August 1910


1 August 1910 • Monday

1Today has been very full of work and anxiety went up to the Presidents’ office and to the Bee Hive Julina called up Sister B. S. Merrill and ascertained that Sister Smith was asleep. she had been out of her mind all night, have not heard yet tonight, thunder storm on now– [p. 213] {p. 86}

2Many occurremces today, went to the President’s office and the Bee Hive House this morning [p. 213] {p. 190}

2 August 1910 • Tuesday

3Matilda [Painter] Flamm Rexburg <Idaho> Julia [Rogers] Miller Parker Idaho wrote today to Clarissa S. Williams and to Ida S. Dusenberry and to Hattie B. Harker Idaho Falls directed to Johannah Johannson P.O. Box– <there has been> very much to annoy one, <& I have been very nervous & upset> 4|Annie came after being at two R.S. Meetings & there were others here at the time <which hindered our talking over matters>. Eunice Billings Snow and daughter Vilate Halley were here and Eunice brought her manuscript of her life and we talked Nauvoo and pioneer days then Sister Farnsworth came and I went out to lunch and had such a weary day of it. so many thoughts come up in going over the old [p. 214] {p. 87}

5In reading over manuscript to day I have been reminded of the day that I had my endowments in the Nauvoo Temple January 3. 1846. just a short time before we left to come away. A very tedious day with many people some of them very uninteresting it is always hard to have people who do not comprehend things one wishes to explain cannot grasp subjects. Susa has been and that was enjoyable. She has been a month in Brighton. I have written fifteen letters today Tessie came and we went over the checks together. had a postal from Clarissa [p. 214] {p. 191}

3 August 1910 • Wednesday

6<Letters written & Bills paid today> Ida S. Dusenberry Provo J. H. Leyson Co. City Tessie Van Low [Law] City Brintano [Brentano]’s New York asking them to get me the book Bathsheba Everdene, by Thomas Hardy, Mell C. Woods Coeur d’Alene City Idaho. I had been very much oppressed all day and had been looking over old accounts and trying to make things right. [p. 215] {p. 88}

4 August 1910 • Thursday

7<Letters today written by me Wm. T. Jack Pres. Cassia Stake Alice Sessions Pres. Relief Society Cassia Stake Pres. Relief Society Alice J. Call Star Valley Stake> Alice <M. Horne> telephoned this morning and informed me that she had taken her grandmother down to her home <last evening> and she wanted me to know, and would notify me once a day if any change was <or took place> in her condition. She was very nice about it and seemed to feel she <her grandma> was much better off than at home. Her Mother Sister Merrill had gone home to have a rest after so many weeks of care and anxiety. Susa came to see me today and blest me in a wonderful way, She had started for Canada. I wrote to my great-grand child Margaret M. Roberts Dot came & brought me new linen garments 3 pair– [p. 216] {p. 89}

8Today Susa Young Gates gave me a wonderful blessing, her language was very Scriptural and I must write some of the things she said or they will be forgotten [p. 216] {p. 192}

5 August 1910 • Friday

9<Wrote to Louisa Ovison Cleveland in regard to money sent for dues.> Today I have had Amy B. Lyman Mrs. [Elizabeth Pugsley] Hayward, Golden Kimball John Q. Cannon, David & Margaret [Cannon] Clayton Cavendish & Douglas Cannon, Miss Allie Howarth, Mr. [Morris S.] & Mrs. [Georgina Geertsen] Marriott of Ogden C. C. R. Wells Mrs. Marriott invited me to speak at Ogden Aug. 12. <1910> Alice M. Horne telephoned for me to come and see her grandma & I went down after the callers had gone she is much the same was glad to see me and all the children were delighted, everything was pleasant & I saw all Alice’s baby tro[u]sseau. she looked charming herself but it is pitiful to look at Sister B. W. Smith so feeble in mind & body. My love for her has been past all one could imagine almost [p. 217] {p. 90}

10This morning while in bed the voice said to me “write the “Hymn of the Ages” which you have had in your mind so many years, and it will be as a Pyramid of Fame to your memory.” I am writing this down now to see what will come to pass and I shall endeavor to follow the admonition given to me at this time. [p. 217] {p. 193}

6 August 1910 • Saturday

11Have had Margaret A. [Mitchell] Caine and her son Fred [Frederick A. Caine]. who recently returned from Japan, had not seen Margret for some time her son is very handsome & she is doubtless very proud of him; he is a gem among young men. Sarah Jenne Cannon & Margaret & Kathrine and Cavendish & Brother Fahlin [Folland] and John Q. and some others a young lady and May Lloyd. Have written to Pres. Geo. Osmond <Afton Wyoming> Star Valley Stake and to Sister Ida S. Dusenberry <Provo> and Phebe A. Merkeley Vernal. have not heard from Sister B. W. Smith today neither has Julina, but her condition remains much the same a little stronger may be & not much yet [p. 218] {p. 91}

7 August 1910 • Sunday

12<Presented Jode [Joseph Smith Wells] with my Book of poems today> Had a very poor night slept little, rose early and dressed to go to the Temple, saw only a few there Apostle Penrose and the Dr. his wife, she sat by me, and Apostle Hyrum Smith was there and John Smith Patriarch, Hyrum <M.> Smith took charge or presided– a few ladies spoke after H. M. S. opened the services & Br. Penrose Jos. E. Taylor & Horace Cummings, I went to the Bee Hive by invitation of Julina & had dinner and saw Sister [Melissa Jane Lambson] Davis niece of Pres. B. W. Smith and her daughter Edna May [Davis] then to see Hannah C. Wells and then home to try and rest, Hannah was very nice to me and gave me some medicine to take home with me– [p. 219] {p. 92}

13I rose very early; a glorious day and went off to the Temple; there were very few present and none of President Jos. F. Smith’s wives not one; Dr. Penrose sat with me her husband was in the Apostle’s seats– beside him sat Hyrum Smith and he conducted the services, no one of the First Presidency there President Lund and John Henry Smith were in Sanpete attending Conference there– John Smith the Patriarch was present and a very few Saints. President Angus M. Cannon was in his accustomed seat also Brother W. [William] W. Riter and Judge Aurelius Miner & Hamilton G. Park. Hyrum Smith made some very interesting remarks and gave the key note to the meeting, several sisters spoke and finally Elder C. W. Penrose. Brother Joseph S. Peery offered the Benediction and invited me to go home with him, informing me that Sister Julina L. Smith had impressed upon him that he must bring me. Accordingly I went and stayed awhile after dinner talking with the girls and Sister [Melissa Lambson] Davis Julina’s sister and her daughter Edna May who works in the Temple regularly. I went from the Bee Hive to Jode Wells and took him a book of my poems “Musings & Memories”– and then to Hannah C. Wells– had a pleasant time with the family and came home before dark alone and begun writing and reading. I wrote a letter to Verona [p. 219] {p. 194}

8 August 1910 • Monday

14Today Annie and myself were invited to dine with Dr. & C. W. Penrose, we had a fine dinner and the Dr. gave me a lace scarf she brought from England, I gave the Dr. a book from myself Isabel & Annie, entitled “For You” it contained beautiful poems. selected with great care and I feel it was a suitable memento of my love and admiration for this dear friend– whom I have so long known and cherished [p. 220] {p. 93}

15This is Dr. Romania B. Penrose’s birthday anniversary she is 72. years old– Annie & myself were her only guests except her husband– I took her a Book of Poems beautiful selections entitled “For You”– I am not at all sure that it pleased her but it would have pleased me very much indeed. She presented me with a lace scarf pale blue and white. Annie an Irish linen collar, and Annie gave her a trifle

Apostle Penrose is devoted to her and seems to appreciate her ability, she is a fine housekeeper and that was what he needed when abroad in Durham House. The dinner was delicious. [p. 220] {p. 195}

9 August 1910 • Tuesday

16Letters to the Presidents of Stakes to get Conferences visited at the time set for them Julina Smith came for me to go to see our President and we went to Alice’s and called we did not stay long and I came back and she went to Jos. F. Jun’s and Donnetta [Smith Kesler]’s and I came home to go on with office duties. Expecting Ida from Provo and Sister Amy B. Lyman to leave for Canada at 2.30. was kept in utmost suspence finally they started and I pray with all my heart and soul all will be well and that they may be there in time. I cannot help this anxiety yet it does no good. [p. 221] {p. 94}

11 August 1910 • Thursday

Went off early this morning to Ogden, was met at the depot by a sister [blank] and taken to the Relief Society hall, and listened to a discourse was invited to dismiss the morning session. [p. 223] {p. 95}

13 August 1910 • Saturday

Today one of the greatest women of our time passed away to the great beyond Florence Nightingale the heroine of the Crimean war in 1854. 5 & 6. news came by wire it seems quite wonderful how news travels nowadays. [p. 225] {p. 96}

14 August 1910 • Sunday

17Stayed at home all day reading and wr[i]ting and finished up a few items [p. 226] {p. 196}

16 August 1910 • Tuesday

18Today Julina and myself went to see her Aunt Bathsheba at Alice Horne’s, she is much improved physically but mentally not at all– it is very sad. We were there sometime and had tea with her– Brother [Orson Henry] Worthington who drives the President’s carriage came in to see her [p. 228] {p. 97}

17 August 1910 • Wednesday

Another terribly hot day Sister Sarah Jane [Rich] Tabin [Tobin] Miller came in and told me how the Salt Lake Tribune had published about Joseph Smith the Prophet and the women who had been sealed to him19– mentioning names very sacred to me, and how in the world they get such information it is hard to account for– [p. 229] {p. 98}

18 August 1910 • Thursday

Sent off a letter to Mell written last night and sent her a book of Poems inscribed, containing two old poems, not usually found in collections {p. 93}

20Isabel went to the Temple today and was endowed for my fourth cousin’s wife Mary Pope she looked fine in her white dress, and it does rejoice me to see her and know how zealously she is working in the Church [p. 230] {p. 99}

19 August 1910 • Friday

Letters received today Mrs. Emma J. [Jane Holman] Bennett Provo, Utah, Mrs. Eliza A. Hall West Portage Utah [p. 231] {p. 100}

20 August 1910 • Saturday

Letter from Verona answered it today also wrote to Susan Grant & Ida S. Dusenberry Provo [p. 232] {p. 101}

24 August 1910 • Wednesday

21Today I have had many callers some of them strangers and very pleasant and I have worried over the letters I am to write postponing Conferences that have been appointed by us– it is very embarrassing to say the least and one has to be careful in writing lest offence be given. After much delay I succeeded in getting off two letters and began to prepare for the trip to Provo to attend the wedding reception of Senator Reed Smoots daughter Chloe [Smoot] to Ariel [F.] Cardon of Logan– I went down on my own account but Governor [William] Spry invited to sit in his private car– with his party his wife Mrs. [Mary Wrathall] Spry a Grantsville girl whom I knew before her marriage Flora [blank] and Representative [Joseph W.] Howell and wife22– the house was decorated in good taste and the bride wore white chiffon gown over white satin trimmed with Duchess lace and carried a bouquet of bride roses. her bridesmaid was Vera [Cushing] Dickson [p. 236] {p. 197}

26 August 1910 • Friday

Today I have written my editorial and have had a message by telephone from Dr. Penrose that she had returned from her visit to Rexburg and Annie invited her to the social gathering of the officers of the Stake Relief Society in Pioneer to be held at her own home. There was Singing and prayer and speech by Sister Sarah Jenne Camnon and myself and then games and prizes over fifty persons were present and delicious refreshments were served to all after which the ladies indulged in games upon the beautiful lawn in front of the home, and had a very enjoyable time.

Emeline Wells and niece Clara Hedges and Isabel, Cavendish John Q. & Apostle Penrose have paid me visits today. Isabel officiated in the Temple today for one of my relatives [p. 238] {p. 198}

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August 1910, The Diaries of Emmeline B. Wells, accessed March 29, 2024 https://www.churchhistorianspress.org/emmeline-b-wells/1910s/1910/1910-08