The bulk of this journal is written in French. It covers the period (1885-1886) when Abby Williams Hill was teaching painting and drawing at a school in Berthier-en-Haut (also known as Berthierville or Berthier) in Quebec, Canada. In June 1885 Hill went home to the United States for a lengthy visit. She writes about family life in Ohio and Iowa and her experience studying at the Chicago Art Institute. She returned to Berthier-en-Haut in October 1885 and remained there in her teaching position until July 1886, when she moved back to the United States. The French portion of the journal concludes in November 1887, with Hill writing about daily life and her blossoming relationship with her future husband, Frank Hill.

At the end of the journal, Hill provides updates on her family life in 1900, 1901, 1904, 1906, and 1907. There is a single journal entry written in English for each of those years except 1907, when there are three entries. The updates include notes on Romayne Hill's birth and early life, Ione and Eulalie Hill's adoptions, Abby's father's (Henry Warren Williams) death and management of his estate, and the pending adoption of Clifford DeRosier, Ina and Eulalie (DeRosier) Hill's biological brother.

A typed transcription is available for this journal.