THE
WILLIAM HENRY LETTERS.
BY
MRS. A. M. DIAZ.
WITH ILLUSTRATIONS.
BOSTON:
FIELDS, OSGOOD, & CO.
1870.
Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1870,
BY FIELDS, OSGOOD, & CO.,
in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.
University Press: Welch, Bigelow, & Co.,
Cambridge.
EDITOR’S INTRODUCTION.
My dear Young Friends:—
Much to my surprise, I was asked one day if I would be willing to editthe William Henry Letters for publication in a volume.
At first it seemed impossible for me to do anything of the kind; “for,”said I, “how can any one edit who is not an editor? Besides, I am notenough used to writing.” It was then explained to me that my dutieswould simply be to collect and arrange the Letters, and furnish anylittle items concerning William Henry and his home which might interestthe reader. It was also hinted, in the mildest manner possible, that Iwas not chosen for this office on account of my talents, or my learning,or my skill in writing; but wholly because of my intimate acquaintancewith the two families at Summer Sweeting place,—for I have at timeslived close by them for weeks together, and have taken tea quite oftenboth at Grandmother’s and at Aunt Phebe’s.
After a brief consideration of the proposal, I agreed to undertake thetask; at the same time wishing a more experienced editor could have beenfound.[Pg 2]
My acquaintance with the families commenced just about the time ofWilliam Henry’s going to school, and in rather a curious way.
I was then (and am now) much interested in the Freedmen. While servingin the Army of the Potomac, I had seen a good deal of them, and wasconnected with a hospital in Washington at the time when they werepouring into that city, hungry and sick, and half-naked. I belonged toseveral Freedmen’s Societies, and had just then pledged myself to beg abarrelful of old clothing to send South.
But this I found was, for an unmarried man, having few acquaintances inthe town, a very rash promise. I had no idea that one barrel could holdso much. The pile of articles collected seemed to me immense. I wonderedwhat I should do with them all. But when packed away there was room leftfor certainly a third as many more; and I had searched thoroughly thefew garrets in which right of search was allowed me. Even in those, Icould only glean after other barrel-fillers. A great many garretsyielded up their treasures during the war; for “Old clo’! old clo’!” wasthe cry then all over the North.
Now, as I was sitting one afternoon by my barrel, wishing it were full,it happened that I looked down into the street, and saw there myunknown friend, waiting patiently in his empty cart. This unknownfriend was a tall, high-shouldered man, who drove in, occasionally,with vegetables. There were others who came in with vegetables also, andofte