Laura E. Richards, Maud Howe, Florence Howe Hall, Julia Ward Howe, 1819-1910, in two volumes, with portraits and other illustrations: volume 1

She bids farewell to 1906 as “dear Year that hast brought me so many comforts and pleasures!” and thus hails the New Year:--

“I earnestly pray for God's blessing on this year! .. I might possibly like one more European journey to see the Gallery at Madrid, and the chateaux of Touraine, but I do not ask it, as I may have more important occupation for my time and money. ... Du reste, the dear Father has done so much better for me, in many ways, than I have ingenuity to wish, that I can only say, ‘Thy will be done, only desert me not.’ ”

She determines “at last to be more prompt in response to letters and bills. I am now apt to lose sight of them, to my great inconvenience and that of other people.”

It was pain to her to destroy even a scrap of paper that bore writing: the drifts of notes and letters grew higher and higher among the piles of books, new and old. The books were not all her own choice. Many a firstling of verse found its way to her, inscribed with reverent or loving words by the author. Would Mrs. Howe send a few lines of appreciation or criticism? She would; mostly she did. She wrote in the autograph albums, and on the pieces of silk and cotton for “autograph quilts” : she signed the photographs: she tried to do everything they asked.

“January 11. Having hammered at some verses for General Lee, when I lay down to rest a perfect flood of rhymes seized me. Nonsense verses for to-morrow's festival; there seemed to be no end to them. I scrawled ”