_December_ 11.--I have been down town buying material for garments for our Home Missionary family which we are to make in our society. Anna and I were cutting them out and basting them ready for sewing, and grandmother told us to save all the basting threads when we were through with them and tie them and wind them on a spool for use another time. Anna, who says she never wants to begin anything that she cannot finish in 15 minutes, felt rather tired at the prospect of this unexpected task and asked Grandmother how she happened to contract such economical ideas. Grandmother told her that if she and Grandfather had been wasteful in their younger days, we would not have any silk dresses to wear now. Anna said if that was the case she was glad that Grandmother saved the basting thread!
_February_ 13.--Our brother James was married to-day to Louise Livingston James of New York City.
_February_ 20.--Our society is going to hold a fair for the Freedmen, in the Town Hall. Susie Daggett and I have been there all day to see about the tables and stoves. We got Mrs. Binks to come and help us.
_February_ 21.--Been at the hall all day, trimming the room. Mr. Thompson and Mr. Backus came down and if they had not helped us we would not have done much. Mr. Backus put up all the principal drapery and made it look beautiful.
_February_ 22.--At the hall all day. The fair opened at 2 p.m. We had quite a crowd in the evening and took in over three hundred dollars. Charlie Hills and Ellsworth Daggett stayed there all night to take care of the hall. We had a fish pond, a grab-bag and a post-office. Anna says they had all the smart people in the post-office to write the letters,--Mr. Morse, Miss Achert, Albert Granger and herself. Some one asked Albert Granger if his law business was good and he said one man thronged into his office one day.
_February_ 23.--We took in two hundred dollars to-day at the fair. We wound up with an auction. We asked Mrs. George Willson if she could not write a poem expressing our thanks to Mr. Backus and she stepped aside for about five minutes and handed us the following lines which we sent to him. We think it is about the nicest thing in the whole fair.
"In ancient time the God of Wine They crowned with vintage of the vine, And sung his praise with song and glee And all their best of minstrelsy. The Backus whom we honor now Would scorn to wreathe his generous brow With heathen emblems--better he Will love our gratitude to see Expressed in all the happy faces Assembled in these pleasant places. May joy attend his footsteps here And crown him in a brighter sphere."