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November 23d 1849
Cincinnati Ohio -
Office - Congress St.

Friday - Tho' an unlucky day for beginning any enterprise,
I have blotted the first page of a new Journal upon it --
from my previous experience in this daily dotting down
of thoughts & events, I doubt not but that the augury
which is connected with this unlucky day, will be ver-
ified in this instance -- I always was a poor hand at it
the sad gaps in my old Journal testify to it but now as
I have embarked in professional life in this great Queen
city, & must acquire fixed habits of study, I may as well
devote the last bit of time each passing day, before
retiring, to filling up these pages. 'twill be interesting to me in after
years to look over them.

I made the fire this morning, at 6 o'clock -- the big organ
of St Philomena enlivening the cold & dirty task, with its deep,
rich notes -- what a convenience the bell is, that wakes me
every morning at 6, with its clanging peal -- we owe a good
deal, John & I, to the devotion of these Dutch Catholics.
We made fine coffee for breakfast -- left the kettle on the stove
with but little water & it heated too much & sprung a leak.
I wrote on the Great Index till after 9 --, then cleaned up
the room, got a bucket of water from Mr GoForth's hydrant --
& went out -- called on Mrs Bayless for a few minutes --
a lovely little woman is she -- bless her -- called on Dr. Drake
he is too unwell with his catarrh to lecture today or tomor
row, borrowed Cloquet's anatomy from him -- called in at
Mrs Sloo's to deliver Byrd's thimble which I had brot over the
river -- Betty was there & wished me to call at 1 when I
went over to Newport, for her to go along with me -- she went
last night to hear Fanny Kemble read, & liked the reading
much better than the woman -- Betty looked very pretty
today. Byrd consulted me about her coughing up
traces of blood -- she didn't wish to trouble Dr D--; from
what she said, I thot. it might not come from the lungs, but
upon subsequent consideration, think that it may, but hope it