PUFFS."

_February 8th, 1870._--We are having a tremendous snow-storm for a
wonder. I started out this morning with G., and when we got to the Fifth
avenue clock he found he should be late unless he ran, and I was glad
to let him go and turn back to meet M., who had heavy books besides her
umbrella. The wind blew furiously, my umbrella broke and flew off in a
tangent, and when I got it, it turned wrong side out and I came near
ascending as in a balloon; M. soon came in sight and I convoyed her
safely to school. Mrs. ---- told a friend of ours that Mr. and Mrs.
Prentiss really _enjoyed_ Mrs. C----'s death, and they seemed destitute
of natural affection; and that as for Mrs. P. it was plain she had never
suffered in any way. Considering the tears we both shed over Mrs. C.,
and some other little items in our past history, we must set Mrs. ----
down as wiser than the ancients.

_Sunday Evening._--Yesterday Lizzy B. came to say that her mother was
"in a gully" and wanted me to come and pull her out. I went and found
her greatly depressed, and felt sure it was all physical, and not a case
for special spiritual pulling. So I coaxed her, laughed at her, and
cheered her all I could. She said she had been "a solemn pig" for a
week, in allusion to some pictures Dr. P. had drawn for her and for me
illustrating the solemn pig and the jolly pig. Mr. Randolph has sent
up a letter from a man in Nice whose wife wants to translate Katy into
French. I sent word they might translate it into Hottentot for all me.
Good-night, my dear, I am sound asleep.

Your affectionate Mother PRENTISS.

_Tuesday._--On Sunday papa preached a sermon in behalf of the Mission,
asking for $35,000 to build a chapel, for which Mr. Cady had made a
plan. I got greatly stirred up, as I hope everybody did. Mr. Dodge will
give one-quarter of the sum needed. It is Washington's birthday, and the
children are all at home from school, and are at the dining-room table
drawing maps. Mr. and Mrs. G. called, but I was out seeing a poor woman,
whose romance of love and sorrow I should like to tell you about if it
would not fill a book. She says Bishop S. has supported her and her
three children for seven months out of his own pocket.

_Saturday, Feb. 26th._--Your two last letters, together with Mrs.
Smith's, were all in the box as I was starting with M. for her music. My
children pulled in opposite directions, but I pushed on, and papa saved
the letters to read to me wh