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sincerely,
    Carrie Robbins
    * * *
    Sue Ann had come home with Carrie, and was helping her pack her belongings in preparation for her move. Carrie heard a noise, and looked to the door where her mother stood, a scowl on her face.
    “So it’s come to this,” her mother said. “I wish you well. I do love you, and I want you to know I have your well-being in mind.”
    “I know you do, Mama, and I will always love you and Papa. It’s better this way, before we hurt each other any fu rther. I will still visit.”
    Carrie shared the same interests as Sue Ann. Both e njoyed the opportunity of having someone to share their problems and dreams.
    “I haven’t told anyone about this, not even Mama, but I’ve been writing to a man in the Montana Territory. We have exchanged several letters.” She had a book borrowed from the school library, and opened it to a map of the United States and its territories.
    She pointed to a place on the map. “He owns a ranch, near Helena. He’s twenty-five and has seven cowboys to help.”
    “That is exciting,” Sue Ann said. “How did you come to write someone that far away?”
    “I found a newspaper called The Matrimonial Bulletin in the school library. It contains ads placed by men and women seeking someone interested in marriage. Apparently, there is a shortage of unmarried women there, equal to the shortage of men here.”
    “So you are interested in marrying someone you have never met, in a place on the other side of the country?’ Sue Ann asked.
    “Don’t say it like that. Look around, since the war, how many men our age do you see?”
    “Not many,” admitted Sue Ann.
    “Case, his name is Case Jamison, said in his church on a recent Sunday, there were less than ten unmarried women.  He admits to being lonely and the preacher’s wife told him about one of their members who was a mail order bride. That’s what they call them, by the way. He put an ad in the paper; I saw it, and responded.
    “The paper keeps your name and address secret until you authorize them to release it. You send letters to the paper and they forward them to the other party. Case asked them to reveal his name with his last letter, and I did the same in my answer. It took at least a month for a letter to make its way before, but now that should be a lot less.”
    “Now you have me interested. I can hardly wait to see how this plays out,” Sue Ann said.
    “Me too,” Carrie replied.
    * * *
    Dear Carrie,
    Your letter came so quickly, it surprised me. When I was picking up supplies, Silas handed it to me. He asked why I was getting so much mail all of a sudden. He’s known me almost all of my life so his curiosity was understandable.
    It is nice to have a name instead of a number isn’t it ? You asked about life on a ranch. The day starts before it is light. I have breakfast in the bunkhouse and then it’s off to whatever needs to be done. On most days, time is spent keeping track of the herd. We have open range, which means there are no fences, so they stray, and we have to bring them back to the herd. This means we drive them from horseback. We must make sure they don’t overgraze, so we move them from one area to another. We watch for signs of wolves, since they seem to like beef as much as humans do.
    Mama ran the house, and helped Papa keep track of the books on ranch operations. She made all of Papa’s and my clothes as well as her own.
    There was always pie in the kitchen, so I assume she cooked a lot.
    She was the one that looked after the health of all of us, and kept basic medical supplies in case of an accident. 
    This must sound boring to you when compared to that of a teacher’s life, and I suppose it is, but it’s the only life I’ve known.
    I was sorry to hear about the unhappiness caused by your mother’s efforts to find a husband for you. I know Mama was always worried what might become of me, but there were no prospects for her to push at me. I’m not sure that was good or bad.