Journal 48, page 57

Mettie's wash "spit that out Frank-you are holding it too long!" Where art thou, loving one?

September 13, 1393

Isabel gone all day-regular Ex Com & Finance afterward &c. She is the support of every enterprise she touches & people let her be!

I guess over a dozen women are now in the work at her expense- arrears "lean hard" upon her & just now she is disturbed about H. J.O. to whom she pays at the rate of $1500 per year & he sends in huge extras & she seems to get small results. He is good &so are they all but she says "The more I have the more I seem to have to do myself." Dear little steam tug of a Cozzie!

September 14, 1893

I came across a boy's book-long ago given Somers by Earl Somers "The Story of an Elephant." It interested me more than many a bigger book. How well I should like to be on neighborly terms with an elephant & how much one might learn! Nothing in the book was so pitiful as the statement that a drove of these wisest of all animals will never receive back one of their number who, whether by fair means or foul has lived in the company of men! Cossie got me out in the Priory grounds & opening a gate leading to fields& heath walked me 2 miles unbeknownst!-we were reading Herndon's Lincoln-a wondrous book about my favorite of all men.

September 15, 1393

A great cricket match on the Priory grounds-Dr Clark, champion of the world I think, & Reade of Regale[?], also famed. The Duke of Wellington said "England wins her battles first upon the cricket -grounds"' Lady H. explained the play to me until I had a little intelligence & we watched it from her windows. She had some "first families" to lunch but I didn't go down-glad to be "excused on acct of ill health"! Went later for a little exercise in Priory grounds. What good talks we have in the snatches we get of our work-especially hers for she is much away in London while I sit in my den & dictate, ruminate or read.

September 16, 1893

A cute letter from Nan in Isabel's paper The Woman's Herald. Nan has lots of brightness as a writer. Dictation on my part St a "clarin' up"! Lunch with Grace Murrell St Edith Goode, my nice younger sisters& stenographers. They don't convene at table when her Ladyship is here-it would too much set back the four maids. Isabel in city. Cable from Nan-guess all goes well-hope it does too with Bess at sea. I'm glad Mother Gordon is at Rest Cottage with Nan-it's so much less lonesomelike & then to have so good a Mother there seems a bit more like home. I want to be gooder St weller and truer& all the rest of it.