[Boston—Wednesday, 19 October 1870]
Wednesday night. Went to Roxbury to tea with Mrs Putnam & her daughter. After tea she read us the portions of her journals wh. she has prepared for the press upon the condition of France before and at the moment of the coup d’etat. It is done with great knowledge & a lofty spirit. I hope the world will read for indeed it is exceptional and valuable work as well as beautiful & touching when we remember that the boys of whom she wrote & whom she was then educating to patriotism should both be silent to her now, the last and loveliest an offering to our country’s cause.
We came away, as we always do, feeling it was good to have been there. There is a sacred atmosphere over the whole place, an air of sacrifice and the beauty of devotion. They are friends to thank God for!
