Monday Night October 3rd /53—

Sad, dull, worn out, stupid, good for nothing and mad, and about what, I do not know—just because I can. Felt all day as though I had lost something, and in vain has my search been, first in one room, then in another have I been, and find Coz I could not, by this time she is very near Wilmington, rose quite early this morning, went to the cars to see them off—Cousin Virginia McRae, left after this morning—met Mollie & Sallie, Mary, Mal & Louis, Col Tucker and Mr Ruf Tucker at the depot—Cousin Louis is looking very well I think—after returning from the depot, I went to take my painting lesson, finished my piece, it is quite pretty well, for me I think— Spent the rest of the day in reading and thinking—Mammy and Mother have been out visiting, all most all day—I wish I had some thing worth writing about, but this is such a dreadful dull old place, me, me! Don’t know when I have been to a party or any thing of the kind, wish some, one would give a large, nice one—Our city will be quite alive in a few weeks, I hope however, with the “Fair,” I hope it may not be a failure—it is high time for “old rip” to “make up” I think. We are also to have a temperance convention, or some thing, of that kind, on the 17th, I hoped Mr. Howard would come up from Tarboro, as he is a “son,” I saw by the Tarboro paper this evening that he was not, I am sorry, for he is a fine young man, and I like him very much (that is when I first met him, which has been a long time ago, and he may not be the same now) ‘Tis high time my University Magazine, was here. I expect the editors took a lazy fit, and did not have it ready in time—