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I enjoy Letters and have often thought you editors a very fine crowd as you take bouquets and brickbats with equal good humor. But today (TIME, Jan. 29) I am flabbergasted. Ed. sends $5.00 (out of his pocket or is it deducted from his salary?) to the fussbudget who picks out flyspecks. . . .
AGNES STUART
Washington, D. C.
> He says he will send it back (see above).—ED.
Sisu
Sirs:
I am sending you a letter from a cousin of mine, who lived in Helsinki until the war began. Since my people in Finland are some of the average Finns, who have no means of sending their letters by radio, not even by airplane, and since in these uncertain times it takes about four or five weeks for a letter to get here, I am afraid that I shall never be able to send you one timely enough. This letter is the latest I have received. I pray that it will not be the last. It is so little I can do for Finland here. I have sent the clothes and money that I could spare. I shall try to send more and I shall try to keep others interested in Finland.
KAARINA BJAREBY
Boston, Mass.
Dear Kaarina:
We have had a very exciting time lately. I must be very careful in writing this to you, for most likely this letter will be inspected, before it gets out of this country. Mother, Liisa and I are evacuated here in Pinjainen. Father had to stay in Helsinki, since he sells food; besides he is in the Civilian Safeguard Service.
Thursday, when the Russians came the first time, it was awful. I was in school when the alarm was sounded. We had to leave school and go to the cemetery, where we were supposed to be safe. It would have been terrible if the Russians would have started machine gun fire there. We were at least 400 schoolgirls, besides many other people there. I didn't want to stay there and began to run home. On the way I saw one Russian plane burn and fall down. Thursday evening was terrible. About half past three the Russians came again and threw bombs right into our section of the city. There was a terrible explosion. The bombs fell on the street where we are living. The windows broke and there was an awful mess. Mother and I were just going to eat when it happened. We didn't think of eating, but rushed down into the basement.
Here we are safer than in Helsinki. That Russia is an awful country, and I wonder where we would be if Finland had not received help from other countries. We are so very grateful for all the help we have got.
That I say too, that Russia won't take this country until I also have knocked the wind out of at least one Russian. It is too bad that I am not sixteen years old yet. Then I could have stayed in Helsinki to help father . . . and if a bomb would fall on my head, I would gladly die for dear Finland. But now I am too young. I can only do my duty for Finland by being a good girl and helping mother, and that's not so hot always.