Saturday, July 13, 2013

Will the marriages never cease? March, 1876

Wednesday, March 1, 1876. Oh! oh! oh! school is so very very dull and tedious & tiresome! Why is it people insist upon calling childhood the happiest time of life—but I suppose it is so, or they would not say so.

West Point in the 1880s
Thursday, March 2, 1876. Now, I’m in a fix if I ever was—today I got a letter from Mary Derby who says, “I hear you want a picture of our soldier boy (George at West Point) and he will be greatly delighted to send you one if you make a fair exchange.”
You see, his grandmother was here not very long ago & happened one day to say that when she got home, she expected two pictures of George & if I wanted one she would send me one of hers. Now I was aching for it, but had not asked—it was she who proposed it and now I find that she has told his sister that I asked for one, and his sister must have written to him telling him.
     Now, I would not have that boy think for 10,000 dollars that I wanted his picture—he is vain enough now, and as for my sending him one of mine, I should never commit such an impropriety. How happy we should be if people didn’t meddle.
 

Friday, March 3, 1876. I have plucked these flowers my darling, this moment. It is my birthday—I am fifteen, as old as yourself now, dear! It is very fit that heliotrope & migionnette should be my birthday offering to my loved one so far away. Oh! my Geraldine, how long! How long before I see you? This evening some people were here to eat ice cream & drink my health. Amongst them was Calie Cherbonnier. It is now half past ten P.M. Goodnight my own darling G. [Flowers pinned to the page.

Sunday, March 5, 1876. To church and out to my Aunt’s to dinner. I see you, methinks, dearest, marching to church with either Rebecca or Mamie at your side, but I think of you most when I doze at about 6-1/2 in the morning. I see you rush down stairs, slinging on your veil, late but still in time.


Monday, March 6, 1876. I have had such a headache today. Every thing passed off as usual in school. I am reading “Scottish Chiefs”
[by Jane Porter]. Splendid, I think. Henry is calling me to dinner. It is already 5-1/2 o’clock. For the present, my heart’s brightness, my Geraldine—goodbye. 

Wednesday, March 8, 1876. Will the marriages never cease? There is a wedding among my lady & gentleman acquaintances every night. And the girls marry so young—so unsophisticated—so unsuspecting! Well, they are all lessons to me anyhow & we will see what good comes of them. 
 

Thursday, March 9, 1876. Mamie often asks me “what in the world I can find to scribble over in that old blue book” & “isn’t it awfully tedious to have to write so every night & keep me freezing in bed waiting for you to get me warm.” Little does she know!
 

Friday, March 10, 1876. Sometimes, I have thought I would write a book but I have commenced so many things & never finished any that as a natural consequence I begin to despair. 

Saturday, March 11, 1876. Well, my own sweet Lily, how do you prosper and “do you ever think of me?” Shall I doubt? No, but I shall go to bed. So “may you dream of your sweetheart tonight, goodnight, goodnight.”
 

Tuesday, March 14, 1876. A letter from Mamie Carter today—telling me of happiness. But oh! I could not help a pang of jealousy when I thought that my Lily was possibly, in giving back to Mamie with such affection, robbing me (?).
 

Wednesday, March 15, 1876. I am in the parlor—have just finished practising. The sun has sunk beneath the steeple of the great Jewish Synagogue and I am alone—but in thoughts—with you my darling. It seems so hard that our paths should be so widely apart; but we may hope. 

Friday, March 17, 1876. My darling—I dream about you so often and it is cruel to awake & realize that, instead of being near you as I was in the dream, hundred of railways, cities, rivers & miles lie between us.
 

Saturday, March 18, 1876. It is so hard to decide where to go in the summer. Mama never pretends to think about it until a few days beforehand.
 

Sunday, March 19, 1876. To church & back though it is so cold yet sunny & bright. Sunday, my Lily, is my little ovatorium for thoughts of your dear self. How I love you! I have told you so hundreds of times but I must say it again. Can you doubt me?
 

Monday, March 20, 1876. If I attempted to write my actions every day, precious, they would be so dull—for one attending school daily or rather day-school, the regular routine without any variation falls to their lot. It is so different at boarding school where one in comparison has a gay old time! N’est-ce pas? [Is that not so?] 
 

Tuesday, March 21, 1876. How do you progress with that gay old French Madame Miller? How well I remember & can see her now, giving marks by the dozen to poor Alleine Ward & Millie D. for simply having their say.
 

Thursday, March 23, 1876. How beautiful & fresh this nosegay is! So soon it will fade. I am in the dumps. Consequently these flowers—my best beloved—will for today do my speaking, or rather writing. [Flowers pinned to the page.]
 

Friday, March 24, 1876. C. Cherbonnier is here tonight and I have to entertain him all by myself. Oh horrors.
 

Sunday, March 26, 1876. Honestly and really and truly, we have engaged our passage for Europe. Three years away from American shores perhaps!!!
 

Monday, March 27, 1876. Today Mama, Cousin Sue, Mrs. Lamon & I started for Hot Springs. It is awful on the train—and I suppose every one is shocked with my behavior, but I do feel so horrid & sleepy.
 

Tuesday, March 28, 1876. The porter came & waked us at 5-1/2 this morning and just an hour & a half too soon. Hot Sprs. is a dear little place.
 

Wednesday, March 29, 1876. Jennie Lockwood is here. I am so delighted I can hardly stand up. Tonight she introduced me to Mr. Beaky of St. Louis—he is a very nice fellow.
 

Thursday, March 30, 1876. We took a long walk this morning, Jenny, Mr. Beaky & I—but I want to know a young fellow here ever so badly & so does Jenny & we can’t get introduced.
 

Friday, March 31, 1876. Mr. Lewis is just splendid—such eyes & such a flirt too. He said (the goose) that he couldn’t dance the other night because he wanted just to sit still & look at me!!!

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