Clear and colder. Morning to town where I was all day not returning until evening.

I drove in the pair of horses this morning, with my father, Wife and son John to spend the day. My own occupations were of the usual kind, all having some relation to the approaching move to town. As the season advances and the family at the other house disappear from the scene I become reconciled to the change to winter quarters. But it is a cheerless process.

At the Office I could not raise a fire so had no temptation to stay. At my house it was not much better, so my father and I waited at Dr. Frothingham’s until the four for dining with Mr. Fletcher arrived.

It was curious to observe how little ten years had altered the old location,1 and yet there were changes as well in others as in myself which carried their moral with them. The company consisted of Judge Story, Governor Everett, Judge Davis, Professor Greenleaf, Mr. Hale, Mr. Worcester, Mr. Gannett, Mr. Tarbell and ourselves. The first took the lion’s share of the talk and harped upon his favourite strings. On the whole a handsome and a pleasant dinner. I drove home by moonlight.