1850 TO 1865 315 



From S. F. Baird to John Cassin. 



Dec. 25th, 1853. 

 MY DEAR JOHN CASSIN: 



The box of pickles came yesterday by Adams Express, and I 

 jumped at a conclusion, fully borne (out) by your letter which arrived 

 this morning. In the spirit of the letter which (shall I confess it) 

 caused my eyes to fill up a little at each oft-repeated perusal, I sit 

 down now on this lovely Christmas morning, with the church bells 

 ringing around me, to reciprocate all the good wishes and kind feelings 

 just expressed by you. It is a long while now, John, "since we were 

 first acquaint," not longer though I trust than we shall be again. 

 Many years have elapsed since Sam Woodhouse took me down to the 

 little house, ever so far off, to see a friend of his "who had a fine 

 collection of birds." I little thought that visit would lay the founda- 

 tion of the warmest friendship I ever formed. Since then I shall 

 never lose the memory, John, of the day when, with my slender purse 

 and ardent thirst for knowledge, you helped me to satisfy the neces- 

 sities and incongruities of both by the pleasant fiction of sending me 

 at your expense to make some notes and observations for you in the 

 Eastern Libraries, or by the loan of books & of house and home 

 and by a thousand other kindnesses, little and big. 



Well, I shan't forget them or you very soon, that is certain. 



With kindest remembrances to Mrs. Cassih and all yours, in 

 which Mrs. Baird joins, I shall remain, 



Ever yours, 

 S. F. BAIRD. 



From S. F. Baird to George P. Marsh, Rome, Italy. 



WASHINGTON, February 4, 1854. 

 MY VERY DEAR MR. MARSH: 



I received a few days ago through the kind mediation of our 

 uncle Marcy, your good letters of December 12-16, and have read 

 and re-read them with increasing interest, each perusal revealing 

 some new item previously unnoticed, or correcting some former read- 

 ing. Gilliss and I had a long consultation the other day over our 

 letters, and were fairly beaten at one paragraph about Mary, which 

 I read as being a "pious fish-woman," but which we finally concluded 

 to be the "precious penwoman" both perhaps applying well, the 



