From collection Frances Willard Journal Transcripts
Up early & awa'- to go with Nan & Bess to Eastnor Castle. Mary the maid& Lizzie her aid "saw us through." We had nice lunch& read& wrote & thought how mild this moisty country is compared with ours & how far less inspiring to the spirit-so far as weather is concerned-the sea sends its mists over all after the morning hours. I do not wonder that the English novels have more weather than anything! But it's a wonderfully clean, clear, well swept up country-no wooden houses or bridges or roads-all stone or brick & hedges everywhere. One can't help liking it in spite of all!
December 14, 1893
All day Bess "doing" the castle-on top to view the landscape o'er; out through deer parks& woods to the Beacon by way of the wall of evergreens; winding among the plaisances; going through the rooms where treasures of art are stored; talking with Mrs Ellis the housekeeper of the life that Lady Henry, after her change of heart & purpose, led here for five years of evangelistic temperance work among her tenants & the village folk, during which time she was hardly absent three months &was lonely beyond the power of pen to tell. How my Mother with her plastic nature would have doated on this place of beauty &romance!
December 15, 1893
Nan, Bess & I breakfasted together at 9 in Isabel's boudoir- looked into her turret room where she has been so lonely-Bess gathered no end of holly leaves for bazaar in Boston as souvenirs. She has taken in this splendid place as few have delicacy of mind enough to do. The old Roman beacon, the encircling hills, the quiet lake, the terraces &gardens, ther shady bosques Sc bowers, the variety of shrubs &trees, the histories &hearts, all will stay with little Bess. Nan's quick, practical mind takes them in, too, but will not so brood & cherish. They are two rare spirits for this &other worlds-more trusty, tried & true than 2 in a million. God bless them& all they love-worked on all day when they were gone, with my two stenographers.
December 16, 1893
Slept like a brick. All "stark, livin' alone,"-Mary Sims in dressing room adjoining the "marketrie" room. Never so much as wrote on my slate in the dark as my wont is. Rose early, read letters & papers (one from Cossie says "My Blessing, I ride on train till 11 after my meeting at Curmma[....] [?], sleep at Chester& rise early &come on so pressing is my desire to see my Conk"-what a solace, my darling "Sumpter Coz" (for so she signs herself.) Breakfasted alone in her boudoir, off steak& "potatoes in their skirts," baked apples& brown bread-then out on the terrace for bike-practice-a great success. Then began dictating to Leaney "How I learned the Bicycle with reflections
