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Oct. 14-20
A rainy Sunday. Tuesday we are all invited to Tom Randolph's. I'm too sick to go; have a quiet day at home with Ma, David and the young ones. A call in the evening from Mr. and Mrs. Meade. Very busy getting ready for Ashland. Cousin Isabella with us and good kind souls as she always is helps us through a difficulty. I get the fixings for the Williamsburg Fair ready; also sister Mary's needle books for Grace Church ....Wrote to Emily Griswold this week...A letter from sister Mary and a sweet note from Carrie Morrill thanking me for the favor of seeing Emily's letter. Jimmy Lewis spends Friday night with us. He seems in good spirits; showed much pleasure in seeing Sue. I like Jimmy, he has some fine qualities. Saturday is a rainy day but we get off and arrive at Ashland to dinner .... Ashland is a much larger place then I had expected to find it. The cottages are around the Hotel and very picturesque and make quite a scene. Mr. James [George Payne Rainsford James, the writer]'s house is pointed out to me. It looks like the abode of a man of letters. I'm heartily received by the whole family but a kind of lonely feeling has taken possesion of me and I find it impossible to rally my spirits. Hope it won't last. Cousin Ann's flowers that have escaped the late frost are very beautiful but flowers at this season make me feel sad. The gentle race of flowers will so soon be lying in their lowly beds but Spring will come when we may again expect the flowers. Sue is very nicely fixed up. Her room is handsomely furnished and she has so many new books, enough to keep me busy all the winter. The birds are looking well. Both Prissy and Mr. Pemberton are away. Old Mrs P. very ill.
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