Some of the children were going, last Friday night, to see the Aquarium, and some educated horses and dogs there, and they persuaded me to go.  The performance was wonderful, but I could not help thinking of all these poor animals had gone through in learning all these incredible feats; each horse responding to his own name, each dog barking in response to his; two dogs hanging a third, cutting him down, when he lay apparently dead, other dogs driving in, in a cart, and carrying away the body; others waltzing on their hind legs, and others jumping the rope.  Two horses played see-saw, and one rolled a barrel up an inclined plane with his fore legs; he hated to do it.  But the marvellous fishes and sea-flowers charmed me most.

To Mrs. Reed, New York, March 13, 1878.

...  I have had a busy winter.  We had a variety of losses, and I undertook, therefore, to manufacture Reed, most of my Christmas gifts, which were, chiefly, umbrella racks; this took time.  Then my Bible-reading uses up pretty much one day.  I never felt so unfit for it, or more determined to keep it up as long as one would come.  Besides that, I have read and painted more or less and sewed a good deal; on the whole, have had more vacation than work, at least one looking on would say so.  But we all lead two lives, and one of them is penetrated and understood by no mortal eye.  I heard such a sermon from Dr. Bevan last Sunday night on the text, “They saw God and did eat and drink.”  He divided mankind into four classes:  Those who do eat and drink and do not see God; those who do not see Him and do not eat and drink; those who see Him and do not eat and drink (he handled them tenderly); and those who see Him and yet eat and drink.  I hope I have made its outline plain to you.  It took hold of me.

To Mrs. Donaghe, New York, April 26, 1878.

I am living my life among breakings-up; you gone, Mrs. Smith about to flee to Northampton, and our neighbor Miss W. storing her furniture and probably leaving New York for good.  On the other hand, M. spends most of her time in helping Mr. and Mrs. Talbot get to rights in apartments they have just taken.  Mr. T., as I suppose you know, is pastor of our Mission and as good as gold.  God has been pleased greatly to bless two ladies, who attend the Bible-reading, and I am sure He loves to have us study His Word.  The more I dig into it the richer I find it, and I have had some delightful hours this winter in preparing for my Wednesday work.

There is to be a Women’s Exchange in this city, where everything manufactured by them (except underclothing) will be exposed for sale; embroidery, pickles, preserves, confectionery, and articles rejected by the Society of Decorative Art.  I hope it will be a success, and help many worthy women, all over the land, to help themselves....  I find it hard to consent to your having, at your age, to flit about from home to home, but a loving Father has a mansion for you beyond all the changes and chances of this strange complicated life.  If He gives you His presence, that will be a home.  I wish you could visit us at Dorset.