26o WTIEAT AND WOMAN 



chored before breakfast. Had a long morning in 

 an initial effort to clean out the cattle stable. One 

 shouldn't let these things get behind. Very tired 

 and stiff. The wind grew very strong towards 

 evening and all the beasts came home early — 

 significant of storm. 



" February 22. — Very cold again. Three eggs. 

 Read ' David Harum.' 



" February 23. — Made three pounds of butter. 



" February 24, Sufiday. — Mr. Green came over 

 with a loaf, as usual much better than mine. Wind 

 very cold, but able to use green room again. Feeling 

 rather out of sorts. No time for reading or writing ; 

 no easy time. Not much sun in these days, but the 

 spring is coming ! 



^^ February 25. — Weather growing colder. Pax 

 hates it badly. 



" February 26. — Breath freezing on the blankets 

 again. Reading Plutarch and Emerson and Wilber- 

 force — ' Romulus,' ' Fate,' and ' The Awakening.' 



" February 27. — Very cold. Wood very low. 

 Read 'Lycurgus and Power.' 



" February 28. — The last day of February and 

 bitterly cold. Everything frozen in the kitchen. 

 Anxious and depressed over news from England. 

 The low state of fuel means spending one's days in 

 the kitchen again. Reading Wilberforce, and Mere- 

 dith's verse. 



^^ March i. — The third month. Very much 

 warmer, and fresh load of fuel arrived with Roddy 

 McMahon. Now I really have no excuse and must 

 try to get to work again." 



I had vowed that I would not sow a wild oat in 



