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the hall & danced till 11. Mr. & Mrs. W. G. went round speaking to the people She wore a very pretty white striped silk - nice enough in my estimation for a wedding dress but which was only a secondary consideration - the real thing was much too elegant to be worn. Hope I have as good a one for my best. She looked very nice in it. We girls were up this afternoon getting up wedding cake ready to send out. Letter from H. 16th. Sunday. Stayed in this morning. Didn't feel inclined to walk to the truck & there was no room in the buggy. The bride & groom were here for dinner & the two[underlined] married couples were here for tea. Sixteen in all sat down to tea. It never rains[underlined] but it pours[underlined] visitors here - I was supposed to go out & played Miss W's accompts. She was going to sing but it turned to rain so I stayed in. & went to roost early. 14th. Monday. All our visitors have departed except Mr. Dunn & he goes tomorrow. Mrs. Davies & a friend came up this afternoon till tomorrow morning. I wrote to H. Funny storm came up - tonight It had been hot all day & turned very cold after - & clear [...] light 18th. Tuesday. Another cold day. Letter from H. 19th. Wednesday. Stayed in waiting for Ernest this evening - but he came not. - H. sent his photo too last night - very good one - just taken in his working clothes. They all think he's very determined with that chin[2 underlined]. 20th. Thursday. 21st. Friday. Mrs. W. G. came into my room this afternoon & would[underlined] see that photo. "You'll have a bad time with that young man Miss P. he means his[underlined] way with that face" 22nd. Saturday. Sent parcel home by Sam - Intended to go to study this morning or afternoon but felt too lazy - Mr. Tunly came up tonight. No letter or message from Ma - wonder if she's all right. Letter from H. 23rd. Sunday. Church - Mr. T. played - When we got back from church A. Wilde & a gentleman & Eric were here - He[underlined] never exchanged words with me beyond the ordinary greeting. Went back about 4 - M. went too - stays till Wednesday. Mr. Snell here too - preached lovely sermon - I got him to take a letter back to leave at Will's going back - Seems to have taken an interest in Ma & me - wanted to know why I hadn't been to see them - "just across the street too" - Told Ma to go in some day. - Mr. T. & I were left alone for tea with K. & E. Mr. & Mrs. B. went up to the Youngone's for tea - I got him to play to me before tea. F. had just cleared away the tea-things when Aleck G's buggy stopped & to our surprise in walked [?Veney] Scott & Miss Farmer from Gladstone. Had to get fresh tea for them - Elsie went up for her mother - they stayed about an hour after - then went up to Maud's. I blessed them - coming at such an awkward hour - I liked Mr. T. better this time - showed him some of my poetry. 24th. Monday. Wrote to H. in a more loving style than usual - thought I might just once in a way - Thanked him for being so good to me & writing to me so faithfully - His photo has stirred me up - D. came up to-night - Last Friday there was a stormy meeting of Dairy directors & shareholders. Mr. G. lost his temper & went for them direct. It seems a committee of 4 (I bet old Matthewson had something to do with it too) went round on a tour of inspection on their own account & made out that the Dairy was in a fearful state of bad-management & neglect - They had a point in view viz. of getting D. out & of getting things into their own hands There's a horrible letter in the Mail - enough to ruin a fellow who had no influential friends to stick up for him. Mr. G. & D. concocted a "Reply" tonight. I'd be glad to see them get a good rubbing down - it's not true at all - D. is like our Jim for hard work - Letter from Ma. She's all serene - Thank God. Says Alf has gone
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to live on the Range at last. Real glad. Skyrings were up to see her 25th. Tuesday. Letter from H. "Her heart doth safely trust in him" these words always come to my mind now - Last Sat - it was 6 months since he became engaged. I've had just 52 letters up to Sat. 26th. Wednesday. Dull raw day. M. not coming till tomorrow. Only ourselves here now. glad she'll be home tomorrow. It's a tax on me - 27th. Thursday. Another dull day - Mr. Snell up. Preached tonight but I stayed home & gave Ernest his lesson - M. came home - glad - 28th. Friday. Another week gone - How lovely - July will be gone soon & winter therewith. Letter from Jim Stirling. He's a good old sort is Jim - Gave K. her lesson tonight as she is riding to town tomorrow to see the circus 29th. Saturday. Got parcel ready for Ma - (sent her £2.7-) by Elsie - went over to store - paid bill for 3/7 - got tin syrup ready for town. Sam to take in the buggy - all the children went in - some drove - some rode. Went then to the Hall & studied all morning till dinner - M. & I had a lovely quiet afternoon to ourselves. She's getting a different girl lately - more deep & sympathetic. Only Mr. G. M. & I for dinner & tea - Mrs. in town. Parcel from M. tonight containing one pair of cones - for trial - my first item in "trousseau" - letters from Art Sarah M - & Edie. Poor Artie seems bad. I do wish he would brighten. It makes me feel sad always - thinking of him - S. is going to Brisbane with Alice as I thought - next Thursday - so Ma's little trip is not yet. Edie wants - from the tone of her letter - to go home for a change & I think wants Ma to go up & keep house tho' she doesn't say. I won't let her go unless Elsie goes too to be company for her & help her - Must go down on Sat & see I think - I would worry dreadfully now if she was there all day by herself - She'll have to go soon too & not be away there after the middle of October that will leave Edie 2 good months. A young man from Cunnamulla came up to-night with Arthur W. Nice chap too - musical - played duet with me. We had some fun too. 30th. Sunday. Church this morning. Mr. Warn played - Had good read this afternoon - Flor. G's Maggie here for tea. I like this boy very much. Think he likes me too. Mr. G. said yesterday. "What a pity you two girls have taken the first chance offered you" Certainly he's just the style of boy I admire - more like Bob G. than anyone that's been here. Believe I could have liked him had I been free - he'll be here some days too. He's no ladies' man either - didn't take to the 2 girls - talked to me & M. - 31st. Monday. Wrote to H. They went over to Franklins this afternoon. The men-folk went out to a Fed. meeting & Mrs. W.G. M. & I had a quiet confab to our little selves 1st. Tuesday. Busy day - We had a party here tonight. Nice too - just ourselves - Je & G.'s girls & Noyne's - Stirling's & the new chemist. Got out my new birthday-book & got the Names in - they all admired it muchly. Felt so well & lively tonight. Like Mr. W. more than ever - he is[underlined] like either Arthur W. or Bob. G. Seems to have taken a great fancy to Jean. S. She & Nellie Strachan were here for tea & only our selves - No Pa or Ma. Je crois qu'il m'aime beaucoup - qu'il m'aime plus que tous les autres. Il ne connait pas jusqu'a ce soir que j'etais engagé - it dit que non - M. dit que oui. Letter from H. too while they were all in the drawing-room. Had to stand a good deal of chaff about it. H. will be coming to grief some of these days with his escapades. 2nd. Wednesday. Mr. W. away all day & tonight at Kidd's. Thought to have some more duets with him but wont be able to now unless he stays longer than Friday. 3rd. Thursday. Up to tea tonight at W. G's. We had some fun too afterwards Just M. & I. Jean S. Nellie S. Jon G. & Mr. W. He evidently is struck rather more than usual with Jean but then he is a boy that likes girls.
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company that he takes - fancy too. Il m'aimerait le plus si' j'[?ete fres lîkie] They all went to Bucca for a drive. M. is giving J. every chance 4th. Friday. Got Mr. W. to write in my "Opinion" book. As I thought. He is a youth given to falling in love from his remarks there. I played a duet with him before going. Asked him to come to see me in B. should I ever be settled there. Like him very much. He's a good boy too I know. He knew Arthur Preston. Went to the Grammar School with him. 8th. Saturday. Went down this morning. The mother & I went to Peat's first & got some lunch. - then did our shopping &c. before going home. After great hunting got a pink silk blouse at Black's. Grace & Joe are willing to let Elsie go - but it's no use making any preparation till they answer from up there. Feel very tired. Always do coming to town. 6th. Sunday. Rained plenty last night. Following me as per usual. Went to church. had to go round about to get out of the mud so were late. Mr. S. preached a lovely sermon. "Do this in remembrance of me". There was communion after. Mrs. W. there - she stayed too. Wanted me to come up for tea but I begged to be excused. Said I'd come some time when Ma's away. Intended going back in the buggy that brought Arthur W. down M. was coming for a drive & I was to go back with them but it rained my usual luck - so settled the matter - to stay till the morning. Feel nasty today - 7th. Monday. Up before 3.30. Had to leave my best things behind & come up in borrowed garments of various kinds. It was quite fine & not cold till we got to the Station here. Dark as night when we left B.-g. didn't start to break till we got to here. I had to wait till the truck came down. Got home here & dressed before breakfast. Felt quite different to when I left too. Letter from H. Arthur passed through B-g on Sat. night - excursion train to the Exhib. I could have seen him - Is going to break his journey in B-g & Gladstone going back. I could have been up here over Sunday. Wrote & told H. so. Didn't feel tired - nor sleepy [?till] this evening. Will feel worse to-morrow. Must go down again next Sat. i.e - if they send word from Mr. M. 8th. Tuesday. Very nasty today - tired & choky. Cold too - Mrs. B. was taken ill & gave birth to a premature girl today - just lived an hour. She is doing well. Pity! - but blessing it wasn't worse with her. She will never have a living child the doctors say. Mrs. S. went down yesterday. 9th. Wednesday. Nearly distracted to day. Young Olive G. has taken it into her head to come now. between her & Leslie it's lovely. I can't put up with it. She'll have to stay home in the mornings. Jim S. will be here for a week next week. Fancy! Dear old Jim - all my old favourites are cropping up now. 10th. Thursday. Another delightful day of noise. I'm sure I'm not going to turn [...] girl. Dave. S. is leaving the diary[sic=dairy?] & coming back here to learn sugar boiling. Wish he wasn't. 11th. Friday. Miserable day. Cold-freezing! - & raining hard. What funny weather for August. Word from Ma. "No letter" - No use my going tomorrow then - must wait till next week 12th. Saturday. Letter tonight from her enclosing one from H. I wrote to her this morning & went over to send it & the telephone message. Went into the store then & who should come in but Arthur Little - introduced himself to me - & came & held out his hand to me. Said I hadn't changed much - I told him I thought he would be taller. He's very short. He looks all his age. - Believe he came in only to see me. M. & I amused ourselves all day. Very cold - windy but fine. Perhaps just as well I'm not in town. H. said he didn't get my letter till Thursday & Arthur had made all his arrangements
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otherwise would have been glad to spend the time with me. Asked H's permission to kiss me!!! Gracious! Would have rather liked it - Says H. Perhaps it's just as well he has arranged so - He might cut me out. Maybe he might have been a disturbing element. Don't think I can see him now unless he comes up but a night & sees me. 13th. Sunday. Bright day - cold - went not out. Had no hat. Wrote to Edie. D. came up today. 14th. Monday. Wrote to H. Feel all the old nastiness about me deepens qu'il est arrivé. Must get over all that somehow. Cette maison ne serai jamais la même 15th. Tuesday. Letter from H. Went up to Alick G's last night. Didn't enjoy it a bit. Il etait la. C'est pourquoi 16th. Wednesday. Busy day & felt very tired tonight. Mrs. Uhlmann was staying here for today : has been here for the last week. M. asked all the relations over to spend the evening. Such a host there were - not all the youngones either. I had to play about 20 accompts. & felt so horrid & dull all evening. Must be his being here. Felt as tho' I'd like a good howl. was over-tired 17th. Thursday. Suppose M. must have thought me very mean & silly last night : but I couldn't help it. Mrs U. thinks M. & I don't do credit to our new state & condition. We ought be fat. 18th. Friday. Another week gone thanks be. Had to leave off at 3 this afternoon : Mr. Snell & Mr. Hutchinson up for missionary "Social". They all think Mr. S. has insulted me by not getting me to play his accompts. but I'm real glad. He's asked Flor. G. to play. Eva wouldn't. There was a full Hall contrary to their expectations - but - it was a real trap to get money : they had papers handed round I.O.U's. - folks were clean disgusted Got £7.12.0. - robbery - quite. He sang two songs very well. I played for Mrs. W. G. but she didn't sing well - was very nervous. Sent word that I was coming home to-morrow. 19th. Saturday. Went down by the buggy this morning. Archie G. was going down to bring back his girl (they are to be married in the first week of October.) so I got down home at 1/2-9 & found the Mother gone to town so I scooted after her but found her not until she turned up at Peats after being home to look for me - So we got what we wanted & came home. Telegram there from Jim but we can't make anything of it - it's such a mixture There may be a letter on Monday. Wish I knew one way or the other. 20th. Sunday. Church & played. The organ is much better now - a man from Sydney has done it up properly. It's a treat to play on. After church was speaking to Mrs. W. She wanted me very much to come up to dinner as Jim Stirling had come - surely that would bring me but - I thought of the little Mother & the few moments that we had to spend together - we couldn't afford to lose even them so as I sould see Jim at home too next week decided not to go. Saw Min Workman too to speak to 21st. Monday. Up early this morning & away by 5 train. Rain. kept off this time but it looked threatening when we left home - I was the only one coming to Bingera so as the roads were dry I - waited till it got light & walked up. Never felt a bit tired after it either. Wrote to H. (Letter from him here waiting me didn't take any notice of my previous [...] to Arthur for Tuesday) telling me most likely he would be with him on Sat. Wrote to Alf too & lo! just as I had finished M. brought a letter from Ma enclosing one from Jim. He had evidently quite been unprepared for her visit up to keep house during E's absence - believe he didn't know anything about her going till we said. Doesn't want Ma up to be working for him - will do for himself - wants quiet &c.
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& when she does come she must come when E's[sic] is home & have a proper visit. Sent her a £5 note too - generous old Jim - but except for feeling sorry to disappoint Elsie & that Ma wont have a change I'm not sorry. Started raining today 22nd. Tuesday. Feel nasty today - headache-fearful - till dinner - am not right that's why. Letter from dear old H. He's very busy again now - thank God for that. Raining today pretty much. Met Jim on my way home to dinner. He was up to tea tonight & we had a musical evening. He has improved wonderfully & has such a fine voice. Quite a passionate singer too. Made me feel a bit queer in some of his songs. Dear old Jim - M. he & about 6 of the others had arranged to go to town tonight to the orchestra concert but it was too wet to venture. I had a concert at home instead 23rd. Wednesday. Raining lots all day. Didn't go home today to dinner 24th. Thursday. Cleared. Annie & May going to town tomorrow for their French instead of Sat. as it's the treat then - so I thought I'd have a day off too then could see Arthur W. - so - we worked hard all day & got lessons all off too - Ernest tonight. D. & I all to ourselves for tea. I rather dreaded that but we got on all right. Wrote to Artie last night for his birthday 25th. Friday. Went down this morning. by train. Mrs. Alick G came too. Jim S. came down with us as far as the Siding. Ma down to meet me. We trotted hime straight. After dinner got ready & went down to see A. at the 'Royal Hotel'. Got quite a shock. He kissed me straight off as if he had a perfect right to. I blushed most furiously - didn't get over it atall. We only stayed a minute. Asked him to come up this evening. Harry Skyring had come up the evening before. We went down to Skyring then & saw them all. It's over 18 mths since I was down. Told Mrs. S. about myself. She got quite a shock - said she didn't know a word of it before. They were very glad to see us. A. came up about 7.30. & stayed till 10 30 nearly. I was awfully tired. Didn't know what I was saying hardly. he kissed me again before them all when he went away. "For Herbert" he said. [...]'s the & same dear boy Ray's [...] up last Sat. 26th. Saturday. Down to Mr. Benbow at 9 this morning & got things fixed up - then to Carrie H. & got her to alter my pink silk. Then we spent the afternoon in getting 2 smocked blouses ready &c. Got up here at 8.30. Jim. S. [?went] home with us (they were all at the truck tonight) & then came in to sing. Mrs. W. G. too. I'm glad I'm settled else I'm afraid things might be a bit serious with lui & moi. Je le sairs. Letter from my dear old boy in town this morning. God bless him. 27th. Sunday. Church this morning & played. Stayed in tonight. Mr. Snell preached this morning. Johny come Lately fainted & he was terribly disgusted with everyone for taking notice. Sat down & didn't finish his sermon. Noone thought the more of him for that. The man might have been dead. I never knew him to faint before. 28th. Monday. Saw Jim going over this morning. He was going to take out Mrs. W.G. riding so I insinuated that I hadn't been out for a long while so he asked me to come too, but I informed him that my letter to my boy always took up my time on that occasion. so he promised to take me out on Thursday. We all went over to see a so-called "Cinemetograph" but the thing was a fraud. Crowd there too. The man that worked the magic lantern part had got drunk & so another had to take his place who knew nothing about it. Je voulais beaucoup de m' asseoir [...] lui[underlined] mais la fortune ne le voulait pas. We were all squashed in one seat & I hardly could see anyone. J'etais beaucoup degouté. Felt quite nasty. 29th. Tuesday. Horrid day. Don't know what's the matter. Le dernier soir me recoversa entrènments. Vraiment je suis folle-mais