Paterson NJ. June 7 1930

 

Dear Nephews and Nieces.

 

I will quickly send you some words, not that many this time, later we hope to write you some more. First of all I want to thank you for the images of your house and we like it o so much. I did not realize I had forgotten to comment on it but it looks beautifull. I was again very pleased with your letter so please continue writing. I got also one from your mother [Baukje Nicolay, recent widow of Jacob Machiela †April 5, 1930 ] and I should write her again too. From your letter I understand Tjamme that you fully understand my previous letter [very likely May 4 one] and now again other affairs and that is why I can't write that much, on May 30  we had a Car accident. the 30th of May is over here always a day they do [not work, but the negation lacks, 30 may used to be Memorial Day] work, and then mostly to make a pleasuretrip or so, and so we made a ride [rijd is a litteral translation into Dutch, so she is thinking Englisch, rit(je) would be proper Dutch] with Piet's father and mother [need to delve into this] and were 75 miles from home when a car came up from behind, and he had to pass us of course at the same time we had one oncomming. he could see he couldn't make it but shure he still tries and he smashes into us. so he pushes  us of the road against an electricity pole. so the car bounces back and topples over. and there we were on our side and before we knew it there was help. they opened the doors while on top of the car and took us out that way. they took me out first. blood ran off me all over. my blood went over Uncle Piet,

 

for I was on top of him, I was in the front seat with him, and W[illemina] and father and mother in the back. it looked weird when they took me out, the man was covered with blood as well, he brought me over to a nearby house. Willemina was second one out and she was unhurt like mother as well, but father was beneath mother and W. and he appeared to be fine at first sight, but when he got sight of me it went all wrong and he still can't do anything, very nervous and worryoing about me, and Uncle Piet was last, he helped us lift from the car and he suffered not that many injuries, it hurts beneath his chest he says, nothing else, but I have suffered! they got me a doctor but he did not do much about it. When [As soon as] the man who brought our car (or automobile) to the [local garage, see below] garage, [he] had brought us back home with his car, it costed us 15 dollar to bring us home, then we called for our own doctor who had been operating me, but he wasn't in so they sent another docter and he has treated me. I had a deep cut under my chin and one above my eye and one on top of my head and my nose looked funny, there the cartilage is broken, and here and there a wound. but onder my chine was still full with glass and the doctor had to remove that first, clean up and then he stiched up with 9 stiches, one from the inside and 8 on the outside, don't ask how much pain I suffered but they haven't heard me, the sweat was running from the docters forehead when he finished, he has been occupied for one and a half hour. Dirk of aunt Eke [need research] and

 

 his wife were at our place in the next room and wondered how I went through it all, dokter told that only one in a hundred would have endured without complaint, I hold on to Uncle Piet and pinched his hands, I tell you. doktor shook my hands when he left and thanked me for being so brave, I made it easier for him he told, but beloved ones it is not an easy thing, and twice I had such a back ache I could not move, that were nerves doktor told me, father has the same thing, when our own doktor visited the follwing day he told me: this is the second miracle with you, first how you recovered from your operation and now you could have been killed. Yes, all well [another dutchified english phrase], and our car that looks bad, Uncle Piet wonders if it can be repaired, it is still as it was, for of course we work on it being paid for, the man who caused it says to make good for, everything is written down, and Uncle Piet and Sydney have seen a lawyer and he has written the man a letter that if he will not cooperate the court of justice will get involved. Uncle Piet and Sidney and Jan have been seeing the car one night, for he was unaware of the state it was in, he was more concerned for the Car than for us, he already knew the windows were broken, but that was all, so they went to see it, they left at half five and they arrived 15 past eight, left at 9 and arrived home at 12

 

with Jan in his Car and they had drivven fast, for Jan has no fear driving, believe me, and when they returned Sid was driving and he isn't scared on an open road, but otherwise very causious. we have to go there again this week, for the lawyer wants to take pictures from the car of the state it;s in right now. so beloved ones we have been through quite something. I will attached a small letter to Grandfather, otherwise he will complain he has to hear it from someone else, but don't tell him how worse it has been, that I will tell him later in a letter to Pieter. Don't tell everything I wrote to you! I have to recover first, our clothes were full with blood. Uncle's new black suit and my new black dress and overcoat and our hats can be thrown away, we had had cleanedt our clothes, and my glasses or to pieces so I will need new ones too, but the Lord choose to spare our lives, the children were shocked when they brought us in. Trijna couldn't speak when she saw us, and the little ones were afraid of me, that is how damaged my face was, now children it has become quite a letter, even though it is hard without glasses, and now we hope to write you how everything ended, but write back soon, and as soon as I can I will transfer money, I am afraid to put it into a letter for the one to Grandfather went lost. Receive with this our best whishes and Atje you have to write as well! yours loving Uncle and Aunt P. and  P. and children.