{Interruptions}[7th April 1991]

[Redbook9:47][19910407:2340]{Interruptions}[7th April 1991]

.2340

‘Since I began this note I have been called off at least a dozen times: once for the fishman, to buy codfish; once to see a man who had brought me some barrels of apples; once to see a book-man; then to Mrs. Upham, to see about a drawing I had promised to make for her; then to nurse the baby; then into the kitchen to make chowder for dinner; and now I am at it again.’

*

So glad to see it happening to someone else; although in my case the interruptions are almost entirely repeated variations on the last two.** Mind you, I only counted six, or possibly seven, interruptions in Ms. Stowe’s account. You think you’ve got problems, lady? – just wait till the baby grows up to be two mobile, talkative, intelligent, curious and competitive child-persons.

*Harriet Beecher Stowe, writing in 1850, quoted in T[imes] L[iterary] S[upplement] 4590:19910322:21

**[“nurse” in a general, modern sense!]

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