December 22, MONDAY. Huntington trial for today, William Curtis Noyes being of counsel for the people, on the retainer of the Belden concern (Tallmadge, who is to marry Miss Julia Belden, is Mrs. Noyess brother). I find the public generally to be much delighted by the onslaught of Huntingtons counsel on old Belden and his usury. . . .
At a special meeting of the Board of Columbia College this afternoon. Mr. Ruggles had to leave, re infecta, to attend the funeral at Noyess. The special subject was the division of the chair of physical science McCullohs. The recommendation of the committee in charge of the subject was to divide that chair at once. . . .
It was determined to divide McVickars, Hackleys, and McCullohs professorships; a sound result, though not attained by the soundest reasoning.
The Diary of George Templeton Strong, Edited by Allan Nevins and Milton Halsey Thomas
I’m looking forward to reading Mr. Strong’s comments on New Year’s Day, the big social-posturing event of New York society.
Edith Wharton’s 1850s-set slice-of-life is “The Old Maid,” one of her most famous novelettes. The eponymous character has a child out of wedlock, and, by shifts, is able to bring her up but without being acknowledged as the mother.
The Diary of George Templeton Strong, Edited by Allan Nevins and Milton Halsey Thomas