From collection Frances Willard Journal Transcripts
Anna Gordon be supremely devoted to poor old "sissy" whose "dress ached" even when she was little but whose hurt heart has been healed by help from Heaven& Humanity. Lovely letters from women each of whom is in herself a character & an evangel. God bless my brother's children & build them up in all things good.
October 20, 1S93
Another telegram-this time from "national" WCTU-dear ded [?]thing/"Love illimitable & loyalty-abiding faithfulness Read 2 John 2, 1st Thess. 1,2,3. This is the fifth cablegram-all lovely & of good report but no news. Hannah says in view of this she is going to send one: "Fewer texts-more information" & Robert says the adjectives we white ribboners employ are so "many & varied" that he is going to cable "To the Convention-O Thou!" I do wish I knew outcome of world's & fate of Mrs. R. in stockholders meeting but "never a word." I told Cossie & Nan that they would "miss my guess" if there wasn't a falling away from me this year & if the opposition to the Temple & Carsie didn't take definite form in the retention of "certain" whom leaders have proposed to "oust" for "the good of the order."
Almost while I wrote, came another cable "Temple victorious" which means much in view of this year's unequalled complications at the temple, in publishing house Dept & in 2 general[?] officers' rooms & with Mrs. FHR &c. I feel grieved over it all & do not pretend to understand it. Took a heavenly ride through shady lanes with R.P.S. & Bessie Gordon.
October 21, 1893
Cable "Reelected-only 10 votes adverse-Hail beloved chieftain"
How my heart bubbles up in gratitude to God and my comrades! Four hundred votes & more & only 10 who move against their absent "elderly sister!" I can well imagine that these were against the WTPA, the Temple &c and the only wonder is that there were not more-I predicted 30 to 50. Late cables say "Board of Directors satisfactory" so it looks as if the deadlock's broken & cable says Woodbridge is cor. sec., Stevens Rec Sec, Hoffman ass't-later Pugh who was treasurer resigns & Helen Barker Com [?]Board of Managers World's Fair takes her place-a strong team that! Never have we had the like.
October 22, 1393
(mistake-see 13-4 pages on.)
Exquisite 3 hours ride through shady lanes-impossible save in Tennyson's Country (this was on Saturday).
Tennyson &. Tyndall, George Eliot & Mrs Humphrey Ward, Frederic Harrison & Grant Allen-& a lot more-all located in this region because of its 500 ft pure air & its charming variety of scenery. I feel myself getting good daily-life begins to have once more a
