Welcome home, and to the place I’ll soon consider my temporary home as well. I’m sure we will find it as utterly charming as it appears!
With Great Respect and
Deep Gratitude,
Major J. E. Davies
Note in Johanna’s top drawer, with her handkerchiefs
February 21, 1944
Jo,
Your mother spent an hour pressing these yesterday, fretting that it was cold and flu season and you might not have a decent handkerchief with you. I wanted you to know that.
I know these aren’t the circumstances you’d have chosen. But we’re happy to have you home anyway.
Dad
From the Lutheran Daughters of the Reformation to Johanna, left at her home upon her arrival
February 21, 1944
To Miss Johanna Berglund,
The Lutheran Daughters of the Reformation would like to extend our welcome back to Ironside Lake, as well as to invite you to attend our next meeting, next Thursday evening at 7:00 p.m. in the church basement. Should you, at that time, decide to join as a full-time member, we would be happy to have you without the recommended trial period, since we all know your family. Your interest in languages would be very helpful for our support of and correspondence with foreign missionaries, and we could always use another hand at our monthly potlucks.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out after church on Sunday to any one of us.
Mrs. Roberta Wyatt, president
Miss Hattie Knutson, vice president
Mrs. Dorothy Lewis, treasurer
Miss Annika Sorenson, secretary
From Annika Sorenson to Johanna
February 22, 1944
Dear Johanna,
I wanted to say that you should feel no obligation to join the Lutheran Daughters of the Reformation. Mrs. Wyatt and the rest of the ladies believed we ought to invite you as a way of welcoming you back to town, but I remember the jokes you made about the LDR when we were girls. (They really were awful, especially the one about the Communion wine.)
I’m sure you think I’m silly for joining, but once I came of age, I was drafted into Mother’s former role as official minute taker. It’s nearly Scripture that someone from the pastor’s family has to be involved, and if you want to survive in Ironside Lake, you have to find a social group to join. Not all of us can just leave like you did.
But what matters is that you’d hate our monthly meetings. At our last one, after praying for the unreached in Burma, we spent a full half hour debating whether we would include all recipes submitted to our annual cookbook fundraiser or only those selected by a committee. Someone indirectly referenced Mrs. Wyatt’s tomato and olive aspic rings, and it quickly went downhill from there.
I’m sure the other ladies will understand that you’ll be quite busy with your new job at the camp, and I’ve heard you aren’t sure how long you’ll be staying, which would make membership difficult. I expect you’ll want to get back to your program at the university as soon as possible.
I’m sure I’ll see you at church for the Ash Wednesday service. Until then, I hope the adjustment back is an easy one.
Annika Sorenson
P.S. Please enjoy the shortbread cookies, although they’re not even close to the same when made with margarine. Don’t even ask me about the pathetic excuse for a pound cake I attempted without butter. I suppose we all have to make sacrifices these days.
A draft of a letter from Johanna to the Lutheran Daughters of the Reformation, never sent
February 22, 1944
Dear Mrs. Wyatt et al.,
I was surprised to find your letter greeting me the moment I collapsed on my bed from a tedious train ride so promptly. Of course I remember your ridiculous active group from growing up at Immanuel Lutheran. I regret that I loathe committees with a fierce passion, exceeded only by my hatred for making small talk at potlucks must decline your kind invitation.
Annika has informed me that you’d understand if I’m too busy to accept, which I’m sure was influenced in no way by the fact that she only wants to see me when absolutely necessary very thoughtful of her.
Mission work is noble, though I admit, prayer for the unreached has always confused me. Hasn’t God known since the beginning of time who will come to faith? If so, what good do our prayers do? and I will be first in line to purchase one of your cookbooks Mrs. Wyatt’s suspect aspics included or no, as a token of my support.
From Johanna to the Lutheran Daughters of the Reformation
February 22, 1944
Dear Mrs. Wyatt, Miss Knutson, Mrs. Lewis, and Miss Sorenson,
Thank you for your gracious welcome in inviting me to join the Lutheran Daughters of the Reformation. I’m grateful for the way you serve missionaries and local charities, but I’m afraid that my irregular hours at the camp make it impossible for me to accept your kind offer.
I hope you will consider the prisoners of war in our own backyard as among “the least of these” whom Christ asked us to serve: “I was a stranger, and ye took me in; I was in prison, and ye came unto me.” I’ve heard there has been some resistance to the camp among the people of the town, but I’m sure the LDR women, as Christlike pillars of the community, are fully in support.
Again, I appreciate the honor of the invitation.
Yours truly,
Johanna Berglund
Left on the Berglund kitchen table
February 23, 1944
Went for a walk down by the lake. I know you wanted me to go to the Ash Wednesday service, but I thought it would be better to give the congregation time to adjust to my being here.
As I walk, I’ll smudge some dirt on my forehead in the shape of a cross and think of some sins to confess. “Remember you are dust, and to dust you will return.” There. I’ve covered the important parts of the service.
And don’t worry, Mother. I’m wearing my wool coat, boots, and two layers of socks. I won’t catch a cold or my death or anything else.
Jo
Left on the Berglund kitchen table
February 23, 1944
Jo,
Your father refused to let me go out after you, even when I found your scarf draped over your bedpost. You don’t have to catch your death; it’s chasing after you, and the point is to prevent, not encourage it. As for your wilderness Lenten service . . . I can’t imagine confessing to the squirrels contains any actual spiritual benefit.
Yes, people will talk about your return, but only because they’re glad to see you again—and perhaps they’re honestly curious about the POW camp. Don’t let one silly anonymous writer in that McHenry boy’s poor excuse for a newspaper let you think otherwise. (Your father told me you saw it. If I find out who sent in that letter, I will have words for him.)
When you finally come back, I’ve left some chicken broth on the stove. It’s good for what I’m sure will soon be ailing you.
Much love,
Mother
Editorial in the Ironside Broadside on February 24, 1944
Dear Editor,
Imagine my surprise to find an antipatriotic screed in our very own newspaper about Miss Berglund coming to the camp as a translator.
For shame. Shame on “Concerned Citizen,” whoever you are, and shame on each and every one of you who agreed with him. That editorial was a personal attack, not to mention an insult to women everywhere. I didn’t campaign for twenty straight Novembers for the right to vote just to keep hearing lines about women being “delicate” and “pretty.” We aren’t china dolls.