My Dearest Randi,
Here in the center of Wisconsin,
no streets are paved with gold,
but there are clearings in the woods,
and trails for our horses and wagons.
With our hard work and determination,
we can make a good life for ourselves.
Summer’s green goes on forever,
and the rocky fjords of home
are replaced by rivers and streams,
flowing slow during August’s dry days,
but rushing fast in spring snow-melt
and July’s thunderstorms. Trust me,
my dear Randi, we will build a farm
together, and it will feel like paradise.
Say yes, and I will make the journey
home to make you my bride, and together
we will sail for America.
With my fervent hope,
Your devoted Mathias

Kris Rued-Clark, a writer and freelance book editor, lives with her husband and four cats on a hill in central Wisconsin. Her great-grandmother's letters home inspired a Norwegian museum exhibit and book. In 2015, Kris co-authored Adventures on Wisconsin's Ice Age Trail with her friend and hiking partner, Sylvia Oberle.