1848. Georgetown, December. 1^st. J. Reed has taken over the editorship of the Colonist at $800 per annum. If he will only give his heart to it, I am sure he will make it the most respectable newspaper of the Colony.

Mr. Bland withdraws his children from the Convent school on the 3^rd inst., and assigns no cause therefor.

Settled accounts today - house expenditure $31.37. Stole fees $17.86 each. F. was only able to give $20 of his share [of the] expend[iture].

Paid butcher for Presbytery and Convent.

2^nd. This evening the gardener, Walsh, broke off work intending to go in the morning to Essequibo.

3. The Mail has come in, but has brought me no letter. Mr. Brittain and his granddaughter have come passengers in her. The latter brought a letter from Fr. Curtis to Mother Regis. It does not give us as satisfactory encouragement about the missionaries as I expected.

5. The mail has gone out today, but I have sent no letter by her, neither have the Nuns.

Visited yesterday Mrs. Lavers, and Miss Cruise. The old lady will be a very agreeable companion and chaparone [sic] of Miss C.

1848. Georgetown. 8^th. December. Enjoyed a rich treat last evening with little Cruise, who preferred enjoying the society of the Nuns to going to the musical party of the Goodmans. Her artless manner, liveliness, and archness greatly amused us. She was to have gone up this morning to Berbice, but it rained a deluge last night, and it is possible the departure of all has been postponed. Capt. and Mrs. Lavers sent their cards last evening.

Geoghegan called this morning at the Convent with some complaint against Eliza and Mama. He is also coming round.

The balance of the Goodmans - Fanny, Luisa and Maddaline - called at the Convent and were very gracious.

11. Miss Cruise has, it seems, resolved from her infancy to embrace a religious life - but in obedience to her mother's wish will not take the final step till she will have attained the age of 21, which she will in about 9 months.

She is indeed a child of God, and would be a priceless acquisition to S. Joseph's should she make up her mind to enter here.

1848. Georgetown. December 11^th. Mother Regis, who is now in her retreat, will I am sure have the consolation of receiving Miss C. as a novice. What an event for the little church of B. Guiana. How anxious I am for some certain news regarding the Jesuits. Should our hopes be disappointed there, I know not where to turn.

12. Yesterday a letter from Mr. Lordan for self, with two from Mrs. O'Donoghue, and one from Miss Cruise for Mother Regis were taken up by Mr. Reed at the Post Office, and with his accustomed neglect, forgetfulness, or inattention, did not hand them to me till 6 o'clock, when it was too late to write answers by the mail starting this morning for Berbice. Mrs. O'Donoghue apologizes in the most handsome manner for Mr. O'Ds not being able to call at the Convent when he was taking away Maria, and intimates her intention of placing the little child once more at school.

Manning is beginning to persecute me about the organ. Referred him to the party who employed him.

1848. Georgetown. 12^th. December. The Goodmans have made friends with all those they so much sinned against, the Wolseleys, Nuns, and self. I hope they will profit by the humiliation they have been obliged to submit too [sic].

13. Called at the Colonial Bank and took up $300 together with interest for 9 months on $800 - $21.46 - leaving to the credit of my current account $500.

Paid Mr. McKay second instalment on contract ($250) due yesterday.

A visit from Mr. McSwiney, Inspector of Schools - a very plain-looking body indeed, and not at all one to be afraid of. I suspect he is another item of renegadism.

14. Wrote to Mr. Lordan giving him discretionary powers to have midnight Mass at Christmas or not.

Mother Stanislas has written to Mrs. O'Donoghue and Miss Cruise.

A visit yesterday from a man by the name of Trevillan just arrived. He has the appearance of a gentleman farmer, is rather old, and seemingly destitute. He is looking for a situation, but from his years I fear he will not be successful. He says that he is from the County Cork.

1848. Georgetown. December 14^th. The O'Donoghues are coming round again, being determined to send Maria again to Convent.

15. The Wolseleys seem to entertain sincerely friendly feelings towards the Nuns. Mrs. Borne is dying, and W. himself called with a note at the Convent written in the most affectionate style. What a pity they are not all Catholics.

16. The Mail was due yesterday, and on account of the letters I expect I feel anxious. As I write the Mail is announced.

Letters from Fr. Curtis, D^r Taylor, Bishop O'Connor (Pittsburgh), Mrs. Gomez and J. Sullivan.

3 letters for Convent - for Mother Regis, M. Alphonsus, and M. De Sales.

20. Examinations at the Convent today, in music, natural history &c - all acquitted themselves very creditably, and several were rewarded with premiums. Being private, no one but myself and two priests were present.

A letter has been received from poor little Cruise full of the horrors of Berbice. She and Mrs. Lavers have been awfully preyed upon by mosquitoes, and the old lady vows she will not remain in Berbice.

1848. Georgetown. 20^th. December. Wrote by the Thomas Watson, which sails today for Philadelphia, to Bishop O'Connor. Mr. O'Brien, the Manager of the Hague, goes passenger in her as far as Barbados. Commissioned him to bring me on his return a collection of shells for the Convent.

21. Examination of the Extern children at S. Joseph's - the day being exceedingly wet, there was not as large a muster as otherwise would have been. However, 45 attended, together with the parents of some of the children. The Nuns examined, and all went off very creditably. Mr. Reed, Mr. Fitz. and Mr. Brittain were also present.

Fitz's kitchen propensities still continue, to the great annoyance and disedification of the servants - come when the Jesuits may, I shall get quit of this hero as soon as Fr. Leahy shall forward his recal[l].

22. Paid Agar balance in full for transport of materials from Geneve.

A visit from Mr. French and D^r Clifton on the organ business - arranged matters amicably with them - may the present arrangements last.

1848. Georgetown. 23^rd. December. A notice of the examinations at S. Joseph's appeared in last night's Colonist.

The town has rather a gay appearance today owing to the number of Coolies in their gorgeous costumes coming in from the country to make purchases.

24. Had a meeting after Mass today of the persons interested in the organ - after considerable pains taken in explaining the position of Church affairs I proposed their meeting by themselves on Wednesday, and devise some plan of raising means, and then to meet me again on Sunday next.

25. Said three Masses at Convent and gave Benediction in Church and at Convent.

A letter from Miss Cruise intimating her wish to present to the little church an altar lamp, and offering me on the part of her Grand Papa hospitality on my visit to Berbice. What a comfort to the priests she, Mrs. Lavers, and Mrs. Cramer must be.

A.D. Harriet De Ridder is again becoming impudent, and seems entirely to forget herself. It will serve no good purpose to allow her to continue at the Convent longer than 6^th. proximo.

Georgetown. 1848. December 27. S. John's day - a little feast at the Convent today. Sister Mary Magdalen and S. M. Bernard have been ill for some days.

31. Preached to a very large Congregation today.

After Mass had a meeting on the organ business - came to the resolution of curtailing the organist's salary.

Handed my quarterly subscription $25 to D^r Clifton.

A year of trials has just closed - aware of all the maneuvres [sic] of an organized band of conspirators among the Priests, I have had many struggles to suppress my feelings.

Permitting a low vagabond like Fitz[gerald] to reside under the same roof with me, and dine at the same table with me, conscious that he was lying in wait for every word that I uttered to misrepresent it among the laity and create a bad feeling was, I think, as much as human forbearance could well endure. Thank God I have escaped and defeated all their machinations, and now their day of reckoning and punishment is at hand.

Georgetown. 31 December. The proposal to reduce Mr. Manning's salary was received well by all today excepting D^r Clifton. I solemnly protested I would not sanction more than $400 per annum. I was not aware that other parties considered even that sum too high under existing circumstances, and on Mr. V. Heyliger's naming $360, I at once acceded to it, and Mr. Reed as Sec^y. to the meeting was requested to communicate to Mr. Manning the resolution come to [to] give him no more in future than the last named sum.