April 5.–I walked down town with Grandfather this morning and it is such a beautiful day I felt glad that I was alive. The air was full of tiny little flies, buzzing around and going in circles and semi-circles as though they were practising calisthenics or dancing a quadrille. I think they were glad they were alive, too. I stepped on a big bug crawling on the walk and Grandfather said I ought to have brushed it aside instead of killing it. I asked him why and he said, “Shakespeare says, The beetle that we tread upon feels a pang as great as when a giant dies.'”
A man came to our door the other day and asked if “Deacon” Beals was at home. I asked Grandmother afterwards if Grandfather was a Deacon and she said no and never had been, that people gave him the name when he was a young man because he was so staid and sober in his appearance. Some one told me once that I would not know my Grandfather if I should meet him outside the Corporation. I asked why and he said because he was so genial and told such good stories. I told him that was just the way he always is at home. I do not know any one who appreciates real wit more than he does. He is quite strong in his likes and dislikes, however. I have heard him say,
“I do not like you, Dr Fell,
The reason why, I cannot tell;
But this one thing I know full well,
I do not like you, Dr Fell.”
Bessie Seymour wore a beautiful gold chain to school this morning and I told Grandmother that I wanted one just like it. She said that outward adornments were not of as much value as inward graces and the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, in the sight of the Lord, was of great price. I know it is very becoming to Grandmother and she wears it all the time but I wish I had a gold chain just the same.
Aunt Ann received a letter to-day from Lucilla, who is at Miss Porter’s school at Farmington, Connecticut. She feels as if she were a Christian and that she has experienced religion.
Grandfather noticed how bright and smart Bentley Murray was, on the street, and what a business way he had, so he applied for a place for him as page in the Legislature at Albany and got it. He is always noticing young people and says, “As the twig is bent, the tree is inclined.” He says we may be teachers yet if we are studious now. Anna says, “Excuse me, please.”
Grandmother knows the Bible from Genesis to Revelation excepting the “begats” and the hard names, but Anna told her a new verse this morning, “At Parbar westward, four at the causeway and two at Parbar.” Grandmother put her spectacles up on her forehead and just looked at Anna as though she had been talking in Chinese. She finally said, “Anna, I do not think that is in the Bible.” She said, “Yes, it is; I found it in 1 Chron. 26 : 18.” Grandmother found it and then she said Anna had better spend her time looking up more helpful texts. Anna then asked her if she knew who was the shortest man mentioned in the Bible and Grandmother said “Zaccheus.” Anna said that she just read in the newspaper, that one, said “Nehimiah was” and another said “Bildad the Shuhite” and another said “Tohi.” Grandmother said it was very wicked to pervert the Scripture so, and she did not approve of it at all. I don’t think Anna will give Grandmother any more Bible conundrums.