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Dec. 30-31
Sunday a beautiful day. Jack Frost has been busy at work all night marking the earth with an icy robe. Lizzie Wood stays the night with us. We have the company of a returned Californian. He entertained us with some accounts of that El Dorado.
[Dec. 31st is] a bitter cold day. Take the cars for home. Call at Dr. Leitch's. Cousin L[ou) treats us to some of her Xmas goodies. Hear Mat Leitch has joined the Presbyterian Church. I know how much pleased Cousin Lou is. Have a hard road to travel getting home. The roads are covered up in ice and the poor horses slip at every step. The old folks say they have had a nice Xmas. Get my trunks unpacked and house in order and now I am ready for the New Year. I surely feel sorry to bid the old year good bye. Altogether I've been happy; have had no great sorrows; have been blessed with health and comforts; made some new friends and I hope, no enemies. But many of my air castles have melted into air, into thin air, and disappointments have cast their dark shadows before me, but that bright star of hope still cheers me on and bids me not look mournfully into the past but wisely improve the present for it is mine, to go forth and meet the shadowy future without fear and with a stout heart.! Old year, farewell! It grieves my heart, to feel we now so soon must part. Amid the changing scenes of earth, where sorrow befell, or cheerful mirth enjoyed the hour, I've walked with thee and shared thy blessed sympathy at home, abroad, with friends new found, as those to whom I've long been bound. I've traveled side by side with them, and now to part is grief to me.
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