The Doctor described having made and put up his first “shingle.” He cut out the frame, covered it with tin and painted on it: “Dr. O. W. Holmes, last door but one.” Having nailed up the sign he walked down to Tremont Street and looked down Montgomery Place to see the effect it produced. “No, that will never do!” he exclaimed. “What if it should strike the patient that if I am the last door but one I must be next door to the tomb?” He took the sign down and repainted it, making it read, “Dr. Holmes, 8 Montgomery Place.” I told Dr. Holmes I thought it was rather hard that he was getting all the credit for my _mot_ about Mama being “seventy years young.” “Yes,” he said, “I sympathize with you. Many of my good things are credited to Nat Curtis or Tom Appleton.” I repeated this to Mama. “Never mind,” she said, “you have added a phrase to the language!” January 18th. To South Boston to make copies of Papa’s letters from the old letter books. The school journals of the early days at the Perkins Institution are very good reading. To Mrs. Fairchild’s in the afternoon where I found a sea of beaux about Sattie and Lucia. John Sargent was there. He is painting Mr. Booth for the Players Club. A gay evening. Mrs. Norman to dine, Arthur Terry and Edward Bacon, the Walker boys and Sam Hall. We had dumb crambo, charades and singing to amuse Mama, who had been headachey but was much jollied up. How she loves the _gioventude_! January 20th. With Mama to see Booth and Modjeska in the “Merchant of Venice.” His Shylock greater than ever,--the art so perfect as to be imperceptible. Kate Vannah came from New York. A discussion about a personal devil, in whom she firmly believes. Agreed to ask the people we meet for the next week their opinion. Ned Elliott, Miss Lockwood and Mrs. Fairchild believe in a distinct principle of evil.