I find several amusing personal letters of this period which are characteristic enough to be preserved. Among them is the following:
21 CHARLES STREET, July 6, 8:33 A. M. Barometer at 30-1/10.
MY DEAR FRIEND AND NEIGHBOR,—Your most unexpected gift, which is not a mere token of remembrance, but a permanently valuable present, is making me happier every moment I look at it. It is so pleasant to be thought of by our friends when they have so much to draw their thoughts away from us; it is so pleasant, too, to find that they have cared enough about us to study our special tastes,—that you can see why your beautiful gift has a growing charm for me. Only Mrs. Holmes thinks it ought to be in the parlor among the things for show, and I think it ought to be in the study, where I can look at it at least once an hour every day of my life.
I have observed some extraordinary movements of the index of the barometer during the discussions that ensued, which you may be interested enough to see my notes of.
BAROMETER.
Mrs. H.
My dear, we shall of course keep this beautiful barometer in the parlor. Fair.
Dr. H.
Why, no, my clear; the study is the place. Dry.
Mrs. H.