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78 Congress. I begin to look upon the plan as a fixed fact. I intend to have this office expanded out into a hydrographical and meteorological department. I will here digest the farmers' reports from all over the country, and telegraph the results all about. If I get on the top of this agricultural wave, I'll ride over boards, &c.

Let me tell you how my letters come to be written at night always. You see we are all assembled in the parlour after tea; I am walking up and down, and smoking to refresh myself after the labours of the day, and prepare for those of the night. All hands are sitting around the centre table at their various occupations, and somehow or other the ink-stand, the porcupine pens, and a sheet of paper are always right by Nannie (Curly)[daughter], and she had just as well be writing words for me as be sewing stitches in moral pocket handkerchiefs. It's finger and thumb anyway; and you know, I think there is too much of that among the women kind, and so I might as well fill up an odd end of time, and better too.

Nannie (Curly)is tired so I'll go to work, and she to finger and thumb, keeping time to the "Song of the Shirt." [See Chapter XIX, Notes: Amazing Story and Words to this "Song of the Shirt"] M.F.M.

Papa says I must write you a letter, but he is too busy to tell me what to say, so I expect you'll find this a "poor concern." Papa is re-writing his 'Physical Geography' for the Harpers. He is also busy just now "making bricks" (as he calls it) for the publishers in shape of a 'National Almanac,' (I think that is the name he intends giving it when finished), which is to contain valuable and interesting matter of all kinds for the multitude, and which the Harpers promise him will make him President of these United States. Papa had a letter from Quetelet, astronomer Royal of Belgium; he is going to put Meteorology for the Farmers in his 'Annuaire.' Most of the astronomers in Europe publish almanacs; judge of Quetelet's by the enclosed "brick"!