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Mt. Ida August 31, 1865

Thursday

Dear Sister

Your most welcome letter

reached me last night and tho' Ma and

Pa wrote yesterday, I can't imagine

what I am to tell you, still accord

ing to your desire I write that the Let

ter may meet you in Albermarle. Now

about our arrangements, we are just

as puzzled as you are; everything

remains just as it was when ma wrote

to Nina last [Sunday?]. The man who has

our house is still trying to get a house

but as far as we can see without much

prospect of success. Pa has not heard

again from Clarke, and Ma says she

does not know what to advise you

to do. That you know the circumstanc

es as well as we do and she reckons can

judge as well. We are very unwilling

[Page 2]

that you should be separated from

us if it is possible for us to be together

with any degree of comfort, and it

is impossible for us to know until

[?] R comes whether we can be

or not. Ma thinks if you should con

clude to make an arragement with

with Mr. C that perhaps you might

make an arrangement only for 5

months, leaving you at liberty to

come home at that time if we are

so situated as to desire it. Or if you

don't like to do that, how would it do

for you to write to Mr. C leaving

him at liberty to make other arrange

ments if he can, while at the same

time you tell him that if you should

within the next week or two

conclude to teach next year you

will let him know. If we go to Clarke

which at present seems the most like

ly, we will have to board the first four

months or if we can get sitautions

there to teach, perhaps only for [our?]

board during that time, would you

rather do that or teach in Wilson?

[Page 3]

If Mr. [?] gets a house before Pa

hears from Clarke he will take the

house in [Alexandria?] and take the chan

ces for a school there, but those chan

ces are I suppose much hindered by

his not being able to advertise until

to late. We can't make the arrangements

about the [?] house which you

suggest, because as soon as [?] R

comes, the estate will be settled up and

the house will be either sold or rented

of course the rent would be much more

than we could pay. Pa has tried too every

where to rent a school room or rooms

for us, but without success. Perhaps if

[M ?] [R ?] might work, he may be

able to make some arrangement to

but Mr. [?] have another house in

the [row?] at [?] given future time

and then Mr.[?] says he would let

us have a part of this until he could

get the other. [?] dear as this seems

to be all the assembled family can

suggest, and it does seem poor comfort

to be [sure?] for it goes so very hard with

[Page 4]

us all to think of not being together

next year we had so set our hearts

on it, and I can't help hoping it will be

so arranged yet. Mother and Father are

going in to town today to settle [?]

house until [?] R comes, which

we hope will be next week, but I shall

still stay here. It is very [?] in town

you don't see a soul you know and the [?]

[?] are awful. Mary and [Bre?] will be

at home today from Baltimore and will

bring Mina's dress, which we will send

to [?] express and write when we do. It's

time for the carriage to [go in?], so I must

stop. Ma will take this letter in with her

and should she hear anything

more add a P.S. Give my love to

Cousin [?] family and any friends you

may see. Ma and Pa send a great deal

of love. Write soon and tell us what

you decide.

Your loving sister,

Hattie L Powell