[Boston—Friday, 26 January 1877]
Jan. 26. The days hold so much and my pen goes in so many directions that I am too tired to write even this short record.
A week ago Wednesday we took supper at the Longfellows with Mr. & Mrs Lowell, Mr. Monti and Miss Dana. We did not get home until half past one o’clock and a lovely evening we had. I brought home an apple, one of a number sent to the poet from the home of Evangeline. Miss Phelps has passed the week here and on Saturday morning Mr. Whittier came to breakfast; afterward Miss Phelps gave her last lecture of the George Eliot Series at Mrs Claflin’s for the Boston College. We gave up a dinner-party we had planned for Saturday mother seemed to me so ill, but she revived again. Thursday is our Chardon St. day. Tuesday night was our first meeting of our small club for criticism of new literary work. Miss Phelps read the few first chapters of a new story which we can’t help thinking to be the best thing she has done in point of literary excellence. Jamie has given two lectures a week and is to continue to do so, between whiles he is writing short articles for the Youth’s Companion. He is to do 12 and will finish 6 this month. He works very fast and with great concentration, not feeling easily disturbed by what goes on around.
