Had another letter from matron of Jenkin's establishment saying Rab is better but very weak and always calling for "Miss Pashun," and I have made up my mind as soon as I think he is strong enough to go down and bring him home. I have for a long time been suffering from a tooth, but felt it a great extravagance to make a trip simply to go to the dentist, but now that I must bring Rab home I will combine the two. I have been very worried about money and very miserable.
March 9.
Took the party down to Casa Bianca for the day, which we all enjoyed. Just as we got to the gate in the very narrow lane bordered with rose-bushes on each side, which takes the place of avenue at Casa Bianca, met a very large white-covered country wagon with four horses driven by two white men. The horses were terrified and it was very hard to get by without breaking up things.
I asked the men what they were doing in there, as it was strictly private property, and not on the way anywhere. The men were surly and refused to answer, and when I asked what they had in the wagon they still refused to answer and were disposed to be rude.
I have been much tried by having the plants in my once beautiful garden carried away and I feared this was a depredation. I stepped out of the buckboard, in which I was driving behind the wagon with the wise men, and walking to the great covered wagon parted the flaps and looked in. This seemed to enrage the man who appeared the owner, and we had quite a scene.
I was completely satisfied by my inspection, and when I explained my motive for wishing to know the contents the huge, florid wagoner seemed quite ashamed of himself for not having given a civil answer to my question as to what had taken them so far off the public highway and into my private grounds. He now vouchsafed the answer that he had gone in to buy a shad, and with many apologies on his part and much admiration of the beauty of the place we parted.
My wise men were most enthusiastic over the garden, where the camellias were in full bloom, though the azaleas were not yet out—Mr. Poinsett planted this garden somewhere between 1830 and 1835, was a scientific gardener and brought many rare plants from Mexico, among others the gorgeous Flor de la Noche Buena, which has borne in this country the name Poinsettia in his honor. There is very little left of the original garden, only the camellia bushes which have grown into trees and the Olea fragrans, Magnolia purpuria, and Pyrus Japonica. The cloth of gold, Lamarque and other roses which grew rampantly, rejoicing in congenial soil, have been carried off from time to time by visitors, and the hedge of azaleas has been almost destroyed in the same way.
Nat is watchman there, but of course he cannot prevent such things; he can only remonstrate. Thus far he has been able to protect the house.
I was quite touched by the interest of Mr. S. He was much impressed by the books, prints, etc., which have been shut for thirty years in the house and of course moth and rust have corrupted and done their work. As he looked over them he got quite excited and said:—
"Mrs. Pennington, say the word and I will send to Gregory and get boxes—this young man can go at once for them—and I will pack all these things for you and ship them to the north and sell them for you to the best advantage."