September 1909

Anniversary of my baby’s birth Eugene Henri [Harris] whose birth was about Nine A.M. in the morning I had fainted and did not know what had been the result, I am here with Mell and Will and have talked much of the family to them Towards evening I watched continuously for she¹ is over at Coeur d’Alene City and had not returned it troubles me, tho’ Robert [Hillard] is over there with her, and Mell thinks they will stay with Lutie Fuller Davis [Davies] [p. 244] {p. 225}

All day looking for Daisie to to return and Verona to come over, Barry [N. Hillard, Jr.] brought me a partridge very pretty and he had caught it himself and on purpose for me because he knows how fond I am of wild game, I finished a long letter to Susa Y. Gates and sent a postal to Belle in Los Angeles and one to [blank] Daisie sung just a few songs and played her own accompanimnt to the songs she sung A fine big steamer come up the Bay with music and a company of Methodist ministers who had been holding a Convention in Coeur d’Alene City. It was a beautiful sight and reminded Will and me both of Mississippi river in days gone by [p. 245] {p. 226}

<Such a wonderful day– climbed among the high Mts. & pines> Mell and Tom went over to the City meantime took Katharine and myself to Verona’s, and Mrs. France went with her we had a fine lunch– I climbed the hill at the back of the house to hear the pines sighing in the wind, which music I love so well– and with the murmur of the waves on the lake shore <is inte◊◊◊◊◊ed > Barry has gone to hunt for a pheasant or partridge to please me, because he knows I love wild game so much– we had a fine lunch today² Mr. Betts & Verona myself and Katharine Robert & a Mr Purcell who works here. I had a letter from Emmeline and one for Katharine also there is a fire the other side up of the Lake opposite, we had supper late, and the launch came after us, Mell & Tom, wind very high, but got over safely, A glorious night on the Lake [p. 246] {p. 227}

<the trail of mellow light from the moon– & Mars in great glory> This morning Will Martin & Tom were out early repairing the dock damaged by the wind, it was a furious gale yesterday, but the waves were more turbulent and forceful <sound-waves> as if they bore a message from the Divine– and the sig[h]ing of the pine trees was most symphonius. Only myself to feel Today Saturday is the change from here to Spokane for the boys to go to school both Verona & Daisie, the entire crowd have gone Mr. Purcell is left to take care of Verona’s place & Dr. France & wife in D.D. [Daisie Dunford Allen]’s. Will and Mell Katharine and myself are left, the hired girl Mamie Dull is here, this Morning Mrs. France took a picture of all of us except Tom & Martin. Will, Mell, Daisie Robert Barry Katharine & me, afterwards of me alone, she is very gracious & free, We saw the boat and barge speed away. News came of the finding of the North pole by Capt. Frederick Cook born in Maryland 1865– 44 years old [p. 247] {p. 228} <Mr. Betts got the news and Barry came and told us–>

Sunday morning thought of the Temple meeting and of those assembled there in my absence. Mr. Lewis Columbus and wife Evelyn came over and brought the morning paper, so we know the report is verified of North pole discovery by Frederic Cook of New York flag planted on the spot April 21, 1908, he landed in Copenhagen Sep. 2 or 3 and was congratulated by the King of Denmark and dined at the royal palace and a suit of suitable apparel furnished by the King’s tailor was given him in which to appear in public. After all the years of search by explorers and navigators at last the success they sought has been attained yet many have failed who were equally persistent, my last evening with Will [p. 248] {p. 229}

<This> mo[r]ning we were all astir early and we had breakfast early boat came over and we were ready and Mr. Braentigam a foreigner who builds boats and who has been on St. Lawrence river accustomed to boating and after all the boat stopped in the middle of the Lake, however it soon started off again. We reached Coeur d’Alene City went to the hotel Will bade us Goodby. and he started for Wallace [Idaho], Mell & Twinkle³ went out in the city and I began writing, we all had dinner at hotel and went by electric train to Hayden Lake, rusticated there then came back to city and home by boat. [p. 249] {p. 230}

This morning Mr. Columbus fetched Mells groceries she could not buy yesterday as it was Labor day, I am not as well as the folks think I am grieving beyond what is apparent outwardly, letter came from Emmeline, card about Annie Besant speaking in Barratt Hall tonight sent to me by Maria Miller Johnson Socialist used to be a Mormon and a poet, We went to see the log shooting down the mountain steep perpendicular a great height. The paper came of today with news of Capt. Robert A. Peary discovering North Pole April 6. 1909 news sent to New York [p. 250] {p. 231}

Really a somewhat better night, tho’ I was up at 2, 3, 4 & 5. saw the dawn in the East and all the beauties of the coming day, wrote letters and visited with Mell about the home folks, and we went to see the log shooting down the mountain side went over in a row boat and after watching for some time sitting in the boat, we went ashore and walked around and observed the logs shooting from the land at a distance nearby. explored some saw Prof. French’s place quite a nice cottage curtained windows standing vacant. fruit trees out houses benches, platform we found elder berries much controversary over the two discoveries which is the winner sent off letters & postals & received one or two [p. 251] {p. 232}

<Today Mell Twinkle and I went on the high Mts opposite a very long climb> This morning sun rose clear and day was a brilliant one Boat came in and no mail Dr. France the invalid, wife & brother also the girl Orpha Edwards, they went to visit their farm on Daton ground. He seemed better. Mell Twinkle & myself went out in the boat during the day, Mell and Twink went in swimming I wrote to Annie and Katharine to the girls Louise & Ruby Mell [Will] had sent a letter to Mell with 50 dollar check telling her to give me what was needed for my trip home, I was glad of course and shall need my meats [meals] etc. Mr. Betts has gone to Wallace spoke very highly Robert Thinks he should have scientific instead of classical course. rain storm terrific thunder and lightning, and caused me severe head ache. wrote a long letter to Annie tonight [p. 252] {p. 233}

This is the anniversary of Emmie [Emeline W. Wells]’s birthday born about 3. P.M. a fine day in Salt Lake born on the corner of State & 2nd Ave. a pretentious house of the early days. Midwife Aunt Decy [Dicy] Perkins an old Southerner, Came the Free family. General Wells was there also Louisa & others of his wives. I had a Scotch nurse named Eddings, was very long in recovering. In looking over Mell’s books I saw “Pearls of the Faith” by Edwin Arnold I had given her long ago and had forgotten the book altogether, the other of Arnold’s poems is The Light of the World, and the Light of Asia these are the 3. poems Tintern Abbey by William Wentworth,⁴ [p. 253] {p. 234}

Today is the birthday of S. J. Cannon she is 70 and Sister Grant was 77 on the 24th. of July. Alice Horne said she would give them a party. I dreamed this morning that Sister Jane S. Richards met me on the Street by the Historian’s Office or inside it and instead of greeting me, asked for Lydia Ann Wells whom she barely knew in life, she was all in black, a close fitting bonnet and coat– could only see her face Mell went to the city and Katharine with her and I wrote several postals and one letter ⁵|Read Lalla Rookh and when they came there was a letter from Emmeline, Spence Clawson and from the Daughters of the Revolution [p. 254] {p. 235}

<Mell sang a few old songs & hymns> Verona myself and Miss Fletcher <went> up the Lake to Wolf Lodge to spend the day went in Row Boat also as far as the Lake was wide to with Mell in the Launch then stepped from it to the Row boat and wound up stream, until we came to the open where we alighted and had lunch under the trees, camp fire for and I had a rocking chair and cushions and magazines and we then went up a long walk in the woods and had a pleasant time among the shrubbery and then started for the camp, the wind was high on the Lake and the boat was heavy loaded and both Verona and Mr. Purcell had to row very deftly but the scene from the boat as we neared the camp was charming, Eve[n]ing the last with Mell in her home, she sung a little for me, I read very late [p. 255] {p. 236}

Went off in a hurry the parting with Mell was very hard because I did not expect to see her again, she broke down completely and of course it was sad for me I feel that I shall never come here again, in fact I do not wish it we were on a barge with Verona’s cow– and heifer. I sat with Verona, and She had her, girl or maid with her and there was on board Dr. France’s wife and Presbyterian Minister it was labor day. Katha[r]ine sat out a sort of landing, all the way. we have enjoyed the Lake, it is very enchanting and one could fancy when there being far away in a foreign land. We had tea and a room in hotel then dinner I wrote some letters then went in a buggy to the farm house with cow etc. then back took electic train to Spokane [p. 256] {p. 237}

We rose in good time had a fine time that moning, seeing and talking boys went off to school and later Barry went with me to see Daisie and I stayed until ten and Martin went home with me Verona had gone to bed & Katharine was up to greet me and the day had been very full of new things of import it was a day of sorrow for me in some ways, but I was glad Verona came over as there does seem such dreadful feelings between them I had letters from E & postals it rather astonished me that no one wrote me from home was too fatigued to write much at night wrote to B. W. Smith & to Annie sent postals to several [p. 257] {p. 238}

Today when we felt we should have one whole day to ourselves Lutie sent word she was coming and we had only a part of the day to ourselves, then came the entire family, Verona bore it with a comparative good grace, for she had to be in the kitchen, cooking over the gas stove for the crowd [p. 258] {p. 239}

Came down to Daisie’s soon after breakfast, Verona with us and spent the day talking and visiting with her. she told me all her wonderful veiws and Mrs. Lawyer came in and talked of her boys and every day affairs, I am not interested in the women of Spokane and came only to see my own, Verona stayed awhile and then went home and we stayed on, nothing particular except news from home M. Columbus bought from Coeur d’Alene, Katharine went to the Orpheum with Verona & Robert. Late in the evening Mell came she had been in the Palmer[s]ton and engaged a room, we had a fine evening [p. 259] {p. 240}

<Verona bought Saturday Post> Mell came over from the Palmerston Hotel before I was up and had breakfast here and was talking of so many things finally we decided on the childrn doing something Tom went with Katharine to see Daisie’s former home and she saw the chalet in which Verona lived and and to Ft. Wright the place where the Military is stationed then we went to Manito park where we saw many lovely flowers and animals birds etc. eagles and swans birds of many kinds it was pleasant Mell got me the most beautiful roses & Verona heliotrope, I saw the finest largest bed of red geraniums I had ever seen, After we went back we had tea at the Palm all except Verona Mell D.D. Twink and myself– Twink had wine apple soda and Mell stayed until nearly eleven Twink slept at Daisie’s that night [p. 260] {p. 241}

<Verona bought magazins, ‘Life[,] Bookman & Current Lit◊◊◊[erature]> We were all morning fussing Twink had a bath and then went to buy presents for the children with her Aunt Mell and Daisie sung Down in the dell and 2 or 3 others, and finally we started, bade Tom. Good Bye and went to Verona’s to lunch Mell went with us and at lunch we had at table, Mell, Verona Kathleen, Robert & Barry. the maid waited at table of course with me 6. at lunch We had a carriage for us 3. and the boys on bicycles. D.D. & Martin came down to see us off, and V. & the boys. And the last good bye had to be said Mell wept in Verona’s front walkway but was not so much overcome as in her home at the Lake and I was very thankful [p. 261] {p. 242}

A very terrible night lost 2 hours & 30 minutes, it is a grief to me to be on the train Sunday especially with a child I feel almost guilty yet it semed the best time, as the girls were so determined, Twink was sick again this morning as pale as pale could be, she is a very interesting child. [p. 262] {p. 243}