CHARLESTON 43 



How I wish you could look in upon us this first 

 evening that we pass here, and see how auspiciously 

 our honeymoon begins. You must imagine a small 

 parlor, with a large fireplace, in which the cheeriest 

 wood fire dances and sparkles. I have been out on the 

 beach, gathering drift-wood this afternoon and when- 

 ever we throw on a bit, it is so dry that it breaks into 

 the brightest flame, and fights up our fittle room 

 most brilliantly. 



For furniture we have a sofa, rocking chair, dining 

 table, writing table, a number of common chairs, and 

 what I value most, a fittle oval, three-legged ma- 

 hogany stand exactly like one that Grandma used 

 to use, on which she almost always had her work- 

 basket, and the last new novel. On this stand tonight, 

 there is a dish of flowers, that I brought from town. 

 We have just done tea, I have cleared away the tea- 

 things, drawn the table near the flre and sit down to 

 write to you, while Agassiz writes at the other side, 

 beginning his winter work, and Burkhardt is con- 

 tentedly smoking his pipe in the chimney corner. The 

 wind moans mournfully outside and threatens a storm 

 tomorrow, which will disappoint me in having my 

 piano which I have ordered from town. When that 

 comes, I shall feel fully established. 



We have given up the idea of trusting to luck or 

 Providence for our meals, and have breakfast, dinner 

 and tea in the most orderly manner, though our 

 table service is not the most magnificent. No one 

 leaves on the Island anything but the most common 

 crockery. 



