Morning cloudy but it cleared away quite cold. I went to the Office. Engaged a good deal in running about making purchases for the family of the things necessary to get them well going. I had therefore not much time to read though I did succeed in resuming Lingard. I am going to make another effort this Winter to improve my time more than I have done. My distracting occupations will I hope be fewer than they have been, and I shall be able to do more effectively what is in hand.

Called at the Athenaeum to get a book or two. Thence home where I found my father. He announced to us that my Mother had left Quincy this morning considerably better in health. And that he had come in for the purpose of starting from our house to Providence in the morning. Of course I did very little else than attend to him. I took the opportunity however of answering a letter of John’s inviting me to Washington,1 and copied one or two others for my father. Read a little of Stone’s book over again.