Saturday, February 28, 2009

14Mar1865, The Duke Calls Me Lucy

LONDON, March 14th, 1865.
F. after his railways, with the Duke. (N.B. The Duke called me Lucy yesterday to my face for the first time!)

13Mar1865, North and South Against Us

LONDON, March 13th, 1865.
Fred had the Furness Railwayums. I missed church, thro' an in-and-out of circumstances, which resulted in my entertaining at 5 o'clock tea the odd combination of Fanny Carew and her boy Reggie, and Althorp! and going afterwards to the H. of C. to hear a debate on the defences of Canada, which seemed to be of the poorest ; and there is a notion that the American War must shortly end (the South being exhausted, and having just lost Charleston and Wilmington) and that then both parties will unite against us. I don't believe it unless we do something abominable.

12Mar1865, To the Sick Ward

LONDON, March 12th, 1865.
—I paid my first workhouse visit with the Gladstones. Went to the sick-ward, and made acquaintance with several poor old goodies. The look of the ward certainly takes away all romantic notions of ministration ; everything most uncomely and meagre, and some of the poor old folk repulsive enough ; but two were wonderful instances of strong love of God and faith in Him making suffering and weariness light burdens.

11Mar1865, North and Sourth Discussion

LONDON, March 11th, 1865.
F. went to Barker's to sniff after broughams, as we purpose setting up one. . . .
Major Anson and Fred had a furious N. and S. [FN: I.e. North and South : the American War.] discussion ; F. got the best of it !

10Mar1865, St. Anne's Mission and Diamonds on My Head

LONDON, March 10th, 1865.
—I went to London House, where I put down my name for St. Martin's Workhouse, and as supplemental lady to the St. Anne's Mission, Limehouse. Mr. Rousel mentioned a terrible case of a struggling curate, so poor at best that he could not have a fire in his house, or eat meat, for days together ; and now with his large family in the scarlet fever. Meriel Bathurst (who came for the first time), my Meriel, Mrs. Talbot, Agnes, and I agreed to send him a hamper among us ; and M. and I got the things after luncheon ; viz. tea, arrowroot, tapioca, sago, grapes, concentrated beef tea, currant jelly, a dozen of port wine, and a bottle of brandy. The 2 latter items we found it rather blowing to order. . . .

We dined at Ly. Cowper's, and had to go afterwards to a ball at Marlborough House, where the Princess of Wales looked lovely. I saw my dear Princess Helena, but not to speak to, also Princess Louise and many Court friends. I wore all the diamonds on my head for the 1st time. Headdresses are becoming remarkable. The young Lady Wharncliffe had her hair in a frizzled mop ; and many were tending in the same direction.

08Mar1865, More Work with Parochial Mission

LONDON, March 8th, 1865.
F. deposited me in George St. for luncheon, and thence I drove with Mrs. Talbot and Miss Laura Oldfield to St. Anne's, Limehouse, where we attended one of the "Mothers' Meetings" of the Parochial Mission there ; and I was introduced to Miss Lilby, the Lady Superintendent who is to have me to apply to ; to the Mission woman, Mrs. Bush ; to the clergyman (a missionary), who ended the meeting with reading, explaining, and prayers ; after hearing much about the work which is being done, and talking a little to some of the poor women, of whom there were about 25, we went to the London Hospital to see a girl of 23 who is there recovering from a tremendous operation : and who before going to the Hospital had been working as 2nd mission woman with such marvellous zeal and overflowing love for the work, that she went about amongst the people early and late, in spite of continual violent pain. And now in her weakness her one longing desire is to go back again ; her whole heart yearning after the poor things among whom she went. And all with such simplicity ; evidently she had no idea she was doing anything great.

05Mar1865, At a Play with the Wales's

LONDON, March 3rd, 1865.
—A little "doment" with a French play at Ld. Granville's, who had got the Wales's : the Prince astonishingly fat, the Princess looking lovely, tho' she is to be confined this summer.

27Feb1865, Ladies' Diocesan Association Inaugural Meeting

LONDON, February 27th, 1865.
—This is a day to be remembered. I attended the Bishop of London's inaugural meeting of the "Ladies' Diocesan Association," which he set on foot last year, and in which ladies join to do useful and charitable work of many different kinds in the diocese. I became a member ; the Bishop giving me a little book, as token of admittance. I hope to undertake small things ; one is to be what they call a "supplemental lady" for the Parochial Mission Women Institution (that is, one whom some one Lady Superintendent may refer to for help on special occasions) ; the other, to visit S. Martin's Workhouse once a week. I have an awestruck feeling at joining people who have devoted themselves to good, and can only pray that the great blessedness of work for the poor may be mine, and that I may be helped.