ondon for Chichester. The morning was
spent in making arrangements for the Association.

L. came. I told him to tell Hounslow that he was only to repay L3
out of the L6:10s. for the quarter's rent. Arranged to have a
large applicant's book with full details. Found that all concerned
were very much pleased with the boarding-house. Gave L. something
for relief in special cases. Told him to see about getting several
of Braille's small writing frames made, if he found the one I had
sent to be successful. Impressed upon L. to take on more workpeople
the very moment the sales would allow it. Talked to him of my plan
for raising money to buy a West-end house, made him feel he must
devote himself more than ever to the work, not that he is
unwilling.

L. told me that the amount of goods bought in the past year had
been too great, but that bass-broom and cocoa-mat making would do
much towards keeping down this item.

The "purchase of goods" here referred to was always a sore point with
Bessie. In order to fulfil the order of a customer, articles not made by
the blind had often to be procured. The manager was on the horns of a
dilemma. Custom was lost when an order was sent home incomplete, whilst,
on the other hand, the Lady President wished nothing, or as little as
possible, to be sold which was not the work of the blind. This
difficulty, however, increased rather than diminished, and if there is
any way of avoiding it, that way has not yet been discovered.

During the summer at Chichester, Bessie seems to have suffered much from
exhaustion and fatigue, entries of "unavoidably nothing done" are
frequent, as well as reports of "toothache."

The house in Euston Road was small and inconvenient, additional space
was urgently required, and when it was found that there were empty
rooms in an adjacent house they were at once secured.

"Heard from L. that four rooms next door are engaged for L16 a year, and
as the room where the materials were kept cost L5:4s., the extra expense
will only be L10:16s."

A peaceful summer at Chichester brought time to spare for old pursuits.
She had the garden with its birds and flowers, and her music and poetry
as a solace after the grind of Association work.

"S. finished writing from my playing," she records, "a song from the
_Saint's Tragedy_, which I hope I may get published for the good of the
Association; it was begu