Diary of Annie Adams Fields

Friday. Lissie & J. really fought their way home last night through the snow drifts and were wet through nearly all over. Carriages refused to go out. Such a storm has not been seen certainly for eleven years. The papers are full of tales of the struggles or disasters of travellers by land and...

Saturday. Lovely morning. Mr Whittier returns home today. I fancy he prefers to be under his own roof “first day.” We went into the hotel yesterday to see him and found him literally “Snow-bound.”

Sunday morning. Perfect day; a soft mist in the distance through which the windows of distant houses gleamed like jewels in the morning air. Started early and walked to church in Roxbury. Dr Putnam preached one of those marvellous discourses of his, so touching, so heroic, yet so reticent;...

Thursday [sic] night. A full week thus far. It is somewhat late now and I am a bit tired but I cannot bear to sleep and wake to be again dissipated by the petty cares of the house and society without this poor landmark. One little word to say thank God we have lived thus far with such varied...

Tuesday lovely day; was out several hours in the soft exhilarating air. Breakfasted with Louise Kellogg, the singer, and her mother. Mrs K. is one of the queer products of Connecticut, sharp, keen, penetrating, spiritualist, a woman with ideas, daring, everything in short but that rarest...

Wednesday. Lovely weather again—morning broken up with plumbers and house business—obliged to go out before two and what with errands & visits we did not reach home until nearly 6—at 7 we were engaged out to tea to meet Adelaide Phillips who sang to us so beautifully with such noble...

Thursday. The papers of last night brought the news of N.P. Willis’ death and that he was to be buried in Boston from St. Paul’s church today. Early this morning a note came from Mrs Willis asking Mr Fields to see Dr Howe and Edmund Quincy & ask them to be pall-bearer with himself & Col....

Saturday stormy. J. went to Sat. Club dinner at half past two. Small meeting. He invited ex-mayor Lincoln as his guest—a capital mayor & a gentleman always polite to us. He enjoyed it highly. Lowell still suffering with his eye was not present.

Sunday. Perfect day. Mr Winckley preached at Mr Bartol’s church in aid of a new Pitts St. Chapel. He asked so simply and yet so ably because of the divine truth which he felt to be behind his words that he carried the people with him. He will doubtless receive the $40,000 he asks.

Monday. Charming visit from Mr Howells who is busy over his literary work continually building up a lovely structure in fine mosaic out of his mind. He is so modest & simple too that one can’t help being deeply attracted by him.

Tuesday. Housekeeping vigorously. Ah! I wish for more light on this head, nevertheless I must keep on to do the best I can. It is difficult to make the leopard change his spots but even that must be attempted sometimes.

Wednesday. Yesterday I went to find a pretty colored child for Lissie to paint. Birdie Ruffin was my prize, a tender little chirping darling of six years old. Lissie began her portrait—she longs to work from life and I trust now will feel she is progressing. She went to a little party last...

Thursday Jan. 30 [sic]. Passed the evening at Mrs R.H. Dana’s in Cambridge, Lissie & J. & I. We met there James Lowell & his wife—she looking very beautiful with the head of a Greek lady, worthy to have known Clytie, he witty and handsome as ever—Mrs Charles Lowell & her daughter Anna (I...

Friday. Invited Lissie Winthrop to go to the Concert & the Dana’s and all came back to tea. We were 12 at table. Judge Russell, Mrs Dresel & Mrs E. E. Hale whose respective husbands came later making up the little party. The Andrews came in also later. We had a delightful evening.

Saturday—warm thaw. The world seems afloat—staid [sic] in till afternoon, housekeeping & scribbling this.

Sunday. Wet, with a thick fog—at home all the morning, reading Willson’s poems & those of his wife and recalling his singular but pure & purifying presence. How glad he was to follow his wife none knew but himself—we could but guess and strangely enough his verses as well as hers are those...

Tuesday. Word from Mr Dana that Miss Sedgwick is in town & wishes to see me. Last night as we went to see Mr & Mrs Howard Paul we saw the old lady all wrapped up taking a stroll out on Beacon St. She has been a true believer in open air—her method of life has helped to keep her what she is....

Wednesday. Yesterday the atmosphere grew lovely & I was out four hours. I do not know what the old Athenians would say if they were with us at a woman’s being in the street four hours in the day and it being rather a common thing than otherwise! But in the present condition of our life I can...

Thursday. Lovely day. Mr Dorr came to ask us to dine. Didn’t wish to go but had declined so often that I accepted conditionally if Mr Fields could manage it.

Friday. Warm with water running in streamlets over the streets. The first intimations of Spring. Little voices calling to us as the roots stir with the first touch of new life far down in the still earth.

Saturday. Raining—mother & Sarah came to pass

Sunday. There are a few thoughts which give me perpetual rest whatever fatigue or weariness I may suffer—first thoughts of those I love and revere, second of the heroic possibilities of all life—even of my own.

Tuesday. Dr Hayes of Arctic fame came to Louisa’s Sunday evening. He wears a corrugated face and his slender spirited figure shows him the man for such resolves and expeditions. We were carried away like the hearers of an Arabian tale with his vivid pictures of Arctic life and were much...

Thursday—weather very warm not conducive to energy in work. J. went to Longfellow’s last evening. He was more than ever impressed with the sweetness of his disposition. He drew J. into another room before he left and told him that by accident he, the other day found on Mr Norton’s table a...

Saturday. Small supper party. 7 guests Mrs Dorr with her family & Mabel Lowell, Dr Hayes of Arctic fame & Winwoode Reade from Africa & Richard H. Dana Jr. Quite a brilliant evening. Dr Hayes described life at the pole & Mr Reade compared it with life in Africa, told the story of the humbug Du...