Diary of Charles Francis Adams, volume 3
1830-05-08
Morning fine although the weather was very considerably cold. I went to the Office after receiving a visit from Miss Oliver my Tenant who paid me forty dollars of her rent on account and thus relieved me from much of my anxiety respecting that House. She has now materially diminished the weight of her debt, and having received a polite warning from me proves one of the most anxious to pay. My father’s real Estate is now in the best condition, all the Tenants being now about to manifest the result of my care, in their increased sensibility to the duty of punctuality which had become somewhat dulled. After balancing my books at the Bank, and inquiring for the condition of the Horse which this morning was a little encouraging, I spent the rest of the time at the Office in translating more of Mr. Negris, and felt as if I had succeeded better today.
After dinner I went to see the furniture of Madame de Walewsky formerly Mrs. Humphreys who made a silly match, and now leaves 231Boston to follow her husband, probably an impostor wherever he chooses to say. I know of no instance of greater folly in a woman, likely to be attended with more unfortunate circumstances to herself. Her large fortune will probably vanish under his hands, and then she is an old woman tied to a young and unprincipled spendthrift.1 I could not help thinking of this when looking at her house, which was all comfortably and some of it splendidly fitted up. Returned home and read Aeschines for two hours, after which I had agreed to go to Medford. Owing to the confinement of Mrs. Everett Mr. Brooks is left quite alone down there, and I therefore thought it would answer to go and spend two evenings instead of one. The evening was fine but cold and I thought I would vary our ride by going through Milk Row and the Old road near West Cambridge. We were paid for it in the beauty of the scenery which now shows the luxuriant freshness of the Season. I know nothing finer than the appearance of the Apple Orchards here in the month of May. Our ride was agreeable and we reached Medford directly after Sunset. The evening passed in conversation with Mr. Brooks.
Mrs. Ann F. Humphreys was the wealthy widow of Gen. [properly, Col.] David Humphreys. Her property had been further enhanced by a bequest of $150,000 from her sister. On 31 Dec. 1829 she had married Col. de Walewsky, a Polish gentleman who was said to have served in Napoleon’s army. She was 51, he 41. At his insistence that any other arrangement would be an offense to his honor, she allowed all her property to pass to his control. In the months after marriage the house became “a resort for the young rakes of the town who have been treated by the Col. with fine dinners and choice wines.” The marriage, the ménage, and the reasons animating their removal from Boston evoked interest and gossip. The furniture, wines, &c. were on display at the residence, corner of Sumner and Mt. Vernon streets, and were to be sold there at auction on 10 May at 9 o’clock. (CFA to LCA, 17 Jan., Adams Papers; Charlotte Everett to Edward Everett, 4, 10, 24 Jan., 2 May, Everett MSS, MHi; Columbian Centinel, 5 May, p. 3, col. 6.)