[Boston—Wednesday, 29 July 1868]
Wednesday. Went to Manchester today. We met Mr. & Mrs. Fenn in the cars in search of us,—they have been with us two or three days, living out of doors, sketching, reading & enjoying.
But so much for living with people sensitive to such things! Thinking to save trouble I put on my crimson jacket & scarlet bordered petticoat, but the artists looked in dismay and until I confessed my fault set me down as an arrant humbug. I was false to my colors, in two senses, they thought. A capital lesson for me! It is so well to struggle even in little things & do what you know to be right, even to harmonizing colors, if you know you are wrong as I did.
Dear J. came down from town laden with beautiful things—first, with copies of those glorious sketches by Couture of G. Sand & Béranger, 2d photo, gifts, of Tennyson’s house, of Dore & Bryant, a fine wood engraving & a sepia sketch of Mt. Desert. We have put them up on our bare walls.
