The diary (1926) of Elizabeth Daum which forms this collection is a bound, hand-written volume. It gives an account of her trip to Europe by ocean liner July to October, 1926. The diary provides a glimpse of shipboard life as well as the experiences of a chaperoned, young woman on a European holiday in the 1920s.

The diary begins, July 10, 1926, on board the SS Cleveland which departed from New York city. Daum's entries describe the social life for young people aboard ship which included concerts, dances, dinners, and raffles. She noted the pleasant behavior of the stewards, particularly Will Jensen.

It is not clear who accompanied Daum on the ship, but she was met in Hamburg by the Brandt family and was the guest of the Saul family. Accompanied by members of these families, she visited Berlin, Dresden, Heidelberg, Austria, and Switzerland. She noted on August 4, 1926 that Karlsruhe, Germany was "not as pretty as Scranton."

In September, 1926, Daum traveled to Paris to stay with an aunt and uncle. According to an entry, August 24, 1926, her uncle was an owner of "Sneider & Jacquet," a plant in Strasbourg, France which manufactured hydraulic presses. In Paris, she visited cafes and museums and enjoyed the shopping.

Daum departed France, October 9, 1926 aboard the SS Albert Ballin. In her last entry, October 14, 1926, Daum wrote of seeing a German actor, Emil Jennings, on deck.

Small items inserted in the diary include a German concert program, a photograph of a magician, Billie Marr, and four copies of the Wireless News (July 12, 13, 17, 18, 1926) published by the United States Lines.