[Boston—Thursday, 11 April 1872]
April 11th Last night Jamie dined with Longfellow. John Field of Pa. & Lowell were the two other guests. J. was there 20 minutes before the rest arrived and Longfellow gave him an account of the wedding of a school mate of mine, Dora Clark, an excellent generous hearted, generously built woman, with a little limping old clergyman who has already had three wives and whose first name is Timothy. Longfellow said in memory of what had gone before, the organist as if driven by some evil spirite played “Old Lang Syne” as the wedding procession came in consisting of the bride and her brother, two very well made large persons and the elderly bridegroom limping on behind all alone. The organist suddenly stopped at this point, breaking off with a queer little quirk and shiver as if he only then discovered what he was doing. Indeed the whole wedding appeared to have points to affect the risibles of the poet. He could hardly speak of it without laughter. He said however that it was he thought disgusting and outrageous for old men to get married.
