00_1852-07-22 Diary of Martha Call 2021.061.001

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came next in order, and before eleven we were fairly in our births. To go to sleep however, was a very different matter, and with the exception of a few short naps, I lay awake, sometimes watching the motion of a boat which hung before my window, sometimes looking to see what was to be seen in the cabin, until two oclock, when I rose, arranged my dress in measure, and took my station outside the door, where I could breath the fresh air. By and by Aunt Hadlock came out and we went up to the saloon, where we found ample employment in watching the country that we passed and New York itself when we came in sight of it. About half past six we found ourselves in a carriage, on our way to Uncle Quimby's, and now I found that my dear brother did not intend that I should be penniless while here, for George gave me five and a half dollars, the change that he had left from what Henry gave him to pay my passage with. As we drew near the house I began to feel somewhat alarmed at the idea of presenting myself^^{as a visitor} to people that would'nt know me, but I might have spared myself any uneasiness for though she had not seen me since I was a very little child, Aunt Mary knew me at once, and was highly pleased to see us both - Uncle too did not seem displeased. Caro is a fine girl, and a great help both to her father and mother - and Edward who is just six weeks older than I am is a very good-looking, whiskered, spectacled young man.

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They dont live in any great style, and so much of the house is taken up by the workrooms, that they are rather cramped for room, but everything is comfortable and pleasant. George stayed till after breakfast, and then took his departure, and we probably shall not see him again till we return to Boston. Yesterday forenoon, I wrote two long letters, one to Henry and Emmie and one to mother. On opening my trunk I found that my bonnet which I had packed very carefully, was very much compressed, so that I was obliged to take all the fixins off and carry it to a milliner's to be pressed, but while there discovered that I could do it myself as well as they could, and so brought it home again. In the afternoon Cara and I wanted to go out and take a walk, so I thought that we would go and see Mrs Mellen, who I know, would feel hurt, if I should be in New York and not call on her, so we sent out - First we saw a magnificent great building, which Cara said was the Free Academy for boys, and getting the Janitors daughter for a guide we went over the whole of it. It is a beautiful building with different rooms appropriated to the different studies, and in the top a splendid Chapel. There are about four hundred scholars, and seventeen teachers employed there, and there the children of the poorest as well as the rich, can obtain a good education. Next we walked down Broadway, where we encountered any number of ladies, and saw any quantity

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of splendid stores - On the way we went into the rooms of the American Art Union, where we saw some most beautiful pictures - One, of the children in the woods pleased me very much. There was little Red Riding Hood too, and an old woman at her wash-tub as natural as life. The walls of two large rooms are completely covered with beautiful paintings. After having continued our walk till I began to feel quite weary, we turned into Broome Street, where I thought Mrs Mellen kept, but though we walked nearly the whole length of it, we could not find her, and had the satisfaction of returning defeated. By the time we reached the Bowery I was so completely tired that I could hardly place one foot before the other, but instead of finding as we hoped a car all ready to take us up, we had to wait a long time and see a cars and ever so many omnibuses pass by already filled. At last we got places in an omnibus where a very pleasant man made room for us, and we were not at all sorry to get home and at an early hour to go to bed. This morning I was abed till very late but as I had to make up the lost sleep of the night before, and as Aunt Mary gave me a special charge to lie as long as I wanted so I did'nt care much, even though my breakfast had to be kept long after other people had done. Soon after breakfast Uncle announced his intention of taking us out to ride, so we soon made ourselves ready, the two aunts, uncle and I, leaving Cara at home to keep

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house. We had a fine ride, passed a great many splendid houses, and some public buildings, among others the asylum for colored orphans, and the deaf and dumb asylum. We passed also the Distributing Resevoir of the [Croton?] Water, and went to the upper Resevoir, where we walked some time, and amused ourselves by throwing bread to the fishes, which would come very eagerly after it. This is a great work, and a great blessing to the city, as all - rich and poor can have plenty of pure water. Aunt has it so arranged that she draws from faucets into her sink both hot and cold water.

After viewing the water-works we ascended the wagon again and drove home. This afternoon I think of devoting to my bonnet. Aunt [Sukey?] Patten has very unexpectedly made her appearance here, and in order to avoid seeing her I keep my room, until her call, which seems to be rather a lengthy one is over.

Sunday, June 13. My poor books seems to be rather irregularly kept, for while I have so much to write about, I have but very little time to write it in. Now I will try to go on from where I left off last Thursday. I did not devote the afternoon to my bonnet as I found that I had more need of a pair of clean undersleeves. Just at night came Nattie Norton, as pretty, polite a little boy as there is to be found, with a very affectionate letter from his mother, asking us all to come there to spend the next day, and if

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we would come early we should be able to visit Greenwood. She wanted very much that Aunt and I should spend at least one night with her, but Edward having invited as aunt Mary said some young men and women to come here in the evening we promised to return early. Cara, who, poor child! is so much taken up with the business matters as to be able to leave home but very seldom, was unable to accompany us, but about half psat nine Aunt Mary, Aunt Hadlock and I set out, took a Broadway omnibus, (stages they call them here) and went to the South Ferry, crossed the river to Brooklyn, and on the other side almost the first person that we saw was Nattie waiting for us, and at a little distance, a beautiful carriage, and span of grey horses. Nattie rode with us to his school-house and soon after he left Mr Griffeth took his place in the carriage. Mr Griffeth is a very pleasant, gentlemanly man, and we were quite pleased with him. We made a short call at the house where everything is very elegant and tasteful, then Mrs Griffeth and little Emmie joined us, and we went to Greenwood.

Greenwood is by far the most beautiful place of the kind that I ever visited, - it is worth a journey to New York to see that alone. We drove in through the new entrance, and spent over an hour riding through the grounds. Of course it was impossible to see all its beauties, but we saw a great many of them,