[Boston—Friday, 5 February 1869]
Feb. 5. I was singing “Silver sails all out of the West” to baby, which he thought “beautiful Aunt Annie,” when Lucy Larcom dropped in to dine. A cold snowy day but cosy inside, where Lucy said it was always comfortable. She comes from the orthodox church but believes in no societies and belongs to none. She clings with tenacity to the skin and bones, the title, of the old faith but I think that is all. Take her up on any point of their stem doctrines and she retreats at once to the freedom of her own consciousness and will have nothing to do with them.
Jamie and I talk and dream of summer. Sometimes he wishes for 5 years of absence but I persuade him 5 months is better for us both.
