December. – I went with the girls to the lake to skate this afternoon. Mr Johnson, the colored barber, is the best skater in town. He can skate forwards and backwards and cut all sorts of curlicues, although he is such a heavy man. He is going to Liberia and there his skates won’t do him any good. I wish he would give them to me and also his skill to use them. Someone asked me to sit down after I got home and I said I preferred to stand, as I had been sitting down all the afternoon! Gus Coleman took a load of us sleighriding this evening. Of course he had Clara Willson sit on the front seat with him and help him drive.
Thursday.–We had a special meeting of our society this evening at Mary Wheeler’s and invited the gentlemen and had charades and general good time. Mr Gillette and Horace Finley made a great deal of fun for us. We initiated Mr Gillette into the Dorcas Society, which consists in seating the candidate in a chair and propounding some very solemn questions and then in token of desire to join the society, you ask him to open his mouth very wide for a piece of cake which you swallow, yourself, instead! Very disappointing to the new member!
We went to a concert at the Seminary this evening. Miss Mollie Bull sang “Coming Through the Rye ” and Miss Lizzie Bull sang “Annie Laurie” and “Auld Lang Syne.” Jennie Lind, herself, could not have done better.
December 15.–Alice Jewett, Emma Wheeler and Anna are in Mrs. Worthington’s Sunday School class and as they have recently united with the church, she thought they should begin practical Christian work by distributing tracts among the neglected classes. So this afternoon they ran away from school to begin the good work. It was so bright and pleasant, they thought a walk to the lake would be enjoyable and they could find a welcome in some humble home. The girls wanted Anna to be the leader, but she would only promise that if something pious came into her mind, she would say it. They knocked at a door and were met by a smiling mother of twelve children and asked to come in. They sat down feeling somewhat embarrassed, but spying a photograph album on the table, they became much interested, while the children explained the pictures. Finally Anna felt that it was time to do something, so when no one was looking, she slipped under one of the books on the table, three tracts entitled “Consolation for the Bereaved,” “Systematic Benevolence” and “The Social Evils of dancing, card playing and theater-going.” Then they said goodbye to their new friends and started on. They decided not to do any more pastoral work until another day, but enjoyed the outing very much.
Christmas.–We all went to Aunt Mary Carr’s to dinner excepting Grandmother, and in the evening we went to see some tableaux at Dr Cook’s and Dr Chapin’s at the asylum. We were very much pleased with the entertainment. Between the acts Mr del Pratt, one of the patients, said every time, “What next!” which made every one laugh.
Grandfather was requested to add his picture to the gallery of portraits of eminent men for the Court Room, so he has had it painted. An artist by the name of Green, who lives in town, has finished it after numerous sittings and brought it up for our approval. We like it but we do not think it is as good looking as he is. No one could really satisfy us probably, so we may as well try to be suited.
I asked Grandmother if Mr Clarke could take Sunday night supper with us and she said she was afraid he did not know the catechism. I asked him Friday night and he said he would learn it on Saturday so that he could answer every third question any way. So he did and got along very well. I think he deserved a pretty good supper.