Thursday, March 27, 1890

     7.30 P.M. W. in his parlor. Had not yet made out the list. Lamented his memory again. Clasped his hands together in most unusual fashion when I asked him about it. "What a fellow I am! After the most faithful promise, doing nothing! I must! I must!" And so promised another time.

     Asked me about last night's meeting, which sat till after 12—about a dozen men (most of them young) present. A rather unique experience. W.'s questions very scrutinizing. Particularly interested to know the comment of one on his use of foreign words "and inaccurate use"—W. laughing heartily, exclaiming— "That pulls a fellow's pride down many a notch! It is a good foil to our conceit!" And "most unique of all, the explanation!" laughing heartily again—the explanation being that W. affected blundering Americanisms in order the better to hold to his character. W. wished me to tell him more but I was in a great hurry and had to leave. But he would not let me go till I had promised to "go more fully into it another time—perhaps tomorrow?"—Cordial—and said he was "happy" in his "own way"—though "the weather is too varied to do much to exhilarate."

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