Wedns Nov 10th Catharine […]
& Ann have both been ironing
all day and have got it all done I have not
done a great deal but fuss round the
house Have covered my jelly &c with
brandy paper Alson called and brought
a [illegible] to exchange Abby spent
the evening Miss Alger has given her 10th
lesson dined here
Evelina continued to be a bit cross today. Yesterday she was tired of cooking preserves, today she covered those jelly jars with brandy paper and continued to resent having to “fuss round the house.”At least the servant girls finished the ironing – that was a point of satisfaction. Perhaps Evelina was reacting to the shorter days and lower sunlight, although Old Oliver reported that on this particular day, the weather was “verry pleasant”* throughout the afternoon.
Miss Alger the piano teacher came to give Susie Ames and Emily Witherell their piano lessons, and stayed to dinner. Evelina doesn’t say how her daughter did, which may be a sign that Susie was finally getting the hang the instrument. No doubt Miss Alger was doing her best to teach Susie and Emily, but she was getting paid and fed – often. For Evelina to be spending the money and effort and to have her daughter not succeed was simply not acceptable. Susie had to learn.
*Oliver Ames, Journal, Stonehill College Archives, Arnold Tofias Collection
evelinaames 