(16) Letter: Carrie (Caroline Kummer) to her brother, August 12, 1856

Oak Grove, Charles Co. Aug. 12th 1856

My dear Brother

You may be sure it gave me a great deal of pleasure to receive your long letter last Saturday evening, and I am going to try and answer it immediately, for I expect you will be looking out for leteers more anxiously than ever before, now that you are so far from all of us. I found the account of your journey very interesting, and was very glad to hear that you had arrived safely, and in good health, at your final destination. In your next, I suppose you will be better able to tell me what sort of people there are at your new home, and whether you think you will like it. I wish I could have been with you at the

Falls, but I expect that is a sight I shall have to be satisfied with seeing through the eyes of others, for I do not know any one that is likely ever to take me there, and I am not quite such an independent old maid yet, as to go travelling about by myself for pleasure. I have to do it often enough from necessity. You will be glad to hear that when I leave here, I will be located in Montgomery Co. only about three or four miles from Sophie. You must have heard of Mrs. Porter's school at Brookeville, when visiting in the Quaker neighborhood; I was informed that she wished to engage one or two teachers this fall, and I am to go there the second week in September. I shall be here until the last Wednesday in August, but after that, you had better direct to Brookeville, Montgomery Co., though I shall stop a few days in town before I go there, I shall be more certain of receiving the letter, even if it is a few days old. Probably, I shall not be able to answer immediately

next time, except the letter arrives before I leave here; but I will try to be punctual afterwards.

I believe I have not written to you since I received your daguerrotype; I am very much obliged to you for it, and shall often look at it, as I cannot have the pleasure of seeing the original. When I first opened it, I thought you must have changed very much; but on examining it more closely and comparing it with the one you gave me some time ago, I could see the points of resemblance much more plainly that at first. I think, however, that, if it is a good likeness, you have improved some in appearance since I saw you last. You were then rather thin; and it appears as if you had gained considerably in that respect.

The girls here tell me that I look fatter than I did when I first came to Charles Co. but I cannot see much difference myself. My duties have been so much less laborious and worrying that they were during the last part of the time at Mr. Jessop's, that I think it is quite likely that I have gained a few pounds.

I have written two letter already to-day, and am beginning to get a little tired of writing, but I want to try and fill this side yet, if I can.

I received a letter from Aggie, and one from Sophie the same day with yours; they were both well. The latter is still at Mr. Fenby's, but expects to go to Baltimore, and stay with Mrs. Newton Willis in a week or two. Aggie was at Mr. Cook's when she wrote, but I suppose by the time you receive this, she and Anne Cook will be at New Castle, if nothing happens. I do not know how long they intend to stay, so that I am not sure that I shall see Aggie while I am in town. I expect she will not remain long after the first of Sept. She has written to me several times since she has been in Howard Co. but as she was usually in a hurry, non of them were very lengthy epistles. It is nearly school-time, and I must close. Good bye.

I remain, as ever, Your affectionate sister Carrie