Travel Diaries and Journals

being true to himself -- his better nature. This he constantly betrays, and this contrarity puzzles me, I cannot understand it. Why should any one wish to [offens?] worse than he is! Not that I know of anything really bad in George. He has a careless, easy, but spirited manner; such as we might suppose any one would acquire in a place like California -- is very polite, especially to ladies but to his tongue he gives the fullest license. He evidently likes to create a sensation, to be the laugh, the wonder and the talk; and he gains his object but somewhat at the expense of his reputation. It is most laughable to sit and listen to some of his preposterous stories, which he is safe in telling because he knows that nobody will believe them, at the same time they are told in [such, scratched out] an off-hand, witty way that [illegible] then from being merily absurd, and the interest is so well kept up that we do not tire of them

We were speaking of charity this afternoon, when he remarked that feeling he had so many faults of his own he always threw the look of charity over those of others in hopes they would do the same by him. I thought it a very good idea.

In the evening cousin Hugh called for Carrie, and Sarah and I went with Nat to Lyceum. George H & Alexander Culbert gave us seats with them and their ladies (sisters of course) It made it very pleasant for us all to sit together, we also returned together and all stopped in at our house for about half an hour.

[written sideways along gutter edge] [illegible?] never went to this city this evening with his cousin Mr. Ferandoin? and as a [illegible?[ consequences poor Joseph had to attend the lectures alone. He tried to make ammends for if by walking with me. He came in with the rest but remained some time after they left. He says that Sam was nearly frozen to death while riding last week and suffered much while reviving. He was saved by his uncle who was with him. As for himself he was wholly unconcious of his danger. [Trie?] it was discovered by his friends