Grantville Gazette, Volume 64

by Bjorn Hasseler

  Poland is a whole different thing than Saxony. You're probably going to hear that the supply line got attacked. I'm not allowed to write details about that. I'm fine. Alex got hit. It truly is only a flesh wound. He's going to be fine, although I might have to sit on him to get him from trying to do too much. Jimmy, Charles, Hans, and Bruce are all fine. The other side, not so much. I know you'll worry. I'm sorry about that. But I figured if you were going to hear anyway, I ought to tell you what I can so you can worry less than if you just had to wonder about it.

  So the church service yesterday was downright crowded. It needed to be a salvation message, so I preached from John 4 about how Jews and Samaritans didn't like each other, but Jesus talked to the woman at the well anyway. Mentioned the Good Samaritan and Philip, Peter, and John going to them in Acts. Made a couple officers mad. They don't think we should treat the Poles like Jesus died for them, too. Len Straley heard about it and told them to stuff it. They were unaware the colonel of the volley gun regiment is Pentecostal. I heard it was exciting.

  I'm sorry this letter is so grim. I'll try to lighten up.

  Hug the kids for me, please. Daddy misses all of you.

  Sounds like the Bible study is going really well. Way to go, Kathy.

  A memory: You mentioned the bookstore. You working at the bookstore and me working at the hardware store. And Lydia being born. We have almost all happy memories from up-time. Down-time has been hard, but we have pretty happy memories here, too. Thomas and Mark and Mary. Coming home from all the times I've had to be away. You and the kids arriving in Wismar in that covered wagon.

  A verse: John 4:24 "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

  Love you, Sugar.

  Reed

  ****

  Our House, Grantville

  Saturday, October 20, 1635

  Dear Reed,

  I got your September 26 letter yesterday. Voice of America announced a couple weeks ago that the USE Army had entered Poland. Some folks here don't think it's a good idea, but VOA said that Poland sent a small force to Zwenkau and took in the Brandenburg army. And took land from Brandenburg and Saxony. I'm not wild about it, but I don't see that there was much choice. If you wouldn't mind explaining what you can about it?

  A couple days ago, VOA said there was a battle at a town called Zalanogora, or something like that. Then today they were talking about some place called Warta River. I'm no expert, but they really didn't seem to have very much information. You be safe, ok?

  It's getting cold here. The kids like playing in the leaves. I'm wearing sweatpants to run. I'm back down to 130.

  Lydia and her friends have been playing princess at school during recess. Apparently that's a problem.

  She told me they ended up playing senator this week instead. I asked her why she and her friends changed their game, and she said, "Rahel and Maria's mommies said they're not allowed to be princesses because they're not adel. So we play senators instead. First you have to be a 'volutiony and then you have to get 'lected." Then she leaned in close and whispered, "Then you're a senator and you can do all the same things as a princess. Shh. Don't tell."

  I tucked our little revolutionary in at 7:30 tonight.

  Thomas and Mark wanted to play football yesterday. I'm not sure how Thomas even knows about football, but his explanation to Mark was hilarious. "And you get four points if you take the ball away from the other team." I got to be the other team, and they wore me out.

  Mary's getting so big. And sitting up.

  I know exactly what you mean about how we might have done things differently if we knew the Ring of Fire was coming. I miss up-time, but if we got to go back to 2000, I'd miss everyone here.

  A memory—Remember what we did after our parents asked us to wait until we were 21 to get married? The next Saturday, you took me to the mall in Morgantown. We had milkshakes and planned out the next three years. I agree—I'm so glad we were best friends first.

  A verse—Psalm 3:3 "But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, My glory and the One who lifts up my head."

  I love you, Reed. ♥

  Kathy Sue

  ****

  Bohemia

  Sunday, October 28, 1635

  Dear Kathy Sue,

  I just got handed your October 2 letter, and supposedly this one will get to you faster. You've probably already heard what's happened. There was a hard fight here at Zielona Gora, and then the Poles attacked the Hessians at Warta River. Then they hit the Swedish Army at Lake Bledno. Kathy, the Captain-General's hurt. It was pretty bad for both sides. We got there right at the end. I don't know what people are saying, but hold on to this: The Poles left. They didn't want to take us on after facing the Swedes.

  Please pray for Gustav. And Kristina, too. She must be scared. And all the wounded and the families. We're praying for First Baptist here.

  Alex is back on duty and doing fine. Things are tense here, but we're doing okay. I'm doing my thing.

  I apologize for the abrupt change of subject, but I need to write quickly.

  I ran into some folks called the Unitas Fratrum. They're good people, love the Lord. You'd like them. They've been pumping me for information on up-time Christianity and comparing it to Scripture and to what they already know, like the Bereans. Um, it's pretty clear that they have people in Grantville, but I guess everybody does, and Mike and Ed are okay with it. I trust them. Could you see if you or maybe Pastor Green can find answers to the enclosed list of questions, please? Your dad said he's sending some money. Use that to pay for researchers or paper. And why don't you start sending us copies of your Bible studies, too? I think the camp followers and the Unitas Fratrum would like them.

  I managed to spill half a box of bullets before I found your pictures under the block. Wow! I remember you coming down to the lakefront wearing that blue swimsuit. It blew my mind that you could be so hot in what's really a very modest swimsuit.

  The other one … You're breathtaking. You got Dorothea to draw you in your sparkly bikini when she came up to visit in Erfurt, didn't you? Oh! That day that Lydia wanted a swimsuit like Mommy's. I just now figured out what she was talking about. Nice scheming, Honey.

  A memory: The first time you wore it.

  A verse: Proverbs 18:22 "He who finds a wife finds a good thing. And obtains favor from the Lord."

  I'm very favored, and you're a hottie.

  I've got to mail this right now.

  I love you, Sexy.

  Reed

  ****

  Our House, Grantville

  Monday, November 5, 1635

  Dear Reed,

  We've heard all sorts of terrible news—Gustav is hurt, his wife is dead, Landgrave Wilhelm of Hesse is dead, and Mark Ellis is missing. Nobody here seems to know much more than that. Stephanie's expecting, so I took some food over. She's far enough along that she can keep food down. She's just so worried about Mark. Mark's twin sister Mackenzie and her baby are staying with her for now.

  I talked to Alex's wife, and she had already been notified that Alex was wounded. She said she was panicking afterwards, but that she'd gotten a letter from him, and he said he was okay.

  That's horrifying news from Swiebodzin. I heard it on VOA. That's the same incident you wrote about in your October 8 letter, isn't it? It sounds like Jeff Higgins and the Hangman Regiment must be pretty tough.

  Is there anything you can tell us? I'm worried about you. We haven't had any more defense drills in Grantville, so I assume that means we don't think the Poles could attack us. In fact, it sounds like General Torstensson is pushing them back. VOA said that before the Captain-General was injured, he appointed Prime Minister Wettin's brother Duke Ernst administrator of Saxony and ordered General Banér to move his army to Saxony. Hopefully that army can go help you. But then VOA said that Mike Stearns' Third Division has been ordered to Bohemia, and that doesn't make any sense at all. So maybe all of this is just speculation. (Look at me second-guessing your
commanders, like I know what I'm doing or something.)

  I hope the church is doing well. I sent Brenda Straley a note and thanked her for what Len did.

  The women's study is going well here. A couple girls from the Bibelgesellschaft came and explained some stuff to us. A Marta Engelsbergin did a church history of where all the denominations came from and a Katharina Meisnerin did the history of the Bible. And Alicia Rice is a great babysitter. All the ladies are concerned about the war, but it's starting to feel like we're all in this together.

  Things aren't so good at First Baptist. People are really divided over the down-time Anabaptist service. Alicia told me about her friend Nona Dobbs, who is one of the people caught in the middle. Please pray for us here. Reed, I think my dad's right—that we should be reaching out to the down-timers, and that a house church is the best way to do that. I asked Marta, and she promised to get back to me with some more information.

  I had to explain to Lydia that it's fine to be revolutionaries, but she has to let everyone else play. Apparently the girls have discovered telling on each other. So I had a talk with her about what happens when revolutionaries start using the government against each other. I don't need college to explain why police states are evil. But I might need college to stay ahead of Lydia in a few years. I couldn't remember that much about Martha Washington and Abigail Adams, so mostly we talked about Becky Stearns.

  The boys are doing well. All the kids send hugs & kisses. Mary sends a big smile.

  A memory—That was quite a list of memories! Wismar was really cold. Had to cuddle to stay warm. Erfurt was fun. I hope you get to come back to Grantville soon. It's … different. I'll always remember what it was like when we were growing up. And the town meeting in the gym right after the Ring of Fire. And you guys rolling back into town after the battles in '32.

  A verse—Isaiah 40:31 "But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles; They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint."

  I love you, Reed. ♥

  Kathy Sue

  ****

  Prague, Bohemia

  Saturday, November 17, 1635

  Dear Kathy Sue,

  Thanks. I needed that letter, your October 20 one, with how the kids are doing. Good for them. It's great that the boys want to play "football." I think Lydia and her friends playing senator is a wonderful idea. Please tell Lydia that Daddy thinks she is very grown-up for playing games about people who do things rather than about people who think they're better than everyone else because of who their family is. We do have a few members of the adel with us—General Knyphausen and General Brunswick-Lüneburg, to start with—who are stand-up guys. But a lot more of the adel could get off their butts and help out.

  Generals Torstensson, Knyphausen, and Brunswick are still in Poland, and they've driven the Poles back to Poznan. I knew I can say that because I've already seen it in the papers. But we're in Bohemia, and I'm not sure why. The Poles sure aren't here. But General Banér is still coming north. Please be praying. Something's off.

  A memory: Going hunting the first winter after the Ring of Fire, putting our skills to use, and realizing it actually mattered, and we were going to make it.

  A verse: Philippians 4:6-7 "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

  Love you, Sugar.

  Reed

  ****

  Our House, Grantville

  Monday, November 19, 1635

  Dear Reed,

  Your October 28 letter got here in three weeks flat.

  We're all praying for Gustav and Kristina and Landgravine Amalie and everybody else. VOA and the papers covered the battles. Now we're hearing that General Torstensson has Poznan under siege. It sounds to me like the war is going better—except that now we're hearing that Third Division really is going to Bohemia, and that doesn't make any sense to me.

  Not much has changed at First Baptist. Our women's study has had a couple really good weeks. We talked about faith and works. As long as we were sending copies to Elisabetha's sisters, I figured we probably ought to send them to Mom in Erfurt as well. It's kind of weird. We're almost a church. Really the only reason we aren't is that we don't agree on baptism and communion. And there are no guys. So I invited all the ladies to bring their husbands and boyfriends to Thanksgiving dinner.

  Anna Maria, Rosina, Magdalena, and Elisabetha are concerned we're close to being a church, but Marta told us about the Moravians. They developed from the Unitas Fratrum that you met. I'm including her summary. Marta said her brother actually met some of them here in Grantville—they belonged to some sort of military unit called Battlegroup Procopius.

  I hope you found all the bullets. Glad you like the pictures. Do you want another? Any requests on what I'm wearing?

  A memory—Date nights. I really miss date nights with you, especially the ones since the Ring of Fire where we'd try to cook something elegant and laugh because we were making it up as we went.

  A verse—You're being sappy again. But let's go with that. Proverbs 5:18b "And rejoice in the wife of your youth."

  I love you, Reed. ♥

  Kathy Sue

  ****

  Our House, Grantville

  Thursday, November 29, 1635

  Dear Reed,

  There's been an outbreak of measles in Grantville. Dr. Abrabanel announced travel restrictions. The schools are going to be closed. I don't know much else yet. Please pray for us.

  I love you, Reed. ♥

  Kathy Sue

  ****

  České Budějovice, Bohemia

  Sunday, December 2, 1635

  Dear Kathy Sue,

  We just got word that Grantville is under quarantine for the measles. Our guys picked up a radio message.

  We prayed for all of you in Grantville at church today. I know you guys are probably scared. We sure are. Can you call the guys' families, please? Alexander Ebenhöch, Jimmy Dunn, Charlie McDow, Hans Moschel, Mike Marcantonio, Friedrich Patzscheldt, Caspar Treiber, Bruce Reynolds, Len Straley, Voss Gordon. Just let them know we're all thinking of them. Other guys in the division, not from the Ring of Fire area, have been stopping in to offer their sympathy, too.

  Yeah, Mark Ellis is missing. I'm sorry. I knew about it, but I couldn't say anything. Please tell Stephanie and Mackenzie there were people out looking for him. The Army's on it. I know, we're cooling our heels here in Bohemia for no good reason when we could be looking for Mark. I'm not happy about it, either.

  I got your November 5 and November 19 letters yesterday. The second one was really fast. You're absolutely right about the military stuff. It doesn't make a lot of sense.

  I'm really excited the women's study is going so well. And I hope you guys had a great Thanksgiving. We had a pretty good one here. A few of the Unitas Fratrum came, and I've met the guys who were in Battlegroup Procopius.

  I always want more pictures. Next letter maybe I can tease you about it. Right now …

  Take care. I want to give you all kinds of advice, but you're the one who's there. Stay well, Honey.

  A memory: Remember the cold spell the first winter downtime? How we just stayed in the house and rode it out? I guess you're doing that now. Please hug the kids for me and tell them Daddy loves them and misses them.

  A verse: Psalm 18:2 "The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold."

  Love you, Sugar.

  Reed

  ****

  Our House, Grantville

  Saturday, December 8, 1635

  Dear Reed,

  A lot of kids have died of measles. Or measles and influenza. Reed, the Crafts' little girl Nora died. They were up in Jena. I feel so bad for Norris and Alysa. I don't kn
ow what I'm going to tell Lydia and Thomas. How do I tell them Nora died?

  We're okay. The TV says they're getting the outbreak under control. We had St. Nicholas Day by ourselves. Magdalena, Rosina, and Anna Maria are wonderful. They're able to go back to work Monday. We've got a washing station set up so they'll scrub back in when they come home. We got a message that Dorothea, Johann, and little Friedrich are doing fine.

  I got your letter of November 17. I'm glad the USE Army has good officers. General Banér's army marched through Thuringia on their way to Saxony. It sounds like he's going to put Dresden under siege, and that makes absolutely no sense. You already captured Dresden.

  Everything seems to be spiraling out of control.

  A memory—How many times since the Ring of Fire have we told each other, "God has this under control?" Been right every time, too.

  A verse—Luke 1:1-2:20. Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas from Lydia, Thomas, Mark, and Mary.

  I love you, Reed. ♥

  Kathy Sue

  ****

  České Budějovice, Bohemia

  Wednesday, December 19, 1635

  Dear Kathy Sue,

  We're praying for you and the kids and the Crafts and everyone else in Grantville. And for Gustav and Kristina and for the government. The radio guys told us the measles are winding down, that the doctors have it under control. I hope you're all still okay. Stay safe.

  You and the kids must be tired of being cooped up. I hope it's going okay, and I'm sorry I'm not there with you.

  We're trying to do our thing here. Quite a few people are coming to church, including some Unitas Fratrum.

  I know it's not a happy time right now, but it's almost Christmas. It will be by the time this gets to you. Merry Christmas! Please tell the kids Merry Christmas from Daddy.