Travel Diaries and Journals

Wednesday December 17th Sewed as usual. Hannah Wilde called in the afternoon . In the evening we received a note from Mr J.C. Warner, stating, that the [in?] consequence of an engagement, he would be unable to attend singing school this evening. Of this we were very glad as the cold which was intense made us dread to go out. We rec'd an invitation from the Hudsons to spend the evening with them, but for [?] some reason declined. Read Kossuth's great speech of the eleventh, and wrote to Sarah Gonsalves? inviting her to spend the holidays with us. Father left us to-day for Montpelier, Vermont on business. He expects to be absent nearly a fortnight.

Thursday.. Still very cold. Went to the post-office and to Hamilton's in the morning. In the afternoon I called on Kate Hudson. George accompanied me home. In the evening Mother and I attended [Lycenum?]. Mr Saxe, the Green Mountain poet, delivered a very fine poem on New England.

Friday.. Bright but cold.. Sewed most of the day and evening. Sarah Olmsted, am old friend and schoolmate, whom I have not seen for more than two years, called in this afternoon. We had a rather lengthy and pleasant chat on things long since past, but not forgotten. How pleasant it is occasionally thus to meet, one, who still remembers, and loves to think of the little events, and pleasing remembrances of our school girl days. They were indeed pleasant, and I shall not soon forget them.

[text on left side of left margin: [?] [?] for the purpose of taking [music?] lessons. Her family lives in the country where she is unable to obtain a [music?] teacher.

[text on right side of left margin: [?] [?] [?] [?] the Rev Mr Porter [?] Mr Stephen [?] Branch. son of the late Judge Branch of Providence. She has been engaged to him only six weeks. He is reputed to be a gentleman of wealth & respectability The happy (?) couple set out immediately for Washington. They intend visiting Europe in May

Thursday, December 25th / Christmas day.. Arose early to search fo a ring which I had lost the night before. I was [not?] successful and began to feel concerned about it as I had a particular reason for wishing to keep it. Mother said that Santa Claus had been sent after it; probably to give it to somebody who deserved it better. Carrie and Nathaniel attended the Catholic church in the morning. I did not feel well and lay down. [Starr?] and Annie called and Father returned before dinner. - Waking from a short slumber I spied my ring on the carpet just where it seemed impossible not to have seen it before. After dinner - a Christmas dinner by the way - Carrie curled my hair all over my head in a way that was pronounced very pretty and though at first I did not like it much myself it was universally declared that henceforth I should wear it in no other fashion than that. Universal opinion prevailed and I submitted. Mr Murphy presented Harriet with a very pretty [pin?]. Carrie and I made a long and pleasant [call?] on the Hudson's. Henry is still worse and has been delirious most of the day. George has watched with him [thru?] nights and they are all constantly busy in attending him. Just as we were leaving Henry sent us [an?] invitation to come up and see him. We hesitated and the [score?] of propriety but finally thinking that circumstance

[text continued on left margin:] justified the step we went up to his room. I followed Carrie to his bedside. She stooped and kissed him and I did the same and [then?] half drew back in surprise to see there not the very youthful young gentleman we had parted with three years ago but this full grown man whiskers and all. He has improved very much in appearance and his expression is at once very good and very pleasing. He grasped my hand warmly and returned my kiss with much fervor saying cheerfully How [?] [to?] Emma said he was glad to see me looking so well and made a few other remarks - then his mind appeared to wander and we left him. George accompanied us home. He told us that before the family he tried to put the best face on the matter but that in California he had seen so much of this dreadful fever he feared much its effects on Henry. He remarked however that Henry was [prepared?] to die and that he [supposed?] he was himself [not?] that there was no [?] [in?] wishing

January 1st 1852.. As if in bright contrast to the gloomy close of 1851, the first day of 1852 dawned smilingly upon us. The sun so long hidden mounted rejoicingly the blue cloudless sky, and showering its warm beams on the grateful earth, soon banished the cold and damp, and presented to us one of the loveliest winter days I have ever enjoyed. We rose early, and also at an early hour dressed to recieve our friends. The calling commenced about eleven o'clock, and was kept up pretty briskly till about five P.M. then after quite a cessation, commenced again We had [???words crossed out] between fifty and sixty calls. Mr Murphy, Mr Dickinson, and [?] passed the greater part of the evening with us. Mr Murphy presented [H?] - with a pair of cuff pins, and Carrie and I each a gold pencil. Stan? and Albert called together in the afternoon. Of course the day passed delightfully; I enjoyed it fully. The young men seemed in high spirits and made themselves generally agreable, and we girls had merriment enough of our own to fill up the pauses whenever they occurred. We made some new acquaintances to-day, and also missed some old friends. The custom of making and receiving calls is not quite so fashionable as it once was, and the gents all said that the ladies complained of the small num- ber of calls. George H. called with E. Daniel & brother.

[text continues on left center margin:] George says that Henry is better. [?] [?] [this?] morning for Boston & Portland on important business.

Friday.. January 2nd Pleasant. Mr Murphy who had staid over night spent the morning with us. Miss [H?] & Mr M. Stearns Misses E & I Waterman, Mrs Cook, Miss H. Wilde & Miss Emma Horing? called also several of Harriet's Sunday School scholars. Mother called on the Hudsons and found H - much worse. - Hannah Wilde gave us an account of Mr Dias' insolent proceedings at the singing school one evening in the abscence of Mr Warner, at which I was so indignant that it was quite a while before I recovered my composure. - Sarah and I made quite a long call on Mary R. Joseph has presented his little intended with a beautiful gold watch. A New Year's present. Mr Murphy spent the evening with us.

Saturday. Cloudy. Sarah and I called at the Hudson's in the morning. George opened the door. He spoke to us cheerfully, but he was pale, and his eyes were red, as if by watching and weeping. He said that he had been up all night with Henry, who had suffered very much. Mrs Hudson took me aside into another room, and told me that they had but little hopes of his life. The thought of the dying youth affected me much, but after asking a few questions I left them quite composed I could not however restrain my feelings when I reached home though I would rather have done so. Poor Henry It seemed too bad to die under such circumstances, though I felt that he could lose nothing in dying.

[text continued in left margin:] Sent word to Father about H. as he had requested me to do in case he was worse Miss Dillingham called, also Mr ?. Corning