Anne Brewster about Journalism and Payment, Diary Entry Excerpts (1877/78)

Credit

The Library Company of Philadelphia

[page 1] Friday 28. Dec /77

These lines of Dr Holland in a poem to Whittier alluding to the old[?] poet's seventy years are beautiful

5 Ian: 1878. Saturday

The New Year—last Tuesday came in very busily for me. I was hard at work over my Boston letter. Genevieve is a great comfort to me. She is at once a daughter and a friend. She has the modesty of a young girl and the maturity of a woman. She is an especial help to me now. [the remaining lines of this page are blackened]

[page 2] when she goes home Mrs Read's sister in law is dead, now I trust she will come to me so I shall not be alone the rest of my life. [the following 8 lines are blackened] The King of Italy Victor Emanuel died the 9. Ian. most suddenly There have been remarkable ceremonies but I need not describe or chron icle them in this book as I have sent off full accounts to the Even: Bulletin of Philadelphia and the New York "World" for I have taken up the "World" again and am making from $15 to $20 a week more now)

[page 3] I am[?] very busy of course but it is better to be busy especially with such business as mine which is on the whole agreeable work It is very early in the morning just on the edge of day break and I am not out of bed yet. I could not sleep so I wrote some notes finished my week's letter to the Bulletin and scribbled these lines The weather is stormy and the wind is careering[?] about wildly. but the winter so far has been a most pleasant one.

Monday 28 Ian. /78.

I cannot tell why I am so nervous to day. Indeed for two or three days past I have been "out of sorts" It is probably the result of my fatique and work during the Regal funeral ceremonies. The sun a shining superbly and the air is delicious sharp to be sure but fresh & invigorating

[page 4] +++! It made me very sad to go to Mrs Polk's[?] yesterday and see no Antoinette. she has dropped suddenly out of my life that I feel stunned by it—I miss her sweet little Tyrannies, her care and thoughtfulness her love— and what is the pity is that never again will she make a part of my life. she has gone into a sphere of life totally apart from mine as if she were in another planet Genevieve called me yesterday playfully "a social outlaw" and she is right I hate the arbitrary rules of privileged society. If I could respect the leaders or the individuals it would be different but I cannot so I will not have any thing to do with social charlatanism—