The Diaries Volume 2: February 1883 to August 1887

Summary

1883

Feb^y 26^th 1883

With the last days of the past year I finished the last page of the volume with which Will furnished me when I began to keep a diary nearly five years ago. I have had some disinclination to continuing to do so, but my children seem to wish it & to be so much interested in listening to some of the records of the past with which I occasionally amuse them that for their sakes more than by my own wish in the matter I will continue a remembrance of the chief events of our family life.

Hattie has begun to make her painting her chief occupation after the few household duties that fall to her are performed; it is a new thing for us to have her at home & for her to be here without school duties that must be performed to keep pace with others, so that she does not readily fit into the new groove in which she finds herself, & is not so enthusiastic in the profession^ she has chosen as I wish her to be. She does not yet feel the responsibilities of life, & so is impatient at being frequently reminded of duty & the necessity of having regular times for it.

Lottie has lately more than ever given me great comfort & satisfaction; she has exercised great self-control over her temper, & strives very much to restrain herself when I find fault with her, or Hattie vexes her, which however annoys the latter more than an angry reply, but is at the same time an influence which may I hope show its effects as years & wisdom increase.

The chief occupation of some weeks past has been connected with the Blue Ribbon Mission. As soon as the girls were able to go out, they joined the choir which was formed for it & went with me to the practices at St Peter's School-room. Thursday Jan^y 25^th there was a General Committee meeting to receive a report of the proceedings of the Executive committee which I did not attend, but Friday Fel^y 2^nd the Secretary Revd AH Jones gave an address at the Working Men's Institute to all who had promised to help in singing, visiting to distribute hand bills & notices etc.