The love of music which George Curtis had developed at Brook Farm
continued during his stay in Concord. He sang on occasion, and he often
played a flute. The young singer he mentions was Belinda Randall, a sister
of John Randall, who published a volume of poems. She was a daughter of
Dr. Randall, of Winter Street, Boston, who had a summer place in Stowe.
From there she often visited in Concord, perhaps attended school there,
and was an intimate friend of Elizabeth Hoar, the betrothed of Edward
Emerson, and the sister of Judge Hoar and Senator Hoar, who, when she
visited Mrs. Hawthorne, was described as coming "with spirit voice and
tread." Belinda Randall has recently died, and left half a million dollars
to Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the
Cambridge Prospect Union. Her sister Elizabeth married Colonel Alfred
Cumming, of Georgia, afterwards Governor of Utah. Dr. Randall did not
approve of the marriage, and would not have the wedding take place in his
house. They were married at the house of Judge Hoar, the father of
Elizabeth. She was an excellent musician, but Belinda was the musical
genius of the family.

Another person mentioned by Curtis was Almira Barlow, who was at Brook
Farm during the time he was there. She had been a Miss Penniman of
Brookline, and had the reputation of being a famous beauty. She married
David Hatch Barlow, a graduate of Harvard in 1824, and of the Theological
School in 1829. Their marriage took place in Brookline about 1830, and
they were regarded as the handsomest couple that had been seen in the
town. He had a parish in Lynn, and was afterwards settled in Brooklyn; but
his habits became irregular, he remained but a short time in any place,
and he separated from his wife in 1838. There was much gossip about her,
owing to her beauty and her fondness for the society of men.

With Mrs. Barlow at Brook Farm and Concord was her son Francis Channing,