Kjære Kramer!

Nei det gaar ikke an med alle dine foræ-

ringer, – jeg kommer mig i en bùndløs gjæld

til dig, – en taknemligheds gjæld, som jeg aldrig

kan betale – eller gjengjælde tilnærmelses vis.

Ja tùsend tak da kjære Kramer og frùe!

Jeg kan ikke takke i ord, som jeg gjerne

vilde, – det er bare saa altfor stor present,

og saa altfor fint for en saadan lazaron

som mig at gaa med gùldlorgnet. Jeg har

aldrig misùndt hverken Fond eller Flùge

at de "brillierede" med gùld – (Fluge har

kjöbt den af en tyv i Bergen for et par kr.)

og Fond har faaet sine, – saa jeg har ingen

ahnelse om værdien – men jeg har en bange

ahnelse om, at den maa skrives med tre-sifret

tal, – og da synes jeg dù har taget alt for dypt

ned i din pecùnia-beholdning. –––

Ogsaa har dù lagt ùd en hel del, som dù

ikke sender regning paa og som skal "staa til af-

betaling paa det billede dù har bestilt", siger dù,

men hvilket billede er det egentlig? – Jeg 

er desværre saa slöv, at jeg ikke hùsker det, –

var det "rabarbrabilledet"? Eller var det

ikke noget bestemt af de paabegyndte? – "Rabar-

brabilledet var jo, som dù hùsker egentlig be-

stilt (af Meyer), – men naar han ikke tog det

den gang, men ^senere vilde ha det til en af sine venner, 

saa er jeg egentlig ùden forpligtelse, – rigtignok

fik jeg spörgsmaal fra en Engelsen, som havde

bestilt – sa han – gjennem H. Meyer – men 

han nævnte intet bestemt billede, – jeg lovede

ham da noget, naar jeg fik noget færdig, –

jeg kan jo ogsaa i nödsfald lave ham eller

Meyer en copi eller gjöre færdigt det andet,

som dù saa (i begyndelsen) paa Myklebust,

– det var rigtignok ikke tænkt at være det

samme ganske, – (egentlig et helt andet

landskab), – begge rigtignok fra gamle præste

gaardshaven men i forskjellig afstand fra "haùgen"

og ogsaa vendt mod en anden kant. –

det er jo ogsaa ùvist om nogen af billederne

blir saa gode, at jeg tör "slippe dem af haand", 

men dù faar komme hid ofte og "korrigere"

eller sige din mening, indtil billedet blir godt,

kanske. "Javist"; – siger dù nok i dit indre:

"det blir dyre Jölstertùrer", – men hvorfor

skal dù stadig spendere saa meget paa os

naar dù kommer, – dù ser hvor tarveligt

vi har det og tar’ – det – naar dere kommer, –

og tager dù hùrtigrùten pr. dampskib til Förde

og vor komùnale bil hid, saa vil du ikke tabe

synderlig i tid og spare mere end halvdelen i

penge, – selfölgelig er det bekvemmere at tage

om Vadheim, – men tag iallefald "den komùnale" fra

Förde og hid! – Med tiden kommer der ogsaa komù-

nal bil fra Vadheim til Förde – "interkomùnalen"

som jeg vistnok nævnte i sidste brev, – ja dù

har vel faaet det, – jeg har ikke faaet ùdrette

noget i mellemtiden – kùn lidt "föling";

Thi jeg er bleven heftet væk nogle dage, som

IIII

"jùridisk konsulent" – her hændte nemlig et

stygt ùlykkestilfælde: – et barn som havde

lidt "engelsk syke" havde faaet en söd styr-

kende medisin fra doktoren – og var bleven

helt frisk, men var saa glad i den söde me-

dicin, at hendes ^snille bedstemor gav hende en dosis

daglig; – og barnets far havde en dag sat et glas

concentrerd kreaturvask ^{(arsenik antagelig)} i samme hylde som

bedstemoren havde barnets medicin og hùn tog da

feil og gav barnet giften saa det döde efter en

halvtimes frygtelige lidelser. Faren kjörte da

da til mig, for at jeg skulde komme og se om 

noget var at gjöre, – han var rent fra sig af

fortvivlelse (ogsaa frygtedes baade straf og folke-

snak), – han tænkte at jeg kùnde male af barnet

for ham eller fotografere det, – og saa vilde

han faa mig til at ùnderhandle med lensman-

den. – Det var en snild mand, som har gjort

mig flere tjenester (tækkede mit hùstak her ^{bl. a.}), og

jeg syntes, jeg maatte hjælpe ham saa godt, jeg kùnde,

han troede det skùlde lade sig gjöre at opgive

"den engelske syken" som döds aarsag – men jeg

V

kom snart efter, at andre folk der i nærhe-

den havde faaet nyss i sakens sammenhæng, –

(der var mange smaabörn paa gaarden og sligt

kan ikke holdes hemmeligt); – jeg raadede 

ham derfor til, at vi skùlde opgive alt for

lensmanden, – og jeg reiste med ham næste dag

til Øvrebö efter at jeg havde forsögt nogle

fotografioptagelser af barnet (et rigtigt vakkert

jentebarn). Øvrebö kjende heldigvis manden

som en hæderlig mand og telefonerede til politimes-

teren og fik ordnet det, saa manden slap nogen

viden ùleilighed end et lidet nödvendig politiforhör

af lensmanden selv – (loven kræver jo egentlig

sakkyndig "likaabning" o.s.v. i slige tilfælder)

                                –––

Saa har jeg havt en del mere ubehagelige ting at

pùsle med et uforskammet brev fra sykekas-

sens forretningsförer, – som antakelig tænker at 

skræmme mig, – men han har været saa uheldig

at "gaa portofriheten for nær" og jeg arbeider paa

en spræng granat, som snart skal bringe ham til

taùshed, – saa kom jeg efter, at der er en af mine

VI

forbundsfæller, som er bleven "forræder" og er gaaet

over til fienden, – ham maatte jeg opsöke og give

ham en ordentlig "dùkkert", og manden blev saa

"ilde tilmode", at jeg tilslut syntes synd i ham;

han var villig til at erklære, at det var hans

virkelige mening at stemme imod videre forfölgel-

se af mig, men styret fremstillede saken slig for

styrets medlemmer, at han misforstod det hele

og stemte galt. 

Nù kan jeg ogsaa fortælle dig, hvorfor jeg nù

er bleven saa ivrig for vor store fælleshandel,

som jeg oprindelig ikke interesserede mig

saa meget for, – jo "pakteren" er ophavsman-

den til hele forfölgelsen mot mig, – og da han

desuden forsögte at faa departementet til at

omstyrte handelen, som far havde gjort, da han

fik kjöbe den lille del af præstegaarden, –

saa har jeg nù en glimrende anledning til

hævn, som jeg længe har sökt etter, – en næsten

nöiagtig gjengjældelse af det han forsögte mod

far, – at han to gange har bedraget mig paa

större pengebelöb gjör heller ikke saken bedre for

VII

ham, – det skulde være mig en fryd at komme

ind i hans stùe den 14 april 1921 og sige: heraùs

med dit pikk og dit pakk. 

Men derfor vil jeg selvfölgelig ikke give en

par hùndrede kroner mere for gaarden end den er

værd, – jeg talte med grùndeieren i gaar, og sa,

at jeg gaar ikke over 8500, – og jeg giver kùn det

ogsaa, hvis hùsene og rettighederne blir dyre

for grundeieren, – men 8000. kr. skùlde jeg

garantere ham i alle tilfælder for hele "greia"

uden heftelser og med hùsene og sæteren og öen.

Jeg fik ogsaa greie paa, hvordan det gik

med hans forhandlinger med bygselfolkene

hin dag, – da jeg skrev til dig, – det gik

forresten daarlig, – eller rettere ùden resultat,

da der er flere vanskeligheder, – blant andet

viser det sig, at det ikke er saa like til at komme

over til Amerika for bygselfolkene, – den Ameri-

kanske stat er jo lægger jo mange vanskelig-

heder i veien for indvandring, – men det gaar nok

med tiden, og nogen aùktion eller lösning af eiendom

VIII

bygselret og pakteret vil ikke bygselfolkene gaa

med paa, förend indvandringen til Amerika kan sikres,

 – dette er jo rimelig talt af bygselsfolkene, – riktignok

kùnde de nok overlade pakter-retten, syntes jeg, og jeg 

tænker nù paa at forandre lidt politik : jeg

vil (med straamand) optræde som liebhaber til

pakterstillingen og overbyde pakteren (han er fætter

af "bygdeskùrken" som dù saa – og han er verre end denne)

Skal pakteren faa sidde mere end et aar, kan

han blive ùmùlig at faa væk, – han har ogsaa

forstaaet gjöre sig saa inderlig fin og "tilvens" med

bygselsfolkene, og der er fare for, at han kan faa

kjöbe hùsene og sæteren af bygselfolkene (og selv-

fölgelig ogsaa pagterretten for en billig pris, – og

kanske förend – jeg faar komme ham i forkjöbet,

 – altsaa gjaldt at forandre lidt politik,

og dù kan kanske i fremtiden tittelere mig

som "pakter" – – det gjaldt derfor nù

at handle snart, og da jeg fik greie paa at

bygselfolkenes rettigheder staar paa konens navn;

maatte hùn jo have en formynder (som alle

kvinder her maa have, – naar de eier noget), og jeg

9

fik ogsaa greie paa hvem formynderen var, –

og – – alt i denne sak lægger sig saa

forbandet godt tilrette for mig – jeg

maa for et öieblik have faaet "lykkens

ùsynlige kalosjer" paa mig (jeg mangler

sko kan dù skaffe mig et par amerikanske billige?)

Ja det var altsaa om lykkens kalosjer; –

jo formynderen viste sig tilfældigvis at være

en af mine aller bedste venner, – min enste

forsvarer i sykekassens styre, ^{etter foræderiet} og min bror Kristi-

ans svoger, – pakteren, som har sögt hver

leilighed til at forfölge mig, – passede paa, da

denne "formynder" var fraværende i et af syke-

kassestyrets möter og fik drevet igjennem,

at forfölgelsen mod mig skulde gaa til "höieste

ret", og paa grùnd af hin "forræders" "misforstaalese"

fik han saken drevet enstemmig igjennem. 

Nù maatte jeg altsaa i en fart opsöke min ven

"formynderen", som jeg indviede i hele saken – og

han lovede mig at gjöre alt, hvad han kùnde, for

10

at bygselfolkene ikke skal sælge hùsene til

pakteren; – de maa jo ogsaa have ^{("formynderens")} hans tilladelse

dertil ;– men pakterretten er givet paa et aar

(og kanske flere) til pakteren – (dette skulde "for-

mynderen nù faa ùndersögt) (pagterfolkene udtal-

te nemlig, da de i vaar flyttede ind i Øiene,

at det nù skulde være sidste gang, di flyttede;

 – de har nemlig tidligere maatte flytte fra en

pagtning – og et sted fra et handelsted, som de

bestyret; begge steder antagelig ^("sikkert") paa grùnd af

bedragersk forhold –). – Saa vilde min

ven "formynderen" ogsaa söke ùdvirket, at jeg

fik kjöbe hùsene billigt – eller eventuelt ^(egentlig) grùnd-

eieren – (thi vi tör forelöbig ikke "gaa bag

hans ryg"; – men da maatte vi have en

"straamand" (paa grùnd af bygselfolkenes hat

til mig eller rettere Engel – jeg var jo forlovet med

datteren i gamle dage). Fond er desværre reist

væk til Stardalen – maler af alle kræfter der, –

ellers vilde jeg faaet ham til at optræde som "straa-

forpagter" for mig, han er nemlig ogsaa god ven af "formynderen"

Fik i dette öieblik dit telegram –

11

Tak for telegrammet! – dù tog en sten fra

hjærtet, thi oprigtig talt var jeg lidt ræd

for, at dù kùnde synes, at jeg havde vovet

formeget; og som det fremgaar af begyndel-

sen af dette brev, – havde jeg allerede trùkket

mig 500 kr. tilbage, – dog betingelsesvis:– nù

har vi altsaa eiendommen paa haand omtrent

for 8000 Kr. med et svingetal af 500 opover

yderligere nedgang er vist ùmùlig, – da grùnd-

eieren er bùden næsten det samme – det vil sige

ca. 6000 ùden rettighederne og uden husene og ùden

öen, – (sæteren veed jeg ikke om var medtaget; men da

grùndeieren ikke eier den, var den neppe med)

og disse viktige tilhæng maa nok taxeres adskil-

ligt over 2000 , – saa vi har nù i virkeligheden

bùdet billigere end den anden, – jeg siger at "vi

har den paa haand"; det blir bok urigtigt, thi

det kan tage tid med ùnderhandlingerne om ùd-

vandringen til Amerika af bygselfolkene, men

jeg har da allerede opnaaet en del: först og fremst

at pakteren ikke faar kjöbe hùsene ifra os for en

12

billig pris, dernæst at grùndeieren ikke skal

tage mere end 8000 eller höist 8500, hvor dyre

end rettighederne og hùsene blir. Dernæst skal

jeg udvirke, af eller gjennem "Formynderen",

at bygselfolkene ikke faar pagte væk til "pakteren"

flere aar – (hvis det ikke allerede er gjort) – han

maa isaafald have ret til at bestemme (som

formynder), hvem der skal pakte. –––

Det er mùligt at Fond er ùvillig til at være "straa-

forpagter", – det blir jo lidt vanskelig at {…}

det ogsaa, – men hvis Amerika-tilladelsen og

ùnderhandlingerne derom tager lang tid (over et aar),

skal pagteren dog ikke faa lov at sidde der læn-

ger end et aar til (paa "aaremaal" altsaa).

Og helst bùrde formynderen söke at faa en anden

forpagter, – forresten kan det jo for handelens skyld

blive ligegyldig, hvem som sider der, indtil gaar-

den er fri, men jeg vil skynde paa, hvad jeg kan

for at faa "pakteren" væk – (den nùværende altsaa).

Der er en ting, som gjör mig lidt ondt ved handelen

13

og det er, at grùndeierens bror, som har været min

tjenestedreng,– den bedste jeg har havt, (paa en viss

maade dog kanske den nùværende ùndtaget) –

han har været og er min gode ven, – og han er 

liebhaber til eiendommen ogsaa, – det er jo

ikke saa ùnderligt, om han önsker en flæk af

sin fædrens-jord, men han har ikke raad at betale

saa meget, og grundeieren vil gjerne have fuld

eller henimod fuld værdi for sin eiendom, – men

jeg antydede for grùndeieren, at der kùnde blive en

mùlighed for, at vi afstod en remse senere til ham,

og at vi kanske bare tog den indre del af gaarden

og öen ùnder og en 10–15 meter bred remse paa den

ytre side af elven ogsaa, – saa kunde kanske

grundeierens bror faa kjöbe resten for ca 5–6000,

men först efter at vi havde været der nogle aar,

saa vi "fik se, hvordan vi likte os", – og efter at

vi havde faaet bygget os hùser indenfor elven

(hvor der er den vakreste beliggenhed). Grùndeieren

vilde gjerne "tage mig paa ordet" – for sin bror, – det

blev da bare ca. 2000 vi betalte for den indre del med

öen og den omtalte remse, – jeg turde dog ikke

love noget sikkert om dette, förend jeg havde talt

14

dig – og jeg tror vi forelöbig ùndgaar at love noget –

enhver er jo sig selv nærmest – og dù faar sörge 

for, at dù har tilstrækkelig sikkerhed paa mig og 

en ordentlig kontrakt os imellem, thi nù ser dù

hvordan jeg kan være! Olina og Olaùs faar

nok föle det, nù thi grùndeieren har lovet

at meddele Olaùs det, hvor nogen byder over

ham for grùndretten, eller lade ham vide prisen

förend han sælger, – dette har han nù lovet mig

at vente med og saa nævne en sùm saa höi, at

det blir Olaus ùmùligt at löse den: 9–10 000

Derfor gjælder det om taùshed – Olina har mùligens

mistanke om noget; – fordi grùndeieren og jeg talte

saa meget sammen hin dag, og ^han nù har været her

to gange for at tale med mig (for at give mig be-

skjed om udfaldet af forhandlingene med bygselfolkene)

Hùn spùrgte Engel en dag om Kramer tænkte at

kjöbe hùsene i Øiene förend der blev aùktion –

hùn sa ogsaa at Olaùs vilde give 8000 for Øiene,

hvis han fik alt sammen (naturligvis da ùden öen,

som han ikke tænker paa engang, ^{at den er udenfor gaarden, Øiene} og som aldrig skal slippe

mig ud af hænderne). –––

15

Ja det er jo kjedelig at den amerika historien

skal stille sig i veien, saa vi ikke straks kan 

faa tage eiendommen i besiddelse; men jeg

har tænkt at forsöke at faa formynderen til

at skræmme bygselfolkene med, at det blir

strengere og strengere med at komme over til

Amerika, – saa de maa skynde sig, – jeg

har nemlig nù forsket ud, at de tænker at vente

til en datter i Amerika kommer hid og tager

dem med sig over, – den yngste datter, som er

hjemme paa bygselbruket, kvier sig vistnok for

at reise, da hùn aldrig har "været ude".

Forelöbig veed jeg intet andet at gjöre med 

saken. –––

Ja saa maa dù have tusend tak for alt, dù 

har udrettet for mig, – men jeg vilde gjerne faa

betale det efterhvert, – jeg nævnte i brevet – sko

– amerikanske – billige – störste nùmmer

tænker jeg vil passe, men hvis dù har det travelt

16

saa lad det bare være, thi jeg har sendt mine

til skomakeren og klarer mig med træsko indtil videre

Derimod vil jeg være dig taknemlig, om dù ved lei-

lighed vilde lade indsætte glas i de lorgnetter, 

som jeg sender i brevet – det er N^O -4 jeg helst

vil have ^{i lorgnetterne}, – det {…} glas er N^O -3,5 og det kan jeg

faa tilbage og have som et reserve glas ogsaa kan

jeg faa et glas til reserve af N^O -4. – Det glas,

som blev sendt var for stort og retoùrneres, – jeg

maa have "tegnet" lorgnetten for stor.–––

Jeg har givet manden, som solgte skinkerne en

overhaling, fordi han havde skaaret dem stygt, og

jeg sa, at han faar ikke mere end 5,50 pr. kg. –

altsaa det samme, som Handelsmanden paa "Runna"

forlangte for sit (rigtignok daarligere flesk); – til at

spise speget, tror jeg ikke dù faar stort bedre flesk ^{end det dù fik},– men

vil dù have det til at koge, kan jeg skaffe dig næsten

hvor meget, dù vil have, og da kanske endog til 5 kr.

pr. kg. delvis. Men han skal faa lov at skaffe os en

penere skinke næste gang, hvad tilskjæringen angaar.

Han vil kjöbe et hus af mig, – det staar paa hans grùnd,

saa jeg har lidt baand paa ham. Dù skal faa igjen det

dù har betalt formeget. Engel sa det var 81 kr.^{dù betalte} Dù skal da ha 6,75

Lev vel! Bedste hilsen og tak fra alle her Din hengivne Astrup

Dear Kramer!

Well your many gifts are simply too

much, – I will fall into endless debt

to you, – a debt of gratitude, which I will never

be able to repay – or reciprocate in kind.

Well I thank you profusely dear Kramer and Mrs.!

I cannot thank you enough in words, as I would so

much like to, – it is simply too great a gift,

and far too fine for such a pauper

as myself to wear a gold lorgnette. I have 

never envied either Fond or Flùge

the fact that they “glimmered” with gold – (Fluge has

bought his from a thief in Bergen for a couple of kr.)

and Fond was given his, – so I have no

idea of their worth – but my impression I fear,

is that it must be a three-digit

figure, – and I therefore believe you have dug far too deep

into your pecuniary coffers. –––

And in addition you have paid a good deal in advance, which you

do not send an bill for and which shall “represent a down-

payment for the picture you have commissioned”, as you say

but what picture is it actually? – I 

am unfortunately so unfocused, that I cannot remember, –

was it the “rhubarb picture”? Or was it not

something in particular among the ones that are begun? – “The rhubarb

picture” was, as you remember actually commis-

sioned (by Meyer), – but since he did not take it [with him]

then, but ^later wished to have it for one of his friends, 

I actually do not have any obligations, – admittedly

I received a request from a person named Engelsen, who had

commissioned something – he said – via H. Meyer – but 

he did not mention any specific picture, – I therefore promised

him something, when I had something completed, –

I can also if necessary make him or

Meyer a copy or complete the other one,

which you saw (when it was begun) in Myklebust,

– it was not intended however to be

quite the same, – (actually a totally different

landscape), – however both from the old vicarage

garden but at different distances from “the hill”

and also facing another direction. –

III

there is also the question of whether any of the pictures

will be good enough, that I dare to “let them go”, 

but you might come here often and “critique” them

or give me your opinion, until the picture is good,

perhaps. “Sure”; – you are probably saying to yourself:

“it will involve costly trips to Jölster”, – but why

should you treat us so generously 

when you come, – you see how meagrely

and simply we are used to living – when you are here, –

and if you take the coastal express by steamboat to Förde

and our local motorcar service up to us, then you would not lose

very much time and would save more than half the

cost, – of course it is more comfortable to travel 

via Vadheim, – but you should at least take “the local” from

Förde to us! – Eventually there will also be a local motor-

car service from Vadheim to Förde – a “long-distance” [service]

as I believe I mentioned in my last letter, – well you

have probably received it, – I have not been able to accomplish

anything in the meantime – only a little “sensing”;

Because I have been distracted for a few days, as

IIII

“legal adviser” – there’s been an

ugly accident: – a child that was slightly

ill with “the English flu” had been given a sweet restora-

tive medication from the doctor – and was 

completely cured, but was so fond of the sweet me-

dicine, that her kind-hearted grandmother gave her a daily

dose; – and one day the child’s father had left a glass

of concentrated ointment against cattle lice ^{(arsenic most likely)} on the same shelf where

the grandmother had the child’s medicine and she made

the mistake of giving the child the poison so that it died after 

half an hour of horrendous suffering. The father then drove

then to my place, to ask me to come and see if 

there was anything we could do, – he was completely beside himself with

grief (was also afraid of being penalized and of gos-

sip), – he thought I might paint a portrait of the child

for him or photograph it, – and then he

wanted me to negotiate with the bail-

iff. – He was a kind man, who has done

me several favours (thatched my roof here ^{for example}), and

I felt, that I had to help him as best I could,

he believed it was possible to declare

“the English flu” as the cause of death – but I

V

soon learned, that other people in the neighbour-

hood had got wind of what had happened, –

(there were many small children on the farm and such a thing

cannot be kept secret); – I advised 

him therefore, to reveal everything to

the bailiff, – and I went with him the next day

to Øvrebö after I had attempted to make a few

photographic documentations of the child (a beautiful

little girl). Øvrebö fortunately knew the man 

to be an honest fellow and phoned the superintendent

of police and took care of it, so the man was spared no

more inconvenience than an obligatory police interrogation

by the bailiff himself – (the law actually requires

an expert “autopsy”, etc. in such cases)

                                –––

And then I have had a number of unpleasant things to

occupy me[,] an offensive letter from the health

insurance administrator, – who most likely intends to 

scare me, – but he has been so unfortunate

as to “exploit the free postage exemption” so I am working on

an explosive grenade that will soon silence

him, – but then I remembered, that it are one of my

VI

allies, one who has become a “traitor” and gone

over to the enemy, – I was obliged to look him up and give

him a real “dunking”, and the man became so

“ill at ease”, that I eventually felt sorry for him;

he was willing to declare, that it was his

actual intention to vote against any further prosecu-

tion of me, but the board presented the case in such a way to

the members of the board, that he misunderstood the entire matter

and voted incorrectly. 

Now I can also tell you why I have

become so enthusiastic about our great joint transaction,

which I was originally not so 

interested in, – because the “leaseholder” is the man

behind the whole prosecution against me, – and when he

in addition attempted to get the Government office to

invalidate the transaction, which father had made, when he

purchased the little section of the vicarage, –

I now have the perfect opportunity for

revenge, which I have long sought after, – a nearly

exact replication of what he attempted to do to 

father, – that he has twice cheated me of

a large sum of money does not improve the case for

VII

him, – it would be a delight for me to enter

his living room on 14 April 1921 and say: out of here

with your belongings. 

Yet that is why I of course do not wish to give a

few hundred kr. more for the farm than it is

worth, – I spoke with the landowner yesterday, and said,

that I will not go above 8500. – and I will only offer 

that much, if the buildings and rights will be costly

for the landowner, – but 8000. kr. I could

guarantee him in any event for the whole “mess”

without liens and with the cabins and the mountain grazing farm and the island.

I was also able to learn how things were progressing

regarding his negotiations with the cottars

the other day, – when I wrote to you, – things did

not go well, – or rather without result,

as there are a number of difficulties, – among other things

it appears, that it is not so easy to get over

to America for the cottars, – the Ameri-

can government is in fact puts many obsta-

cles in the way of immigration, – but it will be resolved

in time, and the cottars will not agree to any

auction or waiver of property

VIII

cottars’ rights, until immigration to America can be secured,

 – this is reasonably spoken by the cottars, – admittedly

they might have relinquished the leaseholder rights, in my opinion, and I 

am now thinking of changing my strategy a little: I

will (via a strawman) behave like one who fancies

the leaseholder post and outbid the leaseholder (he is the cousin

of “the village rogue” as you called him – and he is worse than that one)

If the leaseholder is allowed to sit for more than a year, he

can be impossible to get rid of, – he has also

been cunning enough to behave ingratiatingly courteous and “friendly” with

the cottars, and there is a danger that he can 

purchase the cabins and mountain grazing farm from them (and of

course the leaseholder rights as well for a bargain, – and

perhaps in order – that I can beat him to it,

 – it is necessary with a slight change of strategy,

and you may perhaps in the future address me

me as “leaseholder” – – it was thus a question 

of acting swiftly, and when I heard that 

the cottars’ rights are in the wife’s name;

she would have to have a guardian (as all

women are required to here, – when they own something), and I

9

was able to find out who the guardian was, –

and – – everything about this matter is falling

incredibly into place for me – I

must have stepped into “fortune’s invisible 

galoshes” for an instant (I have no

shoes can you obtain a cheap American pair for me?)

Well it was indeed a case of fortune’s galoshes; –

because the guardian by chance turned out to be

one of my very best friends, – my only

defender on the health insurance board ^{after the betrayal}, and my brother Kristi-

an’s brother-in-law, – the leaseholder, who has sought every

opportunity to harass me, – made sure, when

this “guardian” was absent from one of the health

insurance meetings to drive through a decision

to have the prosecution against me go to “supreme

court”, and due to the afore-mentioned “traitor’s” “misunderstanding”

he was able to drive the case through unanimously. 

Now I had to make haste and visit my friend 

“the guardian”, whom I informed about the entire matter – and

he promised me that he would do everything he could, to

10

prevent the cottars from selling the cabins to

the leaseholder; – they had to have his ^{(“the guardian’s”)} permission

to do so;– yet the leaseholder rights are granted for one year

(and perhaps more) to the leaseholder – (the “guar-

dian” will investigate this) (the leaseholders in

fact said when they moved to Øiene this spring,

that it would be the last time, they would move;

 – they have previously had to move from one

lease holding – and one place from one trading post, which they

managed; most likely both places ^{(“surely”)} due to

fraudulent arrangements –). – Then my friend

“the guardian” would also attempt to arrange it, so that I 

might purchase the cabins cheaply – or alternately ^(actually) the land-

owner – (because we do not yet dare “go behind

his back”; – but then we will need to have a

“strawman” (due to the cotters’ hatred 

towards me or rather Engel – I was engaged with

their daughter at one time). Fond has unfortunately left

for Stardalen – is painting for all he is worth there, –

otherwise I would ask him to perform as a “strawman

leaseholder” for me, he is in fact also a good friend of “the guardian”

Just this second received your telegram –

Thank you for the telegram! – you have lifted a stone from

my heart, because frankly speaking I was afraid,

that you might think, that I had been

foolhardy; and as it appears in the begin-

ning of this letter, – I had already 

retracted 500 kr., – albeit contingent on certain conditions:– now

we have the property at hand for approximately

8000 kr. with a fluctuating sum upwards of 500

a further reduction is most unlikely, – since the land-

owner has bid nearly the same amount – that is to say[,]

around 6000 without the rights and without the cabins and without

the island, – (I don’t know if the mountain grazing farm was included; but since

the landowner doesn’t own it, it is most likely not included)

and these important additions will have to be appraised at consi-

derably more than 2000 , – so we have in reality

bid less than the other, – I say that “we 

have it at hand”; that is not quite true, since,

negotiating the cottars’ emigration to 

America can take time, but

I have already achieved a good deal: first and foremost

that the leaseholder cannot purchase the cabins from us for a

12

cheap price, secondly that the landowner shall not

accept more than 8000 or at most 8500, no matter how

expensive the rights and the cabins will be. Thirdly I

will see to it, by or via “the guardian”,

that the cottars do not grant a lease to “the leaseholder”

for additional years – (if it has not already occurred) – he

must in that case have the right to decide (as

guardian), who shall lease [the property]. –––

It’s possible that Fond is willing to be the “straw-

man leaseholder”, – it would be too difficult to {…}

that as well, – but if the American visa and the

negotiations pertaining to it take a long time (more than a year),

the leaseholder shall nevertheless not be allowed to sit there long-

er than one additional year (a fixed-term contract in other words).

And the guardian should preferably seek to find a different

Leaseholder, – incidentally it might be irrelevant as far as the transaction

is concerned, who sits on the property, until the farm

is freed up, but I will hurry, as best I can

to get rid of the “leaseholder” – (the present one that is).

There is one thing, which pains me about the transaction

13

and that is, that the landowner’s brother, who has been my

farmhand,– the best I have had, (in a certain

sense perhaps with the exception of the present one) –

he has been and is a good friend of mine, – and he 

also desires the property, – it is 

not so strange, if he desires a piece of

his forefathers’-land, but he cannot afford to pay

very much, and the landowner would like to get the full

or nearly full value for his property, – but

I suggested to the landowner, that there might be a 

possibility, that we gave a strip of land to him later,

and that we perhaps only took the interior part of the farm

and the island below and a 10–15 metre broad strip on the

far side of the river as well, – in that way perhaps

the landowner’s brother might purchase the rest for around 5–6000,

but not until we have been there a few years,

so that we “could see how we liked it”, – and after

we had built cabins on this side of the river

(the most beautiful location). The landowner

would gladly “take my word for it” – for his brother, – then

it would only be around 2000 we would pay for the inner plot with

the island and the mentioned strip, – I did not dare to

promise anything for certain regarding this, before I had spoken

14

[with] you – and I think we can avoid promising anything for the time being –

for everyone has their own best interests at heart – and you must make

sure, that you have enough collateral from me and 

a proper contract between us, because now you have seen

how I can be! Olina and Olaùs will

surely feel it, now that the landowner has promised

to inform Olaùs, if someone bids above

him for the land rights, or will let him know the price

before he sells, – this he has now promised me

he will wait to do and then mention a sum so high, that

it will be impossible for Olaus to redeem: 9–10 000

It is thus a question of confidentiality – Olina may 

suspect something; – because the landowner and I spoke

at such length the other day, and he has now been here

twice to talk with me (to let me know

about the outcome of the negotiations with the cottars)

He asked Engel one day whether Kramer thought about

buying the cabins on Øiene before there was an auction –

she also said that Olaùs was willing to give 8000 for Øiene,

if he could have everything (naturally without the island,

which he has not even considered ^{is not part of the farm. Øiene,} which I will never let slip

through my fingers). –––

15

It’s a pity that the America business

shall get in the way, so that we cannot immediately 

take possession of the property; but I

have thought of trying to get the guardian

to frighten the cottars by claiming, that it will

become more and more difficult to get over to

America, – so that they must make haste, – I

have now found out, that they are planning to wait

until a daughter in America comes here to take

them with her over there, – the youngest daughter, who is

at home on the cottar’s farm, is evidently reluctant

to travel, as she has never been “away from home”.

At present I do not know what else to do about the 

matter. –––

And then I must thank you profusely for everything, you 

have done for me, – but would very much like to 

pay for it ultimately, – I mentioned in the letter – shoes

– American – cheap – the biggest size

I think will fit, but if you are busy

then just let it be, I have sent mine

to the shoemaker and can manage with my wooden clogs for now

On the other hand I would be grateful, if you might

at your convenience have glass [lenses] inserted in the lorgnettes, 

which I will send in the letter – it is N^o -4 that I would

like to have, ^{in the lorgnettes} – it {…} glass is N^o -3,5 which can be

returned to me to keep as reserve glass may I 

also have a N^o -4 glass [lens] in reserve. – The glass,

which was sent was too large and is being returned, – I

must have “drawn” too large a lorgnette.–––

I have given the man, who sold the ham a

dressing-down, because he had sliced them unappealingly, and

I said, that he would not get more than 5.50 pr. kg. –

in other words the same that the Grocer in “Runna”

took for his (although admittedly inferior pork); – for 

eating it cured, I don’t think you can get better pork ^{than what you received,}– but

if you want to boil it, I can obtain for you nearly

as much, as you want, and then even for 5 kr.

pr. kg. for some of it. But he will have to get hold of a nicer

looking ham for us next time, when it comes to the slicing.

He wants to buy a cabin from me, – it is situated on his land,

so I have some leverage over him. You shall have what

you paid in excess in return. Engel said ^{you paid} 81 kr. You shall have 6,75 back

Live well! Best wishes and thank you from everyone here Your devoted Astrup