Diary of Annie Adams Fields

Tuesday. Rain. Made bed—put up room.

Wednesday. Rainy. This city is like New York for vastness—in plan—the residences are more beautiful because of spaces for light, air, and grass and trees between.

Thursday. Beautiful morning. Made an hour by mistaking the dial hand of my watch. Drove out to see the Great Pacific hotel & other sights with “J.” Mr. William Clarke called twice—in the evening he brought his Sister’s journal from Egypt and Mrs Hoopers poems again for “J” to see. He...

Friday. Heard brother Robert’s voice early at the door, ready to speed the parting guests. We left their hospitable door at nine o’clock.

Saturday Oct 9. Dear J. had a queer time last night. His audience was made up of a few villagers and boys, not at all an audience for him to have gone to the place for, but the youth who engaged him in a frensy [sic] of enthousiasm did not count the cost before beginning and found himself...

Sunday. Milwaukee. Cold but clearing weather after much rain—a beautiful city. “J”’s lecture was a grand success in the Academy of Music. This was the first Sunday afternoon lecture ever given in this city.

Monday Oct 11. Drove in an open wagon with Mr. Abraham Clarke around the city. It was cold as Xmas and although we were wrapped up in all the garments possible to carry, the cold bit us as if it were bleak January. We stopped at Mrs Mitchell’s—a fine house, though away from the beautiful...

Wed. Oct 13. Up early and off to Chicago. Robert Collyer came with us and set us on our way to Rockford. Walked through the town in the afternoon. It is not so pretty a place as I expected though it is lovely in the moonshine tonight. Crossed Mr. Lincoln’s Fox River today.

Thursday. Oct 14. Left Rockford soon after noon and came to Madison—capital of Wisconsin—before dark.

Friday Sterling, Ill. After riding all night away from the beautiful town of Madison which we were very sorry to leave, we reached Chicago at ½ past 7; at once we shouldered our wraps and started for the Palmer House & breakfast—no carriage so we walked all the way—well repaid, the air &...

Saturday morning Sterling. Exquisite October day. Walked through the town, which is not large (about 5000) inhabitants, out into the vicinity where children were gathering hickory nuts. We rejoiced in the fine schoolhouse & comfortable houses and general look of prosperity. Potatoes are 25 cts a...

October 17. Sunday Omaha Nebraska. It is all nonsense about getting into palace cars and not getting out again till you reach California! What about Council Bluffs, if you please, what about Ogden, earlier yet Suspension Bridge & Chicago. Let us not be misled. Travelling is not yet musk and...

Monday Oct. 18. Weather perfect. Hotel excellent especially in the best room which we occupy. It has been built but three years and one would guess to look at it, 40 years had passed over it. I presume so many rough people stop here, and the servants are untrained and insufficiently overlooked....

Tuesday 19. Arose at four o’clock, jumped into an omnibus which rattled rudely over the wide avenues of soft earth with occasional holes, especially near the crossings which are of plank and sometimes stand a foot above the level of the road. The vehicle was filled with people—two women with...

Wednesday 20. Went to prayers at the University of Iowa which stands in a park just opposite the hotel. Found 600 boys and girls together, a fine sight—later in the day we walked over the bridge across the Iowa river. The day was exquisite, warm as summer, with a soft haze over everything. We...

Friday Oct 22. Lectured in Bloomington. In the afternoon we were driven out by a Dr. Smith to a Suburb called Normal, to see the State Normal School of Iowa [sic] and the Soldiers’ Orphans’ Home, two establishments of which Iowa [sic] may justly be proud. Dr. Smith was one of Dickens’s...

Saturday Oct 23. Came to Chicago. The great city is swirling on in the same extraordinary fashion as when we left it nearly two weeks ago. The fruits displayed at this season are truly marvellous. We are at the Potter Palmer House—a palace built for the entertainment of the public. I must say...

Sunday. Still at this great hotel. There is a clock in the hall with chimes and all through the night its beautiful bells may be heard marking off the hours. We went to hear dear Robert Collyer, and such a sermon! All the family sang all the congregation song, led on by an excellent choir and a...

Monday A M. Left for Lafayette. It was rather dusty and head achy getting to L. especially as we were obliged to conclude to go home to look after our affairs there, by the end of this week if possible.

Tuesday. Left Lafayette at 10 A.M. for Detroit. Wrote this en route.

Wednesday Oct 27. Detroit. Arrived about 8 o’clock last evening. As we drove from the station to the hotel, we saw at once we had entered upon quite a different scene. An air of culture and of repose sat upon the whole place. The hotel was exceedingly comfortable and just opposite, on a square...

Thursday 28. “J” returned to Breakfast bringing Mr. Charles A. Bingham with him who lamented I had not seen Ann Arbor with “J.” Mr. & Mrs Hall entertained him sumptuously and the town stood ready to do its prettiest. He said he would go to see Mrs Bagley, the Governor’s wife and tell...

Friday 29 towards Painesville they perfume the cars and lighten our journey. This last experience at Detroit was one of the most delightful of our whole journey and one, I trust, of the least transitory.

Saturday morning left for home. Sunday met James E. Murdock in the cars at Springfield. It was about six o’clock A.M. but he was bound for Newton. He came in therefore with us and talked delightfully until we parted. He is an old man but as full of nerve, vigor, and ripened intellect as anyone...

At 10 A.M. Oct. 31st we reached our dear home. Everything was ready for us.