yours sincerely,.."
Douai (France ?) June 8th 1902,
Dear (girl)friend,
"Excuse me for the long silence. If
I didn't write to you it's because I thought I had all the time in the world to
do so...
and I forgot to write to you...
I think a lot about you and your sister.
I often think about think about my holidays in Savoie (France) and of
Switzerland too, especially the cards I sent you...
I ask you for your pardon for the monstrous card with the lady I sent to
you.
PS My parents present to to you their best wishes. Joseph thanks you and your sister for the images you sent..."
(one can only wonder what kind of card he sent...)
(original words are in French)
Hankow, February 12 1901,
China
Dear,
Thank you for your kind card, I'm thinking about the way you'll reply...
I've been writing you a lot about things
going on out here.
Everything's alright, I'm in good health.
Cordially yours,
Charles
(original words in French)