26 ELIZABETH CARY AGASSIZ 
stairs, made my excuses to kind Mr. Greenough, and 
smoothed life for me once more. 
The outline of Mrs. Agassiz’s girlhood that we form 
from these various reminiscences and letters is filled in by 
a few of her letters written in 1843 and 1844. The affection- 
ate elder-sisterly tone of interest and pride in the voice 
of Sallie, eight years her junior, —a just pride that never 
waned, as will be seen later, — her high spirits, her joy in 
music, all give a pleasant conception of the atmosphere in 
which she lived and which she helped create. It should be 
said by way of preface to these letters that the interest in 
dramatics and tableaux vivants was very keen among the 
young Carys and their “set,”’ and that they had formed 
a theatrical company of their own which won great éclat 
among their friends. A diary kept by Mrs. Agassiz’s 
brother, Thomas, gives a lively picture of the animated 
doings at the performances, not to mention the rehearsals. 
Mrs. Agassiz figures on only one occasion in the diary. In 
February, 1847, her brother none too cordially records: 
“We were forced to make an acquisition to our female force 
in Lizzie Cary and Mary Gardiner.” The addition seems 
to have proved satisfactory, however, for a fortnight 
later when the company had given The Waterman, he re- 
ports that “the debutante, Lizzie, being new, deserves a 
word; her whole performance was one of great merit, cor- 
rect without being stiff, and very easy on the stage without 
being familiar with the audience. She was much admired 
by all and won the hearts of the old gentlemen generally.” 
This story has a sequel, for The Waterman was repeated 
with the original caste after all the members had reached 
middle life, and Mrs. Agassiz took her former part, to 
