33412-0001-0104

8th. Friday. Busy day. Invited over to James G's to spend the evening
but it came on to rain. The others went. Was glad of an excuse for not
going. Felt tired. Had promised to go out to children's practice but Mr. Crabtree
sent word not to come so stayed in & after the mail came in - the letter from
the dear little Mother arrived with one from Alice R. in which she declares
she wrote last to me but I've no letter of hers since before last midwinter
holidays - 12 months - I had a bath & went to bed. No letter from Minnie
W. but we'll go anyway & chance it. The others are going to town tomorrow
with Will & bringing back Arthur & Albert W. & perhaps D. or Jack W. so I'll get out of the road.
Ma says poor Art. has been ill again & has got the sack.
& wants to set up business in Mt. Morgan. Poor things. It's hard.
9th. Saturday. We got all ready before dinner & set off for Sharon about 1/2 past 1.
Reached there early - kept with the buggy all the way. They didn't expect
us - M. had written saying not to come this Sat. but somehow it must
have gone astray. However they made us welcome & I went ahead
with the smocking. Mrs. Tom is better but they must have had a handfull
with her. They have the baby for good now. We had some music at night.
Ben is a nice boy. Reminds me of C. in his ways. He's a great tease too.
10th. Sunday. Three of the girls with Ben went to church this morning but I
stayed with M. She & I had quite confidential talks. Poor things. It must
have been a terrible trial to them - three times she has tried to do away
with herself. Mrs. Y. has been worrying her about some money they wanted her to
make over to them & her mother before F. took ill. How horrible. Now the poor
thing has an idea they want her to die to get her money. They have to watch her
that closely. I told M. I could sympathise with her. Told her about our Nell.
She had never heard before. I like Min. She is a genuine girl. She saw J. at the Ferry & he sent his love to us. It came on heavy
rain after dinner - just after the others got home from church - & rained on -
Our home going put off till tomorrow morning. F. was over with T. She is
very quiet - & so thin & brown. She doesn't take any notice of the baby. They
say she doesn't care for it & they don't like trusting her with it. It's a nice
little thing - healthy & bright. It sleeps well at night but is cross in day time.
We had singing tonight. Jack made a great impression when he was there - they
dished up Jack all today. I was sea-sick this morning. Had miserable night.
Either got shaken up with the ride or got a cold or this part doesn't suit me.
12th. Monday. Up early this morning & away home after breakfast. Ben had our
horses groomed & saddled about 7 o'clock. Mr. W. wanted us to stay till afternoon.
I like him very much. He & I got quite chummy. They gave me a hearty invite
to come down any time I liked. The baby cried nearly all night. I had a wretched
night too. Must have got another of those old turns. Am afraid M. didn't have
much sleep with me these nights. I couldn't live here tho' It's too low & swampy
We had to walk all the way home - the roads were so bad. Got home
to school at 1/2-10. Felt nasty all day. Wrote to Ma. Practice but went not.
Sent word to Mr. C.
13th Tuesday. Feel nasty as can be. We had music &c. tonight. I like Rose W. She
had the name of being very sharp &c. but she seems not like that. She has taken a fancy to me too.
14th. Wednesday. Not so bad to day.
15th. Thursday. They all went to Workman's this afternoon. F. is better as they
said & won't go away with her father & mother as they want her to. I'm getting
on with the smocking - but it's s lot of work - Meant to get on with a lot
of work in the mornings but it will be lost time this week. Have had to
take to that old medicine again but it's stale now but still does me a bit of good.
16th. Friday. Nasty again. Felt all out of sorts tonight. We had some fun
nevertheless in the drawing room tonight. Am sorry now these girls are going.
They all with M. go down to town tomorrow with M. she stays too till Monday
night. Jack has got the sack from the Dredge - Cooper had it instead.
There'll be more pity at Sharon. Don't suppose he'll come up here when he sees
M. in town. Don't care much either. Thought there might be a letter from H.
but there's none. Has he[underlined] changed too.