58
I thought too of quiet English roads and of
Chacombe far away.
4. Tuesday. Snow deep everywhere and still
falling. Out by 11. To Constellation Office saw
Roberts settled matters. He proposed $10 weekly
I told him I wanted double. Finally settled
at $15, until De Cordova, Assistant Ed. is civilly
bowed out, when I rise to $20. I have to be
at the office, to assume editorial functions. To
Omnibus office. Got paid $12. To Pounden s store.
Up town to dinner, then off again through the thick
lying snow, to P. Benjamin s. He at dinner.
Waited in basement library nigh an hour, he sending
boy bidding me take cigar. Gave me a hearty recep
tion but would read editorial of his in a loud lecture
voice, which in conjunction with the row kicked up
by two of his boys gave me a headache as if all
the devils in Malebolge were hammering on my
brain. Left at dusk after at least 2 hours of
torment, which has been steadily increasing till now
past 9, I fancy, when I sit here feeling thoroughly
wearied out, mind and body. To bed and heigho
to work for my $15 weekly to-morrow! I ll be worth
it to them, though I have no belief in the permanence
of the paper.
5. Wednesday. To Blakeman s, Dixon s then down
town to commence editorial duties at Constellation Office.
The premises stretch from front to rear in Spruce St,
printers, presses &c at work in the back-ground, a
| Page |
| Title: | Thomas Butler Gunn Diaries, Volume Ten: page seventy |
| Description: | Regarding getting a position on the ''Constellation'' for $15 per week. |
| Date: | 1859-01-03 |
| Subject: | Benjamin, Park; Blakeman, William; Constellation.; De Cordova; Dixon, E.H.; Gunn, Thomas Butler; Publishers and publishing; Roberts, George |
| Coverage (City/State): | [New York, New York] |
| Coverage (Street): | Spruce Street |
| Scan Date: | 2011-01-31 |
| Volume |
| Title: | Thomas Butler Gunn Diaries, Volume Ten |
| Description: | Includes descriptions of an explosion of a boat on the North River, New York literary Bohemians, boarding house living at 132 Bleecker Street, his freelance writing and drawing work, the death of writer Mort Thomson's young wife Anna, working on the publication ''Constellation,'' visits to the Edwards family, a falling out with Fanny Fern over an article he wrote criticizing ''The New York Ledger,'' a rumor that Fitz James O'Brien is the heir to an Irish baronetcy, and a change of landladies at his boarding house. |
| Subject: | Boardinghouses; Bohemians; Gunn, Thomas Butler; Journalism; Publishers and publishing; Women |
| Coverage (City/State): | New York, New York |
| Note: | Thomas Butler Gunn was born February 15, 1826, in Banbury, England, and came to New York in 1849. During the Civil War he worked as a correspondent for the New York Tribune and the New York Evening Post. He returned to England in 1863, and died in Birmingham in April 1903. The collection includes twenty-one volumes of his diaries, including newspaper clippings, letters, photographs, sketches, and various other items inserted by Gunn. Diary entries date from July 7, 1849, to April 7, 1863, and include his experiences with the New York publishing and literary world, his descriptions of boarding houses, his travels throughout the United States, and his experiences traveling with the Federal army as a Civil War correspondent. |
| Publisher: | Missouri History Museum |
| Rights: | Copyright 2011 Missouri History Museum. |
| Source: | Page images, transcriptions, and metadata of the Thomas Butler Gunn diaries have been provided by the Missouri History Museum. |
