The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-10-01
Diary TELLS or
WOlNAV.S BUSY ZZHE.
Mrs. j. r. Mendenhall's Daily
Record Of Her Work at Home,
for Charity and Education, for
Refugees from the Indians and
for the Indians Themselves in
the Last Half Century in Min
neapolis.

A unique volume, and one of unusual
interest to Minneapolitans is book en-
titled Some Extracts from the Per
sonal Diary of Mrs. r. j. Mendenhall, -
which has Just been issued from the
press; The book is published by R. J.
cation being limited to sufficient num-
Der for the close friends and relatives
of Mrs. Mendenhall.
"Mrs: Mendenhall kept a diary in
which she, wrote daily, from the time
she was old enough to write under
explained Mr.. Mendenhall to Th 9
ournal. "For forty-two years she
and I kept joint diary. The book +
have had published. Altho it con
tains over five hundred pages, it is
simply extracts from the diary she kept
from 1858, the year we were married.
Mrs Mrs; M NJ "h was q woman Of rare
Of gentleness and purity, consecrated
with surprising energy for one not
overstrong physically, to the happiness
and welfare of her husband, and the
betterment and uplifting Of those
haF MnHy the nes GuteaS and
bed has been eased for the suffering
one by, the, tender nursing Of Mrs. Men
denhall. And many are they, forgotten
by others, who have had their dying
moments turned to peace and quiet Joy
by her religious consolation.
Mrs. Mendenhall was a Friend In
this Reorganization was she brought up
as a child, and still clinging to the
beautiful, simple creed of the Quakers
she went to her rest the 18th day Of
January, 1900. NJ ..~.',.1I'
The First Entry. =. =. .@> >.
The diary as published begins in 1853,
the thirty-frst day of the fifth
month"; (this phraseology being pc.
culiar to the Friends), about week
after she has arrived in Minneapolis,
and just at the conclusion Of her
The entry on this date is of especial
interest, -chronicling the formal opening
of the Nicollet hotel.
| con the Goth inst.,' it reads, "the
Grand Opening Supper was, given at
the tine Nicollet house, new and splendid
very nicely and comfortably furnished,
and would do credit to any eastern city.
The supper, which was gotten up in ex-
cellent style, was announced at IL p. IN.
after which regular toasts were read
and responded to-, That being over,
gay and giddy' were amusing them
selves in the pleasant exercise Of dane
ing. There were supposed to be about
| 800 persons present "a large gather
ing for that pioneer day)-''and all
appeared to enjoy the evening finely
The Indian Wars.
That the horrors Of Indian warfare
| were at that time a dreadful reality,
is gruesomely demonstrated by another
entry on the same date
Yesterday. Cyrus Bede, Junius Cher
Shakopee, to see the battle-ground of
| the Sioux and ChiDnewaS-who had ius
some trophies home with them-such as
hands, feet, and legs, ETC., all cut off at
the joints. Oh, horrors! Why are
came very near two Indians as I went
frightened, for do not like eth them very
much, but they appeared harmless"
That the "Glorious FOURTH was not
f feggg !, in :, Minneapolis. as early as
d o$ $td is m bola By an entry the Sth day
-"The fGlorious Fourth was cele-
brated today by public dinner and
speeches on the island. A good time
for people to show off their 'elo.
| quence.
First Meeting Of Friends.
An entry "1st day of 9Th month,
1852 tells that then occurred the first
meeting of Friends in Minneapolis: ,
| Inns Is the hrst day, and our little
band of brethren have met for the first
time in our little meeting room in Bas-
sett s hall" Previous to this, gather
ings of Friends, altho poorly attended,
were far from being considered fail
ure by Mrs. Mendenhall-for of one
previous religious service she wrote
neDaniel Bassett, ST., Junius, and my:
SELF were all that met together, yet I
think we had good meeting -,
The. "lst, day, of 9th month, 1885,"
she chronicles the beginning of those
kindly duties, which she continued with
ever increasing fervor, the rest of her
life-'' last night. I watched with a sick
child-Mr. Fogg 's.'
"Servant Problem'' in 1860.
That the domestic troubles Of today
were sometimes also those Of days
gone by, is demonstrated by simple
entry on "2d day of 18th month, - 1860
81 am without help-Bridget proved
dishonest. I kept her only six weeks