Page:Thoreau - His Home, Friends and Books (1902).djvu/107

Rh house of historical and literary mementoes. Miss Ward, like the Thoreau family, delighted in botany; she was also an artist of true, innate ability. Among some of her sketches which have been preserved is a fine study in color of this very hibiscus, with its vivid roseate hue. In a letter written during September, 1839, she refers to this excursion of the brothers. In the same letter are these significant sentences;—"I suppose C. told you of the very pleasant visit we had from Ellen. We have also heard from there directly by J. T. J. enjoyed himself very well with Ellen and the boys." Ingenuous and natural as are these references they illumine a very important incident in the life of Henry Thoreau. There has ever lingered a romantic haze about this period of his manhood; perhaps one may regret that the probing public of to-day has divulged and exposed his heart-secret. The extract from the letter above quoted emphasized the family opinion that John was devoted to this young girl, whose family was closely related to the Thoreaus by ties of friendship, and that Henry's sentiment, if such existed, was completely hidden. Among the detached items in the pupil's journal, already mentioned, is a subtle, intuitive entry,—his discovery of Ellen's initials cut on the red bridge, "between Mr. J. and Mr. H. Thoreau,