[Boston—Saturday, 3 June 1865]
June 3. Left home for Campton. A perfect June day. The morning was fresh and calm and the day grew slowly ripe until when we reached Plymouth at noon the beauty of midsummer was over us. What a contrast to this loveliness of Nature was it when a drunken soldier with his noble sick lieutenant got into the open wagon which was to bring us here to Campton. In his maudlin way the man described his love & respect for this officer which the lieutenant appeared entirely to deserve. He was worn down with the anxiety and suffering he had endured and chills & fever had overtaken him. Afterward the fellow told us in a way to make us heart sick of the sufferings of his wife because he would drink the great oaths falling every instant from his unclean lips. What a delightful change it was then when Mr Willey appeared on the road ready to bring us to his house & how cheerful their kind reception seemed.
My darling read to me Matthew Arnold’s essay upon Eugenie de Guérin until tea. How full of suggestion is this picture of her life! Afterward we walked through the quiet village and listened to the mountain river as it came with its wild and solitary roar from its solemn home among the hills.
