Travel Diaries and Journals

Phinias Hudson called for Hannah in the evening but I would not let her go. She slept with me. I forgot to state that in the morning Mr Gonsalves brought Mary from the Hudson's where she has been since Sunday to our house. She staid a short time and then accompanied her father to the city. I wrote a note to Mrs Gonsalves. Father left us to-day for Boston. He will return this week. Wednesday .. April 14th Very pleasant. Rose early and after finishing my own toilet, assisted Hannah to dress. Soon after breakfast she complained of not being well and went home. Mother was not well and of course I had a great deal to do all day, and Sarah found sufficient to occupy her in taking care Morty, who, notwithstanding his sweet appearance, is that plaque of every one else but his family [Dr?] a spoiled child. Near noon Kate Hudson run over to bid us good bye The family intend to leave to-morrow morning early. Kate was very urgent in her request that Carrie and I should visit her this summer. and indeed they have all had much to say about it ever since the plan of their removal was decided upon. I shall accept their invitation with pleasure sometime. How pleasant it will be [Dr?] I am so fond of the country. Carrie too will enjoy it, and it will do her good. Perhaps we both might include society there in our anticipations That will certainly be a very important item but not to flatter them too highly I will say no more. Mary Emma came over in the afternoon to take up her abode with us till the first of May. Sarah and I spent the evening with her in her room while she unpacked and arranged her things.

Sarah and I spent the evening in reading and laughing over some very flat specimens of modern literature in four [Dr?], which we found in the Waverly Magazine of Boston. Thursday. April 15th. Unpleasant. George Hudson made a morning call. I met Albert at the breakfast table He did not arrive last night till after we had retired He is the same as ever, restless, ambitious and constantly occupied with business. but we can see that he is beginning to sober down a little and is anxious to do well. Mary Emma has grown thin and her health is poor, she has however a great idea of making herself useful and took hold in good earnest to help Mother. Certainly we were glad of it for Mother is almost sick, Cornelius feeble, and with a house full of company how could we but be grateful for even a little assistance. Sarah and I were very lively to-day : we [Dr?] laughing and George Hudson's call contributed somewhat to our hilarity. Continuing our sport in our room after dinner we received quite a [Dr?] and Sarah leaving Her dressing went off to assist Mary Emma's toilet while I after putting our disordered room to rights quietly finished my own, and then went down to the dining room to see Amelia [Dr?], who had been waiting for me there a long time She staid nearly all the afternoon chatting pleasantly with me as she was want to do when she lived with us. She has a situation in the country whither she is going next week. She seems as much devoted to me as ever, and is anxious to have me get married that she may come and live with me Amelia thinks she has discovered the [Dr?] whom the [Dr?] have intended for me and is enraptured with the prospect. What encouragement could I give the poor girl but to laugh at the idea, though I let her talk just to see what she would say. Somebody might think himself very cruelly betrayedhad he heard it all

Friday.. Pleasant. Mary Emma looking about for something to do came to the conclusion that the pastors wanted attending to and going briskly to work she soon, as Morty said, "made the pastors shine." Harriet came home in the morning and returned again in the afternoon. She left Carrie better, but still unable to be left entirely Her visit, short as it was, was a real comfort to me who deeply feels the need of a sister's constant love and society. What shall I do when they are gone? as I tell Mother, I am afraid Ishall have to leave too. Mrs Joseph Hudson sent us all an invitation to take tea with her which we declined. In the afternoon Sarah and I promenaded fourth [Dr?] where we met a number of acquaintances, also stopped at a jeweller's and a confectioner's and returned in time for tea. Samuel, Sarah and Mr Wilde spent the evening here. Mrs Hudson and Phineas also called to bid us farewell. They have been detained all the week by the unpleasant weather but hope to get away to-morrow Saturday. Pleasant. The Hudson's left early in the morning. Sarah said their house looked so strange and deserted now that they were gone, and I thought so too when I came to think of it. There will be no fun in looking over that way now. After a very busy day, Sarah and I took a walk out with Natty; rather late in the afternoon. Met Mary Reeve and Ellen Dickinson. Natty made himself very troublesome before we reached home. Father returned from Boston in the morning Sarah spent the early part of the afternoon in watching the the graceful figure of G. B. H. as he stood on his piazza ordering the men who werecarrying away the furniture and occasionally lending

Sunday. April 18th Cloudy. In the morning Sarah, Natty and I attended our church. Father preached. In the afternoon we all attended. Sarah, Mary Emma and Albert sat in the choir. Mr. Thomas Beecher preached on the unpardonable sin. I heard him preach the same sermon last summer and liked it then much better than I did this time. That was preached on a lovely summer evening to a full house and an attentive audience by an enraptured lover just on the point of marriage, and of course the sermon was elevated to a corresponding height of love and romance, and accordingly frequently wandered as far from the subject in hand as can be imagined. Yet there was a poetry, grace and enthusiasm about it that pleased me much. But on this cloudy, dull afternoon with but a scanty audience and he himself a married man of several months standing it could not be expected that his imagination would be worked up to so high a pitch as on the former occasion even though he went over the same ground and said the same things: and as it is to this fertile fancy of his that he is chiefly indebted for whatever interest his sermons may possess I could not help thinking (begging his pardon) that the discourse was on the whole rather stale and flat. So coming to this conclusion I did not listen very attentively but consoled myself with thinking that as I had heard it before there could be nothing lost. Albert, Mary E. Sarah and Natty wanted to hear him again in the evening. I spent the evening at home in reading. [Dr?]. W walked home with Sarah & I in the morning but leaving us rather abruptly we punished him for it in the afternoon by running away from him when he attempted to join us.

Monday. April 19th Rained all day. Busy as usual and sewed some.

Tuesday. Weather the same -- dismal enough. In the afternoon gave Sarah a lock of my hair and received a beautiful long black tress in return. Sarah received a letter from her Mother in the evening. Wednesday. Drizzling still when I arose, but cleared off at noon; so soon after dinner Sarah and Natty packed up and went over to the city. On his return from the city in the evening Albert presented Mother with a beautiful silver cake-basket. Thursday. Pleasant. Unwell. Went to bedsoon after breakfast and slept tillnoon; afternoon in reading. Joseph Wilde spent the evening very pleasantly with me. Friday. Half sick and disinclined to do much. This is April weather certainly. Rain and shine succeed each other so quickly that it seemed rather a risky business to venture out. Father went to see Carrie in the evening and found her better. E. Daniel called. I forgot to say on Wednesday that George Hudson called in the morning and spent an hour or so very pleasantly with Sarah and I. G. and I exchanged locks of hair and parted quite affectionately but it was evident that there was a little more irony and a little less earnestness on his part than in hers. Neverttheless both seemed to enjoy the fun and so did I.

Saturday April 24th Mary had a very bad cold. In the afternoon I called on Mary Willet. Did not find her at home and called on Mary Reeve. Staid about an hour and went into Grand st. of an errand. Evening in reading. Sunday.. Pleasant. At home in the morning. Felt unusually serious and thought a great deal of my Sophy. Attended S. School and church in the afternoon but was not well enough to enjoy either. Mary Emma was confined at home with a heavy cold Albert attended our church all day and assisted in the choir

Monday Rainy. Mary Emma was better. We spent the afternoon together sewing and chatting.

Tuesday. Very pleasant. Harriet came home early in the morning and we were glad to see her. Her bright presence seemed to make a great difference in the household Mary Emma was overjoyed to have someone nearer her own age to talk to, and I followed her round improving every chance I could get to inform her of all the perplexities and annoyances I have had since she left us and found her ready sympathy quite a comfort. Oh a sister is every thing!__ and indeed who else can be so worthy of all confidence, so disinterested and affectionate

And then to complete my happiness just before sundown Mr Murphy came in after that of course, for the fact that he has not once called when she was not at home is proof enough that he don't care much for anyone else in these quarters, notwithstanding which he kissed & hugged his "little pet," as he calls me, lite I was wellnigh smothered. I went to the door when he rang and so received the first embraces. Hattie did'nt care, and why should she? __ her share came next: and besides she saw him in Brooklyn this morning, and last night, and in fact every day during her stay there, and frequently more than once a day I should judge from what the loving couple had to say to each other. They are an affectionate pair, indeed and it would be well for some married folks to try to be a little like them I'm a thinking. A. & M. for instance! Oh dear! how can they do so?__ Hearts should be joined as well as hands in the nuptial tie; and then what word of difference can come between?__ what could darken the calm clear sunshine of their love? Well! __ I Should think I had been taking lessons! or else had taken the matter into very serious consider-ation. one would suppose I had been peeping into that forbidden closet, the mysterious future, and if some quarrelsome [Dr?], in the shape of a husband did start up from a dark corner and present himself

to my terrified imagination as my future lord and master it would be considered only as a very proper and natural reward for my presumption. But I am wandering __ Mr Murphy, you have set me on the wrong track, what do you mean & There! I did'nt mean to say that your coming in, was alone the completion of my happiness, I meant to have mentioned, immediately after, another event equally important which helped materially to fill up the grand sum total of pleasure so gratefully enjoyed in this one evening, when with the very mention of your name, your great, all important self was presented so forcibly to my mind that I could not, out of common politeness, forbear to give you a passing notice; so now stand aside, just for a moment if you please and see who comes next. __ Now I have it! You have thrown yourself back in the rocking-chair in a very-much-at-home manner and I am standing with my arms around your neck, and Harriet, Mary Emma and Elisabeth Culbert are laughing and chatting away directly in front of us, when the door opens and admits a blue-eyed, fair-haired little darling, looking as though she had but just recovered from recent illness but her colour rises and her eyes sparkle as she returns atus fond greetings ~ How much she laughs like her old self Father's "bird"! how good in him to bring her home to - day and he looks as pleased to see her here again as can be.

He is naturally fond of music and probally expects that she will begin to warble very soon, but he must be disappointed this time for she has had a throat complaint and the Doctor has forbidden any singing at present Well, Miss Carrie, was kissed to her hearts content, comfortably seated in Mr Murphy's lap, and I took off her things and carried them away. Then came tea. After that we all spent a social, pleasant evening together Carrie and I slept together that night, how natural and how good it seemed. __ She is yet weak, and looks pale and delicate but will soon be well I hope. Wednesday. April 28th Pleasant. Commenced reading [Dr?] Pompilius by Florian a French writer of the last century. I found it very interesting and instructive. Was busy most of the day, but caught up my book at every chance opportunity. Carrie and I found it very pleasant to be together again. Made some ginger-bread for her, she being very fond of it. Mr Hutchingson spent the evening very pleasantly with us. In the course of conversation "Uncle Tom's Cabin" was mentioned and elicited a very warm discussion on the subject of Slavery. It was argued principally by Mr Hutching Mary E. and Harriet: the first two being pro-slavery the latter anti-slavery. Harriet's part was the best sustained. Doubtless from the fact that she was in the right; and they most obviously wrong.

Wednesday June 9th. Lovely day. Sewed in the morning. In the afternoon shopped in Grand st and Fourth st and called on Mary Reeve

Thursday. Weather the same. We all rose unusually early this morning and were through breakfast and prayers before seven o'clock. for a month past I have uniformly risen at a very early hour and find the practice an excellent one I find however that I am sleepy in the evening and am obliged to retire earlier than formerly to make amends. Well, I suppose this is a good practice also. "Early to bed, and early to rise," has been preached into my ears by my anxious Mamma from time immemorial, doubtless from observing a very strong tendency to an opposite course at least to the first clause. Quite early this morning we were agreably [agreeably] surprised with a call from George Hudson His farming life has added a shade of brown to his hitherto almost too fair complexion but becomes him much, I never saw him look so well. He says Kate's health is not good and wants Carrie and I to make her a visit, adding that she would be a great better if she had company. We accordingly promised to come by and bye should circumstances permit. No word from Harry, for I was so neglectful as not even to mention his name! What will he think? Mary R. called P. M. Father left [Dr?] today on a trip to Canada. Heaven bless and protect him! [Dr?] [Dr?] [Dr?] [Dr?] [Dr?] [Dr?] [Dr?] [Dr?] [Dr?] [Dr?] [Dr?] [Dr?] [Dr?] [Dr?] [Dr?] that I had much more to say than I could possibly find time [Dr?] [Dr?]