from Mr. Jenkins today. I can't seem to think what
it was about, to put it down; but we are all of us more and more pleased
with him as a minister. You can't expect all things of any man; and if
a minister preaches a good sermon twice a Sunday and perhaps at evening
meeting, and goes around among the people as much as Mr. Jenkins, and
holds meetings through the week, and Bible class every Friday evening,
and sits by the bedside of the sick and the dying, and gives a hand in
his own farming or a neighbor's, and stands on the committee for the
schools, I don't know as you can expect much more of him.

Mrs. Carruthers says there's a talk of the Peebles moving up to the city
for good and all. I should think they might as well go as careening back
and forth, spring and fall; though she says they will still go down to
the seashore or up to the mountains, summers. When I had a home, I will
say, I liked to stay in it.

There, now! I do believe that I have not mentioned in my diary that our
house is burned down, and much as ever we all got out alive, coming in
the night so. I suppose I ought to have put it in as being one of the
principal events; but somehow I have been so unsettled since the fire, I
haven't seemed to think to write it down. And, of course, Artemas would
see from the depot, the minute he arrived, that the house wasn't there,
and he wouldn't need to wait and read about it in my diary; and I have
been pretty busy getting set to rights again. Everything being burnt,
there 's all the summer clothes to be made over again, except a few
things I brought off in a bundle along with the diary. Still, it might
have been better than writing about my neighbors, as I did about the
Peebles.

* * * * *

Mr. Jenkins came in as I was writing. He says that diaries are good
things, and if you didn't put in only your thoughts in a sentimental
kind of way, they'd be useful for posterity. I told him I didn't write
for posterity, but for Artemas, instead of a letter. He was surprised
I hadn't written him about the fire, as the news might reach him
exaggerated. I could not help from laughing, for I don't see how it
could be made out much worse,--the house burnt down, and the barn with
the horse in it, and Cyrus's crop of squashes. Much as ever we got out
alive, and I had to come to rooms--two pair, back. I did bring the diary
out in my apron.

Mr. Jenkins spoke of the insurance, and maybe Artemas migh