On the parlor table were some poor editions of popular books,
Longfellow's poems and others. The lady affects a literary taste, and
bothered me about my own productions.
A beautiful subject for a romance, or for a sermon, would be the
subsequent life of the young man whom Jesus bade to sell all he had and
give to the poor; and he went away sorrowful, and is not recorded to have
done what he was bid.
December 11th.--This has been a foggy morning and forenoon, snowing a
little now and then, and disagreeably cold. The sky is of an
inexpressibly dreary, dun color. It is so dark at times that I have to
hold my book close to my eyes, and then again it lightens up a little.
On the whole, disgustingly gloomy; and thus it has been for a long while
past, although the disagreeableness seems to be very near the earth, and
just above the steeples and house-tops very probably there may be a
bright, sunshiny day. At about twelve there is a faint glow of sunlight,
like the gleaming reflection from a not highly polished copper kettle.
December 26th.--On Christmas eve and yesterday, there were little
branches of mistletoe hanging in several parts of the house, in the
kitchen, the entries, the parlor, and the smoking-room,--suspended from
the gas-fittings. The maids of the house did their utmost to entrap the
gentlemen boarders, old and young; under the privileged places, and there
to kiss them, after which they were expected to pay a shilling.
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