1895 Journal 2

Sept. 1895

Our dear Anna had a very miraculous escape.  Fell from the top of the stairs to the bottom, turning completely over on her descent, and yet did not break a bone or even get a very bad bruise.  Angels indeed watch over the little ones, and I was never more frightened or more thankful when I picked her up,  I thought her neck must be broken or else her poor back injured for life.  God, I thank thee, that it was not.

Oct 1895

Anna M. Gleaves received a diploma from Converse & Co. for reciting the larger catechism perfectly.  Miss Barbara Sexton had been her only teacher.  Had taught her faithfully since she was two years of age.  She said she knew no Presbyterian had ever recited that Catechism as perfectly, and she wished that Anna could have recited it before the entire congregation.

Oct. 1895

The “Liberty Bell” on its way to the Atlanta Exposition stopped for ten minutes at Wytheville.  Their Papa took Anna,Aliceand Laura Keene to see it, andAlicetouched it with the same stone that she took with her when she went to bid good-bye to the bride,  Mrs. Perry en route for a five years stay inJapan.  Mrs. Perry was a Miss Lettie Rich, a near neighbor, and sister to our next door neighbor, Mrs. Cecil.

Oct. 8^th 1895
Lollie’s Faith

 
Dear little Lollie had the croup, and yet was so patient, and seemed to think more of Mamma than she did of herself.  “Mamma,” she asked for the third time.  “Why don’t you go to sleep.”

“Because, my darling, you are very sick, and Mamma would rather stay awake and watch over you!”

“But the angels are watching over me, Mamma, so why need you!” she touchingly replied.

Later when she was not quite so hoarse, she turned again and said “See, I’m better Mamma, so put Belisa in the cradle and let me get up and rock her.  As you watched while I slept, I will watch while you sleep.”

But instead I cuddled a curly head upon each breast, and kept up my angel until morning.

Thursday Oct. 10^th 1895

This morning we woke the babies up by telling them that Mrs. Sexton had a boy, a nine pound, black-haired, black-eyed boy.

“Then it’s Mamma’s” they all exclaimed in one breath “if it had been Mrs. Sexton’s it would have been a red-haired baby, and we are going to take our little wagon and go right straight up and get it.”

“Of course will!  Of course will” chimed in Belisa “and sleep with Ber and wear Ber’s big ruffles!”

“And then it would have nobody to play with up there” L. K. said “nobody but that old black pickannie, and she’ll frighten it, she’s so black.

“Yes! Yes!” chimed in Ber “old black nigger! Nigger! Nigger!”

“Any how” saysAlice“whether we get it for ourselves or not we are going to love it a whole lot, just with all our hearts!”

(continued on next page)