Mary Thacher Higginson, Thomas Wentworth Higginson: the story of his life

[317] Topeka on Thursday, going Friday morn to Colorado Springs . . . . I have enjoyed the trip greatly. . . . I saw many of the old Kansasers and many of the new; all Kansas is transformed from bareness to a land of trees and hedges, greatly to its improvement and I had a fine reception from the Students.

Colorado Springs, June 11.

Here I have revelled in flowers and cañons. . . . Nothing disappoints except that the prairies when green are a far paler green than we are used to and Pike's Peak, though it seems to hang directly above the town and is still snow-clad, is far less picturesque and companionable than our New England mountains.

It was impossible not to be drawn into politics and, in the fall of 1888, Colonel Higginson was nominated as Representative to Congress by the Democrats of the Fifth Congressional District. The question whether to accept this nomination required much deliberation. He wrote in his diary September 23:—

Thinking all day about Congressional proposal and decided to decline it . . . . Wrote accordingly in evening.

Sept. 24. Felt so dissatisfied and troubled at my decision that I decided to revoke it . . . and substituted another letter. I hope I have at last done right, but it is a risk. I hope some one else will be nominated.