[Plymouth—Wednesday, 12 June 1872]
Wednesday. The Morning comes up in perfect splendor. We started early for Campton wh. we have not revisited for five years—as we came along with two swift horses who stepped lightly over the damp road freshened by late rain, we could not forget how often one poor horse had dragged us through these sandy hollows. Campton is not cool and we have experienced very warm weather there. We met Mr. Willey bringing his old father down to “a country conference” at the church but we kept on to the house to see Mrs Willey & Esther. The two years of drought and the last severe winter have made the old farmhouse look more bare and unlovely than I had ever seen it before. The lilac bushes usually so full of blossoms were half cut away and the lovely acacia tree from which I carried home a slip once now grown to a considerable tree, was full of dead branches.
Mrs Willey & Esther were dressing to go to the “conference” but grandmother & her sister came out to speak. We found an English letter which frightened them with its black seal and some boxes wh. had been sent from Pierce’s with things to eat. We opened the boxes & presently Mr. Willey returned for his wife & daughter and finding us we made them sit down to a little feast of fine cider, crackers, peanuts, figs etc: We quite gladdened up their hearts. The winter has been a terrible one—“many a time” said Mrs Willey “my husband has turned away from the barn with tears in his eyes because he had nothing to give the poor cattle”. After we had drunken plenty of cider all round we drove to the P.O., took a quantity of good letters & papers from the box & drove back to Plymouth rejoicing.
Quite warm in the P.M. The keeper of this house passed the day in Boston & calls it one of the warmest days ever experienced. Thermometer at o94 in the shade.
At night Richards, artist from Philadelphia & his wife under the conveyance of a loud preaching man Dr. Magoon arrived. Richards came in twice to see a wonderful sunset, one of the most glorious of the season. He made two sketches yesterday. He has a refined face, but is quite deaf.
Such a sunset! And such a place to see it!
