130 CHARLES ANTHONY GOESSMANN 



The occasion of these lines is your former attendant, 

 Frau Kornrumpf . She told me last summer that you 

 were godfather to her boy, now five years old, request- 

 ing me to remind you that thus far you have failed to 

 make a present to your godchild. I had forgotten 

 all about it, until her husband called on me yesterday 

 with the express purpose of again reminding me of it. 

 I hasten, therefore, to let you know the wishes of these 

 evidently very poor people, hoping that you will con- 

 sider them and send them a little present of money 

 perhaps a bill of exchange on Engelhardt's mother. 

 These people said they had given her a letter to you 

 some years ago, but had received no answer thereto. 

 In case you feel inclined to be benevolent, you can let 

 them have the money through one of the Americans 

 studying here, for instance, Mr. Carmichael. But 

 should you want to send it directly here, you may ad- 

 dress it to me. 



Here everything is going its old course, with some 

 modifications, since we are Prussians. Probably your 

 family have told you of the calamity caused here and 

 also in Fritzlar by the recent terrific storm. During 

 the Mass the roof of the cathedral fell in, killing 22 

 persons, mostly women. Here, too, houses were un- 

 roofed, chimneys thrown down and a great number of 

 the most beautiful old trees were uprooted. Our public 

 squares are in an especially sad condition. 



Please remember me to your wife. 

 In best friendship, 



Your 



WOHLEB. 



