Journal 48, page 60

would I were as equable as Mother but no other ever has been that I know of! Isabel comes pretty near it-she is wonderfully even in her cheerfulness. She has gone to Swansea today& for 11 [?] now must work like a Trojan-then return for a day & then-far away to my dear land & white ribbon women-"O life is strange& full of change!" Had good talk with [entry continues in space for 9/26] dear little Bess-one of the Lord's own-also with Emma Fuller, head house maid, a lovely Christian-her face shows it as well as her conduct. She was telling me how beloved Lady Henry is where \ best known-in Ledbury & at Eastnor Castle. My speech is practically done & ever so poor. In the Temple difficulty I tell the origin of the great enterprise and that we always clearly stated that we would take no financial legal responsibility as a national WCTU for any affiliated enterprise.

September 27, 1893

Working all day on proof sheets of my poor speech. Went out for first time on new pneumatic-tire bicycle that Cossie bought; went down to see poor dear Anna Shipton at Priory; so lonely-so feeble-so friendless. It is a pain to know it all& yet I hope she feels it less than we think&I give her endless credit because after a life of suffering the corners of her mouth turn up not down. She must have the spirit of Love. In eve I gave all the maids& Collup the man who runs on errands a treat-Sir Robert Ball's lectures on "The Invisible Stars" with stereopticon. It was beyond telling- I never heard its revelations approached. The photographic eye sees the invisible-why not the disembodied?

O God! Have pity on us all!

September 28, 1893

My 54th Birthday.

Slept like a top after the starry revelation & dreamed nothing about it or anything so far as I recall. Bess who is with me day& night& a regular hygienist, opens the window full tilt& then 'swoops down with the big screen so we get lots of oxygen. At 8:30 breakfast & behold all the maids in white aprons& with a typewritten birthday hymn by Bess to tune of "America," choice flowers on table& I read crusade psalm & told them it had bro't us all together & prayed & couldn't keep back tears thinking how Heaven is more full of souls than the sky with stars-& Mother's is one! I kissed her dear forehead as I prayed & our Mary's & Yolande's & all.

Came up to London with Bess, Emma, the head maid having us in charge, Chockle[?] H. at train about proof sheets-corrected 'em all the way to Cardiff. Entered Wales for the first time-I knew not [entry continues in space for 9/29] when so busy with proofs. Got them all off.

September 29, 1893