22 ELIZABETH GARY AGASSIZ 



they take upon themselves the awful responsibilities 

 of matrimony. Is it not? Take care, my dear, how you 

 involve yourself in such a slough of despond. Won't 

 you? By the way I heard a very funny report the 

 other day concerning who do you think? Why, 

 your stately self and your harum-scarum cousin 

 Lizzie. You did not know that this good-natured 

 world, which is so fond of giving away what does not 

 belong to it, has given you and me to each other. Shall 

 I confirm the idea? Pray write me word perhaps it 

 would be better to bring out our engagement at once 

 before you return do inform me of your wishes on 

 this subject. 



You little wretch! how dare you be going to the 

 opera every night when you know that I am pining 

 here at home for the sounds which you have been 

 hearing all winter. Oh! if I could spend one whole 

 evening in the Italian opera house at Paris and hear 

 the finest European singers, I do think that at the end 

 of it I should be perfectly content to die on the spot. 

 What bliss could exceed it? 



Do you know (as of course you don't know) that 

 we had the most delightful party at the Cushings' the 

 other day. Don't you think the millennium must be 

 coming when Mr. Gushing gives a party? I must tell 

 you, to explain this wonder, that there has been a Pole 

 here lately, called Kowsowski, who plays most de- 

 lightfully on the piano. All the world have been dis- 

 tracted about him, and as the Cushings are very fond 

 of music they determined to give him a party. The 

 day was expected by their guests with impatience, 



