Morning at the Office as usual. The weather was still rainy but cleared up bright at noon. My time was very much broken by interruptions. Farmer came up and went on with his long story and tired me to death. I told him to be gone, as he was prosing away more than ever. But the thing does not appear to be nearer settlement than ever. The lawyers for the parties have acted very handsomely and it is quite a relief to be treated by persons of such a character. Farmer is such a 190poor Tool that I do not imagine that I can be easily rid of him. Mr. Cruft came up to make inquiry about the way to forward a letter to John, and he sat here with me for an hour or two in which time I consulted him in respect to the character of the Atlas Insurance Company, in which I contemplate investing a trifle.1 His account of it is very favourable and may probably decide me. Mr. Spear the Tenant of the House in Tremont Street No. 2. came to finish off, and so we completed the Leases and that business. He takes possession Monday. Some others called making application for houses which were soon settled, but on the whole I had very little time to myself.

The afternoon was passed in reading Demosthenes, which I did with much satisfaction—Though I have been so much interrupted as to make the impression of the Oration as a whole very feeble upon my mind. How many interruptions I have had, and how many disagreeable things are now on my mind.

The repairs on the Store being finished I went down and notified the President of the Mutual Office of the fact, and requested him to call and see it, which he agreed to do.2 He is a very disagreeable man to me. I went to see the store, and found Cruft, for whom I did his little business. Evening, reading Lalla Rookh, not so interesting as yesterday evening, but still rather pretty. Afterwards Campbell’s Rhetoric. But all my studies are now somewhat interrupted by my anxieties about temporal affairs.

The day was beautiful and I went out very early in order to have an opportunity to see Mr. Fletcher upon this disagreeable business of Storer’s. I talked with him for a very considerable time and though we came to no conclusion about it, yet I sincerely hope he will exert himself to settle it. I foresee however that it will be a source of uneasiness as to money. I shall have it as a tax upon me I fear. The Directors of the Insurance Company came to see about the House and in consequence charged me a small addition of premium. I went to see them and paid, then to the Houses in Common Street, then to Town Meeting to see the new Law for the election of Mayor, knocked in the head,1 then to see Mr. Brooks and finally to my own Office where Mr. Brackett called and positively took the Corner House in Tremont or Common Street, so that now all the Houses of size are off my hands 191for one year at least. I called in to see Mr. Wales and talked with him, coming down finally to the proposition to accept the costs.2 The rest of the morning was passed in drawing up the Leases, so that on the whole I can scarcely be said to have had one moment of time to myself.

Abby had engaged me to go and dine at Mrs. Frothingham’s today which I did and found there Mr. and Mrs. P. C. Brooks. Our time was much as usual, tolerably agreeable, thence to the Athenaeum where I did not stay long. At home however I did but little and found my mind so distracted as to profit very little even from that. My situation is disagreeable enough, involved in law suits, with demands hanging upon me of my father’s and funds coming in with excessive slowness, I feel troubled beyond measure. Nothing now goes right. I find pitfalls at every step. Evening at Mr. Frothingham’s but dull.