To them in their needs I
_must_ write _chapters_ which would otherwise go into my
novel."
About this period she found herself able to come again to Boston for a
few days' visit. There were often long croonings over the fire far
into the night; her other-worldliness and abstractions brought with
them a dreamy quietude, especially to those whose harried lives kept
them only too much awake. Her coming was always a pleasure, for she
made holidays by her own delightful presence, and she asked nothing
more than what she found in the companionship of her friends.
After her return to Hartford and in December of the same year, I find
some curious notes showing how easily she was attracted by new
subjects of interest away from the work she had in hand; not that she
saw it in that light, or was aware that her story was in the least
retarded by such digressions, but her keen sympathy with everything
and everybody made it more and more difficult for her to concentrate
her power upon the long story which she considered after all of the
first importance. She writes to the editor of the "Atlantic Monthly:"
"I see that all the leading magazines have a leading article on
'Planchette.'
"There is a lady of my acquaintance who has developed more remarkable
facts in this way than any I have ever seen; I have kept a record of
these communications for some time past, and everybody is very much
struck with them.
"I have material to prepare a very curious article.
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