From collection Frances Willard Journal Transcripts
May 17, 1893
Blessed rain this morning. The first in eight weeks and such a thing has not happened in an English spring for 80 years. Quiet day with stenographers and letters. Frances seems possessed to dictate from morning until night and nobody can do anything with her. She never will do differently until she goes off to some retreat where letters do not follow her. Would the "two leaders" could flee away.
May 18, 1893
Up at an unearthly hour to get off on 8 A.M. train for London where Mrs Smith met us to take Frances to Oxford to hear Huxley. She reports him most interesting to see but hard to hear. He read his lecture. I went to Studio (Mr Wades) and saw the dear human like fountain child and made arrangements for it to go by Paris Sat. Went to Hotel Victoria and saw Lady Henry who related many of her trials & adventures! How she is beset! Then I tried to meet Frances to take her to the hotel but not knowing time of arrival missed her & did not get to Reigate until 1030 P.M. Thoroughly used up.
May 19, 1893
Busy day as usual. Mr. T. Stead came in the morning and stayed until after tea. He and Frances had a most fruitful theme of conversation in Earl Cosmos, preparing for her character sketch in Review of Reviews. At tea he was most entertaining telling of his plan for "pilgrims" to visit some of the most interesting historical points in England. We retired early. Tomorrow Lady Henry will return. Frances has a bad head cold.
May 20, 1893
Letters and dictation as usual have been the order of the day.F's cold is better. We think of Lady Henry en route to Southampton to see her son set sail for America. It was bright at noon when they were to start. Just before supper the dear Lady arrived completely worn out with the week's preoccupations and anxieties. She has a cold coming on and that will complete the round of the circle. Somers & Mr Pollen went off in good spirits. Fan gave us a lovely [....] today.
May 21, 1893
A sweet day full of sunshine and cheer. Fan & I went over the delicious fields to the Parish church in the morning and then on to the Quaker meeting house. Service not very fructifying. I went to the "Home" to sing with the girls as they are to go to the World's Meeting June 2nd. In the evening we all went to the
