[Boston—Monday, 22 April 1867]
Monday. I have omitted the last week to record one matter which perhaps may be curious in the future to remember—sad and strange.
A woman came here to Boston and took rooms at the Parker House from Buffalo having previously written many times to Mr Longfellow making declarations and protestations of sympathy and affinity and threatening to come to see him—at last in spite of a letter which he wrote urging her to do no such thing as to leave her home and come this way she arrived and sent word that she wished him to come to her at the Parker House at a certain hour. So Mr Longfellow came to town with his friend Mr Greene to see Mr Fields & to propose that he should go with Mr G. to the Parker House at the moment agreed upon—should state that a gentleman had called and both should meet the infatuated woman and assure her that Mr Longfellow could never receive her—accordingly the two proceeded to perform this act of friendship. The message went up by the servant and answer was returned that she would see the gentlemen outside the door of the public parlor in five minutes. After waiting a little they proceeded there together and in a moment she appeared—a richly-dressed middle-aged unmannered woman. Mr Greene stepped forward and told his errand without delay. At once she became excessively indignant, so much so that Mr Fields stepped in to corroborate the authority of Mr Greene’s statements. Thereupon the poor woman began to weep first and then suddenly drying her eyes lifted them up and began to pray. In her prayer which was very fervent she said “Lord there is mischief somewhere and I think it is in this thy servant who is now before Thee” inclining towards Mr Greene.
Altogether it was a painful scene and the worst was that is [sic] was only one of several. She took a violent distaste to Mr Greene, thought he was one of the many conspirators who had been frustrating her plan, continually went to Cambridge where she was not admitted but stayed for the space of an hour or two about the front door of the house, then returned to town and desired to see Mr Fields. After he had assured her there was no hope and her grief was somewhat abated J. advised her to return to her mother—then she said she was too poor and could not when he assured her money should not be wanting and gave her, having been secretly authorized to do this by H.W.L., enough to land her comfortably in Buffalo. At length she took train and departed having given a world of trouble by her wild raving and infatuated behavior.
