.NDI3.NTg0

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via Australasian[underlined] Fourth St. 17 May 1863 Sunday evening – 8 p.m. Dear Ann I had not much real work to do at the office, but remained their “puttering” about until 1/2 past 3 yesterday, because Matthew did so; else I would have left sooner. He had been occupied for 2 days past with a bothering Internal Tax Assessor, who wants us to take some course for paying into his[underlined] hands the 1/2c plb duty on our Cotton, & then to apply to the Custom House here to refund the duty

              paid

we have already ^ of 1/2c plb. in Gold.[underlined] - If we could do as he wants, the U.S. Revenue would suffer to the extent of 33 pcent on what we have paid. The [?] with him, however, is that he gets a commission[double underlined] (2 1/2 or 5%) on all the Taxes he col- -lects! –

I walked [underlined] home to dinner, as a matter of duty, [as?] well as pleasure, because in the morn- -ing I had ridden down. – When I had mounted our steps it was about 5.20, & I was thinking how nicely I had contrived for sitting down punctually at 1/2 past 5, when, as I rung at the door, a lady followed me up up[crossed out] the steps. Her face was partly veiled, & at first I imagined she was Maggie Cook, but she proved to be Mrs. Q M. Genl. Arthur. – Her ob= =ject was to see you[underlined]; & she was surprised, therefore, when (before the door was opened) I told her you & Mytton had sailed 10 days ago, but that she would find Sarah at home. – She remained talking with Sarah until 6 or later, whilst I employed myself in the garden – taking pity upon 2 forlorn plants – the poor [Camillea?], & the dwarf Rose-tree, that were hung out at your window & dying by inches. I took the [Cammillea?] out of the pot & planted it in the ground, but I did not unpot the Rose tree before putting it[underlined] in the ground. – It was close upon 6 when Wm. & Walker came up to dinner. I then told Ann to bring in dinner, & I invited Mrs.

[Marginalia]

on the road towards Poulton. – no name on door – about the middle of the row

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Arthur to stay & dine with us, but she declined.

I did not hear of any news she had brought. – She had no fresh tidings in relation to poor Johnny - she merely told Sarah what she had already told you whilst Sarah was at Dunnington. – I thought she was not looking nearly as well as when I had last seen her, some months ago. – She would have accepted my invitation to dinner, but declined because she expected her husband to come home to dine with her, which he is now seldom able to do, being very busy all the time, but whether his pres= =ent business is of a military nature, or merely civil & in connection with his former legal pro= =fession, Sarah could not bell me. –

After dinner I read longer than usual (in one

 the 

of ^ County Parson’s volumes) before falling asleep, & was awake when Mr. Van Ness called a little before 9. He took T with Sarah & me. When it was over, & about 1/2 past 9, I turned out & walked to 23rd St. & back, thus securing 5 miles walk for the day. – Mr. V Ness was just coming out of the house as I rang the bell at 5 minutes past 10.

I then drank the reserved second cup of T, & read the Express from beginning to end. – I did not attempt any writing. – Before I went to bed I had a thorough washing of a pair of dirty old thread gloves, & made them very nice & clean – tho’ not better[underlined] than new, as the Israelite tailor in the Bowery said of my repaired great coat - & this reminds me how sorry I am that I did not send over that same old great coat by Mytton as a present to poor old Callaghan. – Mytton too would have found it useful during the voyage or I am much mistaken, - I put the gloves on[underlined], in order to wash them after the most ap

[Marginalia – left side] Mr. E. H. Hodgson in a letter to me of 1st May names the death of old Mr.

[Marginalia – right side] Wm. Garnett at Quernmore – I hope Jane Carson is well provided for in his will – Mind you don’t forget to call on Mrs. Wm. Carson at Seacombe

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=proved fashion: & then I made them all but dry still[underlined] on[underlined] my hands, by continual rubbing with dry towels. I dare say the last is a plan you never tried. –

I was the first of the household up this morng. & I came down stairs at or before 7, & opp[crossed out] opened the shutters in the kitchen & basement room, as well as in the parlours, & opened the windows to ventilate the parlours.

When I came home to dinner I observed that the books &c had been removed out of the par= =lours & placed, some in the observatory & some in the lobby on the top of my N.O. box, - prepar =atory to tomorrow’s chaos.[underlined] In the evening I asked Sarah if she had bespoken a chimney - sweeper, & was sorry to find she had not. She said she had been otherwise occupied; but that a sweep could be found readily enough on Monday.

As part of her occupation she had been up in to the garret, & filled afresh all the decanters with Sherry. – When I discovered this at dinner, I asked her which kind of wine it was – No. 1 or No. 2. She said “I dunno.” I asked where she found the wine she decanted. She ans= =wered (Walker fashion) – In the garret”!

I then remarked that you had told me that all the demijohns of No. 1 were marked M, & those contg. No. 2 had no mark. – And she told me, she had taken it all out of a demijohn marked M: - whereat I was not much pleas =ed – nor she either with my cross-questioning. She observed that she supposed I should ids- -cover from the wine itself whether it was No. 1 or No. 2.

All were ready for breakfast this morng. by 8, or a few minutes after, except Walker. He finally

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appeared when it was close upon 1/2 past 8, & then we had prayers & breakfast. – It was a gloomy morng., & it has been either cloudy or raining all day, ex- =cept for a short time after dinner when the sun came out. – We thus had but a thin congre= =gation at St. Thos. church, & I fear but a poor collection towards the Bishop’s Salary; - so I gave the more liberally out of my own purse on that account. –

After Church I walked down town to get the letter via America - 2nd May – which arrived here at 5 p. m. yesterday. After crossing Chambers St. I met Wm. & Walker returning, & Walker informed me he had already got the letters; so I at once walked back with them, but had no talk with either of therm. – We had dinner at 1:30 sharp. It consisted of a fillet of Veal, Soup, 4 roasted Potatoes, a bountiful dish of Asparagus, some let= =tuce for salad, & a nice pudding. All 4 had good appetites & seemed to enjoy the meal. –

When dinner was over, I looked at the letters, but have only opened 2 of them; - vizt. Mary Bold’s which I now enclose to you, & me of 2nd May from Fontaine, which enclosed notes from him to Wm. & to Walker.

Among the letters there was one from Miss Dil= -worth to Mrs. Gilpin, – and a letter postmarked

                           Mrs. 

“Bahamas 9th May” addressed ^ P Lansdale Cox, care of Rutson Maury & Bros. New York & at the corner is written (very small) “forwarded by G. Y. D.” – doubtless “George Y. Davis”[underlined] – and I suppose the letter itself is from Mrs. Paul S. Carrington! – And now I remember that some weeks ago, a doublt letter (postage 48 cents - & not [underlined] prepaid) was recd. by us, addressed

[Marginalia}

W Carsons house is 5 minutes walk in the rear of “Saddlers Wells” – in a row of Houses

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to “P Lansdale Cox Esq care of Maury Bros.” which I sent to N.O. under cover to Rutson & which I now think had within it a letter from Mrs. Carrington; tho’ at the time I had no such suspicion, & was wondering who could be Mr. Cox’s London correspondent, for it bore the London postmark. – Thus I need not have written that letter, thro’ Genl. Dix, to Mrs. Carrington, except that it would serve to in= =form her that Mr. & Mrs. Cox were alive & well, & still at home up to 22 April

Please tell Mary Bold that I am much obliged to her for her letter note of 26 April, but much more so for not witholding from me the long & very interesting letter she had intended for you,[underline] until at the last moment, 1st May, she heard from me of your inten =tion to embark 6th May. – I am glad to hear that Miss Maggie Addison is about to be mar= =ried, & that all parties approve entirely of the engagement. – It is certainly an ad =

                 or advantage

=ditional recommendation ^ in this case, that Mr. & Mrs. Addison will have one daughter near them – all the time: but still [“Gorslands”?] must be lonesome, after this second marriage.

I presume it will take place whilst you are in England, & that you will have to “assist” on the occasion as I did. – You may count on me for as fast as £5 for any wedding present you may think fit to select, for me[underlined] to give to the bride. Having presented the Tea Caddie to Emily (which cost my about £3 – if I re= =memeber aright) I would not like to omit

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some suitable token of regard to Maggie too, - for indeed, of the two, I like her the best, tho’ that may merely arise from my having seen so very much more of her than of Emily.

I suppose that Mr. Hamilton will be asked to officiate in this case, as in the former one, & that all the Hamiltons will accom= =pany him. – If so it will be a pleasant family gathering. – I hope it may come off at such a time as not to interfere with your other arrangements.

When I woke up from a nap after dinner it was past 5: & as Matthew did not ap= =pear up to 1/2 past 5, I turned out for a walk, & putting the unopened letters to Maury Bros. & the one for Mrs. Gilpin into my pocket, I steered for ’62 Irving Place, & remained a few minutes with Mrs. Gilpin & Elizabeth. – The latter told me that Matthew had gone to St. Thos., & that afternoon service begins now at 4. She asked me to stay & take my T with them, but I declined. Her Mother seemed to be very well, or as well as usual. –

I then walked half round Grammercy Park, & pursued Lexington Ave. to 42nd St., & returned by Madison Av. & Broadway. – It rained slightly part of the time; but I was doubly protected by a light over-coat & umbrella. It was pleasant to see fresh green leaves on the Trees, & ^ magnificent blue flowers on the So. Carolina swamp creeper – I do not

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remember its name, but it is the one that adorns the West wall of Dr. Saberies’ old house,. This year there are more of the leaves out of the plant than usual at flowering time, & they add much to the effect of the flowers. – (N.B. That Alanthus[Ailanthus] which was plated at the Schermerhorn corner in St. James’ St. on fast Day, is now shooting out vigorously.) – It was within 5 or 10 minutes of 7 when I got home for T, & it was soon ready, & Wm & Walker were waiting for it.

The rain I encountered has continued, so it is well I secured my 7 miles walk today, all of it by daylight. –

May min max 12 66 85 13 59 72 14 56 58 15 54 67 16 55 69 17 56 1/2 63 1/2 18 53 1/2 66 1/2 19 53 1/2

Monday night – 18th May I am now seated at the little round table (the old Rodney St., card table) in my own room; the rest of the household – vizt. Wm. & Sarah, & the 2 domestics – having gone to bed. – It has been a busy day in the household. – We sat down to breakfast at 8; and before I had done, one of Mr. Simpson’s men came, & put up the Venetian Shutters. It was just 10 when I left the house (after reading much interesting matter in the Times, especially the news to 10th inst. from N.O- -leans by a steamer that arrived yesterday – but I have no letters by her – the latest from Rutson being to 22 April only, so Mrs. Pollard’s letter of 29th to you, by Mr. Macmurdo, is my latest. do- -mestic news from N.O.) At 10, or before, the V. shutters were all fixed, & Sarah was gone out - somewhat like “little Bopeep in a quest of

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a sheep[underlined]; for she “didn’t know where to find” me! – At last, however, by enquiry among her coloured friends, she succeeded, & hurried home to inform the Misses Nugent he would be here in 1/2 an hour – somewhat to their consternation for preparations had been arrested by the fixing of the window blinds, & the carpets had still to be took[underlined] up, when she made this announcement. All was made ready for him, however, & he had donw his sweeping by 12 o’clock. – At

      or other

some time ^ after that Sarah went out & made two important investments – vizt. $2 upon a new kitchen tea-kettle – or kettle for all purposes – the old one being worn out; & $1.75 upon a new baasket lined with tin, & with 2 divisions – just like the worn out old one – for holding the dirty knives & silver ware on being removed from plates & dishes at the dinner table. – What else (if any thing) she accom= =plished “I dunno.” – When I came up to dinner it was about 20 minutes to 6, or beyond 1/2 past 5; & Ann let me in at the front door with her bon -net on: she was then going to Mr. Simpson’s for bread & a pie. – The windows & floors had been washed, & Wm. & Sarah were seated, in the midst of chaos, in the observatory; the front basement room being arranged as the ban= =quitting hall; to which we were summoned about 6 by Ann ringing the hand-bell. We had a comfortable dinner there, but no Walker to help us. It consisted of Soup, the cold fillet of Veal, an abundance of roast Potatoes, & of Aspar -agus, & a pie. – The gathering in that room reminded me, as it generally does, of the

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numerous entertainments given to Mr. Short, upwards of 50 years ago, in our “Servants Hall” in Rodney St. whilst our House was being painted inside & out. – an Epoch also memora= =ble from my playing with the paint brushes & pots in the wooden house where the garden tools were kept: & then, on my Father approaching, he found me in the act of licking[underlined] the paint with my tongue[underlined] from my painted fingers to avoid de- =tection, which was promptly followed, I think, by the administration of an emetic! which prevented my being poisoned; but altogether I was [sorely?] frightened! That too must have been the time when [“Longsharks,”?] alarmed at something or other, broke loose from the stake he was fastened to when browsing in the grass plot, & commenced galloping about the garden; & the painters came to my Mother to ask for the assistance of our coachman[underlined], in catching him; wherupon I asked her if we ought not to tell them we did not keep any carriage! – That same Servants’ Hall must also be ever memorable to me, from a still earlier date, as the spot where you were so near being burnt to death, & were saved ty Kitty [Bodden!?]

And to return to 4th St. : - As soon as din

ner was over I returned to my bed room, & ar

=ranged myself comfortably in the easy chair, L position, & well wrapped up, professedly to read a number of Manchr. Guardians; - but I had hardly begun, I suppose, when I dropped asleep, & was so admirably fixed

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for the purpose, that there’s no saying how long I might have slept, had not Ann come in with a lighted candle, at 9 o’clock, & awaked me, saying “Plase Sur, won’t ye come down & make the Tay, for the kittle is boling, & Miss Sarah is gone out.” – I speedily obeyed her summons, and just as I had made the “Tay,” William & Sarah came in & joined me. – they had been up to Union Place to attend a great Public Meeting, in advocacy of Free Speech, alias in protest against the recent arrest of Mr. Vallandigham. – But I thought, tho’ I did not say so, that it was not so much their regard for Free Speech, as their regard for the South, & their ill will to the North, that attracted them to this gather= =ing. – It was an open air gathering in Union Place; & Sarah said there were 4 platforms there for the speech-makers &c. –

After drinking my first cup of T, I laid aside the second one, & at 1/4 past 9, I went out for a smoke & a walk. – I went down 8th St. to the 5th Ave, & pursued it to 20th St. & then

 by the same way. 

came back ^ - I thus gave a wide berth to to the Meeting, not that I disapproved of it but because I hate crowds, & was in want of uninterrupted exercise, to make up for not having walked home to dinner. – I saw the lighted platforms in Union Place as I looked up 14th St., & I also saw the people radiating from it in all directions, on their way home. – It was a fine night for such an assemblage, & I suppose all went off peace= =ably

[Marginalia] 19th. The assemblage at Union Place last eveng. is variously estimated at 3 to 5000.

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& well. –

The news from the So. West is highly favorable for the Union cause. – A fort below Alexandria on Red river has been captured, & Alexandria too. – Thus Genl. Banks is now supreme in Louisiana; and according to Rebel telegrams to Richmond, Genl, Grant is in possession of Jackson, the capital of Missi.. - Cut off from supplies both Eastward & Westward, it would seem as tho’ Port Hudson & Vicksburg must soon be starved out; & if either surrender, the other must do so too.

The tone of an editorial in the Richmond Enquirer, reprinted in Saturdays Express & yesterdays Times, is [very desponding.][underlined]

Gold today was very uniform at 49 7/8%.

Mr. [Dun?] was instructed to sell out for us 240 full shares B. of Commerce at 107; and today he sent us a note advising the sale of 229 at that price payable in 3 days, leaving 11 shares still to be disposed of.

If the whole 240 should be sold, it provides the money to pay up the 80 pcent upon about 320 scrip shares. – The whole stock under our control is 340 full shares & 335 scrip; -and of your 147 full & 147 scrip, 92 full shares Matthew says, stand simply in your name, but that we hold your Power of Attorney for these 92. He says he does not disturb these 92, & that the 240 sold (& to be sold) will be taken out of the 248 full shares that are more directly under out control. – I presume he will so arrange matters as to give you the same interest in the stock as you had

[Marginalia] 19th. We have another beautiful day like yesterday, but warmer rather. –

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before today’s sale, & give you also your pro= =portion of the nett profit of $6 3/4 p share. But there was no time for discussing this matter with him today, as up to 3 p.m. he was occupied with writing a letter of Appeal to the Internal Tax Commissioner at Washn. in relation to the matters I have adverted to at the commencement of this letter; & after 3 & until nearly 5, I was at work, at his request, drawing up particulars for our Custom House Brokers to enter for re-exporta= =tion, 290 bales E. India Cotton, which by a letter just recd. from T&H Littledale & Co. we are directed to send back to Lpool.

Fancy Stocks have been quite wild today - common shares of Harlaem R.R. asking at 116 c 118 !!! Surely these stock-gamblers are crazy. – Whether Wm. is at work in fancy stocks now, as well as gold, I don’t know & am not likely to know. Certain it is that for a week past, Gold has been too stationary to afford scope for either Profit or Loss of the slight est importance.

The Australasian’s bag closes at [6 1/2 a.m.][underlined] on the 20th; so I must mail this tomorrow. Cotton today is very dull & plowing under the news from the So. West, as people have now an impression that a large amount of Cotton there will soon be liberated. Yours affectionately From some cause or other \ Rutson Maruy my hearing for 2 days past has been less imperfect.

19th – 5 Hanson St. I suppose Mrs. Cropper witheld the letter mentioned by Mary Bold, as it has not come. I enclose Fon= =taine’s last letter to me, of 2nd may, as it does not increase the postage, & give some index to his plans (if he has any?) for the future.

[Marginalia – Left side] 19th. Gold today is a little lower. Cotton is very much depressed & offering at large reduction

in price.

[Marginalia – Right side] I think it yet very doubtful whether Genl. Grant will get to Vicksburg. –