“The doctor has just taken Greenleaf to ride a little way. The morning is perfect after the storm. I wonder where thee are just now--out in the sunshine, no doubt.... The dear little kitten went in a basket to L---- M---- who wrote a note of thanks and welcome to kitty. Greenleaf joins me in love to thee and thy friends. Aunt Dolly sends her love. We shall expect thee by and by. When shall thee look homewards?” * * * * * In another letter from Boston to the same friend, Miss Whittier speaks of Fredrika Bremer, who was at that time in America. “Miss Bremer doesn’t seem a great light after all,” she says; “she is far more like a good, social hearth-fire making one comfortable. I want you, my dear, good friend, to see her in Amesbury. Tell Annie, Miss Bremer is especially drawn to soft, light curls like hers; they remind her of London. I know she would fall in love with Annie and her blue eyes. A brother of Mr. J----, the wonderful, drank tea with us on seventh day evening. He looked happy, and we thought he was a good, commonplace body.” * * * * * Whittier in the note to his poem, “To Fredrika Bremer,” writes: “It is proper to say that these lines are the joint impromptu of my sister and myself. They are inserted here as an expression of our admiration of the gifted stranger whom we have since learned to love as a friend.” The poem begins: “Seeress of the misty Norland, Daughter of the Vikings bold, Welcome to the sunny Vineland, Which thy fathers sought of old.” To this friend to whom Miss Whittier writes so lovingly, the poet also says in a letter: “I cannot but feel that thou hast greatly over-rated the benefits derived from my society and friendship. In fact, I feel very much as a debtor in these hard times might be supposed to feel if his creditor should take occasion to thank him for his indebtedness. The obligation is on my side rather than thine. To me and mine thou hast been an ever kind and sympathizing friend--one whom we never met without pleasure or parted with without regret. For myself, as for them, _my heart thanks thee_. Thou hast cheered us and helped us in many ways by example as well as words. We have read, thought, hoped, feared, enjoyed, and suffered together and the ties of affection and sympathy so woven from the very tissues of our lives are not easily severed. We miss thee greatly in our little circle; we shall often speak of thee in the dark winter days and long to see thy familiar face in the light of our evening fires.