Document Type
Correspondence
Files
Download Full Text (476 KB)
Date
7-8-1953
Keywords
fersammling-haus, herbs, church, meeting house, smell, perfume, cicadas, locusts
Description
A handwritten letter from Helen J. Moser addressed to Alfred L. Shoemaker, dated July 8, 1953. Within, Moser mentions a number of topics including a plant she calls "Farsomling Kraut", which was rubbed in the hands to create a pleasant smell at the church meeting house.
Sender
Helen J. Moser
Recipient
Alfred L. Shoemaker
Corresponds to:
Packet 410-12
City
Bally, Pennsylvania
Transcription
July 8th 1953
Bally Box 91 Pa.
Dear Sirs
Enclosed you will find a few rhymes I have come across about a month ago but I thought you were busy enough last month.
About that “Poshda Yockel” I have a little but not enough to begin with.
Do you know what “Farsomling Kraut” is or have you never heard about it. I know a little about it. My grandmother had some when I was quite small. It is a very fragrant small plant and the ladies used to take a little of it along to the “farsomling” (church) and ever once in a while they would draw it through their hands and it would smell very good in the “Farsomling House”. Now I wonder if that was done in all denominations. I have this from the Schwenkfelders.
About the “Hitz Fogel” I guess that is what we call “Dar Homer Gase” (Oats goat) around here some people call it the yearly locust. In English it is called cicada or locust we have a picture from it out of a farmers magazine.
Your Friend
Helen J. Moser
Bally Box 91
Pa.
Language
English and Pennsylvania German
Rights Statement
This item is available courtesy of the Ursinus College Library Special Collections Department. It is not to be copied or distributed for commercial use. For permissions which fall outside of educational use, please contact the Special Collections Department.
Recommended Citation
Moser, Helen, "Letter From Helen Moser to Alfred L. Shoemaker, July 8, 1953" (1953). Alfred L. Shoemaker Folk Cultural Documents. 112.
https://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/shoemaker_documents/112
Included in
American Material Culture Commons, Cultural History Commons, Folklore Commons, Linguistic Anthropology Commons, Social History Commons, United States History Commons
Rights Statement
In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
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