THE LAST YEARS 369 



[a niece of Mrs. Agassiz] came down to dine and we 

 had a nice afternoon together. When she went I 

 made a little music. I wish it were like old wine, the 

 better for keeping, but it gets fearfully broken and 

 rusty in places. 



TO MISS ELIZABETH H. CLARK 



Nahant, May 29, 1897 



DEAR Miss CLARK : . . . Everything is prospering in 

 the sunshine after the soft rain. My laburnum tree 

 is in blossom and my purple irises most beautiful. I 

 am getting ready for you, as you see. If I can only 

 coax the roses out by June 15th! 



July 29, 1897. A violent southerly storm with 

 tremendous rain. I have been in the Arctics with Nan- 

 sen all day. What a fascinating book! 



January 5, 1898. Yesterday to Nannie's funeral. 

 I came straight home and spent the rest of the day in 

 all sorts of business to be cleared away. It was the 

 best occupation and helped to bring one back into the 

 everyday current of life. I spent the day by myself 

 and put my house in order. 



In February, 1898, a heavy sorrow came to Mrs. 

 Agassiz in the death of her sister, Miss Sallie Gary; 

 " the world seems so strange and different without her," 

 she writes in her diary, "the best, the truest, dearest 

 sister, strength and support to us all." 



March 12, 1898. To Council meeting. One must 

 begin some time to take up the thread of life again, 



