MR notebook 1 engl

was concealed by a cold thick miserable grey fog - I went to Mr Cal[ilegible] in the morning for Breakfast & prayers as usual - at the entrance to the [illegible] were prepar-tions for une grande illum. We dined early to permit of Mr O's dressing for which operation Mr [?E?] had come to assist with his maid during [?its?] program. Mr Ca[illegible] & Sister came to add their opinions - [illegible] Mr O's two maids where hard at it and [illegible] when Baby would be quiet & came to add his & [illegible], so seeing there were hands enough I quietly stretched myself on the sofa and sat

down to look on and [ruminated?] what those [ruminations?] were. I need not say - suffice to mention the fact that at 3 o'clock the toilet began and that 1/2 past 7 Mr O. was at last ready after [sundry?] [squeezing?] to accompany the Colonal who had for the last 1/2 hour walked about the large drawing-room. like a disturbed spirit with all the additional [burden?] or weight of a full dress uniform with all it's ac-companiments of [crosses?] medals etc etc. - Off they went and indeed (notwithstanding the slight [illegible] of feeling [underlined] arising from [illegible] to get the dress [close?] - and the dress not fitting quite [underlined]

like a glove - or rather too much like a glove) she really did [underlined] look very pretty. Perhaps ladies will like a description so here it is - she wore a very handsome Taralatan Muslin dress on [illegible], embossed with gold and white Bangles the whole front covered with a network of gold and [illegible] sleeves & body richly [illegible] with gold embrodery & fringe, her hair nicely dressed and on her head a large band of gold (open [illegible] )twisted very prettily and finely at each side with [illegible] tassels with pearl golves

and gold [illegible] fastened at each temple with a large diamond brooch in the midst of both - an emerald one in the same style attached to a necklace of pearl on her neck - and an elegant pair of Diamond earrings gloves with gold trimming handsome bracelets an elegant fan and kerchief completed her Toilet at her departure - Mr [illegible][illegible] and I sallied out in the carriage of the former to see all we could see- we went first to the Metropole where the private palace is, the whole event was illuminated and [Illegible]

were placed on horseback by twos in all[illegible] the principal windows were filled and held and the groups were assembled each