Summary

Chapter 12, “Heavy Baggage, Blazing Fires,” starts with a quote from Charles to Emma in 1939 about their partnership (83). The chapter begins with Charles preparing to move into Macaw Cottage with Emma on December 30 of 1938. Charles had to pack all his specimens carefully. By January 1, he was moved in and loved his new home. The two wrote to each other about the house, and post-wedding plans. Sometimes they wrote twice a day. A week before their wedding day, Emma wrote Charles about religion, saying “though our opinions may not agree upon all points of religion we may sympathize a good deal in our feelings on the subject” (88). On Tuesday January 29, Charles almost 30 and Emma 30, the two went to the church in Maer and married in a quiet service. The chapter ends as the two arrived home together and the “fires were blazing in welcome” (89).

The...