The girls are lovely: September 1876

Friday, September 1, 1876. Mama has made arrangements to hire carriage by month—much better plan. Went out to Jardin des Plants & Notre Dame & over old Paris. Had a very pleasant drive. Piano came today—a very good one & acceptable to the utmost.
 
Saturday, September 2, 1876. Went to Hotel des Invalides, the Pantheon, & drove in the Bouchards. Saw the Pantheon which is a very handsome church with the tombs of a number of great men such as Rousseau & Voltaire.
 

The Bois de Boulogne, by Toulouse-Lautrec

Sunday, September 3, 1876. Went out to St. Denis about 6 miles from Paris where we saw the tombs of all the Kings & Queens of France from Dagobert to Louis XVIII. Saw also Marie Antoinette’s & Louis XVI’s crown & a great many other old relics. Rode in the Bois de Boulogne [the most fashionable park in Paris, where the notables of the day would ride and drive, as much to be seen as to see], where we saw a great many handsome turnouts. Went in the morning to an American Episcopal chapel in Rue Bayard—rector John Morgan. Liked it so much.  
Monday, September 4, 1876. Mama, Monte & I went to the Bon Marché shopping—Bon Marché is a splendid store—everything very handsome & remarkably cheap. Monte & I went for walk in the Champs Elyseès where we saw Mr. Solomon, who came over on the ship with us.
 
Tuesday, September 5, 1876. Hired a new carriage from another stable today—did a little shopping. Ordered two dresses for Mame & me at the Magasin de la Pont—to be finished Tuesday.
 
Wednesday, September 6, 1876. Went to the Palace of the Luxembourg where we saw some exquisite paintings & sculpture—a lovely picture of “Virginia” by Bertrand was beautiful. Henry & Edger started to school today to M. Bauden as day scholars.
 
Thursday, September 7, 1876. Shopping in the morning and to the “Palais de l’Industrie” in the evening.
 
Friday, September 8, 1876. Monte, Mame & I went shopping in the morning and to the zoological gardens afterwards with the rest of the family. Underclothing came.
 
Saturday, September 9, 1876. Rained all day. Piano taken away. Harry took lunch and Mr. Catlin, his friend, came after while & they staid a long time. Catlin is very young & handsome. Greta Pomeroy came & says her family are in the city—glad to hear it.
 

Museum of the Castle, St. Germain

Sunday, September 10, 1876. All went in the carriage to St. Germain—a lovely spot. We went in the Museum of the Castle which contained old Gaulic & Roman relics. Saw James II of England’s tomb in the church at St. Germain. Rained some. Mr. Washburn called again but we were out.
 
Monday, September 11, 1876. Monte & I were shopping all morning. Went to Hentenaar’s, 26 Rue 4th Septembre, and

The Palais Garnier

saw the most superb dresses. In the evening Harry & Mr. Catlin called & took dinner & afterwards took Monte, Mame & me to the Palais Garnier to see Faust. Grand Opèra.
 
Tuesday, September 12, 1876. Greta & her maid & Mamie & I went to the Champs Elyseès to several puppet shows and wooden horses—had a gay time.
 
Wednesday, September 13, 1876. Mama & Monte went out looking for apartments & Greta & Mary (her maid), Mamie & I went again to the Champs. Mama & Monte rode in the Bois in the carriage.
 
Thursday, September 14, 1876. Mama & Monte out again apartment hunting and found some that suited very well. Greta, Mary, Mamie, Henry, Edgar & I went on the Champs and were caught in the dreadful rain—had to jump into cab & go home.

54 Ave. du Roule, Neuilly, today

Monday, September 18, 1876. Breakfasted at 8.30. The girls are lovely—7 parlor boarders including Mamie & me—& about 8 French at present. [Note: Mamie’s diaries for this same period were published in 1936 under the title She Wrote It All Down. Mamie does a much better job describing the school run by Mme. Bazault, which was located at 54 Avenue du Roule, Neuilly, Paris, in her own diary: “Ada and I occupied a bedroom together, furnished with two white iron beds, a washstand, a couple of chairs and a chiffonier. We each had one candle to light us at night. If we sat up too late reading, which of course was ‘défendu’ [not allowed], the candle would sputter out and the femme de chambre [chambermaid] would have to be placated next morning, so that she would not divulge our disobedience. … Among these older girls who were Ada’s particular friends, I remember Flora Low from California, Alice Kinney from Cincinnati and Maria Milbank. There were innumerable ‘crushes’ existing in this little group, and lifelong friendships sworn, which were mutually dissolved when a new and more absorbing affection would sweep away the remnants of the former ‘crush’!”]
 
Tuesday, September 19, 1876. School life just the same—always & ever.
 
Saturday, September 30, 1876. Monte came for us & went shopping to Bon Marchè & staid all night at home with Mama.