Mariana Wright Chapman journal

[front cover]



PAUL GROSSER
STATIONER & PRINTER
328 FULTON ST
BROOKLYN N. Y.



OFFICE OF
FIELD, CHAPMAN & FENNER.
Commission Merchants
80 & 82 LEONARD STREET

Cable Address:
"CHAPFENNER, NEW YORK"

New York, [?] 14/04 189

My dear Wife: My letter came to hand yesterday
about noon. I did not go to the store, but
staid at home all day until 6 pm other week
to Charleys with the boys to dinner & and staid
until 10 pm. They planned to go to day to
Port Masly, and have arrangements made.
The [?] Cause all right yesterday a.m &
I hear them put in the envelopes [?]
no for them and [?] took them to the
Post Office. So as to hasten their mailing.
The printer did not work on 6th day. It was
a beautiful clean clear holiday day, and we had
to open the store and try and get up over
work. I staid until 1 p.m but Charley
had a busy day selling goods to buyers
[William] came in when other stores were closed.
I have not been around to Mothers, and at
10 a.m a heavy summer storm set in to day,
and lasted till 2:30 and now give to mild
a cloudy, and us have returned from Charlottes
Chander had quite a time or [with his?]



Valentines, and showed them to us.
Charlotte has a postal from Marnie
and looks tomorrow as well as we say
For letter from Sm.

The Sun has the best
notes of your sessions or Correction,
but nothing yet of every mon than used
details. I am glad Maine has some one
to go with her to see the sights, &
Most [?] [?]. When it seems best,
but neither is very busy on his work

I see that [Anne Shaw?] is down for the
19 @ 4 p.m Montague st an Building
also for the street following.
I am at my [?] for 8 p.m
Susanna [?] may have set the day
for your return.

With such love
Thy husband
NHC [Noah Haines Chapman]



4-17-'93
The first entry in the new
book has nothing of special importance
to signalize it, but it is
begun with a hope that it will
be more uniformly treated than
the old volume, which had at
times such long intervals. Today
was the occasion of a pleasant
luncheon at Mrs. Fraser's with
Phebe Underhill, my dear
friend of former years and
school day companionship. Was
sorry to find her suffering from
a sprained ankle. Howard
has a company of his young
friends here this evening, and
there seems to be speech making
in the parlor. It is a pleasure
to make it comfortable for them
to come. We saw in the paper this
morning a notice of the disappearance
of Elliot Shepard.



4-22-95 On the 18th there should
have been a red letter entry in
this book. First of all because
the Senate of New York passed
the resolution on the suffrage
referendum by a vote of twenty yeas
to five nays. All honor to the state
of New York! It takes its place once
more in the rank and file for political
liberty. It is time for the convention
of 1848. Another local event was
of interest, the anniversary breakfast
of the B.W. Club. Several
of us made short speeches, but
Mrs. Catt was the star orator and
captivated all hearts. This rejoiced
my heart, because I
am so glad always to have



the world see of what material
suffrage women are made. It is
beautiful to see a great human
cause grow. On the 19th, I went
to New York to see Mrs. Almy, but
she was not yet from Albany,
called afterward on Dot.
The next day Mrs. Almy came over
and spent the day with me, and
we discussed future plans with
incessant vigor, Mrs. [Hord?] entering
with us into later conference.
Mrs. Almy interviewed the editors
of New York papers concerning
their attitude in regard to the
referendum and urged the
importance of their favor on the
grounds of fair play. The tone
of some of the editorials yesterday



indicate to me a slight change
of face and are hopeful signs of
a future trend. This morning came
the fine report of last year's lengthy
campaign issued by the State
Association, also a letter from
Wright speaking of fresh wild flowers,
ground blue with violets, and a
trip to Washington of which,
no doubt, we shall hear more
in his next.

4-24-95 Music Club meeting of
22nd a success, though, as usual
they met with some misfortunes.
Yesterday, visited two station houses
with Rebecca Seaman, one in
Fulton St., very poorly arranged
and disagreeable for patrolmen
on account of cellar [accommodations]



[accommodations], as well as unequal to present
necessities. They average four thousand
prisoners a year, and have to send
many to Adams St. for want of room.
The next station visited was the one
for women at Sheepshead Bay, where
we found Mrs. Barling most uncomfortable
situated. She is not
overworked as at the 21st, but she
must sleep at the police station
every night and go down three pairs
of stairs every half hour to see how
the prisoners are coming on below
in the smallest coops I have yet
seen. Fortunately her hard
service comes only three months
in the year, after festivities begin at
Coney Island. We had an interesting
meeting of our [?] class at Mrs. Jacobs this
morning discussing Brooklyn.





4-26-95 Received last evening a
most kind letter from Assemblyman
[Abell?], who has been so helpful
in our suffrage work, and
he gives one reason to hope for
more assistance. Attended a
meeting at the Institute yesterday
for the discussion of
co-operative housekeeping.
While agreeing fully with such
features of it as did not invade
the blessing of home life, it
was not as apparent to me as
to some others, that there would
be an advantage in several families
making one and thus
minimizing the expense and
waste. It seemed to me that
the benefit would be [counterbalanced]



[counterbalanced] by the unhappiness
that generally comes with such
combinations, in the jarring
elements which daily friction
seems to increase; and the
love of that personal nearness
of soul which the members
of a united family bear to each
other. There was lively discussion
with the best of feeling between
the disputants. Part of the day
was spent pleasantly with
Mother and Amos. In the
evening Noah and I went
to hear John Fiske on "The [?ing]
[?] in Virginia." We had
an interesting lecture and a few
pleasant words with him afterward.



Mrs. Catt was not at the study
class which met on the 24th at
Mrs. Jacbos, and we missed her,
but had a meeting of much
interest. "Cities" still continue.
Have just possessed myself
of an exceedingly interesting
work by Albert Shaw on Municipal
Government in Great
Britain.

5-6-95 The 29th of last month
was a red letter day, because of
an invitation to the anniversary
exercises and luncheon
of the Monday afternoon Club
at Plainfield. We were favored
with the presence of Mrs. Julia
Ward Howe who spoke to us



in her beautiful way and made
all hearts warm toward the
glory of so noble a [sunset?] as
is portrayed in her even step
with all the best the century
has brought to humanity.
Mrs. Mary Lowe Dickinson
made a fine address full of
points serious and laughable
by turns and Florence Howe
Hall was in her usual happy
view in both morning and
afternoon exercises. One hundred
and ninety five of us sat
down to beautifully decorated
tables, after which I made a somewhat
incongruent plea for
simplicity.



11th of 5th mo The 1st of this month found
me at Amawalk at Purchase
Quarterly Meeting, where in
the afternoon I read my
"Correlation of Philanthropic
Forces," and had a very
pleasant experience through
out seeing a most beautiful
country and meeting with
very pleasant friends. On
the 3rd came the meeting or
convention of L.I. Clubs at Jamaica
and it was quite a success. My paper
was very short and touched upon
the ideal girl at either end of the
century. It was well received as
were most of the papers presented.



Last evening we took supper at
Lippincotts and much enjoyed our
little visit, notwithstanding a hard
rain in which we went and
came. Cousin Hannah left for
Brooklyn before it began and
I hope arrived without discomfort.
We had still more rain
to go to meeting in today, and
had but eleven in attendance.
Margaret and Mary came with
us from Plandome on the way
home. Margaret amused us by
telling of a very nice story she was
reading "Dear Daughter Dorothy", whose mother died when
she was a baby, whose father was
"rested for bizzling". No news from Howard.



On the 4th Mrs. Catt, Mrs. Hay and
Miss Curtes took luncheon with me
after a meeting of the plan of study
class, and the next evening we met
Mr. and Mrs. Catt at the Fiske lecture
on "The Mystery of Evil", which was very
fine and particularly interesting as
a continuing stream of thoughts from
"Cosmic Philosophy". It was what
Emerson calls the most important in
every age, that which is written by the
"Man Thinking" from his own "sight
of principles". On the 5th I went
to Heronwood following Mary who
had opened the house, and [William Lippincott]
went with me. We had
very pleasant weather for our stay,
and Will Cocks with us the next
day, going with us to [Thomas Mott]'s
in the evening. The night before



we dined at Plandome, where
Fred's folks are nicely settled.
They have made the place much
prettier already. Wm. Lippincott
decided to take the [Joost?] place for
the summer which delights us all.
He came back on the 8th and
I went to P.L. class at Mrs. [Loines?],
who gave us municipal Washington,
a history unique in itself, and
charged with much unpleasant
experience with improving [elections?]
of past difficulties. On the 10th
we had all of our family couples
here to dinner with the McDonalds
and Frasers. Mr. McDonald spoke
of Mayor Schieren difficulties
in the appointment of women
on the Board of Education and
I felt constrained to write him and



urge their appointment, as I could
not talk with him at length. [William Lippincott]
went to Boston today to
see Jesse and Noah and Charlie
to Heronwood, where I think I
shall follow them to-morrow
leaving Howard and Charlotte
to keep house with Fannie Willets
and another young friend.

Heronwood 6-20-95
More than a month without a
journal entry. The closing of
Suffrage meetings for the year
and the Annual meetings of
both Club and Suffrage made
the last month the fullest of the
year and the transition from
town to country house with Yearly
Meeting in between negated all
but the most imperative work.
Having changed my positions of
President of the Suffrage Association



to the Presidency of the Woman's
Club I look with some anxiety
toward the duties of another
year. The celebration of the 2nd
anniversary of the establishment
of N.Y. Yearly Meeting at Flushing
was an unprecedented proceeding
being the first occasion of a
grand fellowship meeting of
the two branches of the Society
of Friends since the separation
in 1828. It was a kindly gathering
to all corners, where the feeling
of love was the prevailing
atmosphere. The next week found
us comfortably settled in their country
home, since which we have welcomed
general guests, notably the
Political Study Club, which I
was extremely glad to meet



with carryall at Roslyn for the
day's pleasure. Later went to the
city with Mrs. Catt to ask for a
woman's edition of the Recorder
in August. We still await the
answer. Yesterday I brought
Mrs. Rounds home from a
luncheon at Lydia Fields and
I had a pleasant visit overnight.
Friday attended the
Thursday afternoon Club for
the first time this
summer at Sherwood Coffin's.
There was a good musical program.
Coming home, I read
in the paper that Mayor Schieren
has appointed five women
on the Board of Education which rejoices
my heart.



6-23-95 One source of much satisfaction
in late events should not go
unrecorded. Governor Morton
did not add [?] his signature
to the bill requiring military
drill in the public schools, Prof.
Hooper writes me that he cannot
hear of other protests to the Governor
than those made by himself
and the Society of Friends. As
I had written a personal letter
representing the unwisdom of
permitting such a law it did
not seem to me presumptuous
to send another in appreciation
of the Governor's course. We are
having a long dry spell of weather
and gardens are suffering. Val
Fraser came last evening having
arrived on the St. Louis yesterday.
Wright will want to come home



more than ever and we want
him very much. We have never
been so long separated from him
before. We have Captain Albert Shaw's
"Municipal Government in Great Britain" to read with
the Lippincotts two mornings in the
week and find it very instructive
and suggestive of many better things
in municipal government than we
have at present in America. It is
very pleasant to have Fred's family
settled at Plandome, for it is an
easy drive now to do our visiting.
We have the promise of a quite
pleasant summer.

6-30-95
We have come to the last day
of a delightful summer month
and have just rejoiced in several
days of rain which makes everything
green and beautiful.



On the 24th Mary and I went to
make some calls at the two Thayers,
both out, probably, as we were, to
do our driving when our much
wished for rain had laid the dust,
also called at [Burtis?] where one had
hoped to see Eliza Mott who was
away from home. I was fortunate
in securing good currants there, and
my jelly is a great success. On the
25th came the Thursday Afternoon
Club at McDonald's where I
read my paper of the "Correlations
of Beneficent Forces." The next day
we went to luncheon at Mrs. Fraser's
and [crossed out: Fred's] Sella, Mary Bauer
and Sarah came here to six
o'clock dinner. Yesterday (29th)
went with Mrs. Fraser to decide
upon sport for clam bake on the 24th.



7-3-95 Grace Van Everen is here
visiting the children and all are
enjoying it very much. Friday they
go to Lippincotts to luncheon, yesterday
all sailing together with Evans and
Katie to dinner, and
in the afternoon all of us to Thursday
Afternoon Club at Mrs. Frasers
where Gertrude read her paper
on Byron which is excellent.
Tonight we expect Mary Plummer
and all of us are getting
ready for a clam bake on the
Fourth which is tomorrow. If
Wright could only come our
pleasure would be complete.
We continue our reading on British
municipal government which
is greatly in advance of ours in
some respects, and in others, more
especially in commercial, behind.



7-6-95 On the 3rd came the startling
news that Dot had had a return
of her old trouble and had been
taken to White Plains. As we
had no warning of any such
approach it was a shock to hear
it as suddenly, and know what
a terrible blow it was to Amos.
He is at Pleasantville and
Mother went to him yesterday
morning. In strong contrast
a little later in the evening
came to us a great joy for
Wright suddenly appeared
in the door, and our family
circle was complete. For two
days past we have all been sailing
despite of showers and rough
waters, but it rained too hard



for our clam bake on the fourth,
and we are going to try it this afternoon.
It is a very great pleasure
to have Wright home, perhaps more
because we had given up hope,
and because it is so many months
since he came before. This morning
they have gone with Grace to play
tennis at Mott's. Howard has
had two chills with high fever,
so we feel that he is on the list
of patients. It is the first occurrence
of the kind since we have lived
at Heronwood, and as he has been
in Brooklyn most the time
we fancy he brought it with him.

7-22-95 The dearest pleasures seem
soonest over and Wright's visit
was all too short. He returned
to Baltimore two weeks ago and
since we have had a pleasant visit



from Mr. and Mrs. Catt and
Mrs. Catt made one of her telling
speeches to a small parlor audience
for the benefit of the State
Suf. Association, realizing $87.50
with the aid of a $10 contribution
from Mother. Mrs. Wing writes
me that Mr. Pope has presented
the Woman's Club with a portrait
of his wife painted by
Benjamin Constant, for which
he paid six thousand dollars.
It seems a valuable work of
art for the Club to hold.
Amos is with us at present
and has a letter from Dot
saying she is much improved
in health. We had a successful
garden party at Mrs. McDonald's
two day ago for the benefit of
the Children's Home at Miniola.



We have made a hundred
dollars. How I wish we might
do as much for the Suffrage cause.
We went to Monthly Meeting at
Westbury arriving with much pleasure
at Catharine Willis'. We
were pleased with the nice little
house Westbury friends have
built to entertain the Quarterly
Meeting. Such provisions in
country and city localities
means always larger meetings
and whether the people come for
their own pleasure, it is good
for them to be there, and
to the general advantage of
Society. We are just finishing
our reading of Municipal Governance
in Great Britain, which is
highly instructive and interesting.



7-28-95 We are just through with
an excellent Quarterly Meeting at
Westbury where John J. Cornell
was more than usually interesting,
and the mingling with friends
under the trees and on the green
was a very pleasant feature of the
day. I think it will enlarge all
future meetings to know that
the little house of entertainment
is ready for a continued reunion
of this kind at each summer
quarter. I believe the next
step should be enough chairs
that can be carried about at
pleasure. It would be a privilege
to bring one's own luncheon
to eat under the trees. We brought
William and Anne Jackson home
with us and have had much
enjoyment in their visit. Townsend
has taken them to Jericho this afternoon
and will bring back John



J. Cornell and wife who are to stay
over night with us, and tomorrow
afternoon John has an appointed
meeting at Manhasset. I am obliged
to go to the city - which I much regret
on that account, and because of
the meeting of the New York Yacht
Club in Hampstead harbor. Quite
a number of yachts are already
gathered and many more will
drop anchor tonight. Fred's folks
and Lippincotts are coming over
to go out with Charlie in the morning
and mother and [Marnie?] must
be hostesses. I am sorry to miss it
all but duty sends me to Mrs. Almy.
The referendum struggle beings.

8-2-95 Fortunately some of our republican
leaders consider that it will
be best for us to remain
quiet in regard to our referendum matter until



it becomes a legislative matter.
Mrs. Almy saw two of the principal
members of the Republican State Committee.
Both thought alike. This is
in accordance with all that I desire.
If one can only move and live quietly
and do good work at the proper
time it is excellent. Emily Yeo is
spending the week at Lippincotts
and I regret that she must go
without making me a visit. Aaron M.
Powell has asked me to write a paper
on "Equal Suffrage as related to the
Legal Aspects of the Purity Movement".
It appeals to me in the direction of
helpfulness to the Suffrage cause as
well as the other, so I shall try. This
to be read in Baltimore in October. The
boys talk of going on a cruise, leaving
tonight if the wind and weather
permits.



8-14-95 Since last writing two deaths have
occurred among our friends. Abijah
O'Neal's funeral will take place today
and his wife and children have
lost a loving husband and father.
On Seventh day last we attended the
funeral of Philip Bowne whose loss
is the greatest of griefs to his wife and
sisters. Both were men of much
worth. Abijah's death was the result
of a run-away while driving, and
the fright and distress attending
such an accident was the more
forcibly brought to my mind by
a risk encountered last evening
when our own horses ran a little
distance with me. The major rubbed
off his bridle while standing, and
frightened at his unwonted freedom
made a bound which excited



Beauty and away they both went.
They started from the landing
and were stopped by a man near
the top of the hotel hill. The reins
upon Beauty enabled one to guide
them clear of vehicles and I hurt
nobody else. Mary has gone
to Lake Mohawk for a few days,
stay with Katie Lippincott and
Kathleen Fraser.

9-7-95 The most beautiful
of September mornings greets
my eyes as I look from my
windows across a Sound
sparkling with white caps
in ever restless motion.
The St Mary's has just dropped
anchor off the Glenscove
breakwater, and we



have in our minds a vision of happy
boys off on furloughs after a
long sea voyage. Several important
changes which have brought
us pleasure have occurred here
lately. The Lippincotts and
Frasers have brought and
divided the [Benjamin Mott] estate.
The Lippincotts having the old
house and improvements
and the Frasers the sixty five
acres lying on the east of the
lane. It will be delightful
to have them all so near us.
The Cunninghams have been
here for several weeks and
kindly invited Mary to
go with them to Newport, and



aside from the discomfort of
a crowded boat on their
return, she enjoyed it greatly.
The best thing that has come
to us is a visit from Wright
who has been here a week
and will stay two days longer.
The Thursday Afternoon
Club met here yesterday
and Mary read her paper
on Garrison which interested
all the hearers. Tonight
the children have a tea
for the young folks in the
neighborhood.



9-14-95 To our great pleasure Wright's
visit was prolonged to a two
week's stay. A deluge smashed
away the factory dam, and
the work ceased, but a telegram
took him off yesterday morning.
He was here driving the
races between the Defender
and Valkyrie, and shared
the disgust at the outcome.
Charlotte's friend Leela Willis
has been here to visit her and
is now at Homeward, where
Charlotte makes frequent visits.
Mother has gone for a few
days stay at Pleasantville. The
weather has turned from an
extreme heat to a cold North wind.



10-4-95 We are in the month of
transition for numerous interests a month
of unsettlement, the country still
beautiful in it changing hues,
and the light pleasant in its autumn
sunshine and reunions
of scattered friends. Wright is in
his Baltimore home again and
Charlotte has entered her [?]
at Packer. Howard begins
his freshman year
in the [Colorado School of Mines] next week,
and my time is divided between
the two homes. Today Mary has
a luncheon for her young friends
and she has the finest of weather.
The water is sparkling in sunlight
and dancing with white caps.
There is once sad note that
runs through our thoughts.



Dear little Jack is ill at Pleasantville
with diptheria, and we are looking
anxiously for news. We heard from
Dr. [Burmith?] that he did not consider
him alarmingly ill yesterday
so one hopes for the best.

10-13-95 We were all pleased to find
that Dr. B's diagnosis did not prove
to be correct and Jack's sore throat
is improved and well.
They are comfortably settled in
Brooklyn now. Margaret in
school and Jack beginning in
a kindergarten. Tomorrow is the
first meeting of the season
for the Woman Club, and it
seems a mountain in my pathway.
I am almost ready to shiver
when I think of the year before
me. It seems past my power of dealing.



I hardly know how I dared
to think I could do it. I wish so
much the Club had a better President.
We have had ten days of rain
for which the earth should be
most grateful. [Cannie?] Mott
of Toledo is at Thos. Mott's and
had a rainy time for their tea
of yesterday. Tonight we are
going to tea, with the Frasers, at
Lippincotts. On Thursday I go
to Baltimore to read a paper,
but shall find my greatest
pleasure in seeing Wright who
is twenty three years old today.
So fast my boys and girls are
going on. The greatest desire I
have for them is that each shall
follow closely his or her own light and
have a conscience void of offense toward God and Man.



10-31-95 My stay in Baltimore was
very pleasant especially the beautiful
morning which Wright and
I spent together in Druid Hall Park.
The trees were brilliant in autumn
hues, the weather was sunny and
mild and over the green stretches
of the park a great flock of sheep
pastured with a shepherd and
his dog in close attendance.
With his work in hand he
looked like a story in some
old Scotch pastoral and the dog
like a true collie faithful to
his charge. We roamed about
in a leisurely way, talking and
sitting down here and there, and
rather wondered at ourselves, I
think, for being so idle an hour or
two in this busy world.



The Purity Congress was successful
beyond all expectations and
promises a good future for purity
work. After my return on the 19th
we gave a "Tennis and Tea" at Heronwood
which was apparently a
pleasure to all who came. We
had about fifty guests and probably
invited as many more.
On the 20th we took tea with Mr. and Mrs.
Fraser and part of the week I
spent in the city working hard
to get the Hicks Pl. house in order.
It is ready, and tomorrow we are
going, leaving Heronwood clothed
in crimson and green and gold
soon to be scattered by wintry blasts.
The autumn days have been
sunny, mild and beautiful
and all the storms have missed us.



12-31-95 A two month's gap since
my last entry during which we
have settled in the city-home,
gone back again to Heronwood
for Thanksgiving, which was
a sunny, pleasant, jovial time,
and had in between for me
the State Convention at Newburgh
and the L. Federation
meeting of Women's Clubs in
Brooklyn. The Newurg [sic] trip
was the more pleasant because
taken with Mrs. [Loines?] who was
the best of pilots and took me
up the mountain slopes behind
the city and to the old Washington
headquarters. The scenery
is picturesque as well as historic



and the old landmark well
kept and cared for within and
without. The meeting itself lacked
a little in warmth. There was
quite a damper over it in the
knowledge that last year's work
was fruitless in immediate results.
For the change in one
small word of the referendum
it is all to do over again.
The Federation meeting two
weeks later was another point
of womanly interests and
Sorosis carried the day in re-electing
Mrs. Croly. Perhaps
we should have been willing



to put up with some incompetency
for the sake of zeal and
belief in the good work of the
Federation. There is always a
little difficulty about the union
of mere numbers when composed
of such diverse elements, the
difficulty of sufficient rally around
any one idea to accomplish
much in the way of congress.
Upon occasions when it is possible
for the Federation to become
a unit it will become
a force, let us hope, for the best
results. Mrs. Stanton's eightieth
birthday was a memorable [occasion]



[occasion] and I went as Club representative
with Anna Field as a
pioneer. We had the misfortune
of seats upon the stage and
lost much from inability to
see and hear the speakers.
And now the dear old year
has seen its last day. It has
been full of good things, of
happy hours and many pleasures
with little to mar its serenity,
and the sun rises next upon
another untried, but doubtless
bringing its sheaves to be garnered
in turn. Let us pray that
we may gather its golden fruit in paths
of peace!



1-17-96 Yesterday at three in the
morning our dear friend Maria
F. Smith passed away from this
world after some months of
lingering and suffering illness.
We cannot but rejoice that this
trial is past, but we shall miss
one of our closest friends and
our mother's most intimate
companion. She was one of the
few, indeed the only one
that was left of the many who
stood in near relationship
to her earliest childhood.
Tomorrow friends will gather
for the last sad service!



A week ago last first day evening
Noah, Howard, Mary and
I went to the Academy of Music
in New York to hear a debate
upon woman suffrage between
Anna Shaw and Mrs. Dixon.
Her presentation was immeasurably
the finer of the two even setting
aside aside the logic of each,
and considering only refinement
and dignity. His
were mostly in antics
and hysterics. They went over
the usual ground with the
usual result of suffrage [success]



[success] according to our partial
judgment. On the sixth our aged
friend [Charles Swain] passed into the
future life having attained his
ninety-sixth year. On the 7th we
spent the evening pleasantly at
Sherwood Coffins with Mr. and
Mrs. Fraser, and Mrs. Fraser concluded
to go to Washington with
Mary and me on the 21st. I am
also invited to stop at Washington
to a Club breakfast, and
say something in the meeting
after. On the 7th we had our
first study class meeting at Mrs.
Jacobs, and I was glad to give



what I had learned about Paris.
At the last meeting they kindly
permitted me to continue the
subject. On the 9th I had a
tea for the Com. on Economics
and today I expect the Home
Com. in the same way. On
the 18th Mrs. Beecher very kindly
invited me to the luncheon
and meeting of the Meridian
Club. They discussed "Military
Training in the Public Schools"
I was glad to speak against
it strongly. In the evening we
entertained the Philan. Com.



at the Meeting House and the
supper and social part of it
was quite a success. The evening
programme was not up to
the usual standard. We had
a fine day at the Club on the
18th in charge of the Art Com.
Miss Wheeler of Providence R.I.
gave us a fine talk on three
French Artists of today, whose
names I cannot attempt to
write, but the most interesting
part was the general or usual
artist life, so much more out of doors
than here and therefore more
true and sincere than when



done within in shadows and
half light. On the 16th I read
the Baltimore paper before
the national Purity Alliance
in N.Y. and left it for the printer
in promising what I have
never done before, to add
my picture. I hope I shall
not regret it. I had the misfortune
to lose my pocket book
in the trip. It had my address
in it, so I have some hope of recovery.
Last evening we dined at
Caleb Shepherd's with Mr. and
Mrs. Howland and had a
very pleasant evening. Tonight
we go to dine with friends at Mrs. Fraser's.



2-1-96 Miss Round's reception on
the 18th was a very pleasant affair
and a revelation of what an energetic
woman can accomplish.
She has made a very fine addition
to her school building.
One goes from the sorrowful
to the joyful for Miss Round's
reception followed the funeral
of our dear Maria Smith, so
closely connected with all the
earliest memories of my childhood
and a faithful friend to
the end of her days. On the 20th
we had one of our informal
Club luncheons and business
meetings generally satisfactory.
On the 22nd Mary and I were off



for Washington and Lydia Field
and I stopped a few hours for
a Club breakfast in Wilmington.
In the afternoon I talked a
little about the Girl at either
End of the Century in a meeting
that followed. We found fairly
comfortable accommodations
in Washington at the
Arms and the finest Convention
assembled that the suffrage
movement has ever seen.
For the first time in its history
every State had an organization
and the territories with
the exception of the Indian
and Alaska. Mrs. Catt had



accomplished an extraordinary
amount of work, and in
the enthusiasm that attended
the announcement three
thousand dollars was subscribed
for next year's work.
National Headquarters are
opened in Philadelphia through
the generous gift of Mrs. Louisa
Southworth. This is an important
milestone. The meetings
were more crowded than
those of any previous annual
convention and new speakers
added to the general interest.
Foremost among these was Mrs.



Charlotte Perkins Stetson, a granddaughter
of Lyman Beecher.
She gave several of her own
beautiful poems beside doing
some grand talking, all
of which added to the
charm of her personality
made her the new star of
the Convention. The firmament
is constantly revealing these
luminaries where least expected,
but finest of all
were the three stars on
our field of blue that heralded
our three republics.



The last night was the best of
all, heralding Miss Shaw, Mrs.
Deggs, Mrs. Catt, and Mrs. Steson,
presided over by [?]
Susan in her best and
happiest mood. Grace
Greenwood sat beside
her and above a grandson
of Frederic [sic] Douglas gave us
fine music from his violin.
Mrs. Fraser and Kathleen were
from Baltimore to stay over
first day. It was enjoyable
from first to last.



Feb 3 - /96 Today we are having the
first snow storm of the season.
Rarely before has there been a
winter so long without a snowstorm,
at least within my recollection.
We have had for the most
part beautiful weather. Today
I have called upon Mrs. Capinell,
Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Christian
the two latter of whom are
invalids. Mrs. Smith's room
was in bright contrast to the
day without, with its grate of
glowing coals, which leads one
to wish the realm and [?] of
furnace heat might depart from the



sitting rooms of every household.

2-9-96 On the 3rd Mrs. Litchfield
and I attempted to make several
calls, but were finally driven
home by the fiercest snowstorm
of the season, not however
without seeing Mrs. Capinell, Mrs.
Christian, and Mrs. Smith, the
two latter confined mostly at
home from invalidism.
On the 4th the [Suffrage Executive Committee] met
here notwithstanding storm,
but I was unable to go to Bensonhurst
as I desired. It was
decided to have Alice Stone
Blackwell for the next meeting. The Study
Class had a pleasant meeting
the next day at Mrs. Jacob's, but,



were sorry to miss Mrs. Catt. In
the afternoon the Prison Reform
Com. had a small meeting
in New York. On 6th we were
to have taken luncheon at
Margaret Fosters but the rain
and storm were fast braving
with my bad cold. It was
milder at night and Noah and
I went to the [C...?] Club reception
at Mrs. Hill where we were enlivened
by Mrs. Anderson and
Mrs. Sitcomb with the pleasure
of Agnes Anderson's Barbara
Fritchie. The next we
had the lecture here for the



benefit of the State Suffrage work.
It was poorly attended, and on
my part not very well worked
up as I knew nothing of the
lecturer and did not like to
recommend strongly without
more knowledge. After it most
of us went to the Health
Protective Tea, which was a
great success. Yesterday was
Monthly Meeting, where the
early hour gave us plenty of
time for after committees an
improvement over former days.
We did not attend in evening.



Before the hour of meeting I went
to the League for Political Education
in New York, and heard
Chas. Dudley Warner speak
of the "Relation of the Citizen
to the Criminal". He spoke
in his usual easy happy way,
sparkling his talk with quiet
bits of pleasantry, though
maintaining its serious purpose.
The strong point of the whole
talk was advocacy of the
unlimited sentence as the
only method of avoiding this



ceaseless round of continual
offenders with the cost of prosecution
and charge of keeping.
Let them stay until reformed
or stay forever, rather than
entail this foolish expenditure
of taxpayers money. Elmira reformatory
work was in strong
evidence of this possibility.
He had apparently, the entire
sympathy of his audience.
I found Dot in the seat
in front of me and took
the one beside her. I was
glad that I saw her and had a few words.



2-23-96 We had a very full and
fine meeting at the Club on the
18th, the day of Mrs. Lowell's presentation
of the "Consumer's League[".]
We had no carping or dissenting
voices, and all were equally
interested in Mrs. Lauterbach's
presentation of the Mercantile
Bill. She did fine talking and
was wholly absorbed and impressive
with her subject. An
endorsement of the bill by
the Club was sent to Albany
and we are now taking
steps toward the founding



of a similar League in Brooklyn.
On the 11th I had an interview
with Com. [Nellis?] in relation to
a change we were desirous of
having in one of the police stations
for the convenience of the matron
looks like matron and also to ask that our
committee might be allowed
to inquire into the character
of women applying for admission
to the police matron service.
He promised to visit the
station referred to, and directed
us to the Civil Service Reform
Com. for the other answer.



I wrote to Dr. Backus, who thinks
himself that it would be a wise
provision, but must present it to
the committee for reply. The Education
Com. had a pleasant
meeting here on the 12th and he
decided to take the thought of
a new public library as the topic
for its day's entertainment.
The 13th was spent at Mrs.
Croly's in New York in Exec.
session of the N.Y. State Federation
of the Women's Clubs. It was
an all day affair but satisfactory
throughout, the version of
the Constitution being accepted



almost without amendment
and with entire unanimity. The
next morning the Legislative Com.
of the State Suf. Ass. met here with
as many members of the Exec.
Com. as we could call and
arrived at a somewhat unexpected
conclusion in regard
to the referendum. It is not
to be presented this year. The
Com. think matters at Albany
demand its postponement.
Mrs. Humphrey came from
Mrs. Croly's with me and
stayed all night, and she was
so sure it was best to defer that
I was inclined to adopt her views



though I should have been glad
had one been presented in the first
week of the session. It is one
chance gone by. In the [even.? like evening?]
Noah and I went to a very creditable
performance for the benefit
of the colored kindergarten in
New York. It showed the great
possibilities of the colored race.
On the 15th called at Mrs. Earle,
Mrs. [Loines?] and Mrs. [Invery?], and
in the evening went to Dr. Mosher
"At Home". On the 16th to Holy
Trinity with the Frasers and
heard Dr. Dowling, who is
a man of much elegance,
and of whom I doubt not



we shall hear more in later
life, if he fulfills the promise
of his youth. On the 18th we
had a fine suffrage meeting
with Alice Stone Blackwell as
speaker. She was very happy
in her disposition of a paper
published by the [?]
answering every point in a
masterly and rapid manner,
terse, witty and straight to the
point throughout. She is a girl
of great ability. She came home
with us to dinner, and went to
the social purity meeting with



us in the evening but did not
stay lest she should have trouble
in finding her uncle whom
she had hoped to see at the
meeting. We had the pleasure
of hearing John W. [H...?]
sing the last of that family
band from the "Old Granite
State". Miss Ackerman (the
round the world missionary)
and Adele M. Fielde spoke.
On the 19th, the event of the
day was the evening meeting
at the opening of Maxwell House
presented to the Brooklyn



Guild. J.N. Chadwick presented,
Pres. Woodbridge accepted, both
reading, and Seth [Low?] and
Dr. Backus spoke, both good
speeches, the latter the best.
The work is correspondent to
that of college settlements
though the workers do not
live in the house. On the 21st
we had our Literature Com.
[?] about which I fear there
was, for all, a little stiffness.
It was not quite so free and
easy in intercourse as some
that preceded. On that same
evening came our dear boy from
Baltimore and the dinner



saw the whole family together,
the most comfortable and
delightful of all pleasures.
Yesterday being a holiday
was a happy home day for
all of us. In the evening
the children had their
young friends to dinner
and Noah and I went
to a banquet at the Hamilton
Club. The dinner was
good, and with one exception,
the speeches were likewise,
Mr. McKelway playing
marvelously with the little hatchet.



March 1 /96 The first day of Spring
ascending by the calendar and
the temperature is in harmony,
although the sun does not appear
and showers are the order of the
day. Wright went to Baltimore on
the 24th, but since difficulty
closed the factory and we are
looking for him "again" with the
strong hope that he may find
"pastures new" within easy distance
of the Hicks Pl. House.
On the 26th, Mother, Marnie, and
I had a pleasant visit at Margaret
Foster's with Teresa [Minard?]
and me the 27th. I had the Art
Com. tea which was a pleasant affair.



The evening before Noah and I
went to the Lewis lecture. The
pictures were finer than any I
have seen before, some of them
produced in color. The most
startling was the reproduction of
a channel house in Palermo, for
one hardly knows what else to
call it. It was shown, I think,
in the vaults of a monastery
and seemed a long long room of
skeletons or mummies being one
above the other, and side by
side in all sort of positions and
all kinds of clothes. Instead of
burying they perpetuated in



this frightful manner, the bodies
of those whose life had been
transferred to another world.
It has only been discontinued
of late years. Yesterday came Mrs.
Cary's parlor lecture for the benefit
of State Suffrage work. She
had a very grand attendance and
the subject was entirely new. It
showed the photograph of the human
throat in the act of singing
and the manner of production,
by means of mirrors; also the
waves of sound photographed
on lenses by means of small flames
of light reflection on a revolving mirror, the
vocalist singing into the cylinder
in front between himself and lights.



3-8-96 March came in with the lion's
roar and we have had a blustering
week, which made us think often
of Patty Mott on the ocean, and
hope it was not blowing all
the way across. Wright came
home on the third and again
our family is united, which is
a great blessing. We are hoping
now that business will open
here. On the 5th I had tea
for the Current Topics committee,
but not half of
the members were present.
The arrangement is made
for a peace programme on the



27th and I am to pour some of the
oil for troubled waters. On the 6th
I read my paper on Women in
Municipal Reform in the Unitarian
League in the Lenox [?]
church and the audience was kindly
appreciative. The other speakers
did finely and Mrs. Lowell
was as usual, practical and
impressive, in regard to the
"spoils" system. We dined at
Sherwood Coffin's in the evening
meeting Mr. and Mrs. Fraser and
Mr. and Mrs. [Loines?]. The last was
an especial favor, since they
soon leave for Europe. Last evening



we had after Monthly Meeting a
Philan. Com meeting on Capital
Punishment where with others
had a short paper all emphasizing
the value of its abolition.
An endorsement was directed
to be sent from the meeting
to Gen. Curtis at Washington
of the bill formably recommended
to the present
House, which makes it possible
in juries to commit for
murder without capital punishmen"t".

3-15-96 A wintry week since
last entering and the snow coming
down today in good



fashioned shape, as if it were
rather January than March.
The Club of the 9th was notable
as the first introduction of the
free library thoughts as a central
institution with radiation to
all parts of the city. The history
and present conditions of each
of the existing libraries were given
us in an interesting way by each
of the libraries and the need
of something more by Mrs. Craigie.
It may in time attract the attention
and good will of some
of men and women of wealth
who will be public spirited
enough to give us a nucleus for



further bidding. On the 10th
Mrs. Fraser and I went to Lands
Point, and found both
homes going on well. Their
new house looks as if another
month's work might
make it habitable. We dined
at [Thomas Mott]'s. The 11th was
a bad day for the Consumers
League meeting. The wind
and sleet seemed to come
from all quarters at once
and make a whirlwind of
fury. There were about twenty



present, I think, but the preliminaries
were accomplished.
We have officers and a governing
board. The next evening
Mrs. Waldo Richards made a
success of her recital in the
Pierrepont Assembly Rooms. She
takes certain kinds of personality
better than anyone I have yet
seen. Attended the funeral
of Gen. [F.?] Bowne on the 14th,
who is another of the old
time friends laid away, a
kindly generous hearted man
beloved by all who knew him.



Yesterday was my fifty third
birthday which Noah and
children did not allow me
to forget and Mrs. Fraser
made the house sweet with
tea roses. I think that which
makes me happiest of all
is the united family life,
all of us at home, and well
and much in love with each
other. I hope it is not selfish.
Mrs. Backus and I went in
the afternoon to a meeting of
the Women's Auxiliary to the
Civil Service Reform Association



in New York. Everett P. Wheeler
and Theodore Roosevelt
were the speakers, and it
made me thoughtful about possibilities
of helpfulness in Brooklyn.
If women would only put
our strength in these directions
instead of teas and balls and
which parties etc, how much
better the world would be.

4-5-96 A beautiful Easter day
but clear and cold. The balmy
air of Spring is not yet here
save in an occasional breath,
but the crocuses are up and
tulips and hyacinths just putting
out their green heads. Mrs. Fraser
remembered me with a pot of



budding tulips beautiful to see.
The past two weeks have been
marked by several events, notably
the first large meeting and luncheon
of the Chiropean Club at which
Mrs. Backus and I were honored
guests and added a little to the
discussion upon the danger of
Club life affecting disastrously the
interests of the home. It [stands?]
where many other good things
do that are outside the home
life, refreshing and helpful
in themselves, if one is only mindful
of proportions. Circumstances
vary too much for rules. This, as



usual, a case of individual ethics.
Another event worthy of note was
the exhibition in the Art Rooms of
pictures suitable for the decorations
of school rooms, and we may possibly
be able to collect enough in
the Club to put such a collection
or rather a suitable one in a public
school. Some of us are anxious to
have the Club a factor in eight
interests. On the 23rd, I was kindly
invited to speak at the Bedford
League, which i did with pleasure.
On the 25th the Governing Board
of the Consumers' League met here
and planned for the first large
meeting. M. Pratt has kindly offered



us the use of Pratt Institute.
The same evening I went with Charlie
to hear Mrs. Catt at the Clarke's, a
meeting of Prospect Height League.
On the 27th, Mary Plummer and
her friend Miss Rathbom came to
dinner, since which Mary has
been called to Chicago on account
of the serious illness of her mother.
On the last day of the month we
had our county suffrage election.
Rev. Alice K Wright was made
President, and will, I think, do
good work. Our study class met
as usual at Mrs. Jacobs. It has not been
so much of a success this year as
last. We have all been too busy to do



more than read and have chosen
[Bryce?]. In the evening we all
gathered at Mother's for the celebration
of her seventy sixth birthday.
It was very pleasant for all of us,
children and grandchildren, and
I was sorry that Noah and I had
to leave for the last [Lermiss?] lecture.
Yesterday morning Mother and
I went to the Berkeley Lyceum
in New York to hear a lecture by
John Graham Brooks before the
League for Political Education.
It was very fine and I hope I
shall not feel called upon to
miss a single one. There are three
to come, all on present social aspects.
Monthly Meeting came next in order.



4-26-96 Since last writing Mother has
been very ill and we have been in close
and alternate attendance. It is a
great comfort to be able to write of her
present improvement. The Science
Com. tea was unfortunate enough
to have only one member in attendance
beside the chairman. I ventured
to leave Mother long enough to
go to the second Brooks lecture, which
was as fine as the first, and after
it I took luncheon with Sarah E.
Gardner who was exceedingly
kind. When the next lecture came
I would not feel easy to leave
home, and I exceedingly regretted
my absence from the last on account
of Quarterly Meeting. On the 17th



I had an invitation to a very entertaining
lecture by Miss Beaston of [Philadelphia]
or Penna. She is remarkably fluent and
full of her subject. On the 20th came our
Woman's Club luncheon, which every
one seemed to think a success in all
respects and I was very thankful. Mrs.
Stetson was the star speaker, being a
new element, breezy, and fresh.
The next day came our suffrage meeting,
not as successful in all respects,
Mrs. Catt kindly gave us her time, but
was not at her best. The next evening
was Mrs. Stetson's talk, and she was
not as happy as at the Club, on account
of her radical opinions in regard to fields
of work for women. She did not think
all should be expected to be housekeepers
even though wives and mothers, that the
race suffered because women had rarely
developed special abilities on this account.



We have had a great bereavement
in New York Monthly Meeting
in the death of Joseph Borgardus, who
passed away four days ago, after
a very brief illness. It was a beautiful
life from beginning to close.
The years were short but had
more in them than many long
lives. He blessed all the paths
he followed and our Yearly
Meeting is stricken indeed.
The funeral was large and
impressive. The satisfactory services
closed with the singing of a
hymn by his old friend John
[N?] Hutchinson, the last of that
hand of singers from "the old Granite State".



It was a new experience with the meeting
house, and yet acceptable.
Amos and Dot sailed for Europe
from [Philadelphia] yesterday.

5-17-96 Three weeks have elapsed since
my last entry and mother is now at
Atlantic gaining strength in the breezes
of the sea. She writes me they are
out six hours of the day, and she enjoys
the children very much. Cousin
Amy Shotwell is with them.
Susie has put little Meriam in
short clothes. A letter from Amos
tells of their safe arrival in England
after a comfortable voyage on the
Rhynland. On the first of the month
an invitation came to the Brooklyn
first day school to join that of New
York on Yearly meeting First day



and the board of managers thought
it might be accepted if changed to
an afternoon occasion, to which the
New York managers kindly agreed.
On the fourth I attended a suffrage
meeting in a Greenpoint
church of which the Rev. Alice
K. Wright is pastor. It was
a good audience and Mrs.
Catt made one of her best
speeches. I had a few words,
by way of preface. The next
day Mary and I went to
Heronwood and opened
the house. We had rather



a hard week, not having any
cook, but the cleaning progressed
satisfactorily. Mrs. Fraser staid
with us one night, as the new
place required her attention
for several days. The Lippincott
house was being cleaned and
put in readiness for their coming.
All of the family but Charlie
were at Heronwood over
First day. He was too busy.
We left Mary and Wright to
go on with the work and
Gertrude went up in the afternoon
to visit and help them.



We had a successful Club meeting
of the music committe's care,
on the 11th. The Swedish quartette
in home costume was a
very attractive feature, beside
some instrumental and vocal
solos by the [Garrigne?] sisters.
Miss Mary Haviland Fulton
made some fine renderings
in elocution, Noah went
to the country with a cook
on Sixth day, so the children
will be more comfortably
situated now. We are putting
in a bathroom for Mother next
her room. Shall take tea with Mrs. Fraser tonight.



6-14-96 The final transition from Hicks Pl.
to Heronwood resulted in the Journal
being left at home with no entry
for a month. In the meantime
Charlotte and I have had a visit
at Atlantic City, pleasant in seeing
Mother and Susie and the little
folks, but unfortunate out of doors
on account of rain. It has grown
greatly since I saw in the Centennial
Year and new steel walk
is being laid by the shore instead of the
present planks. Yearly Meeting
is over too and Mother was able
to go two days of the time. It
was generally satisfactory. I think
though I had comparatively little
to do with it this year. My Club



duties, and anxieties about Mother's
risks in attendance made other
things press more closely. We have
been in a somewhat unsettled
state with the prospect of Howard's
having us for his long Western
trip and the necessary vibration
between Heronwood and Brooklyn,
which always comes with closing
seasons of winter work. It is Howard's
first long journey from home
and there is some anxiety in
the prospect since the traveling
after they reach Montana is to be
done on ponies and their sleeping
out of doors. I hope they will see
no such storm as is sweeping over
Heronwood today. The water is



lashed with angry foam and
torrents of rain are pouring upon
land and sea. Some of the
younger ones have been to the
shore to see the breakers come
in and Charlotte thinks they
were never so high before.
Cousin Amy Shotwell is visiting
us and a young friend of Charlotte's
by the name of Andrews.
On the sixth day evening I made short
address at the Commencement
exercises of Friends Seminary.
The graduates did remarkably
well and were to a credit to their
instructors. Charlotte went to the
class day exercises and dance at
the Polytechnic with Howard's friend



from Montana. We have breezy London
letters from Amos which we share
with other people. Mrs. Catt has gone
to St. Louis to the Republican Convention
to ask with other women for
the suffrage plank in the Republican
platform. She was prevented from
coming up here last week to spend
the day with Mrs. Backus, Mrs. [Loines?],
and Mrs. Jacobs, which we all regretted.
She said in her regret "There
are some people in this world who
have a lot of fun and there are
other people who do not and I
belong to the `Other People'." If all of the
"other people" did so much good in the
world perhaps they would have to forego some
of their good times too. Maggie is going
to the city this evening for the wedding of M. Karen.



6-19-96 Howard left us on the 16th for
his Western trip and we hope joined
the Howes in Chicago. Some difficulty
in knowledge of route and
[rates?] prevented an earlier meeting.
Noah, Charlie and I went yesterday
to the 13th Pl. meeting housing to
see the marriage of Henry M.
Howland and Susan Hance.
It was an old fashioned Friends
wedding with silence before and
after. Harriet Kirk, who was bridesmaid
for his mother, spoke, also
Mary [Traville?] and Joseph McDowell
and Elias Underhill closed with
prayer. Josiah T. Tribley, groomsman
for his father read the wedding
certificate.



6-23-96 A beautiful, bright clear
day with refreshing wind from
off the water which is rippling
in sunlight and white caps.
Wright is off with the Keewaydin
to Oyster Bay races, and Charlotte
and Jesse L. are laying out
the tennis court. All of us are
rejoicing in the luxury of cooler
air after three days of wilderness
and heat. Mr. and Mrs. [Loines?]
staid all night with us last
Seventh day night, and the next
day we went sailing with them
in the [Senanola?]. She is a
very pleasant yacht well fitted
for summer cruising, with two
staterooms and more berths, and
a captain, steward, and two sailors



on board. We had delightful sailing
to Oyster Bay, where we anchored in
quite of fleet of pleasure boats and
had our dinner, after which we
went on board the [?]
belonging to Mr. Barrett of Bellhaven.
It was the finest sailing
vessel in accommodations I have
ever seen, a schooner yacht of eighty-three
feet with two fine large staterooms
fitted with every convenience,
two smaller ones, and I know
not how many other berths.
The cabin was furnished with
extension table easily seating
ten people and reduced to
setting room size for ordinary
usage. The kitchen with range and



surrounding closets was a model of
convenience. Six men were needful
for the boat service. The deck was
a long clear walk and not
cluttered with the usual cabin
[tops?] that interfere with long
view from the seating part.
Chairs could be everywhere in
quiet sailing and there were
two long cushioned seats in
the middle of the boat.
We went to sit with the Lippincotts
yesterday and their place
looks more beautiful than
ever. We have asked them to
take supper with us to-morrow
to celebrate our wedding anniversary.



7-3-96 One month glides so easily and
noiselessly into the next that we are near
the middle of the summer and hardly
known it. I met Mrs. Catt in consultation
about plan of study on the 25th
and think she has a finely written
prospectus to send out. One rarely sees
a woman so gifted as she, so modest
and sweet spirited. Mary Plummer
spent first day with us and goes this
week to Amherst for a month's work
in the school of languages. She went
with Noah, Charlie and Charlotte
on the [Palworld?], which met with a
serious accident to her machinery
before reaching the city. She broke
her walking beam and a heavy piece
of iron fell through the roof to the
cabin below, some people narrowly escaping



injury. The engineer came nearest
to fatal result but no one was seriously
injured. In consequence, we have on
the route now a very uniform boat, called
the Bay Queen, really a kind of
sailing beer garden with restaurant
show. When we came upon the the
1st, it seemed to have a menagerie combination
in the horses, goats, dogs, and puppies
through which we picked our way
in much discomfort. News of Dr. Choate's
death on the 28th surprised us very much
and Mother and [I] went to the city on the
30th, so that she might attend select
meeting, and we could go the next day
to Pleasantville for the funeral, which
we did, and had a few minutes time
after to go to the smaller house and
see the children who are as interesting
as ever. The baby is beautiful.



Wright is staying at Plandome while Fred
has gone to Springboro, where a letter from
Jamie says he, Sella, and little folks
are having a very good time. The children
expect Grace Van Everen and [Robert Matthews]
up this evening and tomorrow
we are to have a clam bake
on the shore. Mother and I intend
leaving for Saratoga and Lake Mohawk
on Second day morning.

Congress Hall, Saratoga Springs
7-7-96 Mother and I are here most
delightfully accommodated and much
enjoying opportunities which have
just begun. We have had the
meeting this morning with two fine
papers and numerous others of less import.
The fine ones were by Mrs. [Branchman]



[Branchman] of the Health [?] at [T.?] who
hurt it by exceeding her time and
Mrs. [Malworth?] (Ellen Hardin) whose
essay was perfect and within
time limit. Miss Jones who
made the introductory speech
was especially happy in giving
the meeting a merry send off
and the guests a charming
welcome, the same time
exploiting Saratoga. We go to drive
this afternoon. To go back a little
as I should, our clam bake
upon the shore was a great success.
Homeward, Sunnycroft, Plandome
and the four houses on the
shore turned out fifty seven



people about the Lippincott gate. The
clams were roasted by Jimmie Seaman
under the largest of brush heaps, the
coffee was boiled nearby by fire
under a pole supported by crotched
sticks. The pole and a bent wire
held two boilers, and the tables
were spread in tents. Over us all
was a tall white pole upon the
bank waving the stars and stripes.
The "Fourth" was just suggested
with the later evening addition of
a bonfire on the beach. The young
folks were picturesque upon rocks
and shore, even in row boats.
The next day came Fred and Sella back
from their Springboro visit with much to



of familiar folks and ways of
which we all were fond. It had
been a great pleasure to them
both to renew the old associations.

7-8-96 We have had two good days,
tasted two of the spring waters, had
two good meetings, drives,
and two receptions. Today's meeting
was the best of the two, and
Mrs. Russell Sage's speech its most
attractive feature. Mrs. Townsend
of Buffalo attracts me as a woman
and she gave a report of fine
work of the Industrial Union
of Buffalo. It seemed to me
the best of its kind. Our drives
showed us the beautiful streets



of Saratoga, the lake, the park of
Hilton and Harghis, with residency
of both within, and twenty miles
of driveway, also that of Spencer
Trask threaded by a beautiful
stream of water and mounted
on its crest was the most artistic
of country houses. Mrs. Trask
received the convention informally
today in the great drawing
room with the daintiest of teas
in an elaborate drawing room
across the wide breezy hall.
In the hall played at one
end a working fountain in
the midst of surrounding plants,
and out of the other end [crossed out: of the hall]



and dining room windows was
a stone parapet which in rough
estimate I should call one
hundred by twenty feet in area.
It was furnished with Turkish
rugs, at intervals, upon floor
and railing which relieved
the coldness of the stone.
Chairs of all varieties tempted
all who strolled that
way, and then you looked
over the hills of the Hudson
to the loftier ranges of Vermont,
and, on very clear days, even
to Catskill outlines. Last evening
the Saratoga club women gave
us a reception in the ball room



of this hotel, with music, supper,
and elocutionary pleasures, not
to speak of the later dancing,
which the young folks much enjoyed.
Mrs. Humphrey asked me
a momentous question. Would
I accept the presidency of the
State Suffrage Association? My
heart sank into very cold regions
and a great weight came
over me. I do not know. It does
not seem as if I could. I would
so rejoice if some other name
could come to me clearly, as fitted
for the service. I am sure that I
have not all the requisites and
my heart is heavy at the thought.
We leave for Lake Mohawk tomorrow.



7-10-96 Last evening saw us comfortably
established in this most charming
hostelry of modern times.
It is near the top, but upon the
rocky side, of a high mountain,
a long rambling structure built
at intervals and according to
needs, a house that has grown.
The assemblage of guests is unique.
One sees [?] here in [?]
such a quiet select refined
company of men and women.
Even the children and young
people have the air of "a well sustained
social self consciousness",
which Herbert Spencer calls "the



product of higher evolution."
A great many who have passed
their three score and ten are in
evidence here, and show the
kindly sweet spirit that marks
the beauty of the sunset of life.
The most inviting little summer
houses skirt eh walks on the
mountain cliff in front of us
and the path thereto, so that
even poor walkers can find
it within their possibilities of
climbing. At the back of the
house lies a magnificent
stretch of valley land bordered
in the distance by Catskill mountain
range, the peaks undulating, one above



and behind the other, as far as the
eyes can reach. To come here,
one ascends the mountain and
comes down upon the other side,
stopping short of the great beautiful
walk below the house, which with its
lights and shadows and lazy
distances is more as if one were
looking out of a dream than a
veritable happening.

7-11-96 We watched the stages with
great interest yesterday in the hope
of seeing Noah alight from one of
them and were doomed to disappointment.
An evening telegram
told us he has "missed the train.
Coming tomorrow", so we shall



look today with increased interest.
We have walked along the cliff
and taken little rests in the thatched
"chalets" as far as the one marked
"Washington profile", and it is without
exception the most beautiful
summer outing place I have
seen. There is a little pond
holding pink water lilies as well
as white, the first time I have seen
the pink ones growing.

7-12-96 Noah came in the afternoon yesterday
much to my delight and enjoyed
with us a somewhat unique entertainment
in the evening, an illumination
upon the lake. Fourteen rowboats
were decorated with Chinese



lanterns, most of them suspended
upon a string fastened on upright
poles at either end of the boat, but
some arranged upon triangles,
one with a revolving wheel of
lanterns, and the effect of the
procession was very pretty.
A chime of bells added to the
charm and calcium lights in
blue, green, red, and gold
lighted up the rocks behind
them in a weird fantastic
way, much like scenic
effects in a fine spectacular
play. They were like witch fires
on the stage.



7-13-96 Have just returned from a
long walk with Noah to Sky-top, back
by way of reservoirs. From the rocks
on Sky-top one views the two valleys
lying on either side of this Mohawk
mountain, the Rondout valley
upon this side, the Wallkill on the
other. It is a magnificent scene
to take in on one spot, a sweep
which is continuous, as the valleys
join each other in the deep cleft
under Sky-top. The rests in
the little chalets by the way
give changing points of view
at many places. I think they
will come to us again in dreams.
The reservoirs are well worth the
shorter journey if it were only to



see the pond lilies that they
hold, pink and white, with
creamy petals and dark green
leaves upon which to rest. I
did not see a single faded flower.
Perhaps they drop out of sight
when they are done.

7-17-96 The night of the 14th saw
us safely housed at Heronwood after
a journey of six or seven hours in
most uncomfortable heat, the misfortune
of which was lightened by beautiful
views of the Hudson from the West
Shore roadway. It was quite as
hot, but the night after (13th)
there came a terrific thunder storm
which struck two trees at the farm
stripping one of its bark as if it had
been peeled with a knife. The other



was rent in the middle and both
ready for the wood shed. This storm
took off with it all the sultriness and
heat and we have had two days of
perfect weather. It is so clear as
I sit here upon the piazza that the
houses of [Belle?] Haven stand out
clearly against the green behind
them. We attended the funeral
of Sarah Willets at Westbury yesterday.
She has had a long and suffering
illness. Tomorrow we are expecting
a visit from an English Friend, John
William Graham, one of the authors
of the very fine papers read at the
Manchester Conference. Howard
M. Jenkins of Philadelphia accompanies
him. Charlotte is greatly pleased
by the arrival and ease of Margaret's pony.



7-2[2?]-96 The short visit from John
[William] Graham & H. Jenkins is over and was a
pleasure to all of us. He is a
man of very fine mind and of
much liberality, and his papers
and words so accord him. He read
a very interesting paper, after breakfast
on First day morning to the
family assembled, which was
longer than usual. We were
glad to have the company of
three young men who were visiting
to enjoy with us and share
in the appreciation of such a
fine interpretation of the doctrine
of "The Inward Light" and the
principles of the Society of Friends.



We went three of us with our two friends to
Westbury where J.W. Graham
spoke briefly and beautifully in
the meeting for worship, and after
it read the paper of the Manchester
Conference to all who liked to
remain. With the exception of a
few little children all did, and
were much impressed with is
force and value. We heard
nothing but commendation
and praise, with much regret
that more could not have known
of the treat that had been offered
then. We left our friends at Westbury,
and stopped for tea with
Mr. and Mrs. Fraser. Mr. F just



returned from his long trip to
Vancouver Island. In the
meantime one of Mother's carriage
horses who had brought us
from Westbury was taken ill
at home and died before we
came back. It is a great loss.
A letter from Howard tells us
that he is back at the O ranch
and soon to start upon another
trip and that next letters
would find him at Sheridan
Inn. He writes of good health
and enjoyment in his adventurous
life, but he would not receive any
slight indisposition which I



think he must have had in accustoming
himself to such hardy ways.
We have interesting letters from Amos,
the last from Winchester talking of
excursions to the Isle of Wight and
Westbury, [Mills?], with a pamphlet
on the Hist. associations of Westbury
White Horse, a horse cut in the
white-chalk cliff "to commemorate
the victory gained by Alfred the
Great over the Danish Invaders
of his Country". It is two miles
from the town and of colossal
dimensions, 170 feet from nose to
tail, and 160 feet in height, that is
from top of neck to forefeet.



7-27-96 On the 23rd Anna Willets went
to Point O'Woods as delegates to the Council
of Womens Clubs and found a narrow
strip of beach, a drift of sand dunes,
with forty or fifty cottages planted at
intervals in the white-sand. There are two
or three primitive inns where those desiring
can take meals and dispense with cooking
at home. The fare is very plain. All
the houses we saw were without plaster,
simply wooden frames to protect
from weather, no conveniences.
The principal attraction is the free,
unconventional life, the grandeur
of the ocean upon one shore and
the quieter wash of the Great South
Bay upon the other. I think
they were less than a half mile
apart and one fancies that



a mighty storm might bring them
together and obliterate all traces
of their cottage life. The place is
too inaccessible for any meeting of
club delegates. The large auditorium
built by the [C.P.W.?] must
be used for other purposes, but
will, I think, be always one of the
attractive and successful features
of the place. I was much surprised
to find myself announced
as a speaker for the afternoon
meeting, no request of the kind
having been made of me. We
had a good paper of twenty minutes
length intended for the
suffrage afternoon and called
"Side Issues". It gave me some ideas



and I was so glad to put in a
plea for peace and arbitration
as one of the sequences in a womanly
kingdom. Quarterly meeting
at Westbury on the 25th was unusually
large, was ministered to by
Harriet Kirk and Phebe Anna Thorne
whom Mother brought home
with her. We have enjoyed
their visit and regret that it
was marred for them by the
indisposition of P.A.T. last
night. Charlottte went to Oyster
Bay on Sixth day and will return
today. Wright has had quite an
ill turn and we thought it necessary
to call in Dr. Wysing. It is
the first time we have called a
physician at Heronwood but Wright is well.



8-1-96 The first of the month opens beautifully
with the sunniest of skies and
clearest of atmospheres. Everything is
so tranquil and perfect that one
can hardly think there is anything
but peace and beauty in the world
and yet the papers bring to us the
horrors of a collision of trains near
Atlantic City with forty seven killed,
aside from the injured, and one
knows that it means grief and
loss to as many households.
Mrs. Fraser is expecting a brother
today whom she has not seen
for thirty years. The Thursday Afternoon
Club met here upon the
30th and was a pleasant affair
despite a thunder storm which
broke over us just as we were
beginning our exercises. Ida Coffin



gave us her good paper upon
[Neimar?] and I read a little
about the Westbury White Horse
and Foothill Abbey. Mother was
to have read a little about her
Indian trip but had mislaid
her journal. Sell and Fred
and the Coffins staid [sic] to supper
and we had a pleasant evening.
Wright is well again and Charlotte
back. We are hoping for a letter
from Howard to whom we
write faithfully and hear from
rarely, owing doubtless to his
post office distances.

8-3-96 The anxiously looked for
letter from Howard came two days since
or rather four and quieted our minds.
He and his friend had started upon



their pleasure trip with five ponies
tepee etc, and thought they would confine
their travels to the Big Horn
mountains. I am glad not to have
them go far from their source of
supplies. Amos writes cheerily from
London where he saw unexpectedly
the McDonalds and on the way
home from the top of an omnibus,
Pattie Mott and Val Fraser, evidently
enjoying themselves so much
that he refrained from getting
immediately down to the sidewalk
to greet them, as was his first impulse.
No doubt he lost his opportunity
of seeing their party, as they were
then about to start for the north
of England and Scotland.



Mary and Charlotte went yesterday with
a party of young folks to Manhattan
Beach to take in music and fireworks.
Second day was the meet of
the N.Y. Yacht Club in Hampstead
Harbor and a party of us met at
Lippincotts to see the vessels, and
a few of us went out in the keewaydin
for a better view. It was
not so fine a showing as in former
years, partly on account of hot
hazy atmosphere, which continues
to the present writing. I was glad
to meet Mrs. Fraser's brother and
talk with him upon the boat. His
Australian experience is very interesting.



8-10-96 We have had a pleasant visit from
[William] and Anna Jackson, who are always
most acceptable guests. The extreme heat
was doubtless more trying to them than
to us, since it involved the exertion of
being from on home meeting duty.
Anna gave an interesting account of
Schoefield and Laing School work
after meeting. [William] Lippincott and
Sarah took tea here with them.
A new calf came to the stable
yesterday which is an acceptable
arrival in butter relations. Noah
has brought me "The Evolution of
Religion" by Edward Caird, and
I am intensely interested in its
contents. The Spencerian philosophy
which we are bound to accept
in the evolutionary aspect of biological
development left us in cold regions



in the spiritual outlook, so cold
that Huxley at the close declared of evolution
is all which means survival of
the fittest, every man for himself,
this is not ethical basis and the
whole is a failure as applied to the
higher life, or to that effect.
Drummond named us in
his "Ascent" with the other factor
and Caird comes now with
his [underlined] unity [/underlined] of self and not-self
in the Divine immanence, [underlined] unity [/underlined]
being the third power which is
the clasp, ever more knowable
as intelligence evolves and realizes
inwardly and outwardly.
Little Margaret is visiting us and is a
dear little girl.



8-13-96 The only refreshing events of this
heated term are the baths we have been
taking in the Sound, today being the
best of all. [Thomas Mott] and Martie and
Fred and Sella took supper with us
last evening, and it was not so intensely
hot as the day. Today the four
are going on the Portland steamer to
Nantucket. It will leave them at
Martha's Vineyard tomorrow morning.
They will escape the heat upon the
water, though it is as still as glass
this afternoon. Mary has gone to
Plandome to stay with the children.
Charlotte and I called upon our new
neighbor Mrs. Bowne this afternoon.
Mother and I spent the morning with
Mrs. Fraser yesterday, though strictly
speaking it was only the hour or two
left after our peach canning. Margaret
left us day before yesterday.



8-17-96 The time has come for the
Swarthmore Conference and tomorrow
Mother, Mary, Charlotte,
Joseph B. (who has come from
Ohio) and I expect to start
tomorrow for Swarthmore.
The Frasers and friends took
supper with us last evening
and Mary has returned from
Plandome. We are
saddened by the serious illness
of Amy Keese, and a little
anxious because it is so long
since we have heard from
Howard.



Swarthmore 8-27-96 The Swarthmore
Conference is over and this morning
we wend our way homeward,
having been seven days in attendance.
It has been a notable gathering
and I think the largest
ever seen among Friends on this
continent. One cannot help but
feel that it is, and will be, the
means of reviving interest in the
fundamental doctrines of the
Society and in increasing its membership.
On the days of the religious
conference, the three
thousand chairs were not enough
to seat all who wished to enter the
tent. It has been an immense



undertaking for [Philadelphia] Friends to
entertain the delegates and visitors.
They have given very nearly 27000
meals and lodged 1400 guests
in college buildings. John Wm.
Graham was all and more
than we expected of him in
discourse and loving personal
character. He was always to the
point and invariably closed
his sermons and papers before
and one was willing to have him
stop. He was wise, incisive without
wounding, and inspiring to every
audience. Cousin Hannah Plummer
is going home with us. Aaron
M. Powell and Anna left us
for their Atlantic voyage



the day before our close and a
large party went to the station
to see them off. The young people
sang with pathos and sweetness
"God keep you till we meet again"
as the train was moving off,
and we we [sic] were all touched
with the spirit of love and sweetness
that it breathed. The same
beautiful send off was given to
John Wm. Graham and I
think he will carry our love
and cordial fellowship home
in his heart. He told me he had
arranged with Aaron Powell to speak
at meetings in England. I am
glad he will have such a favorable
representation of our membership.

[On notecard]
"John W. Graham, Manchester, England, Swarthmore Conference, 25.VIII `96"



[same as A00183863_135 but with notecard lifted revealing text below]



Heronwood 8-31-96 We returned from
the Swarthmore Conference to find only
Noah and Joseph as housekeepers, the
boys having gone upon their cruise.
The only important event during
our absence was the misfortune
of a runaway, when our horses and
wagon ran into the Lippincott carriage,
because Wright left them
while he shut the gate, always an
unwise proceeding. Cousin Hannah
Plummer came home with us, and
we are enjoying her visit very much.
I am going in with her to [William Jackson's]
today, where she is to meet some
friends and stay all night. This is
the last day of summer, though I
suspect we shall have plenty of
summer weather yet.



9-6-96 We have had a week of beautiful
weather which was a fortunate combination
with the visit of Cousin Hannah
Plummer which we much enjoyed,
also a day or two with Emily Yeo.
I was obliged to leave them on the 2nd
for the meeting of the Prison Reform
Comm. in N.Y. On fifth day we had
the S.A. Club at Lippincotts, where
we met Briggs [C.?] and Sue. We
had a paper from Mrs. McDonald
and talk from Cousin H. followed
my own paper on "Women in Municipal
Reform". The next day was a
very pleasant occasion and probably the
last luncheon we shall most of us
have in "The Old House". We brought
away our table cards as memorials.



[newspaper clipping]

7
RICHARD B MERRIT FOUND DEAD.

DIED SUDDENLY AT HIS HOME IN BROOKLYN- A WEALTHY MERCHANT

Richard B. Merritt, a wealthy leather merchant,
auditor of the United States Leather Company, and
a member of the Hamilton Club, was found dead in
bed at his home, No. 25 Grace Court, Brooklyn, yesterday
morning. He was about sixty-two years solde
On Tuesday night he remained at the Hamilton Club
until about 10:30 o'clock, alh was apparently in the
best of health and spirits when he said good night
to his friend, George M. Olcott. On his way home
he met and chatted with his family physician, Dr.
Lloyd, of No. 125 Pierrepont-st. The doctor was
hurriedly summoned to the house the next morning
and found Mr. Merritt dead. He had apparently
passed away without a struggle. The servants at
the house became alarmed when Mr. Merritt did not
come down to breakfast at the usual time, and after
their repeated knocking at his bedroom door failed
to rouse him they called in a neighbor. The door
was burst in and Mr. Merritt was found dead. Dr.
Lloyd directed Dr. Shepard to make a post mortem
examination to determine definitely the cause of
death. Daniel Merritt, a brother of the dead merchant,
took charge of affairs and sent word to Mr.
Merritt's family, who are at present in Sharon,
Conn.

Richard B. Merritt was a son of Isaac Merritt and
was born in Duchess County in 1833. When a young
man he secured a clerkship with a leatner house in
New York, and after a number of years became a
member of the firm of Barnes & Merritt, wholesale
dealers in sole leather, in Gold-st., and later in
Frankfort-st. The business was successful and Mr.
Merrtt became prominent in the leather trade.
When the United States Leather Company was organized
two or three years ago Mr. Merritt's firm
became identified with it and he became transfer
clerk and finally auditor of the big company, holding
this place at [the] time of his death. He was
a prominent member of the Society of Friends, and
is survived by a widow and three daughters, nearly
grown. Mr. Merritt was a director in a number of
corporations, among them the Market and Fulton
Bank of New York. The funeral arrangements
have not been completed.



9-11-96 The little folks have gone and
we have our quiet days again. [Briggs C.?]
and Sue came with William and
Sarah to supper the other night,
and we all enjoyed the evening.
Aaron's letter from Paris came
yesterday so they are really on
their homeward way. He is
still maintaining his ground
that reformers are not necessary
in the work of the world,
since evolution accomplishes
all but what is evolution other
than a name for the working
of forces and what are the forces?
Mere atmospheric presence? Not
at all! They are soul pressure from



an almighty leverage that is not
working from the outside of the
world. Why did Herbert Spencer
write his synthetic philosophy?
Because he must speak the
truth that was in him, and
reformers must do likewise. He
perhaps, is the force for intelligence
they the force against evil.
The idea that reaping has no
relation to sowing is equivalent
to effects without causes.
I have finished "The Evolution of
Religion" and have enjoyed it
more than any book for years.
It traces religion as it appears first in
objective forms, then in the subjectivism



of Judaism to the unity of both
in the religion that Christ brought
into the world. It impresses some
strongly with the beauty of the human
fact in his existence, which the idea
of the fulness [sic] of the godhead in human
flesh, with glory before his
advent and a return to the same
glory in ascension after it, destroys
in its most important attribute.
The humanity of Christ is the
drawing chord of encouragement
in possibilities. The author finds
no infallibility in St. Paul or
other Bible historians, and yet
finds a book freighted with the highest
spiritual truths that we can
[?] through human channels.



I think it the most helpful book
I have yet read toward placing
the Bible where it can be respected
and treasured as it deserves
to be, and not open to the ruthless
criticism that has assailed it
upon a pedestal to which it had
no claim. Caird maintains that
the generation has passed which
makes miracles of loaves and fishes,
and the like, necessary to a faith
in God, that the tradition of
such stories served its purpose
in its own time. We know today
the miracle of a marvelous sequence
of phenomena more wonderful
than any chaos in Gadarene,
a world whose laws enable us to live
as intelligent beings, with the universe



spread before us in continuing revelation.
The book has come into the
place that was waiting to be filled.
Synthetic Philosophy and Darwinism
were both telling and
satisfactory in their own field,
but the "unknowableness" of God
made a very cold place for most
of us to work in where we were
obliged to accept all its negativeness
and destructiveness. We
needed anew, from secessionists
themselves, the assurance of that
immanence which, at times, is
the strongest consciousness given
to the human soul, of the God power
that is within and without.



9-18-96 We were driving to meeting
day before yesterday, Mother
and I, when whom should we
behold, just in front of us but
Howard driving with Alice, and
coming home from his long journey.
We are rejoiced to have
him home again and greatly
interested in his stories of camping
and hunting in the
Rocky Mountain range.
He has brought his saddle
with him, a curious affair, and
some elk horns and skins
of animals they killed.
We had an interesting Club
meeting yesterday at Mrs.
McDonald's and called it Long
Island day. It brought to



light an appropriate place
tales of Kidd's rock which is on
their shore, a curious handkerchief
of Revolutionary times brought
by Miss Mitchell, and a book
of quaint histories from the
Coffin house, and best of all,
a new volume entitled "Early
Long Island" by Martha Flint.
We found it full of local
interest and written in a
very pleasant style. Mother sent
for it this morning. Today
we are going to call on Mrs.
Wysing, and tomorrow we
shall be full of company
with Charlotte's friend from
Brooklyn, Amy Keese is improving
and they think she will recover.



[Insert glued onto page]
"WRIGHT.-Jonathan Wright, jr., only son
of Dr. Jonathan and Susan Kittredge Wright,
aged four years two months.
Funeral services at [No. 73 Remsen Street], Brooklyn,
Thursday, at twelve o'clock" - 9-22-96"

9-25-96
It is all over now and our darling
little Jack, all that is mortal of him,
lies in a sunny hillside of Kensico
cemetery. Until we had such breaking
hearts we did not know how closely
this life had twined itself about
ours. It is less than a week since
he came with all the Pleasantville home and
lay down upon the sofa "so tired".
By first day he was not able to move
one arm and hand very much, and
stricken with fear they all came down
to the Remsen Pl. house to be near
the best medical skill. In
two days more he had passed on
without great suffering. The final
decision was that it was a remitting



fever induced by malarial conditions
and surroundings not at all usual
in that country. There have been
many malarial cases during the
summer, mostly of ague. Words
seem very poor to express all that is
in us. It is a time when "the soul sits
dumb", and we have only to try to
forget the loss in the blessedness
of the four brief years in which he
has gladdened our hearts. All of
us struggled for composure to
help the sorrow of his poor father
and mother, and we marveled
at their strength, knowing how the
shaft had gone to the very center of
existence. We mourn that we have
to send such grief over the water
to the dear uncle who loved him
so and who found "that little life the
brightest part of his.



Tonight is Mrs. Fraser's house warming,
to which we can send only love and
flowers.

10-3-96 A week
more has gone and we are in
beautiful October days. The Hicks Pl.
house is being renovated in second
floor and basement and next week
part of the family will be there through
the week. The vines are scarlet in the
green and the autumn radiance has begun.
It is a time of transition for us all
and we try to think cheerfully of the
dear little heart that has gone to the
greater kingdom. It must be that he
is folded in the arms of an Infinite
and Divine content. Rob Howes is here
with Howard and they have gone
sailing with Wright. It is a comfort to
see them have such a good time together.
Charlotte has gone horsebackriding with



Carrie Mott, and [Marnie?] is away visiting
the Collins cousins at Rye.
Next week will come a flood of suffrage
meetings. Amos and Dot sailed
from Liverpool on the 30th of September.
We hope the cable message prepared
them for the home sorrow. A letter came
yesterday dated Sept. 22nd the date forever
memorable as the close of the bright little
life that went out of our midst. In
the letter Amos refers to "our difference of
opinion as to the scope of evolution" as
one that belongs to the freedom of the
will. His suggestions of the efficiency of
evolution in accomplishing all results
are based upon the supposition that
the sequence of cause and effect makes
the influence that control the will imperative,
and not to be set aside by any
effort of ours or even furthered. I do not
call anything that is imperative, influence.



That this belief is the Calvinistic
fatalism he admits, but finds their
mistake in the accompaniment of a
"heaven and hell about which they
knew nothing". The last assertion
is only true in part, for we do know
of both in all their varying degrees.
They (Calvinists) localized and made permanent
the two habitations in a life to come,
and this is truth mixed. This kind
of fatalising shuts off all effort and
paralyzes the spring of existence. It
seems to me thoroughly bad doctrine
for the human race, whom we much
believe is called divinely to do justly,
to love mercy and walk humbly with
its God. If there is any strong knowledge
given us in our souls it is this
requirement, and it is through human



instrumentalities that we have our
strongest evidence of the world's growth.
It will be a sorry day where we all
think we are turning the crank of a
machine, and are part of an automatic
world. Amos says better work
is done outside of organizations, but
I think not, for the multitude.
Here and there some great mind
may rise and stand alone and
some will listen, but more are drawn
to hear in the larger work and
we have the old correspondence
of union and strength. How many
women have found the strength
that was in them through the agency
of the organizations to which they
belong! The world would know
more of Amos if he was not so wholly
retired from his fellow men.



He thinks there is a lowering of personality
in union, but I think we have only
learned to find ourselves and what
is in us, when we come in contact,
and that is the thing we are born
to do, the essence of brotherly and
sisterly love and our opportunity for
helpfulness.

10-5-96 Today everything out of doors
is dripping in a cold October rain.
It brightens the scarlet in the trees
but the wind is blowing off the
leaves and we shall now see
more clearly from the stripping.
The early morning was thick with misty
rain but now the main shore is
clear in outline, and the water
white-capped with wind and bereft
of sails, looks a dreary waste. The
St. Mary's is anchored half a mile



offshore in front with a skeleton of
masts and spars. Such days must
be very blue for the boys on board.
Noah and our boys left us this
morning for their city work and
only Wright returns tonight. We are
always sorry for the separation this
month brings to the family.

10-11-96 We have a wild stormy first day.
The wind whistles in great gusts
about us and the water is lashed
with angry foam. The trees will
have much stripping and the
chestnuts are coming down in
showers. On our way to meeting
this morning we saw people strolling
by with bags and baskets full. Mary
Plummer is here and in spite of
wind took a morning walk with [illegible].



I have had a rather eventful week,
two days in the city, a visit from Mrs.
Craigie with whose courage and
good talking [?] suffrage, or P.E.
Leagues, are in a fair way for organization,
one in Park Washington,
and one in Roslyn. Mrs. Craigie
has since written me a letter so
appreciative of Heronwood beauties
that it seems good to quote it here.
Speaking of the visit she says
"As I recall it now, it seems the
same delightful dream. I see
continually before me those charming
woodland vistas that are the
beautiful feature of your drive,
the overhanging branches of green
and russet and gold, and the
glowing color of the hedges with their



masses of purple and white asters
crowned with the royal splendor of
the golden rod will long linger
in my memory - a vision not soon
to be forgotten." I am glad she
came before this fierce wind
from the north east swept over
the country. To-morrow the
Woman's Club has its first
meeting.

10-18-96 Another week is over, and the
Club meeting a thing of the past. It
was a weaker program than usual
which I regretted on account of the
presence of Mrs. Frances A. [Gordale?]
of Utica to whom I should like to
have shown our strongest side.
The Fort Washington P.E. League
is formed and though small is of



good promise. Five of us have taken
five objections to answer at the next
meeting of Nov. 27th, one apiece.
Mine is the objection on account
of limited education and intelligence.
I think I can make a strong
showing of advantage in that direction.
The Roslyn beginning will have
to be made stronger before it can
be called an organization.
Charlie Wright is with us to day
and it is one of our gray days
with misty horizon and main
shore [?]. Amos and Dot arrived
in [Philadelphia] on the day of my last entry. Wright's
letter was their first intelligence
about dear little Jack and was
the saddest of greetings. They found
my letter and the cable message returned



to the flat. It was hard, but no one
could make it otherwise. Amos came
up to see Mother the next day, but
I had only a few moments with
him in the city. We could only speak
of the lovely boy that was gone, and
I hope to see him (Amos) some again. They
had an exceedingly rough passage.

10-26-96 The last day of the Heronwood
stay is over and to-morrow the city work
begins, or indeed today, for I go from
here at twelve to the Club to take
the usual responsibility of a large
meeting. It is always sad to take
our last look over the beautiful
waters of the Sound and realize
that we shall not see it in its
beauty for so long a time, for the



Thanksgiving holidays gave us the
stripped trees and [?] hillside.
Edward and Frank have spent
a night with us much to our
pleasure. The Lippincotts came
last evening to bid us good bye and we
regret that we must go another
season without seeing them
every day or two. We had a
pleasant visit from Amos a few
days ago, and heard much
about their pleasant trip. The
grief that assailed them on
landing is hard to reconcile.
We cannot but feel that
there was some way out of it
or would have been if the
disease had not been so hidden in
character.



160 Hicks Pl.
11-7-96 Tomorrow we shall have
been two weeks in the city home
and all but the library and a
closet or two is settled. One must
except the library too, where Ernest
is at work on furniture. It is turned
into a workshop. The Ganetts
were here a week ago for two or
three days, and attend the Conference
of the Young Friends Association.
It was a pleasure to
return some of the kindness
we had received from them at
Swarthmore. Mother came to
dinner with Margaret and Kitty [Church?]
two nights ago. The boys are just
back from two days at Heronwood.
[Marnie?] Willets has been here since
they left us but went home this afternoon.



11-15-96 Things have gone on very
evenly and quietly for the past two
weeks with nothing special to
record. We had a good Scotch
day at our last Club meeting.
The program was specially interesting
in the details of an old
fashioned Scotch Sabbath. It
must have been a dreaded and
weary day. We had also the
pretty song and romance of
Scotland. It was [?] altogether.
At a meeting of the
Governing Board of the Consumer's
League I offered the
use of our parlor for a meeting
of the League in the first week
of December.



On the 12th I called at Dr. Shepherd's
to congratulate or rather to rejoice
with them in the return of Mrs.
Greene from a four years stay in
Paris. The Club will be pleased
to see her at the business meeting.
Mrs. [Snow?] asked me to do a little
talking at her house on the 13th
in favor of organizing a corps
of "Friendly Visitors" for Plymouth
Church. Mrs. Backus, Mrs. Abbott,
and I spoke after Mr. Nichols
who is well versed in healthy
methods of helping the poor.
Last evening Noah and I went
to hear Mrs. Dellenbaugh read
from Dickens. It was well done.



Margaret is here taking tea with
us night [sic?] and has Garry with her.
It touched me quickly for the
last time he came for a
supper visit, it was with Jack
as indeed he did always. We
are very tender with Garry now.
How hard it is to hold back
the bitter cry for the little heart
that passed on! I used to have
a shadowy fear sometimes
that he was too sweet for us to
keep. In a day more I
shall be on my way to Rochester
to the Annual State Suffrage
meeting. I hope it will go well,
but the loss of the amendment in California
is bad.



12-12-96
More than a month has elapsed since
my last entry, a busy eventful month.
The 17th of last month saw me on
my Rochester to attend the 28th
Annual Convention of the N.Y.
S. Woman Suffrage Ass. The Exec.
Com. meeting was held at the
[Whitamut?] House after which I
went directly to Mrs. [Garnett's?]
who had kindly invited me
to make her house my home,
and a charming home it was,
with an ideal hostess and two
dear little children. One, the little
girl was ill though not alarmingly
so, and the other was a dear
little boy about the age of our
precious little Jack. He made



friends with me at once and was
a fine little host himself. The first
day of the Convention made me State
President. The election results were
a surprise to our own Ass. who
knew nothing of the plea that
had been made to me to allow
my name to go in to the informal
role. I was very sorry that
the State had to lose Mrs. Greenleaf.
Every thing went smoothly
throughout and was crowned
at the end with a banquet
in honor of Miss Anthony's return
from California. I had
the pleasure of hearing Mrs. Montgomery
the new Pres. of the Federation
and of sitting beside her.



She is a charming woman and
pleasing speaker. The Federation
will do well under her leadership.
The journey home was a pleasant
visit with our home members.
On the 23rd came the Club Music
day, and I do not remember to
have seen a finer display of talent
upon any day before. On the 25th
we all went to Heronwood for
Thanksgiving holidays, Mother with
us, and it was a happy quiet time.
We ate Thanksgiving dinner at
Fred's. John and Susie went to
Pleasantville to have theirs with
Mrs. Choate and family, who sailed
for Europe a few days later.



The weather was so mild that we
found roses and fruits and mignonette
still in blossom in the garden
and the parsley was as green
as ever. We took supper one
night with Mrs. Fraser and
I took a very pleasant walk
with Charlie through the woods
and on the shore, coming up
through Lippincotts where the
grass was so green and beautiful
that it seemed as if
spring were surely coming.
December seems quite as mild.
Our return to Brooklyn came upon
a snowy day and the trees were
beautiful as we drove to Roslyn



through the snow laden and dripping
trees, for it was not cold enough
to stay. My return found me overwhelmed
with letters, fairly snowed
under, one might say, but a few
days later saw them out of the
way, and I am beginning now to
have quite an enthusiasm for
this State Suffrage work.



Jan 23rd 1897 The holidays are
over and the New Year far on its
way without any entrance in here.
My eyes wear out in daily necessary
correspondence. Xmas eve saw us
all at Mother's, Xmas dinner found
us here, twenty of us with Charlie
Wright, One blessed little face
was gone but we smiled and
kept back the tears and tried
to keep in mind only the cheery
little presence who would who
would have liked the smiles the
best. The Remsen family spent
the holiday week at Pleasantville
and Noah and I dined with
them there on New Year's day.



Since it has been a busy month
marked by earnest work in several
directions, Mrs. [Loines?] and I
have been working hard at the
Concurrent Resolution, and I
went to Albany with it on the
21st, and put it in the way of
getting with both houses with
Mrs. Humphrey's aid. Mrs. [Loines?]
illness called Mrs. Craigie into
service and she went with me at much
self sacrifice. Then there has
been this N.Y. Charter business
about which our P.R. Com. asked
a hearing in relation to the system
of Probation Officers. Fortunately,
I did not know that I



was to speak for it until I was
in the City Hall, or I should have
been much exercised. Mrs. Lowell's
speaker could not come, and
it seemed fitting that the chairman
of Com. should be able to
open her mouth, so I did the
best I could and in as few words
as possible, Mrs. Lowell was satisfied
and thinks it is regarded
with favor by the Commission.
I have made another appeal
to it today, by letter, on behalf
of the salaries of police matrons.
All other officials are provided
with increased salaries.
We had a fine suffrage meeting



on the 19th with Mrs. Craigie, Mrs.
Blatch and Mrs. Antoinette Brown
Blackwell as speakers. Today
I leave for the National Convention
in Des Moines.

2-10-'97 The Des Moines journey is a
thing of the past and was a most successful
trip if the Convention can be
considered the main feature. Mr.
Blackwell and daughter went with
Mrs. Banker, Aunt Phebe Wright and
myself. We were delayed in the
mountains and missed our Chicago
connections, but we were finely taken
care of by the Chicago and North
Western which sent a young man
to meet us and convey us across



the city at one o'clock in the morning.
It is was cold getting out of our berth
in a warm car and going out in
a temperature of 23 [degrees] below zero; but
we had a close omnibus and did
not suffer. They remedied our
detention by putting a sleeper on
a mail train and sending us
out at three, and in twelve hours
more we were in Des Moines.
My kind entertainers were so
far from the church where the
meetings were to be held that
I thought best to take board
nearer, especially as I wished
to be with Miss Rachel Haviland,
our faithful corresponding secretary.



We had an elegant reception
and three crowded evening meetings.
The first was so full that
the doors were locked and Miss
H and I did not get into the
large meeting at all. I was asked
to preside at the overflow which
I did and all of our best speakers
came out and spoke to the
overflow. It was a very good
meeting but I was sorry to miss
hearing the Governor's welcome
on behalf of the State, and the
Mayor's on behalf of the city, and
Dr. Breeden on behalf of the church.
What made their Convention



unique, however, was the invitation
from the Senate to visit it,
and address the Senators.
Of course the convention went
and gave of its best. The speaker
put Miss Anthony in his place
with the gavel in her hand.
I think they liked Mrs. Catt's speech
the best of all because it was
good and because she was an
Iowa woman. On the way home
I spent part of first day at
Glencove which I enjoyed greatly.
Lydia Wright met me and
we had most of the day together.
We found the cousins at Glencove



in usual health and saw some
beautiful little grandchildren.
The dear little boys brought to
memory the precious little life
that has gone away from us.
Mrs. [Barker?], Mrs. [Luckie?] of [Pe.?]
came on from Chicago together
and we all found
our husbands waiting for us
at the respective journeys' ends.
It was more than pleasant to
get home again and find everybody
well. Since we have had
our Club meeting with Mrs. Montgomery
who delighted everybody
and to whom we gave with Mrs.



Hewitt's kind offer of her house
the pleasantest reception the Club
has ever had. Mrs. Montgomery
came here to luncheon with Mrs.
Estes and it was delightful to
have her. On the 8th I went to
a suffrage meeting at Dr. Baker's
and spoke at some length about
the Iowa trip. It was a meeting
for organization and I think
we shall have another League.
Our "Concurrent Resolution" was
introduced in the Senate yesterday
and met by an anti-petition
read by Senator [Cantor?], who is
our arch enemy. We are on the
"qui vine" for the next move now.



2-23-97 The "Concurrent Resolution"
was introduced into the assembly
on the 13th by Mr. Armstrong who
arranged for a hearing tomorrow.
We asked for a joint hearing and
Mr. Kelsey telegraphed today that
it was postponed and a joint
hearing would be given on March
10th. We had secured Mrs. Catt
by much persuasion and a journey
to Bensonhurst. She really was
not able to go on account of
a heavy cold so I am glad on
her account, but I am afraid
the Antis are gathering their
forces. I hope for the best and



should feel secure if I were sure
of Mrs. Catt. On the 16th before the
Suffrage meeting was over Dr.
Brooks began his lectures, and
I went from one to the other,
and am intensely interested in
his subject and manner
of treatment. The subject is
"our Relation to Certain New
Forces in Modern Society,"
and he divides into several
topics. The first was "The Real
Meaning of the Social Question"
in which he showed that there
was a social question and a
beginning of a science as yet



in its infancy, one that bids fair
to become the most important of
all sciences. The second treated
today was "The Modern Struggle for
Existence" and he showed clearly
how we were all engaged to some
extent with competitive impetus.
Even the scientist, the purely intellectual
spirit was not without its incentives.
It was good to the extent
which we handled it for
good and vice versa. He defended
the old fashioned history which
made war the continued subject
and threw no light upon the industrial
life of the people, which was
after all the most important and



the blessedness of the newer era
was its greater peacefulness and
kindliness. Last night Noah, Mary,
and I went to the Hamilton Club
dinner which was a fine affair
of eleven courses and much
dress and much music, the
last by an Italian hand which
varied the instrumental by
vocal solos and some concert
of song. It was all well done
but one hardly knows whether
all this celebration of Washington's
birthday is of the best kind,
I think it could be more worthily
commemorated than it is by
such feast.



In the afternoon Mother and I called
upon Aunt Hannah Field who is
93 years old and very bright and
interesting. The social was held
in Stabler's last Sixth day night
and I told something about the
Des Moines trip, but made out
rather poorly, since I was obliged
to limit myself in narration.
The suffrage tone which belonged
to it was left out for fear of offending
some people not at all fond
of it. The young folks have been
here tonight to get ready for the
next one which is to be here. They
have concluded to have "The Albany
Depot." Charlie and Charlotte



and Charlotte did very well in a
play called "A Box of Monkeys" both
for the social and the Guild.
Charlie has dramatized a new
play or story, which I think they
will try among themselves when
Wright comes home. He came
home to spend First day last
and is not very well. We hope
to have him home permanently
before long, and that he will find
work in New York or Brooklyn.

3-22-97 Wright has been home a
week now and the family is again
a unit in the home fold. The last
two weeks have been full of events
and have included my 54th birthday.



The club Anniversary Luncheon came
to pass on the 26th of last month and
was in some respects a success, but
it had the misfortune of one speech
that would have been all that
could be desired if it had not been
prolonged until it lost its force.
The other speeches were all good.
The menu was not an entire success,
but the place in which it was
held, the sun parlor of the Margaret
was unique. Not only was it filled
with floods of sunlight but a glance
out of the windows showed us the
bay, harbor, both rivers with their
sea of masts, shipping, and the
Bartholdi statue glittering in the midst.



Dr. Brooks' lectures continue to
meet expectations and the last
relating mainly to the economic
independence of women pleased
some of us greatly. He showed
clearly that the whole trend of
forces was so directly toward the
political equality of men and
women that it was a question
quite beyond discussion. On the
8th I went with Miss Cameron
to Mt. Vernon and spoke before
the P.E. Club, but I do not
feel that I did very good work.
It was a rainy stormy night and
the audience small. The Albany



hearing was postponed on account of
several complications, which was
well for I was not able to be up
the next morning. On the 11th I
met Miss Mills in Catskill according
to agreement and we had a
most satisfactory meeting with the
Catskill Club. Miss Fitch has
written me since that it has renewed
their enthusiasm. The meeting
in Hudson was not so satisfactory
to my mind, but it was a
pleasure to stay all night at Sarah
A. Macy's and to visit with her
next day the State Reformatory for Women.
Everything seemed to me to be



managed in an admirable way.
On Seventh day, Miss Mills (who came
home with me from Hudson) went
with me to Woodhaven to a P.E. Club
started by Mrs. Craigie. It was
a very happy occasion and we
left them full of enthusiasm for
suffrage work. The next morning
Miss Mills returned home by way
of Albany to arrange for the postponed
hearing, and in the afternoon
Noah and I went to a
Prison Reform meeting in Flushing.
We made our first trial
of the trolley extension, and found



very satisfactory. It occupied one
hour and five minutes each way.
The meeting was small owing partially
to rainy weather. It was not
properly presided over and though
we had a good paper it was not
a success throughout. The next
day (15th) I went to the Sorosis breakfast
at the Waldorf. It was the
finest and best managed banquet
I have ever attended, but not
superior in toast and speeches
to many others. It was brilliant
in color and fortunate in music
and decoration. Each guest had
two souvenirs to carry home, a scent



bag of lavendar silk with Mrs.
Helmuth's picture on [it] and a
box of wedding cake from Mrs.
Herrman, the last in lieu of
invitation to the weddings of
two grandchildren, to which
she could not invite us all.
The new officers were installed
with happy ceremony and
the returning president presented,
according to custom, with a
diamond pin. Mrs. Mary [Danes?]
Hall is the new incumbent.
Another breakfast of the week
was one that I attended at



at [sic] the Cambridge Club. It was
very nicely managed and the
menu excellent. It was did credit to
the Montauk. I spoke upon
"Standards of Value". The members
spoke very kindly about what
I said but I lost my cue once
and was thrown upon my resources
to gather up something to go
on with. It was not bad, but
I ought to have done better.
On the 19th, Mr. and Mrs. Fraser
and Mrs. and Mrs. [Joost?] were
here to dinner and we had
a pleasant evening over six handed
euchre. The next day I spent



with Mother and Margaret was
having a birthday party on her
tenth anniversary. Mary and
Freddie came down and are
staying still on account of
their Mother's illness. Sella
has pneumonia and we have
been fearful of some serious
result. She is doing well at
present. A most acceptable letter
from John William Graham
came on the 4th of this month.
I replied on the 7th. Mrs. [Loines?]
sailed for Europe on the 26th of last
month and on the same day came



to me the shock of Mrs. Humphrey's
death. On the same evening Mrs.
Howells wrote me that her illness
would keep her in Mt. Morris
and she could not go to Albany.
It seemed to me as if my
Legislative Com. had melted away
before my eyes in a day. I begged
Mrs. Greenleaf to become a
member of the Com. and Miss
Mills came to the rescue and
so we are struggling on uniting
for that dreaded hearing. I hope
two days more will see the
end of that.



4-4-'97 The Albany hearing is a thing
of the past, and while there is hardly
a chance of the bill coming out of the
Committee, we made a creditable
showing of power and Mrs. Catt
made a powerful speech or rather
two of them, for she closed after
a false diatribe of Mrs. [Cramwell's]
laying bare its impotence and
commanding the respect of the
assembled legislatures. The roomful
was vulnerable to the flattery
of Mrs. [Cramwell?] and responded
to her efforts at [?] of
suffragists; but silent before the
high purpose of Mrs. Catt. The



hearing closed with a hearty round of
applause for her fine orating and
one man said to another "I don't
know what is going to become of us
men if such women as that are
coming up to the Legislature." Miss
Anthony came all the way
from Rochester to stand beside
us and speak for us, and Dr.
Jacobi and Miss Mills did
the same from their own homes.
Miss Curtis and I were with
them to represent the will of the
State Association. Mrs. Francis
Scott and Mrs. [Cramwell?] were on
the other side with us many silent
adherents.



It was a miserably rainy gloomy day
and I hope it will be the last
of that kind of work that we shall
do for many a day. On the 26th
I went to Heronwood and to
the little Club at Park Washington
where the spirit was
so sweet and harmonious
that it was a beautiful contrast
to the other weary warfare.
Heronwood was still in its
winter garb. The next day
I went to the meeting of the
Press Club at Carnegie Hall.
I was glad to join in the discussion
on arbitration and wanted



to say a great deal more than I did
in favor of the peace policy. It disappoints
me dreadfully in women
to have some of them take such an
attitude as they did in regard to
the value of military drill, as if
men could not stand up to learn
obedience without it. On the 30th we
met at Mrs. Sessions and abolished
ourselves as a Governing Board of
the Consumers' League. She had
in her hand a good deal of prestige
and very little [?]. Her Exec.
Com. now established will be
active workers. On the 1st of the
month we had our Brooklyn Prison
Reform meeting. A bad side of affairs



was reported at Sheepshead Bay and
Hattie Merritt and I went to see
Com. Welles, who said his orders were
disobeyed and as he desires to investigate
the habits of the doorman
I fear our committee visitors will be
called upon to testify. In the evening
we (the family) dined at Mother's
in honor of her 77th birthday. Last
evening Noah and I went to see
the Cinematograph, and it was a
novel entertainment. The simple
stopping of a train at a Swiss
railway station with the passengers
getting off interested me as much
as the finer display of soldiers
processions and opera dancers.



Today we have dined with pleasure
at Hattie Merritts, and I must of
necessity close my last entry in
this book.
Mariana W. Chapman



[last cover]