Item 10: Miles Franklin pocket diary, 5 January 1917-16 February 1918

1917 JANUARY

10 WEDNESDAY

Heavy frost on streets. Clear day. Six swans on tide. Mrs Ussher made her own fire. Cooked all day at Minerva & came home via French class.

JANUARY 1917

11 THURSDAY

Dished up for Miss Mitchell at Minerva. Got home before 4 p.m & a rest & started Englishman revised. When I went out in morning found a lot of melting snow in streets but it soon disappeared like May snow in Chicago.

1917 JANUARY

12 FRIDAY

Sloppy day. Worked at Minerva. Nell came to Dug-out in evening.

JANUARY 1917

13 SATURDAY

Cooked at Minerva. Meeting there so I did not get home till 7. Mrs Cobden-Sanderson came in & complimented me on my mock duck. I cleaned up my room & retired.

1917 JANUARY

14 SUNDAY

Mrs Ussher looked after herself. I got up at 10 & slept 2 hrs. again in afternoon, feeling very depressed & rudderless. Did rough draft of 1st act of a play entitled "Virtue" to begin with. Cold & dull streets wet. Kath came in & we three had tea together in front room.