[Boston—Tuesday, 5 December 1865]
Tuesday morning clear and beautiful. Jamie often says he would like to keep some account of the people who come in to him begging. Their grounds for making a demand are sometimes truly laughable. Yesterday a man came in snivelling to say that the last thing his daughter did before her death was to sing the “Alpine Cross” and would Mr Fields give him five dollars!
We average now in charities over $5.00 per diem. It makes in all about $5.00 a day for the whole year. This will not be too much if business increases as it promises but it is too much at present that is, it is more with our necessary expenditures than our receipts will cover. But we neither of us wish to lay up money we only wish to pay our honest debts.
