[Isles of Shoals—Friday, 4 July 1873]

Friday 4th of July. Jamie was up soon after four ready to leave for the celebration. Celia was up still earlier with the first peep of day. In spite of the fog which became terribly thick she sallied off after Convolvulus four o’clocks (their real name goes at this moment) and came back soon after five o’clock drenched to her skin. She fed Polly, weeded her garden, arranged her flowers which now droop from the mirror and chandelier of her parlor with exquisite effect, then she dressed anew in fresh white morning array.

Meanwhile dear J. departed and soon we went to breakfast & Oh. I forgot that last night we went to visit the fairy godmother Celia’s mother. She sits in a kind of huge old fashioned pantry-room, every window made beautiful with flowers and vines until there is a veil of green all round the room. She is very large and sits in a huge chair near the middle of the room with the maids going and coming on their errands all the time. She wears a beautiful cap of fine lace and rings and a gorgeous amethyst on a chain at her neck and a fresh, pink calico morning dress, or a pretty black and white silk afternoon dress wh. do the eyes good.

I call her the fairy godmother. I am writing up the story of these days in my room which opens on the piazza with Mr. Whittier, Jamie and two young men sitting outside my open window wh. is simply shaded by a curtain.


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