Address letters as usual
A.Solem
Wis.      Eau Claire
North America
Eau Claire, July 8th,1882
Dear Grandfather!
First  of  all  I want to say many thanks to you for all the welcom letter
which you have sent me in the  past  half year; there were three in all and
I haven't written answers to  any of them until now today I must seriously
take hold of my pen in order to send you a  few  words, though  poor  they
will  be, and  let you know a little about my state of health and conditions
at the present time.
Yes, God be praised, I have  until  now  been  well  and active  which is
the best good a person can have here on this earth.  The reason I have been
so lethargic about  writing  I can  partly  answer  and in one way not. 
I was down from the woods one time in the middle of April, when I  at  that
 time quit  working  at the stopping place because I had little pay and they
were not much to depend upon either.  I was at  that time  in  town for 3-4
days, and then I thought about writing to you ; but I was hindered as I was
on the point of changing m  address.  But  then  I  got  a  job quicker 
than  I had expected.  I got then, as said, after a 3-4 days lapse, work
on  a  floating  log  raft for the Norwegian man about whom I have written
before that I have worked  for  in  the  woods.
Now I came down to celebrate the 4th, as it is called; it is the American's
Independence Day, about the same way as the 17th of May is Norway's Independence
Day.*  The 4th was celebrated yesterday with great festivity.  I  still 
haven't worked  since  I cam down; but I think I will get work at the sawmill
now for awhile on into the fall.  Right now it is not difficult to get  other
 work  either, for  example, such  as cooking, but I do not like to cook
at this time of year as it is too warm.  We are now having good weather and
the outlook for this year's harvest gives promise to be average, and this
week the majority of the farmers are in full swing with their haying.  And
the grass also shows signs of being middling.  I have nothing new of importance
to report for this time; every-thing    here    is    about    the    as
   usual.
From my brother Karl I have not heard anything since first part of May. 
Then he was in Minneapolis in  Minnesota.  Presumeably he is still in the
state of Minnesota and working for the railroad.  Many newcomers have arrived
this year and amongst them I can name Nils Estenstadsoien and report that
all goes well with him.  Likewise I can greet you and Anfin Solen** from
Ole Skjaerlioren.  Endre Skjaerliloken*** was married to Marie Sveum some
weeks ago.  Anders Sneensflaatten is also married.  You and grandmother together
with all the others in the house are greeted.
A.P.Solem
*More    accurately    known    as    Constitution    Day.
** Neighbor at Utstu (Outer) Solem.
*** The -oren and -loken on Skjaerli indicate cottar places.  Here in E.C.
those endings were dropped and the name anglicized to Shirley. Likewise the
endings were dropped for Estenstad, Sneen, Oyen/Oien and other cottars. 
In America there were not to be such name distinctions.