[En route to Hanover—Thursday, 17 September 1874]
[The following paragraph is a fragment.] We clasped her hand and then drove rapidly to the railroad station. The rain was falling heavily and we just escaped a good wetting.
Whom should we find in the cars but Mrs Stowe and Mrs Henry Ward Beecher just returning from the Twin Mountain House. [Excised text.]
Sanborn was at the station and the dear Professor & his wife were waiting for us at their own door. The town looked leafly & lovely although it would rain which was a source of disappointment to our host and hostess who were filled with hospitable intentions. Miss Kate is a “bright” woman given to quick repartee in which she is not easily excelled. She is not handsome exactly but she has a face full of piquancy and intelligence. There were two ladies visiting in the household, mother & daughter of the fatted calf description. The daughter was called “Bijou”—Jamie confessed to me with disgust that he could not believe his ears! And Professor S. allowed his opinion to leak out by calling her “Bijouterie” which as she was usually a mass of rich jewellery came in very well. The first evening was a party of the Senior class with a number of young ladies. They sang their own songs with great relish, and Miss Smith, the President’s daughter led off. She is a little passée now as a companion for students but she makes up by being a saint in her behavior towards them and in her influence over them. Her story is strange enough. She became engaged after a year in Hanover in her fresh beauty and youth, to a dissipated student one of the most unprincipled even in the college. It was the old story of Titania and Bottom. She thought him an Adonis. Finally he became outrageous in his behavior & the engagement was broken but her heart seems to be broken also. The second evening dear J. gave his beautiful discourse on Rufus Choate and afterward a number of pleasant people called upon us—Mrs Crosley and the Hitchcocks among others.
