November 1897

This is Belle’s birthday and a very pleasant bright sunshiny day it is– strikingly in contrast with the day on which she was born– she seems more cheerful than usual– the three girls have given her a mahogany lunch table, and the boys a silk waist Mr. Sears gave her money and I gave her an official souvenir Jubilee cup– these cups were made in Austria. I am in the midst of moving, everything topsy turvy until I scarcely know which way to turn and it is election day for City officers and there is a great deal of enthusiasm manifest. There are five tickets in the field Non Partisan Republican, Democratic, Populist Socialist Labor party– We shall probably not know the result tonight. I am happy that the day is fine and that Belle seemed to feel so well [p. 338] {p. 129}

This is kind of a miserable day, I have Sister Morrison helping me also both Pearl [Russell] and Miss [Isabelle] Evans; the rain keeps on but go out I must. Part of my chattels went down to the house and part to the office in the Templeton¹ I had a fine letter from Margherita Arlina Hamm. and some magazines with sketches and pictures of the lady herself. She is very bright and gifted intellectually– is a Republican in politics and non partisan in city affairs. The rain is coming down in torrents– I cannot get up to see Aunt Zina and she goes away tonight to Canada– Sister Stevenson took up a message for me. I feel so sorry that she has to start in a storm. My moving is very disagreeable too when it rains incessantly– [p. 339] {p. 130}

Trying all day to get settled had a great deal of confusion [p. 340] {p. 131}

Today I am still very unsettled but have had a number of callers and this afternoon the Kindergarten meeting was held as usual. [p. 341] {p. 132}

Today the officers of the Primary of this Stake held their regular monthly meeting in my office with a very full attendance– Aurelia [Spencer] Rogers was present and spoke. [p. 342] {p. 133}

I wrote to Will and Mell as it is their wedding anniversary twenty three years. 1874– I also wrote to Daisie and to Aunt Zina did not go to meeting in fact stayed at Annie’s until late in the afternoon. Have tried very hard to rest and to go through some of my letters also had to prepare editorial matter– [p. 343] {p. 134}

Received a letter from D. D.² this morning– Today I have really worked seventeen hours except while I was in the Reaper’s Club and even then I had to read twenty minutes and also to read a proof during club hours. It was the first Reaper’s Club in the new office and a miserably cold day– Louide [Louisa] Badger gave a talk on the Pyramids that was of the greatest interest [p. 344] {p. 135}

I was late going up as I tried to do a few little things at home. There was a Committee meeting of Primary officers to prepare for an entertainment. Mrs. Ella W. Hyde Chairman.

The days are so full of work which all seems important that one like me hardly knows how to divide the few hours of the day to get it all done. [p. 345] {p. 136}

Went up to the office about as usual, Pearl was there working called at Mrs. Sal. Seigle’s [Mrs. Solomon Siegel] to return the book “Six Modern Women” A psychological study, bought a book for Verona a birthday gift but do not know where to direct as I learn by Daisie’s letter she has gone on to San Francisco, must wait for her address. It is one of Olive Schriener’s [p. 346] {p. 137}

I worked very hard all day trying to finish the mailing and leave all straight– have had as usual many hindrances– it seems to be always so when I am going away but I must not let it interfere with my journeyings here and there among the people. It is an important mission and I realize it is very helpful to do this missionary work among our own people– [p. 353] {p. 138}

wea. Very very fine

I left on the early morning train for Logan– met Sister Taylor at the depot– the day was fine enjoyed the ride very much Sister [Emilie Damke] Maeser and Prof. [Joseph M.] Tanner were on the train, Prof. [Karl G.] Maeser came on at Cache Junction when we arrived Frank [J. Francis] Townsend was there to meet Sister Taylor and Miss Maggie Smith³ daughter of President [Orson G.] Smith of Cache Stake was there for me. She took me to Sister Luna Thatcher’s and I soon had lunch and we spent the day in going over old times, Sister [Lucy Smith] Cardon came up to see me and we talked over the affairs of the Conference– Br. [George W.] Thatcher was at home in the evening and the family were all very pleasant. I saw Genie [Virginia Thatcher] Spencer’s children Gladys [Spencer] & Edmund [B. Spencer] also Fannie [Fanny Young Thatcher]’s boy Lawrence [Y. Thatcher]– they seem very nice it is a model family [p. 354] {p. 139}

wea.<ther very fine>

This morning we had a pleasant time at breakfast and then Sister Thatcher and myself went to the Tabernacle to the Relief Society Conference The morning was occupied with reports mostly and a little speaking. I had a few minutes twenty perhaps and we went home to dinner. In the afternoon Sister Taylor spoke awhile and I occupied most of the time. In the evening I went to see Newel [W.] Kimball’s family– they have just buried a daughter [Sarah Kimball Cranney] twenty-five years old. They were in great sorrow especially the mother.⁴ Newel seems to be prosperous. He told me Horace [H. Kimball] & Joshua [H. Kimball] lived there that David [H. Kimball] was at Meadowville and Maria [Sarah Maria Kimball Jenkins] & her husband⁵ were near Montpelier [Idaho]. [J.] Golden Kimball and Moses Thatcher had spoken at the funeral. [p. 355] {p. 140}

This morning I went to the Young Ladies’ Conference Sister Thatcher could not go– she is quite lame, with rheumatism and she has many family cares. I heard the reports of the several wards in the Stake and they were excellent. It seemed a wonderful work indeed taken as a whole. At noon Sister [Elizabeth Dunn] Townsend the Stake President of Y.L.M.I.A. invited me to go with herself, & Sister Taylor and Kimball and Hendrickson to dinner as [at] Sister Freeze’s niece and we had quite an enjoyable visit together. In the afternoon I spoke for about 35 minutes to the assembly upon their work spiritual moral & mental. In the evening Luna and the girls and myself had a nice visit, when Br. Thatcher came we had a nice cosy supper and a glass of wine it was Kate [Katherine Thatcher Thomas]’s husband’s⁶ birthday 28 years old. There was a beautiful rainbow in the morning. [p. 356] {p. 141}

This morning it poured with rain. I only rose about ten o’clock I had intended to go to the Sunday School but finding it so unpleasant I concluded not to go. After breakfast went to see Sister Adeline [Brooks] Benson– who was born in Windsor Conn. March 18. 1813. and yet she was very bright and seemed to remember well the days when we were acquainted. She looks fine for one so aged. I had dinner at Sister Thatcher’s and went to the train, Sister Taylor was there and Prof. Brewster [F. W. Brewer] of the Agriculture College was taking his dead wife East to New Jersey,⁷ so sad it seemed & in such a pouring rain. When we reached Collinston Sister Hortensia [Ortentia White] Leonard and her daughter Sister [Helen Leonard] Burns came aboard and I learned that Br. [Truman] Leonard was dead and they were going to the sad home at Farmington. Angus M. Cannon got on at Ogden had been to a funeral at Morgan– Br. Wm. Robinson [Robison]’s [p. 357] {p. 142}

I was not very early in going up found lots of Mail and a note from Pearl– did not get much done except to read my letters and get ready for the Reaper’s Club– we had a full attendance and a new member Clarissa Smith Williams, I did not give the talk upon school matters as we had a report from each municipal ward of the doings at Primaries, We learned much of the affairs by hearing these– At evening I went down to see the folks at Annie’s, found George Q. was really lame with his foot– it pains me very much indeed to know of it– he is so fine in build, it would be such a terrible thing to have his foot disfigured in any sense. It really should have been seen to before. All the others were very well indeed. Had a nice visit with Annie– [p. 358] {p. 143}

Today has been most unpleasant– wind and rain etc. have had some disagreeable errands to do and was to have gone to Minniee [Permelia Horne] James at two o’clock but did not get there until after three. Sister [Bathsheba W.] Smith had been waiting for some time and we had a very nice visit together and we washed and anointed Minnie for her confinement and then we administered to Clara [Horne James] who is in rather delicate health then we blest Sisters [Mary Isabella Hales] Horne & Smith– we had a very delicious supper and after chatting a little while we came away. I stayed awhile in the office and directed some city & foreign papers and then came home ever so late to write again, and prepared a new dedication for my book of poems, as the other did not suit Annie very well and made no acknowledgement to friends. [p. 359] {p. 144}

Such a terrible day has been blowing the first part of the night and raining later it simply pours down now and is scarcely fit for any one to go out– I sent off a draft to Mrs. Hannah J. Bailey of Winthrop Centre Maine to pay the last installment on our Relief Society dues to the National Council of Women– and also wrote to San Francisco and sent money for cut of myself made for newspaper work long ago– they had written me about it. Wrote a note to Lena [Helena Fobes] Wells as I could not go and dine with her because of the rain– also wrote a letter to Mrs. Bailey Maine as well– Annie & Q. came in to see me, Q’s foot is better but he cannot go to work– Some of the relatives of the Hoagland family are here, at least Sister [Margaret Quick] Hoagland’s the Quick side of the house [p. 360] {p. 145}

Last evening after coming home in the wet and tired almost to death– I sat up until nearly one and read until two after going to bed– the wind blew a gale & I was very nervous– I am invited to dine at Belle’s– last year my sister⁸ and I both had dinner there Thanksgiving day. Now she is gone to Downs, Kansas– I wonder if she will go back to New York or stay in Kansas. I have been arranging some volumes of the Juvenile Instructor– and hunting for books that are missing. Read over one or two of my poems and arranged manuscript. At dinner at Belle’s we had turkey– potatoes corn and tomatoes with condiments, cranberry sauce etc– also plum pudding and pie, pickled peaches (sweet) and coffee. Annie came down with Catherine & Cavendish– a few minutes Lucile & Dot went to Opera matinee [p. 361] {p. 146}

Worked all day very hard never seem to get through– there are so many hindrances– prepared copy and did all sorts of things to make myself feel easy Meeting of Republican Committee at Dooley’s office tonight, some way we could not agree exactly Attorney General Bishop made his report of the visit to Washington– and the letter to President McKinley– he was rather mixed in his report and though the report was accepted yet all the conditions were not agreeable– I had a talk with Rob. Campbell when the meeting was over and felt better posted. As there was no woman present but myself it was a little uncomfortable. An adjournment was taken to Monday evening After the meeting I went home alone late and did some little writing and reading. Kindergarten meeting today [p. 362] {p. 147}

This is an important day to me. It is the meeting at Mrs. Salisbury’s and I hope to be able to offer a Resolution in reference to woman’s part in the University when it is completed.⁹ I went in good time. We all had a flag presented to us and Mrs. Allen made the first motion to make Mrs. Salisbury permanent President or Chairman– I made one that she be authorized to appoint Secretary Treasurer and other officers. She made Mrs. [Corinne Tuckerman] Allen Vice Chairman and representative for the lst. Congressional district of Utah, Miss Hester Harkness Secretary and Mrs. F. [Ferd] J. Fabian [Minnie Pegram Fabian] Treasurer– Mrs. E. B. Wells (myself) press representative. There were only two of our Mormon women present which made me feel rather annoyed.

I dined at Annie’s later with Mr. & Mrs. Reeder of Lake City Michigan, President [George Q.] Cannon & Emily Hoagland Little Cannon [p. 363] {p. 148}

At the dinner there were also Louis [Lewis] M. Cannon and his wife (Mamie) [Mary Alice Hoagland Cannon] and myself besides John Q. & Anniee The dinner was very fine– first course, raw oysters in shell, next Tomato soup– then boiled tongue & peas– roast duck with vegetables and jellies– then plum pudding and fruits. The evening was very pleasant Today I have tried to rest. In the evening Helen Vilate Kimball came down to go over some manuscript with me, but I had left it in the office– she brought other chapters and read them. Daniel and Margaret came down to see me, and stayed a little while. Br. C. [Charles] W. Penrose preached today and Frank J. Cannon spoke in the Tabernacle in the evening on Japan. [p. 364] {p. 149}

Came up late no mail to speak of John Q. has promised to polish up my Resolution. Annie & Q. came up– Q.’s foot or Ankle is still bandaged; he walks very lame. Annie is having her <brown> silk dress remodelled for the military ball tomorrow night– I am working like a Trojan for this and that. Have a story to write for the Press Club at the November meeting tomorrow night. It is not yet touched. Dr. Pratt read me the address she has prepared for the opening of her Administration as Prest. of the Club. Went to the State Com– Meeting, Miss [Rosetta J.] Farnsworth came also two ladies. Voted on George A. Smith for P.M.¹⁰ Salt Lake & Charles Meaghan Ogden– some other matters. Adjourned earlier than last time. Came home sat in the parlor until nearly three o’clock writing my story for the Press Club evening. Wrote 17 pages. [p. 365] {p. 150}

A dreadful day wet damp muddy and disagreeable, wrote nine more pages prepared copy etc. C. C. R. [Caroline Raleigh] Wells came and hindered me also others but I managed to finish the story. Dr. Pratt, Dr. Shipp, L. D. Alder & C. C. R. Wells all called for me to go to Mrs. [Anne Cartwright] Bradley’s to the meeting. There were not many members present– besides the Hostess Mrs. Bradley her friend Mrs. Marineaux– & Miss [Sarah L.] Monroe, Mrs. M. B. Jennings Mrs. Alder, Mrs. C. C. R. Wells, Mrs. R. H. Doolan– Dr. Pratt Dr. Shipp, Mrs. Lovsey, Miss Russell, Mrs. E. B. Wells and later Mrs. Fox and Mrs. Hyde– Mrs. Pratt presided well, some of the sentiments were original others were not– the evening was tiresome, cold and damp– Miss Mareneaux recited also Mrs. Lovsey, and I gave the story– Dr. Pratt the address– came home worn out– Letter today from <Verona in San Francisco> [p. 366] {p. 151}