Travel Diaries and Journals

Monday, December 1st Very cold. Winter's drear reign has commenced Sewed in the morning. In the afternoon I called on Mary Reeve Mary [Robb?] , and the Waterman's. [?] Dickinson called and presented Carrie with a Lyceum ticket and with an offer of his hand which was rejected. She however accepted his company to Lcyeum for the winter on condition that he would accompany her only as a [cousin?]. He said he wished she would be an old maid but though he felt very badly about it they parted pleasantly Mr Murphy and Mr Roy a theological student called in the [ev'ng?].

Tuesday.. Busy at home all day.. Margaret Culbert called in the afternoon Dr Remmington was here to tea and lectured at our church in the evening. Mrs Hudson and Kate called and accompanied our folks to the lecture. Natty? and I spent the evening alone together in reading.

Wednesday.. Cold but pleasant. After sewing steadily all day early in the evening I dressed to attend Miss Hamilton's wedding. George Hudson and Kate called for Carrie to attend singing school. They returned about half past eight before we started for the wedding. Joseph Wilde and Hannah came in and [staid?] [till?] we returned. Mother and Father, Mr Murphy with Harriet and I attended the wedding. The rooms were crowded. The bride of course looked very sweetly and the groom Mr [Brinu?] looked well. We met there Stan? and Annie, the Culberts, and quite a number of acquaintances and, we enjoyed it very much. The [Calthumpians?] were serenading before the door when we left. It is the first time I have ever heard them. I should [?] like to have them come to my wedding.

Tuesday. Pleasant but bitter cold. Mrs Warner and Mary Reeve called in the afternoon. Sarah, Caroline and Natty spent the evening with the Dickinsons. I was not well enough to accompany them. Before they left Sarah and I spent some time together in singing. Wednesday. Jan. 14th, Excessively cold. We seem surrounded with ice, and cannot keep any water in our rooms. We spend much time in trying to get warm and to keep warm. In the afternoon Mrs Hallum a cousin of Mother's from the city made a long call, and set us to wondering how she could come so far on such a cold day, yet in the evening we all wrapped up warmly and marched off to singing school. We had a pleasant time and returned bringing quite a little company with us who staid [sic] some time. Mr Murphy was also here. Thursday. Weather the same. Mary Reeve and Mrs Wells called in the afternoon. I wrote in Sarah's album. Before tea I suddenly became very ill and was obliged to give up the idea of attending Lyceum. The Dickinsons called as usual, and all went but Harriet and I. H- was obliged to retire from the effects of a severe headache. I soon followed her example, but lay awake. [til?] the girls came laughing up to my room to relate their adventures of which they always seem to meet with an abundance, wherever they go. They also gave me a glowing account of the lectures which they thought very fine.

being true to himself -- his better nature. This he constantly betrays, and this contrarity puzzles me, I cannot understand it. Why should any one wish to [offens?] worse than he is! Not that I know of anything really bad in George. He has a careless, easy, but spirited manner; such as we might suppose any one would acquire in a place like California -- is very polite, especially to ladies but to his tongue he gives the fullest license. He evidently likes to create a sensation, to be the laugh, the wonder and the talk; and he gains his object but somewhat at the expense of his reputation. It is most laughable to sit and listen to some of his preposterous stories, which he is safe in telling because he knows that nobody will believe them, at the same time they are told in [such, scratched out] an off-hand, witty way that [illegible] then from being merily absurd, and the interest is so well kept up that we do not tire of them

We were speaking of charity this afternoon, when he remarked that feeling he had so many faults of his own he always threw the look of charity over those of others in hopes they would do the same by him. I thought it a very good idea.

In the evening cousin Hugh called for Carrie, and Sarah and I went with Nat to Lyceum. George H & Alexander Culbert gave us seats with them and their ladies (sisters of course) It made it very pleasant for us all to sit together, we also returned together and all stopped in at our house for about half an hour.

[written sideways along gutter edge] [illegible?] never went to this city this evening with his cousin Mr. Ferandoin? and as a [illegible?[ consequences poor Joseph had to attend the lectures alone. He tried to make ammends for if by walking with me. He came in with the rest but remained some time after they left. He says that Sam was nearly frozen to death while riding last week and suffered much while reviving. He was saved by his uncle who was with him. As for himself he was wholly unconcious of his danger. [Trie?] it was discovered by his friends

Wednesday Jan 28th Pleasant. I sat alone with Annie in the parlor quite a long time in the morning talking about Maggie. Sarah and I also practiced our music lesson Annie left us quite early in the afternoon. Sarah wrote a letter to her mother, and I wrote to Ellen Leajer?. In the evening George Hudson called for us and accompanied us to singing-school. We stopped to snow-ball each other on the way. Mary Reeves? came in with Natty soon after. Mr I. A. Warner behaved very impolitely indeed, and closed the exercises very abruptly. I think I can divine the motive of his conduct. George Hudson stepped up and told him his mind pretty plainly. We had a pleasant time returning -- more snowballing. All stopped at our house awhile. George remained some time after the others had left.

[side] Mary Reeves? called. P.M.

Thursday .. Bright over-head. Sarah made up her mind today to visit her friends in New York and accordingly Carrie and I accompanied her over. Sarah stopped to bid Kate Hudson Good Bye. we found the walking very bad there was also much in the river but we crossed without difficulty. We called on Annie, left Sarah at her uncle's and returned. Reached house in time for tea. and attended Lyceum in the evening. Prof. Anderson lectured on the Celtic Race. It was very interesting but I was almost too tired to enjoy it.