[Boston—Friday, 1 April 1864]

April 1. J.T.F. said he went to take some oysters for lunch today and the oyster-man lay down his guitar and began to pry open the bivalves singing as he pried “I call thy Spirit back to earth.” Twas good enough for a novel—the whole scene.

Mr Beal returned from Washington. Sent for by Mr Chase being President of Granite Bank, to discuss the economy. Chase is troubled—coldness of the Congress, the people mad over speculation.

God has put no one into the arena of the world without at the same time appointing to them their work. We hear of helpless people always getting into trouble because they have “nothing to do”—the pity of it is they do not what lies nearest neither will they glorify their office.


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