From the journal of Ester Karstrom
Journal 10 August 1911

Dear friend,


      I am here at August and Edit's cabin

just outside of Sideby. As I am soon leaving

Finland, perhaps forever, we are enjoying

one last time together. It has been so much

fun to reminisce with family and friends.

Edit invited our other sisters, but only Vera

and I could come. My dear friend Hilma

Lamm is here with us. Hilma will be

traveling to America with me.


   Hilma and I will board the Norden on 24

August in Kristinestad. We will then board

the Polaris 26 August and sail to Hull,

England. Once in Hull we will have to find

the train station so we can go by rail to

Liverpool. Oh, I hope we can find some

Finnish speaking people. I fear language will

be our greatest difficulty. In Liverpool we

will board the Cedric of the White Star Line

for New York on 31 August. Then we must

submit to inspection by the Doctors at a

place called Ellis Island.


   Hilma's sister, Sigrid Mattson, went

through Ellis Island last year when she

emigrated to America.. She said the

Buttonhook men was the worst part of the

inspection. These men come along with a

clean buttonhook or a hat pin and lift your

eyelids to make sure you don't have eye

disease. She said it was very painful..


   We must remember to bring our letter

from Sigrid's husband Gustaffson. Without a

letter from a male relation promising to be

responsible for us, we as single women

would have to stay at Ellis Island until we

could convince a man to marry us. If no-

one married us we would then be returned

to Finland.


    From Ellis Island we will travel by a ferry

from New York to Boston and then on to

Sigrid's home in Fitchburg Massachusetts.

Hopefully we will soon find jobs in service.

Sigrid says there are always wealthy people

looking for help, and I hear they prefer

Scandinavian girls to the Irish. Ones.

I guess I should stop writing now and go

enjoy the Farewell feast that Vera and Edit

have prepared. Who knows if we ever will

break bread together again.


    With Love, your friend,


             Ester