Wednesday, December 16, 1835

1835

December

Wednesday 16

No kiss.

Ready in 1 5/.. hour.  Damp, very foggy morning – can scarce see 1/2 dozen yards before one –

F 40° at 8 20/.. a.m.

Breakfast at 8 1/2, and sat reading till 9 3/4 in the last Quarterly just come, the 1st few (14 or 15) pages of the Article Heine on Germany –

Out at 9 50/.. at the Lower fish-pond and from 10 to 11 3/4 with Messers Holt and Washington, levelling and staking out engine pit, and engine pit upper drift, and dam –

It seems Mr. Rawson had been trying to get hold of Mr. Holmes to buy all useless goit with the view of my Shibden coal, for which Mr. Holmes means to bid at the letting – The drift of this is clear enough – Told Holt I had had an idea of it – and gave him charge to take care and keep Mr. Holmes aloof from having anything to do with Mr. Rawson – Said I knew there was deep planning to get hold of this coal and deeper than Holt himself or Holmes either suspected – I alluded darkly to my suspicion that Mr. Rawson may try some roundabout way of getting hold of the Manns –

3/4 hour at the Lower fish pond – Then sauntering about on this side the Cascade looking in all directions and considering how to form the mounding and little hills along the walk on this side –

Ann went to Cliff hill (rode as usual) about 2 –

Came in soon after to Mr. Jubb – my aunt no better – Said I thought she coud not continue many days, and Mr. Jubb seemed not to dissent – Jane the house maid very poorly – Sarah the Kitchen maid decidedly beginning in a serious fever and to be sent home immediately –

John my footman much worse – apparently beginning in Smallpox – No time to be lost – Mr. Jubb’s young man bled him (John) till he almost fainted – Ought to be got out of the house – Marian proposed his going to the Stag’s head – No! I knew Jonathan Mallinson would be frightened yet would not know how to refuse me and I would not ask him – I got the saddle room ready and instead of a woman nurse as proposed by Marian and Mr. Jubb, arranged with Frank to nurse – Mr. Jubb approved the room and Frank –

Ann came back at 4 – furnished bed sheets, blankets and quilt, and all was nicely arranged before dinner and John was got into the Saddle room about or soon after 6, Sarah having been taken home in a chaise by John Booth –

Dressed – Dinner at 6 1/2 – Mary waited at table and is to do John Clarke’s work as far as she can –

1/4 hour with my aunt – Coffee – Near an hour with my father till 8 3/4 – Then till 9 1/2 wrote all the above of today –

Wrote and sent note by George this evening to ‘the Reverend Charles Musgrave, Vicarage’ beginning Dear Sir – Saying it would be a great satisfaction . . . .

‘Dear sir –

I think my aunt very poorly; and I am sure it would be a great satisfaction to her, as it would be to me, if you could come tomorrow – If not, on Friday, at any hour after 1/2 past 12 – I am afraid of delay –

I hope the accounts from Torquay are as cheering as can be expected – I very sincerely condole with you all and beg my kind regards to Mrs. Musgrave –

Believe me very truly yours,

A Lister’ –

Sat some while talking to Ann, then 20 minutes with my aunt till 10 10/.. – No better – Cannot bear to speak at all –

Fine day as far as a damp thick foggy day can be fine – Very unwholesome weather – A great deal of sickness and typhus and other fever about – Fahrenheit 41° now at 10 1/4 p.m.

WYAS Finding Number SH:7/ML/E/18/0145