[Boston—Wednesday, 26 December 1866]
Wednesday. Still wondrous weather. J. & I took a long walk in the afternoon—sky pellucid, air full of invigoration but not cold.
Met a lady who said she picked up ten cents in the streets, shortly after she met a boy and asked him if he had a merry Christmas, he said “no” “why didn’t you have any presents?” “no” “very well here is something for you” and the poor child danced off with his treasure-trove.
Jamie went to Dante Club at Longfellow’s again. He met Tom Appleton this morning who told him that as often as he had seen Longfellow he never looked so superbly to him as last night when he was full of Xmas tenderness.
Tom talked somewhat about the depravity of human nature—said “we must be on the look out for it” the same all the world over.
