Opoczno, 13 September 1927 Dear and devoted Sol, After I finished my letter and before I went to mail it, I stopped off at my sister's, and she read the letter that I had written you. My sister gave her opinion, "Ahem, perhaps a better letter; ahem, perhaps a fatter one. It's too lean, too short." And when I plead with her as I would with a robber, "By all means, produce something, pick up a pen and state your opinions, (display) your abilities," she hollers that if she only had time, she would know how to write you a letter. And go respond to you, Sol, when my head is full of all kinds of deals, not any successful deals, chas v'cholilah, but simply everyday tasks. From 5:00 in the morning until 11:00-12:00 at night, I slave away. Here, I have to see to it that there is corn so that the mill will have something to mill. Here, I have to see to providing money to pay for corn. And if, thank G-d, the grain is prepared, when I come to a baker to make a sale, a competitor got up earlier than I did and has already made the sale. No matter how early I get up, my competitor gets up earlier. You can picture it, Sol, because only you, a businessman, will believe the sort of circumstances in which I find myself composing a letter to you. There are days when I forget whether I have eaten breakfast because there is a scrambling, a scurrying about, to provide money in order to remain an honest man; if not, they won't want to loan me money the next time. I deal only with poor people, marketplace Jews, one-bag Jews. They provide me with my bread, and I provide them with their bread. There are some days that my mind is so exhausted that I sink onto a bench, without undressing, and sleep through the three hours because of fatigue. Now, Sol, you will have an answer as to why my own sister doesn't want to believe me, telling me that she is not too satisfied with such a lean letter to Sol. However, I am convinced that surely at Rosh Hashana you will believe me and will be satisfied with my letters, knowing that what I have expressed in writing is true. No matter how hard I try to convince her that my mind is not working, quite simply I can't do any better..perhaps you can, she remains with her opinion that my letters used to be longer and better, thicker and more humorous. She says that these days I am deceitful. I write quickly and leave a lot of open space. And what do you say, Sol? After all, you also have a right to comment on my letters. I suspect, Sol, that if your uncle didn't trouble you so with his fables, but rather sent you at least $100 on account of the debt he owes you, perhaps it would be better than all his fables. However, believe me, my devoted brother, even though you there are not concerned with the money that you recently sent to your uncle, I remember it well. If I put together a budget for the new year and request that it be granted to me, item for item, I will immediately remember my debt to you. The only question is whether they will reduce the amount that I ask for. Perhaps, Sol, there is another solution. You also request from the heavenly treasury the sum that you gave without interest and since, recently, it has become clear that you Americans are better liked than we Polish Jews...surely you have earned this from G-d..., one of two things will take place. Either you will have the amount in your (approved) budget, or I will have it in my budget, or perhaps we will both receive... At this very moment, as I am writing this letter to you, they have brought up to me in the mill your letter of August 28 with which you enclosed a newspaper article about Pyoseczna and a certain oldster (named) Zissman. I don't know this man, but one of my partners knows this man because he is from Gricza, and Pyoseczna isn't far from Gricza. He's not in our family since, in our family, we don't live for a long time. In our family, we only suffer for a long time. In response to your last letter, I can write you that, as far as Bryndl is concerned, I really didn't understand what you wrote. I ask you not to make an issue of it. If I made a mistake, I apologize to everyone. I wish Bryndl and her husband a happy future and my thanks for the picture. Also, as to Ruchele's picture, if I didn't express myself well, it's my fault. A bit of the fault is also Ruchele's because she looks so sad on the picture. However, it seems to me, Sol, that no matter how incorrect my conclusions were, nevertheless I was 60% correct in concluding that Bryndl is more lively, more energetic, more light hearted, happier than Ruchele. The best evidence I have is that she has already married, and Ruchele has not yet done so. However, don't be concerned, daughter of my sister, no one will deprive you of whatever your fate is, although recently (it appears) this can also happen. Yet, your mate will be sent to you from heaven. The fact that she is close to you, trusts you and follows your advice in everything gives me the best guarantee that I will yet hear from her that she lives happily and contentedly! You started some sort of a story, Sol, respecting Aunt Estherl and buttons; she's on the brink of being insulted by what you wrote. She keeps insisting that she doesn't want to hear anything about buttons. She says that you shouldn't wait until you have an entire $100,000; rather, you should come, whatever your present circumstances are. She keeps insisting that she doesn't need anything from you because she has enough bread and rolls; Lazer bakes fresh ones every day; she lacks for nothing. However, she misses her sister, may she rest in peace; she still cannot believe that she is not alive. Your coming will console her! Sol, make a try and promise her that you will come. After all, a new year is upon us. Who knows, perhaps your business will go so well that you will come to Europe for business purposes...or as to a spa on a vacation. As for myself, I say nothing concerning the matter. I only ask of G-d that at some time in my life I have the honor to see my dearest, my most devoted, my closest brother. However, for as long as you do not come, cheer me every two weeks with a letter of yours that I read so eagerly and that I value so much! You have surely received a letter from my Rifchele by this time. She has already returned to Lodz and is attending school. Joseph has also begun school. I am not certain whether I will be home for Rosh Hashana. Probably not. I suspect that I will not be home until Sukkoth because my partners are going to their Rabbis for Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur since they are Chasidim. Write to me, Sol, as to how the season has been for you because you should be busy these days. Also write me whether you are doing any business in the new store and whether the newly opened store is worthwhile for you. In a word, I ask you to write about everything. From my side, I write to you about everything. Would that I had as many good things to communicate to you as I would be eager to write about to you. Recently, our (business) has been very poor. We don't sell anything. We "push" the grain without payment. We have to take it to towns and villages like a corpse, without a customer. All at once, the population has become satiated. They don't want to recognize that we are hungry... So, I close my letter with heartfelt regards. Again, regards to everyone, and I wish that you will be inscribed and sealed for a good year. Please answer. Don't delay; rather, write long and cheerful letters. All material Copyright 1995 by Marshall L. Zissman and Sol J. Zissman.