[Philadelphia—Wednesday, 10 May 1876]
Wednesday. We were aroused at 6 a.m by the Ringing of bells and the restless movement of many feet. We rose early, the sun was clouded but at breakfast shone out. Mr Brown had gone at 7 A.M. as staff of Gen. Hawley to the grounds.
May 10th continued. When we arrived at the Exhibition grounds we were obliged to dismiss our carriage at the gate and walked through immeasurable depth and distance of mud before we could discover the right spot at which invited guests were to enter. At last we found ourselves in the vast main building; one of a moving holiday mass pressing toward the farther end where in a space between this structure and the Memorial Hall the Exercises of the day were to be performed. Thicker and thicker grew the mass until with a good deal of presence of mind and courage in our little leader, Mrs Brown, we found ourselves in the places assigned to us.
We heard nothing of the services except the singing, but this was deeply impressive—1000 voices chanted Whittier’s hymn and every human creature in that vast multitude heard and understood. The Cantata too was beautiful, especially the musical composition by Dudley Buck. The weather was beautiful until the late afternoon. We had a lovely drive home and I was on the bed resting when a warm spring shower descended to refresh the earth.
In the evening we went to a large reception at the home of G.W. Childs where the officers of State, army, and navy, the Commissioners, the fashion of Phila. and literary people of note were brought together. Was presented to the Emperor of Brazil who was very ready to talk and most cordial in his manner. Also heard the extravagant Poet Joaquin Miller talk for half an hour while he devoted himself to me with praise wh. was quite fulsome enough for Aphrodite.
