Bennett Luther Dean
Personal Journal, 1907
January 1907
Tuesday January 1 Not very cold, about freezing. Cloudy and rather threatening. Not a speck of snow, seems more like early spring. Went to work at 6:15 and through about 11:30, home the rest of the day. (Anna sits up in bed now). Not a person called untill about dark my Mother and Aunt Vina came, they came today to stay over night. They spent the evening here then went back over to the Hardenburgs. The children are both well nigh sick with colds. Bennett is cross and irritable and does not sleep well at night. And he and Howard have to be greased and doctored every night. I am getting over my cold slowly, I am sure colds are catching because whenever one of us has a cold all the rest are sure to have it.
Wednesday January 2 About freezing and threatening. The Dr. came today and said he would say good bye and if we wanted him anymore we could send for him. Anna sits up in bed now and is getting along fine. He said Bennetts cold would have to be watched and not allowed to tighten, said to give his Ipacac. I went down town at noon, bought this book and went and got my bank book it had been at the bank for 6 months. I expect I will have to draw out $50, at least on this baby deal. Babies cost money. My book shows $418.43, quite a lot but some way I dont feel very rich. I have about $500 in the Loan & Building and I could possibly raise $300 on Life insurance, etc. so I am worth in the neighborhood of $1,200, not so bad but bad enough for one of my age, worse off than some but I suppose better off than some. Mother here to dinner and most of the afternoon.
Thursday January 3 Oh misery, such a day. Rained nearly all last night and all day and warm enough so I have not worn my gloves.
Friday January 4 Well this [is] different again, the sun came out today and it was a beautiful day. Colder than yesterday, about freezing. Anna sat up today doing fine. Got my bicycle today, Berry has vulcanized the rear tire and has had it several days.
Saturday January 5 Another day like yesterday, just cool and delightful, regular California weather. The same tire I had yesterday went flat today and had to be plugged. I am to tired out at night to go down town or anywhere. The Carriers have a blow out tonight but I am not going.
Sunday January 6 A fine day but cloudy and threatening. I guess that means more rain. Worked today, which makes the 3rd Sunday in succession, on account of the holidays. I dont like getting up early enough Sundays to get over there at 7 oclock but of course do like getting through by 10:30, that seems good. A quiet day the rest of the day. The children have been good all day and I had a beautiful night last night, not a murmer from either kid. Bennett did not take any nap yesterday and went to bed early and slept like a top all night. Howard had such an awful night of it night before last I guess it must be worms. He was so sick to his stomach and vomited and I had a terrible time cleaning him and the bed up and he had such awful dreams. First he was left in some awful place and the boat would not come and get him and I would ask him questions about his dreams, he would answer and keep right on dreaming and talking in his sleep. Then he saw goats and he pointed and said see them, he said no they arnt goats they are kitty cats, then some wires all burned up and he wanted to know what would become of the poles. I said "where, over on Grand River?" no way way way off. I went with Auntie, said he, and she went away from me and I could not find my own home and I got lonesome. Then again he began to laugh a crazy laugh and make his arms go and his eyes roll then he said "Oh see that nasty thing". It was terrible to see him Oh never mind it is only a dream and he seemed to understand. I did not get much sleep and had to get up and go to work so I felt pretty tough all day. He was very sick all day yesterday, vomited and could not eat but today he seems his old self again. They gave him Castoria, sage tea & vermifuge. Norine came in today alone, about noon, staid till about 4. Anna and she had a good visit. Anna sat up nearly all day today but is very tired tonight. I will be glad when the nurse and housekeeper are gone, it does not seem like home, then too the expences discourage me so. I feel as though I never would get ahead any. There is some hope that congress will raise our salary to $100 a month, I hope so and I am sure we earn it and need it. I dont see how I can make ends meet on my present salary with the high cost of living and my growing family. Roosevelt advises large families, he is afraid of race suicide but Roosevelt never raised a large family on a small salary. (If he had to support a large family on a small salary he would not care if we did have race suicide.)
Monday January 7 Another foggy rainy day, just miserable. And so warm one feels so uncomfortable in winter clothing.
Tuesday January 8 Rained nearly all night and the wind blew fearfully and there was thunder and lightening. It did not rain today but you thought it was going to every minute. Warm but cooler by night. Mrs. Hanna called. (I just noticed that I was using this book upside down.)
Wednesday January 9 Well it was quite cold today, about 18° above and a high cold wind. Mr. Smith back on Forest is dead. Mrs. O'Brien called.
Thursday January 10 About 14° above this morning. And a very high northwest wind that made it awful cold but by night it was up to 32° above and threatening. Went down town at noon paid the gas bill and bought a few groceries [and] a Barber Comb. I got some shears some time ago. I intend to cut the childrens hair, if I am going to have a family of boys I will have to economize by saving on Barbers bills. I went to the bank and drew $50.00 to pay the nurse 3 weeks pay. I dont like to have to draw money out of the bank and it discourages me terribly. Babies cost too much, this one is going to cost more than the others because I have to hire more help. We have no relation to help us out as we have before. Aunt Vina who helped when Howard was born could not come. Gummie that was here when Bennett was born is in California, so we are at the mercy of hired people and not much mercy do they give. They want all they can get and will give as little as possible. Inez and friend called.
Friday January 11 Fine day, about freezing. I wish it could stay such weather. We have had no real severe cold weather yet, not below 10° above zero but we have had lots of disagreeable rains, mud, etc.
Saturday January 12 Well snow covered the ground this morning. I heard it in the night blowing against the window and when I went to work "on my wheel down the car track that had been cleaned" it was raining and I thought we were in for a very bad day, but the sun came out and it was a beautiful day except for the slush and mud and by night the snow was about all gone. Howard was sick again last night and vomited but I got a vessel to him in time so he did not muss the bed and he did not have such an awful time dreaming. Bennett got into a muss and mussed the bed so Anna had to come and change the bed and his nightie . Kids certainly are the article to try mens souls. Well Mrs. Slater the nurse departed today noon with $36 of our hard earned dollars in her pocket but I suppose she thinks she earned them, well we like her pretty well. She is agreeable, willing and good to the babies. She has been here 3 weeks. After Mrs. Slater had departed, Mrs. Durfee asked Anna if she thought she could get along as she wished to quit because she was tired out and about sick. Anna did not know what to say but told [her] she guessed she would have to if Mrs. Durfee was sick and wanted to leave. It will leave us in bad shape, Mrs. Durfee is queer and I think she must be afraid she will have to do some disagreeable work, or maybe it is spite, funny woman.
Sunday January 13 Quite warm between 40° and 50° above. A tiny fall of snow, about as much rain. I did not have to work today for the first time since the Sunday before Christmas, at home all day. Got up about 7:30 we had breakfast rather on the one at a time, go as you please way. I got the breakfast all but the coffee while Mrs. Durfee sat around as though she was freezing. She is a crank on cold and complains of the cold kitchen and burns enough gas to keep warm to supply a small gas plant. I expect my bill will be up into the 6 and 7, then she lays it to the washing ironing etc. And coffee she makes strong enough to hold up a suspension bridge, no body can drink it but her and she drinks it by the barrel. She had a change of heart today about leaving but decided to stay a while longer, well I am glad to have her stay and help Anna but I wish the expense could stop. I wonder if everybody gets as discouraged as I do. And Anna is discouraged to think of an other kid to work for and be tied down never to be able to go anywhere. I tell you they can talk about large families but certainly it is no dream to provide and care for them. Anna came down stairs last night for her supper and for her meals today. Mrs. McLeod, Helen and Donald called today. Mrs. Graham called and bid us good bye because she is to start for California next Wednesday, she goes and comes as often as she likes while we sometimes talk of making the trip for once in our life time. And I cannot see where she is any more worthy of the privileges than we are.
Monday January 14 About 40° above. Snow all gone, slush & mud. Cloudy, threatening snow or rain. Got up about 6:10 and had to be at work at 6:30, may be I didnt have to hustle. When I woke up the washer woman was ringing the bell. I jumped up partly dressed and took the washing to the door, then dressed, filled the coal stove, got a dish of oat meal from the back of the stove, swallowed it, grabbed my bicycle and flew, and got there OK. Bennett was sick last night, vomited in bed and made a nasty muss in general. It seems as though something is the matter with one or the other of them every night. I am afraid to go to bed almost. The new baby does fine, sleeps well, eats well, grunts and grows, opens his eyes and seems to take notice. His eyes are very dark blue and may be brown later, his hair is nearly white. Anna is not very strong and gets awfully tired. I dont know what she would have done if Mrs. Durfee had left us last night, she is peculiar and nothing that we do or have is according to her ideas but even as she is we are thankful to have her to help. She has seen better days and has had a home of her own, servants, carriage, etc. and we hear of that once in a while too. Took a trip down to the Main P.O. tonight to sign the pay roll. Got another puncture in my tire today, this is the 3rd in two weeks.
Tuesday January 15 Colder, about 20° above, 1 1/2 inches of snow came last night. Fine day. Lydia Joy call today. Bennett got a birthday new dress from Auntie Mabel in California today. I cut Bennetts hair today and be looked real cute. He does not feel very well today and sits and rocks in the little chair a good deal. He is quite a hand to nod in his chair just like an old man. Ask him if he is sleepy and want to go to bed, no "rock" and will make a fuss if you try to put him in bed or to lie down.
Wednesday January 16 Cold, about 20° above and a miserable cold. Wind from the east, and that always makes the house so cold. I wish we were in a house with a modern heating plant, if there is anything I long for it is a warm house. The baby has been on the burn today, restless and would wake up as soon as he was laid down. Anna laid that to getting angry at Mrs. Durfee for not getting breakfast and other things. She read that nursing babies had indigestion from nursing from angry mothers. And Howard was so sick after supper, he just heaved up Jona in good shape, we thought that must be the milk, either something in the milk or it may have been because it was too cold. Got a new cactus tire today on the rear wheel, it has went flat 4 times in a week and I have spent a dollar on it, the old one I mean.
Thursday January 17 About 20° above, about 3 inches of light snow came last night. Fine day. Howard was sick all last night, vomited and vomited until I thought he would burst a blood vessel. Kept me busy attending him but he seems all right today. I dont see what the matter can be.
Friday January 18 About freezing A.M. but thawed all day. Pretty good sleighing forenoon, but too soft P.M. Fine day, just cool enough to work.
Saturday January 19 Rained hard last night and again this eve. Snow all gone, streets nasty with mud. Country roads must be a mile deep with mud. So warm today that it is very uncomfortable with winter clothes on. The wind is as soft and balmy as spring. Nothing doing around here out of the ordinary. The kids have behaved splendid for a couple of nights. The papers are full of another big earthquake horror at Kingston, Jamaica, nearly as bad as the San Francisco quake.
Sunday January 20 Mercy me how the wind does blow all last night and all day today. We can feel the house rock and from last night to tonight the thermometer has fallen from about 59° last night to 13° above tonight. And it seems much colder on account of the wind. Worked today, home all the rest of the day. We just about live upstairs now with the little stove in the front room we can keep it nice and comfortable. The baby is 4 weeks old today and weighs 11 lbs. He notices noises now and his eyes will follow one around and he tries to talk to his Mama, "sure". Mrs. McLeod and friend Mrs. Smith called.
Monday January 21 Cold, about 10° above. Fine day, snowing now this evening. The papers say a great deal of damage was done throughout the state yesterday by the wind, wires, signs, fences, electric light towers, etc. down. The Ohio river is having an unpresedentedly large flood, 15,000 homeless around Cincinnati. Aunt Dill and Inez called this afternoon.
Tuesday January 22 Cold, about 8° above and kept cold all day. About 4 inches of light fluffy snow came last night, today is bright and sun shiny. Mrs. Burns and Mrs. Smith called. Mrs. Burns is in everyday but Mrs. Smith who lives in the house just back of us rarely comes in.
Wednesday January 23 Whew below zero, about 5° below at 7 A.M. which was the coldest hour, although it was bright and a beautiful day. It was very cold all day and is now at 8 P.M. 8° above. The house seems as comfortable as it ever was, the stove upstairs makes that part the most comfortable of any. Mrs. Durfee complains of the cold kitchen, there is no heat there but the gas range but she burns enough gas to heat the whole house and she is rather cranky in some ways. She puts in all her time in the kitchen nearly and then dont do much more than get the meals and I am getting tired of her cooking. The bread is not half baked and nothing seems like home. She has one virtue and that is being good to the children. I went down town today noon and got a roll of film and came home and tried to get a picture of Bennett but he would not keep still long enough for me to take it. Belle over today.
Thursday January 24 About 8° above A.M., about 20° above this eve. and a cold mist falling. Snowed lightly all day but hardly noticeable, cloudy. Senator R.A. Alger died this morning of heart disease. He was in Washington although he had been out of health for a long time, the end was sudden.
Friday January 25 Raw, damp, about 20° above, colder at night. Things seem to be running along smoothly, the children have had no more sick spells. We are trying hard to brake Bennett to ask for the chair but he is hard to brake. He gets spanked and jawed but they seem to have but very little effect on him. Baby Laurence stretches and grows, sleeps fine nights but has an occasional bad day.
Saturday January 26 Very cold, down to zero. But a clear bright beautiful day. One can really enjoy cold on such a day as this. The boys enjoy it to the full with their skates on the numerous skating ponds around the City made [by] flooding vacant lots by the City. Howard likes to go out and teases me to give him a ride on his sled every time I come in the house and so after tramping all day I go out and run up and down the streets with him on his sled.
Sunday January 27 Cold, about 14° above, a beautiful [day], sunshine and clear. Home all day, took Howard for a long ride on his sled. Then Anna, Bennett, Howard and I went for a short walk down Commonwealth. Howard and Bennett on the sled but Anna got tired and the kids could not ride very well on the sleigh. Bennett persisted in rolling off, so we came home, popped corn and ate it with come nuts we have had since Christmas. Mrs. Durfee took care of kid number 3.
Monday January 28 About 10° above A.M. and 18° at night. Beautiful day, a little threatening and a little snow at night. We expected Mrs. Durfee to leave us today but she seemed to think she was to stay untill the first of February and so she kind of hired herself for another week and Anna did not say anything. I was disappointed because I am tired of having strangers around and then the expense worries me but I suppose it will be all the same in a hundred years. If Congress does not raise our salary I think I will quit my job and go to California as Annas Mother and Mabel are teasing us all the time to come. They think if we were only there they would be so contented and happy but they want us or the children so bad they are afraid they will have to come back if we dont come there.
Tuesday January 29 About 18° above A.M. Cloudy gray day, the air above filled with snow. Snow fell lazily all day. Howard earned his first penny today, he came in with a penny held tight in his fist and said he had helped Mrs. Burns clean her walk and she had given him a penny, and I gave him another to clean our walk and he wanted his bank to put them in. He has not learned to spend pennies yet.
Wednesday January 30 Cold, 10° above A.M., 10° P.M. and did not rise much above that all day but it was a bright sunshiny and perfectly beautiful day, and tonight it is cold but a beautiful starlight night. All carriers have thier ear to the ground now to hear news from Washington. We expect Congress is going to raise our salary and while they promise and the prosperity of the country makes the time seem ripe and it seems certain that they will, we dare hardly hope because they have promised before for years and the association of Letter Carriers have worked for years [and] nothing has come of it. So the papers are watched, every bit of news read and eagerly discussed.
Thursday January 31 About 12° above but run up to nearly 30°. A little snow, cloudy and gray. Bennett says "Hi diddle" now and "rock a by baby on the tree top" and when he gets provoked he says "oh fiddle". When he gets into bed he says "want to go around Papa" me means he wants to turn over onto his stomach. Then he wants a "drink water Papa", then I usually say Oh fiddle. So the other night when his Mama put him into bed he wanted to go round, then he says want a "drink water Mama, oh fiddle." The baby can smile now with his mouth wide open and he can talk too, but the faces he makes up and the stretching he goes through to get a word out is a caution.
February 1907
Friday February 1 Warm, above freezing, rain this eve. Jan. gone, it always seems like the longest month of the year and Feb. is the coldest. 8 years ago today I came to Sta. A. and took route 129 and have been on it every since. I remember the first half of that February was extremely cold, the thermometer went below zero and scarcely got above for 15 days. I think one day it was 19 below and I was good and sick of my job. I had been down town at the Main P.O. for 3 1/2 years and wished I was back. I went down town after work tonight. I paid Keenan and Jahn $10 which finished paying for the couch. Paid the gas bill for Dec. and bought some groceries at Peter Smiths & Sons.
Saturday February 2 Just freezing when I went to work this A.M. and all the forenoon it was warm and the streets got slushy. In the after noon a high cold wind came from the Northwest and in a couple of hours the slush was frozed solid. Tonight the thermometer is down to 10° above and the wind just howling. It was dark and cloudy until noon, then there was a streak of sunshine occasionally all the P.M. so the ground hog saw his shadow if he looked quick enough. And I suppose that means 6 weeks more winter, well I hope it wont be any longer than that. I wanted to go down town tonight but it is such a rough night I thought I would rather stay inside. I suppose Pardridge & Blackwell opened up in thier new store opposite the Public Library today. And Peter Smith opened a meat department in thier grocery store today.
Sunday February 3 Very cold, about 4° above and a clear bright day. Worked. When I got up this A.M. at 5:30 to go to work the house seemed as cold as a barn. I got my breakfast and went to work, came back at 10:30 and was home all day. Inez Hart called about supper time.
Monday February 4 Fearful cold all day, about 2° above this A.M. and did not get over 12° above all day. And the house is so cold I think I have some poor coal. I just dont like cold weather. There is scarcely any snow, the walking is fairly good a little rough and icy. Mrs. Durfee left us today so we are back in our old tracks except we have one more to make tracks. It is pretty hard for Anna to care for 3 kids all under five years and do the house work besides. I expect there will be times when we will feel the burden of a family on our hands.
Tuesday February 5 Very cold, about 10° above but fine day. A fine snow was falling this morning and although it was scarcely noticeable it makes the car tracks so slippery that the cars were all on the bum, the wheels would buz around but the car would not move.
Wednesday February 6 About 2° above and cold all day, but a bright beautiful day. We have had nearly 3 weeks of good cold weather and I guess the ice man wont have to worry about the supply of ice which did look rather dubious untill past the middle of Jan.
Thursday February 7 About 14° above A.M. and 18° above P.M. Fine day but cloudy. Mrs. Oulette called, she had heard of our new baby and came to see how we were getting on. She is our old neighbor and landlady and has always been very pleasant. I voted today for regent of Universities, I voted for L. T. Barbour.
Friday February 8 Perfectly beautiful day, about 12° above A.M. but got up almost to 30° above which seems warm. We had a colored woman here to work today, she did splendid but charges $1.35 a day, gets here at 8 and quits at 5, has to have breakfast and dinner. She is to come every two weeks and sweep, clean and iron. Anna thinks she can get along with that much help. I guess Anna is as tired tonight as though she had done the work. The children always get worse when any stranger is around and the baby was more care than usual and then waiting on the woman to keep her going did the rest.
Saturday February 9 Warmer, about 30°, fine day. Thawed some. Got bad news in the papers this morning they [said] that the Mail Carriers would not get any raise this session of Congress and deep gloom hung over the men at the office all day and I must [say] that I am in the depths myself. I was sure we would get something this time, well maybe we will get [it], but it looks gloomy.
Sunday February 10 About 32° A.M. but got colder, about 24° P.M. Blowy and some snow flying, seems cold. Home all day, thought I would go to Church but just at Church time I seemed to be needed to tend baby so I did not go. The baby has been restless all day and is hard to get quieted down tonight. Raymond Oulette our old neighbors boy of 85 Noble St. came to call on us today. He was never here before and we were surprised to see him. He is 10 years old now and was, while we lived at 87 Noble, [a] nice appearing boy. Maggie Joy called, she is in from Plymouth for a day or two. Belle, Tom and Elmer Hardenburg also called. Bennett was very cute while they were here, he is usually so bashful that he will not say a word but he told the names of all the animals in the animal book. I was surprised that he knew them for I had never heard him say them myself, then he up and said his "Hi diddle diddle" for them. I cut Howards hair today. I suppose I ought not to do such things on Sunday but I dont seem to have any other time and I want to get so I can save Barber bills if I am to have 3 sons to shear. I did a pretty job too I think.
Monday February 11 About 18° above A.M., 10° above P.M. Bright day but a fearful cold wind right from the north made it awful cold, colder at night.
Tuesday February 12 1° above this morning, clear beautiful, wind gone down and it got warmer, about 20° P.M. I am anxious for the middle of this month because I think that is always the end of extreme cold weather. We have had about 4 weeks now of pretty snug winter weather, not hardly any snow and but a few days of sleighing and but a very few people availed themselves of the oppertunity to use thier sleighs, but it has been cold.
Wednesday February 13 Bright and warm, 20° above A.M., 44° P.M. just like spring, not much like yesterday. Howard and I went over on Grand River after supper and I got a pair of rubbers, some groceries and Valentines for Howard, he wants to do like the other kids do, put them on the steps, ring the bell and run. I got a roll of Los Angeles, California papers from Mabel today.
Thursday February 14 30° above A.M., 18° P.M. A high wind from the north, a few snow blizzards, some sunshine was the program today. Valentines galore in the mail today but the bulky, flimsy, paper lace things are giving way to the modern picture post card, and it is a good thing at least for the P.O. as they are easier to handle. Howard wanted to do as the other boys do so bad that I fixed 9 valentines and just as soon as it was dark I went with him and he put them on door steps rung the bell and run. Sometimes he could not reach the bell so he had to knock. He took one to Donald Burns, Geraldine Lowe, George Helme, Edward and Eliz. Hulbert, John Zimmerman, Elmer Hardenbergh and Margaret Hanna. Then we came home and I carried out the ashes and run around in front and put one on the steps for Howard and Bennett then I put a box of candy hearts for each and rung the bell and run. And they never suspected it was me. Then during the evening Howard got a return from nearly all of those he put out and we all got some in the mail. Howard got a dozen and Bennett about 1/2 as many and tickled to pieces they were. The gas men came today and took out the two old meters and put in a new one, gas is all the same price now.
Friday February 15 16° above but got warm, beautiful day. About sick all day and the whole family seems to be on the bum. Howard got a cold, Anna and the baby nearly sick and Bennett sick in sympathy I guess. The baby has been fearfully restless today. I guess Anna is some what up against it with so many kids to take care of. Gas men took the two meters out yesterday and put one in their place, as the gas is all the same price now we only need one meter. But I dont like it as I cannot tell how much gas we are using for lights and how much for fuel. And I wonder why they did it here as they did not take our neighbors out. I think it is because our bill was about double while Anna was sick and there is a good deal of kicking in the papers on big gas bills and they are trying to hush it up and thought maybe I would kick on my bill. They probally thought it was the meter well I hope they put in a slow one.
Saturday February 16 About 30° above, nasty snow P.M. but melted as soon as it fell. The whole family is on the sick list today. I did not feel like work and hated to get up like firetown this morning but I am beginning to realize that I am a man with a family on my hands and there is no rest for me as long as I can crawl. Bennett and Howard barked all night and baby Laurence has it too, so we are rather used up. Two years ago today it was 16° below zero and today is more like spring and after the middle of Feb. I look for us, more extreme cold. I expect we will begin to hear the Robin"s sing now.
Sunday February 17 Fine day, about 25° above, threatening rain or snow all night. Well I had to pile out this morning and go to work at seven, home at 11:30. All of our colds are better and Anna actually got away with Howard this afternoon and went down to Aunt Dills. She got a card from there saying they were sick with grippe but they were better today. I staid with Bennett and the baby. Bennett was as good as gold, never wimpered and the baby only cried when he got hungry. Clara Oulette and friend called today, the Oulettes are sending a delegate of the family each Sunday, I guess anyway they have for 3 Sundays.
Monday February 18 23° above A.M., 40° above P.M. Beautiful bright and balmy day. My cold was worse today but seemed better by night. I think I caught more yesterday there is such a difference between my citizens and my uniform clothes. The rest of the colds in the family seem better. Edna came up and took supper with us, she had been out to Mothers yesterday and said Mother and Father both had bad colds. Mother had had a little trouble with Mrs. Johnson and might move. Uncle Asa had offered to build them a cottage on the back end of his lot at Plymouth and let them have a life lease for the interest on the investment, that would be a good offer. And Mother and Father would have a home of thier own and would be near Uncle Asa and Aunt Vina, and I guess they would like it there.
Tuesday February 19 Beautiful day, a little colder than yesterday and more wind, 30° A.M., 30° P.M. Cold better today.
Wednesday February 20 28° A.M. and colder P.M. Bad day, snow storm biggest of season, about 4 inches which came in blizzard fashion. Bad news from Washington, the P.O. employees salary bill was thrown out on a point of order taken by an Arkansas rube by the name Macon, of course they hold out the hope that it will come up later but it is awfully discouraging and you could cut the gloom among the Carriers with a knife. I feel like going up and going into the woods to live away from everybody and everything. I am as tired as a horse and everybody else in the family is too I guess, this life is to strenuous for me, I think I will go to bed.
Thursday February 21 Well down to two above zero and cold all day but bright an beautiful. The weather man says zero or below tonight, it is 8° above now. I am afraid my theory of mild weather after the middle of Feb. is getting a bump. Well the news from Washington today is that they succeeded in passing a $1,100 bill for Carriers but the Carriers are not satisfied with that, they want $1,200. I have had considerable fun with Howard tonight because he wants an air top, he has teased very strenuously all evening and when he went to bed I had to write a note "I want a air top" and leave it on the table so I would not forget it. He is rather a cute teaser sometimes. Colored woman here working today.
Friday February 22 Whew, 5° below by my thermometer and some had all the way from 6° to 10° below, the coldest of the year, but a perfectly beautiful day, 12° above this evening. Worked this forenoon and spent a very quiet afternoon at home. I got Howard his air top and he spent the afternoon spinning it and now is in bed with it tied to the bed railing. It is the finest thing that ever came down the pike, just now. "Isnt it a dandy Papa, I am awful glad I got it, isnt it a beautiful color, hasnt it a dandy long string, it is a good deal better than Johns Papa." Then he came and wanted to kiss me for getting it and that is the way he takes on about the things he gets. He certainly appreciates them. I asked Bennett how the fire was upstairs just to see what he would say. "Oh burning dandy" says he. Anna went over to Smiths today to pay a call and so goes our Washington birthday. Belle called too. There was an accident out here on the corner last evening and we did not know anything about it till we read it in the paper this morning. A young lady in getting off of a car caught her dress in the step and the car started quick and dragged her 1/2 a block before the motorman could be made to understand that there was anything the matter. Her foot was crushed and the ambulance came and took her to the Hospital. Her name was Cecilia Mellen. Anna saw the ambulance but did not know what it was for. And there was a bad wreck on the M. C. out near Ypsilante yesterday. The train called the blind baggage collided with a switch engine. 5 people killed, 3 or 4 from Detroit. A Mail Clerk by the name of Parrish who lives up here on Putnam was killed. I wonder if they will ever get rail roading down fine enough so there will be no such accidents. It already seems to be some ones momentary carelessness and the street cars here run so fast and will not give anybody time to get on and off in decent order, you just have to drop off and jump on.
Saturday February 23 3° above, cold all day, 12° above at night but a perfectly beautiful day. Our coldest days are our finest weather, when it gets warm it is almost sure to storm. Bennett has a new stomach tooth and he has accomplished a new feat lately. He can run and throw himself up onto the couch, before he has had to first get onto a chair or get a boost. The large kids had a masquerade party over at Lowes tonight. Donald Burns came in to show Howard he was dressed as a policeman, the neighborhood was very curious and a good many went and peeped.
Sunday February 24 Warmer, 20° above A.M. and 32° above at night. Dark and threatening snow, did start to snow this P.M. and I thought it was going to be a heavy fall but suddenly it cleared and the sun came out. I did not work today and went to Church for the first time since last fall. I heard a splendid sermon on the other half of the load, or doing more than just what we had to, or just what would be strictly honest and just, we ought to do more than that. Laurence is 9 weeks old today and weighs 12 1/2 lbs. and his mother says he is the best baby of the three. He sleeps all night never even wakes to nurse and is good natured day times. Anna and Howard went over to call on the Hardenbergh's this afternoon. There was good news from Washington in todays paper. The Senate committee will report in favor of giving the Carriers and Clerks $1,200 and the rural Carriers $900. Well I hope that becomes a law because that is what we have been working for. Congress voted to give us $1,100 and rural Carriers $840.
Monday February 25 About 14°. Fine day, cold wind. Belle & Delia called.
Tuesday February 26 About 14° above A.M. Cold wind. Fine day. The sun is warm but dont seem to have much effect. The snow and ice melts some in thin places. There has been some sleighing but not many take advantage of it. I dont feel very well, yesterday and today it seems well nye impossible to get through Feb. without a sick spell. The baby is whooping it up in great shape this evening as bad as he ever did I guess and Howard and Bennett seem to take such a time to be especially trying and then the Mother goes nearly distracted. Bennett will not ask to go on the chair, he has been spanked and spanked for it still he will muss his pants and of course he has done so tonight. Peary the North Pole explorer is here tonight and I would like to go and hear him but feel that I cannot afford it, the admission is 75¢, $1.00, $1.50, too much.
Wednesday February 27 About 14° above bright but cold all day. We have had pretty snug weather since the middle of Jan. it dont usually keep as cold as this near the 1st of March. Mrs. Slater called this afternoon for a few minutes, she is the nurse.
Thursday February 28 8° above A.M., 20° above P.M. Beautiful day. Feb. keeps cold till the last day. I think it must average pretty well up with cold months. Albert Hart has a son born today [Harry Albert Hart].
March 1907
Friday March 1 20° above A.M. and got warmer, a miserable rain nearly all P.M. March began to show off the first day and I got good and wet this afternoon, raining a miserable cold nasty rain this evening. The Carriers have been on the anxious seat for a few days thier salary bill was receiving rough treatment. The Senate gave us $1,200, the bill went back to Congress who had given us $1,100 and they failed to concur, so it had to go into conference committee. We got word today that it had finally passed at $1,200. Everybody at Sta. A. hurrahed when we got the telephone from the Main P.O., they had got a telegram.
Saturday March 2 About 30° above all day, but seemed cold as a cold wind blew a hurricane from the west. March weather began as soon as March began, I do not see how it knew so well when March came. The Carriers are to have a little jollyfication at the association meeting tonight over the passage of the salary bill. I would like to go but by the time I can get ready I am too tired to go. The Carriers have worked for 15 years to get thier salary raised and every since I entered the service 12 years ago they were going to get it the next year. I can scarcely believe it is true and I guess I wont feel sure till I get my hands on it.
Sunday March 3 20° above. Another March day, cold wind, blizzards and sunshine. Ground white with snow this morning. Worked today. Home at 10:30 and staid in all day. Anna and Howard took a walk and called on the Moores at 28 Caroline. Bennett was running with a taffy on a stick of candy in his mouth and fell down and drove the stick into his mouth and cut it back by the throat but we cannot tell how bad as he wont let us see. Anna washed it with Boracic acid. He has acted funny every since and we [are] all very much worried. He says it does not hurt and he just cries and has slept nearly all day, something so unusual that that frightens us. One never can tell anything about a child because they wont let you look into thier throat and wont tell how they feel.
Monday March 4 Cold A.M. about 12° but it soon went up to 30° and was a fine day. Bennett seems O.K. today. I guess he was not hurt very bad.
Tuesday March 5 About 24° above A.M., fine forenoon, afternoon wind, blizzards, sunshine. Went down town at noon, took lunch at Sta. Paid Dr. J. N. Bell for our new baby, $15.00, paid gas $4.96, bought a few other things, went into Pardridge & Blackwells new store for the first time. I wanted to ride on the moving stairs, but they were not running. When I came home at night the kids were waiting to see what I had in my pockets. I had a cloth rabbit for Howard, a top for Bennett and candy and dates for all and they were as tickled as tho I had brought diamonds and pearls. But Howard liked the top better than the rabbit. Bennett was willing [to let] Howard play with it but he would not trade. Then they have to take anything new to bed with [them]. Howard had the rabbit and a pair of mittens and an old doll in bed with him.
Wednesday March 6 About 18° above. Fine day but we have such cold winds. I believe I suffer more with the cold now than when it was much colder by the thermometer.
Thursday March 7 About 24° above. Fine forenoon, but the afternoon was fierce. We had one of those wet heavy snow storms that we have about twice in a year and usually in March, about 3 inches fell.
Friday March 8 Warmer, a beautiful spring like day but bad walking, sloppy and nasty. The snow that came yesterday is going today about as fast as it came. I hurried through this forenoon and came home and took care of the baby and Bennett while Anna and Howard went down town during my noon hour to get Howard a suite. He is invited down to Georgie Helmes birthday party tomorrow afternoon and we was going to get him a suit anyway so thought we better get it so he could wear it to the party. Well they got the suit and it had pockets in it and Howard is so proud and pleased he is standing around with his hands in his pockets this afternoon. The suit cost $8.00 and that seems like a lot of money to pay for a kids suit but the cheaper ones looked so cheap that Anna did not like to buy one. It is a blue Buster Brown style and Howard looks fine in it. I like to have the children look nice and would rather go without myself than to have them go without, but we are feeling rather poor this winter since the new baby came and our expenses are discouraging and I had to take Howard to Grand River and get him some rubbers in the bargain.
Saturday March 9 18° above A.M., got warmer and a beautiful day, dirty sloppy streets. Howard went to the party this afternoon from 3 to 6. He could hardly wait till it was time to go. He looked pretty fine in his new blue Buster Brown suit, white collar, red necktie and red belt, black stocking, and black shoes with patent leather toe tips, red knit tassel cap and dark gray overcoat. We were at supper when he came home and he started into tell us all about it in a boyish excited way. He had a package with some cake and candy in it. He said they made each little one take them home. He had two dishes of ice cream, he said when one dish was all gone he asked, "please, I want some more ice cream." He told how they kept the dining room door shut so as to surprise them and they had to march into the dining room and a little girl was ahead of him and that made her sit side of him and "Mama she had dark brown eyes". I said did you like her? "Oh she was kind of a cute little fellow," said he. He told how they played, they had a canon and you pull something and, pop, it would shoot some soldiers dead. And he showed some Lady his pockets. Mama asked him what he did that for and he said, "Oh I just wanted her to know about my pockets." And he forgot to give Georgie Helme his ball till after supper when he was going to put his overcoat on he felt a bunch in his pocket and he took it out and gave it to him and "he just opened it and looked at it and Mama he bit one of his balls till there was a hole in it." He gave us a very good and amusing account of it all. He looks much older in his suit and it seems as tho he is getting to be a big boy almost too fast, we hate to have him lose his cute and innocent ways.
Sunday March 10 Beautiful day, freezes nights and thaws day times. Howard and [I] went to Northville on the 10 oclock car. Went to Mothers for dinner, called on the Merritts in the afternoon. Came back to Mothers packed up some canned fruit and butter and came home getting here at 7 P.M. We had a beautiful day and a fine time. The country looks wintry yet, some snow and rivers and ponds frozed, trees as bare as sticks. Anna, Bennett and the baby staid at home and I guess they had a little rest too. The Parisian Laundry burned last night, one fireman sufocated and Chief McGraw had a very narrow escape.
Monday March 11 About 18° above but warmed up fast, beautiful day. I guess my jaunt yesterday put me on the bum because I have that tired feeling in every bone I got. I think the girpp has been hanging around me for a month and maybe I have got to have it yet, so many are having it now, nearly everybody in Northville is having or have had it. Mother and Father have been very miserable with it and all thier neighbors have been down with it. Inez Hart called, Anna walked a piece with her when she went home.
Tuesday March 12 Warm, away up into the 40s but a nasty day. It rained last night and misty and nasty nearly all day and the wind on unpaved streets is simply fearful. The baby has found his hands and it is comical to watch him try to get one of them into his mouth. It will start, stop, get out of his sight, then rub around on his face, and finally find his mouth, then he will suck as though he had got something good in his mouth.
Wednesday March 13 Weather not so bad, a little rough, a little rain and sleet towards night.
Thursday March 14 About freezing, not a bad day, threatening. This evening I went with Dick Peters, Frank Buchanan and Peter Martin up to Bill Carrs house. His Mother is dead, he lives at 175 Mt. Vernon. Belle called, Maud Moore called.
Friday March 15 About 24° above this A.M. fine forenoon, threatening P.M. I believe the mud is the worst I ever saw it in my district.
Saturday March 16 The thermometer is away up into the 50s, the sun is shining and it seems as tho spring is here. Robins are quite common. I took off my knit jacket and wore a derby hat but I suppose in a day or two we will be having ice bergs and blizzards but I do get so tired I am simply all in when night comes. I would like to go down town and see the sights at least once a week but I guess once a month would about strike the average. Tonight I am hardly able to crawl to bed. Bennett has another stomach tooth, he sings Mother Goose rhymes now and to hear him is a circus. Jack and Jill is [his] favorite and he sometimes sings at the top of his voice. Then he is one of those kids that sees things like a chair in a piece of bread. He takes a bite out of a cookie and says see Mama bear or chair or horsie or something like that. Anna got all the kids ready this afternoon and went for a walk, which astonished herself and all the neighbors. They called on the Hardenbergh's.
Sunday March 17 About 40° A.M., beautiful forenoon, cloudy in the afternoon. Got up and had a egg and pancake breakfast and was at work at 7 A.M. Home at 10:45 and the rest of the day was spent very quietly at home. The baby slept a big share of the day. Howard and Bennett were exceptionally good and what a peacefull day it has been. No one came and we went no where. Anna made fudge and we ate, slept and read.
Monday March 18 About freezing all day, seemed cold, cloudy. We are weighing the mail for 10 days as they do every year. Inez Hart called. Will Perkins and Clarence Mason called this evening. Will's children Ralph and Kelby are having the Scarlet fever and are in Ednas house quarentined. Edna and Clarence are staying at Perkins meanwhile and the neighbors are kicking claiming that the quarentine is not observed and I heard of it and telephoned Edna about it and they came up to see about it but I guess it is nothing serious.
Tuesday March 19 About freezing forenoon but got warm P.M. Rained last night and it was slippery for a while this morning. Aunt Lizzie Joy and Maggie called for a minute.
Wednesday March 20 Quite cold this morning, about 24° above but a bright beautiful day. The baby has had a crying fretting day. Bennett went out to play today with Howard, it was treat for him as he does not go out very often. In fact he has not got proper clothing to go out when it is cold. Mrs. McLeod called today. We are all dead tired tonight but just now Bennett & Howard are in bed and the baby has fallen asleep. They manage somedays to tire their Mama well nye to death. The supper dishes are yet to be done and I have to shave and I feel as tho life was hardly worth living, where is the fun and enjoyment, where is the rest? In the grave I guess, well we will surely get there someday.
Thursday March 21 Started in quite cold this morning but by evening it was up to 60° above. Fine day. Colored woman here to work today. Bennett goes out doors to play these nice days with Howard and he enjoys it but he is so bashful that if any other children come near he makes for the house and tells Mama that "ittle boy [f]aid me", then he wants his things off and wont go out again untill the boy goes away. Baby Laurence has had a bad day, he has cried a good share of the day. [Anna's maternal grandfather James Rufus Nash, who moved to California in 1903 to live with his children, died this day at 1917 Prospect St., Hollywood, California. He was 83 years old.]
Friday March 22 Beautiful day and very warm, up to 70° (paper says 75°), doors open, people sitting on their steps, wraps off, hat on the back of your head just like the good old summer time. An accident this morning about 7:30 A.M. on the R.R. corner of 14th. A passenger train ran into a loaded street car, knocked the car into kindling wood and injured 7 people, two so bad that they are expected to die. This seems like a bad crossing, several accidents have occured there. On my district I was near enough just after it happened to see the train standing there and the crowd of people but I could not go and see.
Saturday March 23 Beautiful warm day. Howards birthday. Howard is 5 years old today. He could hardly wait for the day to come. He has been counting the days for sometime, for of course he is a big boy now. We did not do much for him for it was understood his suit was for his birthday. I went down town today noon and got him a nice box of candy and a mouth organ and Bennett a box of candy and a toy wheel barrow for of course if one has anything the other must have some too. For supper we had a birthday cake with 5 candles on it and ice cream and Howard was immensely pleased, and Bennett too, for Bennett enjoyed everything as much as Howard. Auntie Mabel from California sent Howard a book, "Childs Garden of Verses" and both Grandmas sent him picture cards and of couse both boys had to take thier new things to bed with them. Howard learned to spin a string top today of course he does not make it spin every time but I was surprised to see how well he could do it and as I never tried to spin on that way, I took turns with him and learned to spin it myself. Howard is 40 1/4 inches in height and weighs 40 pounds, he does not look as white as he used to but has a healthier look and has a nice little crop of freckles over his nose this spring.
Sunday March 24 Another summer like day, about 50° above. Did not have to work today, home all day. Shaved, washed my head, helped with the work and thus passed the day. Howard went to Sunday School for the first time today. He went with Margarete Hanna our next door neighbors little girl. Howard looked fine and when he got home we quized him about what he did. He said he took off his hat (peanut scoop) and put it in his overcoat pocket as we told him to and hang his coat on a hook and when he came home they brought him every old coat before they got the right one. He sat all alone and didnt march or sing with the rest of them. He offered his penny to a lady but she did not take it. A lady asked him his name and he said Howard Dean and they had music on an organ and they sung songs about Easter time and other songs "that you dont know Mama, not Jack and Jill and Little Bo Peep." And they talked about a man that we must thank for the Moon and the stars and water. Mama says what man? And he says I dont know. Mama says God? and Howard says yes, "what do we have to pay him for?" And he said Johnny Zimmerman cried and so did Elizabeth cause she wanted to go into the other room. But he didnt cry. Anna, baby and Howard have gone for a walk down to the Harts. Bennett went to sleep in the rocking chair and I put him on the couch. He could not go because he has nothing suitable to wear but he did not make any fuss, he is as good as gold.
Monday March 25 Thermometer down to near freezing this A.M. but soon warmed into a beautiful day. The mud is getting dried up and makes it much better in getting around. This is the weighing period for weighing the mails and I guess they must have been accumulating the stuff to dump it in during these ten days because I never saw so much truck and I am so tired nights that I can only crawl to bed.
Tuesday March 26 Very warm today, up somewhere around 70° and just now at 8 P.M. it is raining and thundering and lightening. My but I am so tired tonight I ache in every joint. I think the only place for me is in bed.
Wednesday March 27 Very warm, above 70° and now at 8:30 P.M. it is 68° above. Rained nearly all the forenoon. My winter clothes are so uncomfortable, it seems as tho we are miserable all of the time either too cold or too hot. Tired to death again tonight, dont seem to be able to rest up over night.
Thursday March 28 Very warm, showers. 39 years old today and I must confess that I feel it tonight because I am so tired. Nothing doing in the way of celebrating or presents. Mine comes so near after Howards birthday that it seems like a superfluity to have another celebration. I cut Bennetts hair today or cut at it. He kept his head going so that I could only cut when it came around in front of me and I did not do a very artistic job.
Friday March 29 Warm, I put on my thin coat this afternoon. I have suffered in my heavy one for several days, I hate the thin one because it looks so small and short but I couldnt stand it any longer. But it has turned quite cool this evening and we will probally have a freeze up. Inez Hart called this evening and her Father came to go home with her.
Saturday March 30 Cold, about freezing but a beautiful day and more comfortable to work than the weather that we have had. But the work, oh mercy, will it ever let up. This Post Card craze is swamping the P.O. and killing the employees. The Sta. A. building caught fire early this A.M. upstairs in the hall, not much damage, and none down in the P.O. part.
Sunday March 31 Cold, 26° above, cloudy and a few flakes of snow, not a very pleasant Easter. Not many Easter bonnets came out today although some wore a heavy coat and a flower garden on thier head. Worked, home all day except I was over to Sams this evening. The baby is rather cross lately his food does not seem to agree with him, he nurses then howls and it makes things very interesting some times.
April 1907
Monday April 1 Cold, 18° above this A.M. and did not warm up any all day, but was a bright fine day. We had to turn up our coat collars and put on our mitts again and I was as cold as anytime this winter. I came home at supper time and found Anna suffering with a sick headache, so sick she could not sit up. I was so tired I could hardly drag but I had to tend baby till I got him asleep then go to the store after something to eat, get supper, put the children to bed, build a fire upstairs it was so cold, wash up the dishes and crawl to bed about 10 oclock. Anna managed to get to bed and that was about all. It was election day and I intended to go and vote but could not. And I was to go to the Church to select a seat for the coming year but I never thought of that and I suppose we will have to take up with a chance seat.
Tuesday April 2 Cold, 18° above again this morning but was a fine day and got warmer by night. Anna got up feeling better today but feels weak and useless. And I cannot get rested. I declare my legs ache continuously, I dont see what has got into me. I guess it must be spring fever.
Wednesday April 3 Got warm today, beautiful day.
Thursday April 4 Warm, cloudy, rain afternoon, blew up cold at night. Colored woman here working today and when I went to work at noon I kissed Bennett good bye and he said Kiss the lady Papa, but I skipped "skidoo".
Friday April 5 Below freezing and a fearful cold wind from the east. I bundled up as much as for winter and was none to warm. Billy Witherspoons 25th anniversary as a letter carrier was today and the Carriers of Sta. A. gave him a loving cup and a boquet of roses. Postmaster Homer Warren and Asst. P.M. Mayworm were present today noon and made a speech and some of the Carriers told what a good fellow he was, etc., etc. Anna called on the Hardenberghs this evening.
Saturday April 6 A little warmer, cloudy and some rain afternoon. Anna and Howard went to Grand River after supper to make a few purchases. Bennett is very good about letting his Mama go away. "Where going Mama" he says. Oh going over on Grand River, "coming back?", yes, "alwight" says he.
Sunday April 7 Cold horrid rainy day. Howard went to Sunday School but it began to rain soon after so I went down after him with an umbrella but the people he was with came home on the car and he with them so I missed him. Walked home with Sam, got wet and as I have a bad cold today I suppose that will add a little. Did not work today.
Monday April 8 Up to about 40° but seems cold, windy. Went down town after work. Paid gas, ordered groceries at Peter Smith & Sons, then went out to 227 Gratiot to Runges shoe store to get a pair of Piugree sample shoes. I heard you could get them there. I got a pair of $3.50 shoes for $2.50, so he said. I have a fearful cold.
Tuesday April 9 About freezing, cold raw, some blow, some snow. This weather is very discouraging to say the least. The baby has got to the point where [he] wants to use his hands so bad, he can not steer them at all. His Mama was holding him at the dinner table and she put the napkin ring down in front of him and he grunted and wiggled and got red in the face at it but he could not get his hand onto it.
Wednesday April 10 Well when I looked out this morning the ground was covered with snow but it did not stay until noon. The Base Ball team came back from the south yesterday. I guess they must have been surprised to see snow. They were to play a practice game today and begin the season tomorrow.
Thursday April 11 About freezing, cold, raw, damp, miserable. They played ball today, Det. won from Cleveland. 6000 people braved the weather and saw the game, "geese". Went down to Ednas this evening, Clarences birthday, both of us could not go so I went alone. Belle was there, Sam could not come. Will and Min were there. Delia could not come, rather a small crowd. We played cards, visited, ate ice cream and cake, and came home about 12.
Friday April 12 About freezing, rained all the P.M., just miserable weather all this month. I have rheumatics in my left ankle. I feel it quite often in my feet and it frightens me, if I had it very bad in my feet it would put me out of business. Howard I guess must be coming down with a cold he says he is sick. We tried to get some licorice powder down him but he did not like it and just as he got it down, up it came and made a muss on the carpet. He is very finiky and his stomache will not hold anything he does not like. At the table he will not eat hardly anything that we think is a treat and if he does not like the looks of a dish he wont touch it. If he sees a black speck in his food, even peper, he wont eat it.
Saturday April 13 Cold, rainy, miserable weather. The H. K. Thaw jury disagrees after nearly two days out. They stood 7 for conviction, 5 for acquittal. There is a good deal of sentiment in favor of his acquittal but he committed murder and I dont see how they can acquit him according to law.
Sunday April 14 About 22° above zero this morning and the ground nicely covered with snow, of course it is gone in a few hours but it do beat the dickens. The day was not so bad, worked today, home all the rest of the day. Howard quite sick, cannot keep a thing on his stomach and he groans, grits his teeth, talks and sees things in his sleep. His eyes are dull and he has just layed around all day, scarcley made a move, and has not eaten a thing. I guess it must be worms.
Monday April 15 About 22° above, but the sun came out this forenoon just fine, the first time this month but the afternoon it got cloudy and dubious again. Howard better today but not very lively and he hardly eats a mouthful.
Tuesday April 16 Cold, fearful wind. The house is as cold as a barn, it seems as tho a window must be open. Fire going as hard as ever it was in the winter. Howard is better and can eat a little but Bennett is sick today, coughs and has a little fever at times. And he wont eat either, they both have to be doctored and greased before they go to bed.
Wednesday April 17 About 35° above, cold, cloudy, unpleasant. Bennett about sick with a cold. He is cross and touchy, his tears run and he says wipe me tears, wipe me tears, wipe me nose. He dont like noise. Howard was pounding with his hammer and Bennett had a fit over it, "me dont want noise, me want Howard stop." Some times he says "going do Papa make noise?" When he is put to bed, he dont want the light turned down, "me want light in Papa" he seems to reason that we turn the light out when we put it out so we must turn it in when we light it. Mrs. Durfee called today but Bennett did not seem to know her.
Thursday April 18 2° below freezing, fine sun shiny morning, cloudy P.M. Bennett is better today but both he and Howard are cross and given to spats and crying. The baby was as good as gold today. The colored woman was here today and that makes a hard day for Anna. Inez Hart called and said Uncle Will Blair was dying, he lost his mind some time ago and was as silly as could be.
Friday April 19 Fair day. I guess it is really trying to clear up and have some good weather. Anna received a letter from Anna Fry saying Uncle Will Blair died yesterday after noon. I cut Howards hair today noon. I do not do a very fine job yet but I learn a little each time. Howard wiggles so that it is only a guess job. Howard took a penny and went after a paper for me tonight. He said there was a man in the store and he was afraid to go in, so he stood outside and waited and Mrs. Burns came along and went in with him. I guess that means that he is too young to go on such an errand but he has been to the grocery with a note for his Mama and I thought he could go there. The kids were so cross tonight that I thought things would fly off of the handle before they go to bed. They seem to demand every ounce of strength and patience a person has before they fall asleep.
Saturday April 20 About freezing A.M., cold air but beautiful day. Went down to the Main P.O. today noon to sign the quarterly pay roll, they used to send it out to each station but lately they make everybody go down there to sign it and it is a nuisance. Anna and [Howard] took a trip to Grand River after supper, one purchase was the pen I am writing with as you can plainly see. [Editor's note: His ink is much finer and neater]
Sunday April 21 Beautiful day, warming up. Got up, ate breakfast, read the paper, washed the dishes, shaved, washed my feet, changed my clothes and went to Church, heard a good sermon, got our annual envelopes, tried to see about a seat but the right man was not there, came home. Walked home with Sam and Belle. Edna was there which is rather unusual, Clarence had gone to the farm. I ate dinner and rested peacefully all the rest of the day, as the children were exceptionally good. Anna and the two older kids went for a walk towards night. Bert Hart, wife and baby Harry called.
Monday April 22 Beautiful day, quite warm. Bennett had a bad night last night he woke up time after time crying but we could not find out what was the matter. We would ask him what he was crying about and he would say "me dont know", stomach? "no", throat sore? "no". He had a cold and we were quite worried but he came out this morning as pert as ever.
Tuesday April 23 Warm but cloudy and threatening. Bennett cut up again last night, I guess it must be teeth. Anna and Howard went to Grand River after supper to see about Anna's hat. Bennett always stays with me without any fuss, bids his Mama good bye and lets her go. He has been singing all the Mother Goose rhymes he knows to me, Jack and Jill, Little Jane, Sing a Song of Six Pence, Etc.
Wednesday April 24 Beautiful day, cold this morning and began to sprinkle this evening. Well I bought me a bicycle today. I have been thinking for some time that my old one was nearing its end. I bought the old one 9 years ago about this time of the year and it makes me feel like I was forsaking an old friend to cast it aside but I noticed a couple of spokes today were broken in the rear wheel and I was afraid it would go down with me sometime and I did not think it would pay to repair it. So I went up on 12th St., 1039, to see a man that deals in second hand wheels and I thought this one was a bargain at $10.00 so I took it and it certainly runs fine now. And if it has not been "doped" or "doctored" I think I will get my money worth out of it. It is an old Tribune but seems in good shape. My old one was a Victor and was a $100 wheel when it was first bought, and I bought it the next season for $27.50 and it certainly has paid for itself.
Thursday April 25 Well the weather man could not stand for two days fine weather running so he dished up some that would pass anywhere for bad. Rain that was part snow all the afternoon. Mercy if anything would drive a man into foreign parts it would be the weather we have had this month. Howard can undress himself now all alone, and put on his nightie and that is quite a help but he is a bad boy about going away where his Mama has told him not to. He will promise when he goes out, but he says he forgets what he promised.
Friday April 26 It was 4° below freezing this morning but the sun came out and it warmed up into a fine day. Bennetts cold has made him deaf, he can hardly hear anything. He will say "what say"over and over again untill you speak real loud. And he says his ear hurts. Anna put some warm olive oil in each ear tonight, it may gather and break, I hope it is nothing serious. Baby Laurence has been as good as gold today. He has laid on the couch most of the time, he goes to sleep, wakes up and coos awhile then goes to sleep again. He weighed 15 lbs the 23rd when he was 4 months old. His hair is almost white, his eyes, brows and eye winkers are white and he looks like a white clean baby but his eyes are deep sea blue. He does not take things with his hands yet, but he will soon now. The rear tire gave out on my new wheel today and I took it back and the man put on another one.
Saturday April 27 About freezing this morning, but a beautiful day. Bennett is so deaf that we are worried, he does not hear you speak at all unless you speak loud. Howard goes away everytime he gets out doors. He goes out promising he will not go anywhere and in a few minutes he is out of sight. I guess the troubles of summer are upon us. He does not seem to realize any obligation he just wants to go where the other little boys go.
Sunday April 28 Well today gives us hopes that after all summer may come some time, it really seems quite hot today. Went to work and walked home and met my whole family coming to meet me and we walked down sixth to Harts but only Uncle Henry was at home, the rest had gone to Church, some walked home and Inez and Mother called here. Inez proposed to Anna that she and the children go to California this summer and she would send her Mother along to help take care of the children. And they waxed quite enthusiastic over it and appealed to me but I could not see it and said I was afraid to let Anna go for fear she would not come back. People that go there do not come back very fast. Bennetts hearing is not better. He seems over his cold otherwise. Anna is putting olive oil in them, he does not complain of them but just can not hear unless you talk loud and right at him.
Monday April 29 Warm, almost up to 70°, warm showers and plenty of them and hard ones too. Sharp Claps of thunder. Bennett Still keeps saying "huh say mama" "say Papa" we are really very much worried about him, goodness I would hate to have him deaf. I suppose if he was deaf now he would forget how to talk, well we hope he will be better every day. Anna continues to put olive oil in his ears every night.
Tuesday April 30 Well it turned cold again. Last night was a wild nasty night, it rained and blew and rained this morning a cold miserable rain. April has been the worst April I believe I ever experienced, well this is the last day and we hope it is the last of the bad weather. The kids have all got colds and have to be greased every night. I got soaking yesterday and feel the effects of it today. And Anna is taking medicine tonight to ward off a cold if she can. Bennetts ears were syringed out tonight but nothing came out and he can not hear any better. He says they do not hurt. Baby Laurence has had a bad day too, he takes things now with his two hands and tries to get it into his mouth, then he will lose it and he will shake and tremble all over for it but cannot find it again very well. Howard can whistle by drawing in his breath and he thinks it wonderful and wants everybody to hear him.
May 1907
Wednesday May 1 Well May starts with a bright pleasant day, but cold, about 28° above zero this A.M. and a heavy frost. April was the coldest in 26 years so say the papers. Well I do not want to see another such month in 26 years more. I believe we had about as much snow fall as we did in January and nearly as cold and anyway it was much more disagreeable. Everybody about the same today, the children all have more or less cold. Bennett I guess is going to be deaf till his ears break probably, and that may take some time. And in the meantime he is cross and cranky and it is tiresome to talk to him because all he will say is "say Mama, you say Mama" he just does not hear and Anna goes nearly distracted trying to tell him anything.
Thursday May 2 Some warmer but a cold air yet, we still are wearing our winter clothes and have a fire and they are not uncomfortable either. The colored woman was here today again and got us cleaned up quite decent again but did not have time to finish the ironing and so Anna is doing that this evening after the kids are all asleep. I have to wash the dishes nearly every night. I expect I will get to be quite handy around the house and I guess I could keep busy all right but I am too tired nights to do much housework.
Friday May 3 About 40° above this A.M. and it was so nice that it gave us hope of decent weather but towards night a cold wind came up and this evening the wind blows a gale and it is as cold as January again. And it makes me feel as though I would like to skip the country. A Miss MacBean committed suicide yesterday afternoon by hanging herself to a rafter, she lived just across on the N.W. corner of Avery here. We heard of it last night but could not believe it. There was no commotion or excitement that we saw and thought it only a story but it was in the paper this A.M. She had become demented through the constant care of an invalid sister for 16 years.
Saturday May 4 When I looked out this morning it looked for all the world like a midwinter morning, it was snowing and blowing and the roofs of houses were white with snow and the ground was slushy, green grass was sticking up through white snow. But it was soon gone and it was a fine day after all but cold. I guess we are not going to have any summer. Edna Hakes and Mother called.
Sunday May 5 Beautiful day. Howard and I took the 10 oclock car to Northville, had a fine time. We were at my Mother's for dinner and supper then up to Merritts for a while in the afternoon. We had a fine time visiting and seeing. The spring is so far behind, just a little plowing done and no planting. The trees are still bare, a few schrubs and bushes look a little green but that is all the signs of summer there are. We came home on the 5:30 car and fortunately the car was not crowded. The worst thing about going anywhere is in getting into a crowded car. We found Edna and Clarence here when we got home. They were talking real estate. They are trading their farm for a house and lot right down here [at] 279 Calumet. I cannot help but envy them, not only the house but if they trade they will make nearly $1600 [Ed. Note: does he mean $160]. Anna had a splendid time all day, the children were so good she enjoyed the day. I am so sleepy I keep going to sleep while I am writing this.
Monday May 6 Cool, cloudy and threatening all day.
Tuesday May 7 Raining when I got up and it rained untill about 9 A.M. then it cleared and was a beautiful day. I went to a gold stock meeting down in the Coroie [Cowie? spell?] Building this evening, it is the Paymaster Mine, or the Northern Developing Co. I have 5000 promoters shares in it. Of course they promise big things for the future and have an abundance of excuses for the past. I really think they have the stuff all right but the rub is in getting the money to develop it.
Wednesday May 8 Beautiful day, quite warm. Went down town on my wheel after work and paid the gas and made a few purchases. We expected Ted and Norine in today, but they did not show up. I guess Bennetts hearing is getting better. I hope he will get over it withing [?] a time with it. Bennett and Howard are now down on the floor and Howard is pasting up broken card board houses. Baby Laurence is asleep in the buggie and Anna is washing dishes.
Thursday May 9 Beautiful day, quite warm, nearly up to 70. Ted, Norine, and Clarkson came in today. [They] were here to dinner and supper. Ted went to the ball game this afternoon. Clarkson is as great a terror as ever and never comes and goes away without doing some damage. He smashes toys and today he smashed the cover to a dish that Anna prized because it came from Ogden. If we had 3 like he is I guess we would have some excuse to grumble. I would rather take care of our 3 than one like him.
Friday May 10 Turned cold, snow all P.M., about 1 inch fell. When I went to bed last night it was so warm I threw the window open, and when I got up this morning it was cold enough to freeze a body. The thermometer stood about freezing and a cold wind from the east was blowing. The afternoon it began to snow quite hard and it snowed for about 3 hours. The trees and bushes were dressed in white, and the grass was filled with snow. The side walks and streets were wet and sloppy. My feet were wet as sop when I got home from work. Everybody is so disgusted with the weather and the oldest inhabitants tell when the same thing happened before, the papers comment on it and they say it was 5 years ago today that it snowed but only half so much. I remember that day but we had lots of fine weather before that. This spring has been cold right along. It is very discouraging after waiting and longing all winter for spring to have a spring like this. It makes me want to go to California.
Saturday May 11 Cold this morning but a fine day. It looked like winter this morning, snow was on the steps and walks and it was freezing cold. Anna, Howard and Bennett went to Grand River after supper. I took care of baby Laurence and washed the dishes. She came home with a pair of shoes for Bennett and they would not button around his legs so I went back with them, it took an hour for me to get waited on and I was very tired and when I got home I discovered I had left Bennetts old shoe over there so I had to go back after that. I think we earned the pair of shoes and I guess we could do better tomorrow.
Sunday May 12 A little warmer, cloudy A.M., bright P.M. Went to work at 7, back at 10:30 A.M. And the shoes I got do not fit Bennett now. We wanted them for Sunday but they are too large and wont button around his legs either. Anna and Howard and baby went for a walk P.M. Bennett was asleep. Bennett sometimes says he does not want to go to places. When we ask him he says "you go Mama, I stay here". I am afraid he is going to be too bashful to comfort. I was when I was young and I feel sorry for him if he is going to be as bad.
Monday May 13 Beautiful day, very warm, up to 80°. Doors and windows open and folks sitting on thier steps in shirt sleeves, it is so strange how the weather can change. 3 days ago snow and cold, today hot. The leaves on the trees just popped right out today and they show quite a shade of green tonight. Inez Hart called this afternoon. Anna, Bennett went to Grand River to exchange the shoes and I guess got Bennett shoed at last. The new Million Dollar boat that the D & C company had nearly completed was nearly destroyed by fire today and it seems such a pity that so beautiful and costly a boat should burn. The kids are all asleep and Anna is sewing on a suit for Howard, it seems well nigh impossible to get any sewing done.
Tuesday May 14 Another Hot day. It gives us hope that summer has come at last but the weather man says colder tomorrow. The fire is about out and I guess I will let it go out and build it up again if it is necessary. The kids teased to go barefoot today but Anna would not let them yet, but tonight when they were ready for bed they had a frollick in their bare feet. Howard is very proud of the fact that he can undress himself, put on his nighty and go upstairs and get into bed alone. And today he was gloating because he washed and combed his hair for dinner without anybody telling him to. And baby Laurence was put down on the floor today for the first time. A quilt was spread out on the floor and he was laid on it. Howard and Bennett began creeping at six months but Laurence has not had as good a chance, as it takes the floor practice, see. Mr. Jaquess called. Edna & Clarence called.
Wednesday May 15 Warm, showers all A.M., cooler P.M. and by night it was chilly. I had not touched the stove since Monday and it was as black as your hat but the stove was warm so I turned on the draughts and the fire came up OK. The trees are leaving out fast now and things look real springy. But the spring has been so backward that vegetables and fruit are going to be scarce and of course expensive. Wheat has gone up to the $1 mark again and the papers say great excitement in the wheat market, men are making fortunes and I suppose some must lose fortunes in the rise.
Thursday May 16 Cold and threatening. Glad our fire did not go out, feels good. Our colored woman did not show up to work today. I suppose she has got a better place, they are so independant they are so much in demand that they just go where they please and stay as long as they like. We were paying her $1.35 a day and furnishing breakfast and dinner, but we hear she could get $1.50 and I presume she has gone there.
Friday May 17 Beautiful day, warming up again. The colored woman came this morning, she said she sent word but it did not get here. Everything is base ball these days. I am not what they call a 'fan', I like to see the game but several of the Carriers are very enthusiastic fans and I hear a good deal about it. And of course Howard is already teasing for a ball mit and bat. I dont know, I really would like him to be a good ball player, it is about the cleanest game there is.
Saturday May 18 Beautiful day, warm, up around 70°. Anna took Bennett down town to get his hair cut, she had to wait a long time and was late [getting] home to dinner. And I could have cut his hair as well as they did, they scarcely touched it and charged a quarter. Baby Laurence stayed in at Burns while she was gone. I came home and had to get the dinner. Howard played out doors all the time. I think summer has come for sure now, it seemed so much like it today.
Sunday May 19 Beautiful day, warm, blew up a little, cool by night. Did not have to work today. I went to Church this morning. And we all went for a walk clear up to McLeods, corner of 23 and Hudson, this afternoon. And when we got there Donald had the mumps and we did not go in but sat on the steps and rested awhile then came home and we were all tired when we got home. Bennett walked up but got in the buggie with the baby coming home. Bennett sees everything and asks funny questions. He saw the choo choo cars and a colt he said was a goat. And everybody sees Bennett and smiles at him and when we were through eating supper he says "peas cuse me Papa I want to get down and rest a while."
Monday May 20 Cold enough for winter clothes, fire still going and it is a good thing it is today because we could not be comfortable without it. I put on light underwear yesterday and I feel it today. I went with Dick Peters to see a kid ball game at the corner of Warren and Commonwealth after work tonight and I nearly froze. Some of the kids had a bon fire and everybody was huddling around that. The kids played a fine game, 7 to 5. Dick had a couple of his kids in the game. After supper I went to a meeting of the Pay Master Mine and got rich by hear say. The Co. has been running 4 years, and they think it will take a year and probably more to get it on a paying basis. It was so cold that I wore an overcoat and was uncomfortable with cold at that. Everybody is cussing the weather, the worst ever and the weather man promises frost tonight.
Tuesday May 21 Well we had a pretty hard frost this morning, the thermometer went down to about 30° and it seemed pretty cold and sharp. I should think it would cause considerable damage but it was a bright beautiful day. Our fire is going yet and we are shut in like winter. Howard went out to play this morning but he soon came back after his overcoat and wore it all day.
Wednesday May 22 Cold, cloudy, raw and threatening rain in the evening. I guess this weather is going to continue right through till winter again. I am tired out tonight and feel old and lame and stiff. It is now 8:30 P.M., Howard is a bed and asleep and so is baby Laurence. Anna is ironing and she is tired out too. Bennett took a long nap this afternoon and here he is now still up. He refused to go to bed and has been fussing with his little shoes taking the strings out and trying to get them back in again and this minute he has gone to sleep sitting up in a rocking chair. I will have to put him to bed.
Thursday May 23 Raining this morning.
Friday May 24 Bright day, it gets warm fast enough when the sun comes out. Edna and Clarence called this evening, they are feeling jubilant over thier trade, thier farm for a house and lot and expect to move about the 4 of June. I had quite a time with Bennett tonight to get him to go to bed he would not go and cried and screamed and acted fearful. I spanked and jawed and really I am at a loss to know how to manage him. It dont seem to have the right effect to spank then again I feel like giving it to him good and plenty. He gets to crying and cannot stop and cries and sobs and wants his nose wiped and his tears wiped untill you are completely out of patience with him, he is not at all like Howard.
Saturday May 25 Cold, rainy, fearful day, everybody nearly to the limit of patience with the weather. Children in the house all day and that means a tired out Mother. Bennett was bad all night last night and cried out a dozen time, he got spanked and jawed but it dont seem to have much weight with him. I suppose he must be out of sorts in some way. No down town or out at all tonight, to bad and wet.
Sunday May 26 Well quite warm but rain, hard showers all day, some of them terrific, some thunder. Worked this morning, home all the rest of the day. Was intending to walk down to Ednas but it was too rainy. Mother and Father was expected to be there but I dont believe they could have come in such weather as this. Wrote a long letter to Mabel in California this Eve. And Anna wrote to Auntie Tee in California.
Monday May 27 Well it turned cold again for a change, it was down to 38° above this morning and it did not go much of any higher all day, and a terrific wind from the N.W. made it seem colder than it really was. I wore my winter coat and gloves and most everybody had overcoats buttoned up tight and they went along all humped up like they would in zero weather and to make it worse it rained some of the time, a nasty sleety nasty rain. And the weather man says frost tonight, well maybe, the wind has gone down this Eve. and it is clear and cold but 36° above now at 9 P.M. We are comfortable with a brisk fire but I dont see how people stand it that have no fire. My coal is nearly gone and I hate most awfully to buy anymore coal this winter or rather this summer. Inez Hart called.
Tuesday May 28 38° above at 5:30 A.M. Heavy white frost this morning and actually there was a little ice on the windows, it seem as tho it must do a whole lot of damage to vegetation but the papers say only the Hay Crop was injured. But the sun came out and it was a beautiful day and warmed up rapidly. Father came up from Ednas today, they did come in Saturday after all but had not got out of doors untill today. Belle called.
Wednesday May 29 Beautiful day, cold morning but got quite warm by night. Anna and Howard went over on Grand River to see a dress maker and call on Charlie Blair and wife.
Thursday May 30 Decoration Day, and a beautiful day. Worked A.M., 1/2 holiday P.M. Took Howard and went out to Clark Park, Sta. A. Carriers played ball with Sta. B. Carriers and got beat 15 to 2. I did not stay long, got discusted seeing our boys getting beat so Howard and I looked through the Park, bought some candy and came home about 6 P.M. Bennett cried to go with us, the first time he ever cried to go, he usually says, "Me dont want to go, me stay here". It is funny to hear a kid say that he does not want to go but when I came home and gave him a bag of candy he was happy.
Friday May 31 Cool but a beautiful day. Anna and Children went down to Ednas. Edna was at work but Mother and Father were there and Mrs. Beard was there, she is keeping house for Edna and Anna McGee was calling there so she had quite a visit. Mother says Ernie and his wife and baby came to Northville just lately to show Mother the baby. Ernies wife has been at outs with Mother for 4 years and I never expected she would be the first to make up but I guess the baby had something to do with it. We hear they are very proud of the baby and want everybody to see it. They are both old to have the first baby. Ernie must be 45 and his wife cant be far behind. Well I am glad and hope they get good natured again. I would give two cents to see the baby and they say it is a beautiful baby girl. It must be about 10 months old now.
June 1907
Saturday June 1 June 1st and a day forget, it is cold, windy and rained all the afternoon and evening, just a miserable, nasty, horrid day. Our fire is going yet and we could not get along without one comfortably. Folks go along the street with overcoats and winter wraps around humped up as tho it was winter. The papers say April and May broke all known records on average cold weather, but the weather in the paper today promises that this will be the last and that summer weather is headed this way. Anna went down town this forenoon and made purchases, she left the children with Mrs. Burns.
Sunday June 2 Cold, damp forenoon, cleared and warmed up a little in the afternoon. I did not work today. Went down to Edna's this afternoon to see Mother and Father. They were there alone, Edna and Clarence had gone out in the country and Mrs. Beard the housekeeper had gone out in the country too. Edna expects to move into thier house this week sometime. I wish we were going to move into a house of our own too. Lansing all the past week have been celebrating the 50th anniversary of the M.A.C., the first College of its kind in the U.S. and Friday President Roosevelt was there and made several speeches. I have been reading them in the Free Press. Lansing did itself proud in honoring him and as they say it put Lansing on the map.
Monday June 3 Beautiful day, warm and delightful. Six years ago today we moved into this house, 210 Avery, from 87 Noble St. We lived at 87 Noble nearly as long, 5 1/2 years. We never liked it there very well but have always liked this neighborhood and cannot make up our minds to move away from here. We get discontented with the house and disgusted with the landlord, Mrs. Burns, because she will never do anything for the house but we keep staying just the same. We would like a more modern house, one with a furnace, basement, etc. For 4 years we paid $16 a month, but for 2 years we have paid $17.50 and rent is so high that I expect we would have to pay more to get what we wanted. I keep thinking of buying but do become [discouraged], everything is so high it costs too much to build. I am waiting till things are cheaper.
Tuesday June 4 Well another nasty day, rained nearly all the after noon. I guess this summer is going to be a record breaker all the way through, the spring is fearfully backward and farmers are away behind in getting crops in. 6 years ago when we moved up here we remember a bush across the way was in full bloom but now no signs of a bloom can be seen. The trees in front of the house are only in bud now "catalpha" they are always away behind other trees to leave out and are the first to lose thier leaves in the fall. They are a mighty poor tree. I think dandelions are in bloom. It does not seem much like June. Anna put the baby Laurence in some short clothes of Bennetts today. She put him down on the floor on his back, he rolled over on his stomach, then he was going to show that he was going to creep as soon as the other kids and got up on his hands and knees, he trembled and shook for a minute then fell forward on his nose with a bump, then he howled and so ended his first attempt to creep.
Wednesday June 5 Cold, miserable rain all the forenoon. No rain after noon but cloudy and damp. The whole family walked down to Ednas new home but no one was there this evening. The Chamberlains have moved to the farm. And we thought Edna would be there.
Thursday June 6 Cold, but a beautiful day, just right to work. Edna moved today and are now at 279 Calumet. They did live at 168 Magnolia. Father and Mother here at supper and all night. I went down to the house after work and went through the house. I wish I was moving into one as nice, they have a fine back yard and that is what we need for the kids.
Friday June 7 Fine forenoon but cloudy afternoon and raining by night, disgusting again. Father and Mother here today.
Saturday June 8 Beautiful day, quite like summer. Mother and Father at Ednas but back here to stay all night. Anna, Howard and Bennett went to Grand River after supper to see the dress maker and buy a few groceries. The children always want to go and they are pretty good to take, they do not tease much and enjoy everything so much. And Saturday night they tease for a bath and cannot wait till it is ready. Tonight they had to wait till Grandpa took his and they nearly had a fit, but now they are up in the tub squealing and laughing. They like to soap the head of the tub and themselves then slide down the toboggan into the water. But when they get into the bath they never want to get out. Baby Laurence is in the buggy asleep. Now the kids are getting into their beds and they yell down "good night Papa". They always have to add "sleep tight".
Sunday June 9 Beautiful day. Up early and to work [by] 7. Father got up before I went away and wanted to shave and wanted an old Wade and Butcher razor he gave me years ago and I had laid [it] away and forgotten but I found it and he used it and put it in his pocket and took it away with him. Father and Mother went to Ednas till supper then came back and Geo. came over and we visited till about 10 oclock, then Geo. went home and the rest of us went to bed.
Monday June 10 Fine enough day, cool, but rather windy and threatening. We got a telegram this afternoon that said "Meet Wabash train that leaves Chicago at 3 P.M." signed Mother. It must mean that Gummie is coming home which is a surprise to us as we knew nothing about it. Anna said when she got the telegram she had funny feeling all over, then after she prickled all over as tho her blood had receded then came back. It is now 8:30, the children are all in bed, Anna had run down to Ednas for a minute and I guess I will take a nap then get to the Depot by 11 oclock. I hear it thunder out so I suppose that means rain.
Tuesday June 11 Big rain last night. Fine part of the time today but rather threatening. Gummie Clarkson came last night at 11 P.M. I went to the Depot to meet her, but I went out to the train and some way I missed her and I thought she had not come. And when I got home she was here ahead of me. And she and Anna were making thier tongues run. We did not expect her home from California for another year and wondered what started her home but she came because she thought she ought to and because California is not all it is cracked up to be, they are having just as unusual a spring and summer there as we are here and it is wretched she says no sun shine and just nothing but fog and cloudy. Worms eat her garden all up and the fleas bother her dreadfully and she was home sick too. So I guess Mabs will come soon. I went to the Depot at noon and got her grip and had her trunk transferred to Northville and Gummie went to Northville this afternoon to surprise them all out there.
Wednesday June 12 Fine some of the time but threatening. I took the baseburner down today, the fire has been out since Monday. Howard has watched me take down that stove every spring since he was big enough to sit up and take notice and he has always seemed to think it a wonderful undertaking and today he could help me a little, hand me things and do errands and he was proud and tickled to death. He went to Hogans today with a note and the money and got some meat and say he was so proud he kept talking about it and asking his Mama if he was not a nice boy to go to the store and buy meat. Bessie Clifford Hahn called today.
Thursday June 13 A miserable day, rained all the A.M. and pretty near rained all the P.M. And it is so cold I begin to wish we had a fire. The thermometer runs from 45 to 65° and everything is so backwards, these trees in front of the house are about half leaved out, dandelions are still in bloom, snow balls are not yet full grown and lilacs are still in bloom. Howard is a little sick tonight, I guess he ate to much cake for supper, he is now on the couch fast asleep.
Friday June 14 Beautiful day. Warm, up to 70° above. Last night was so cold I felt cold in bed. Took a trip down to Peter Smith & Sons after work and ordered groceries. This is one of thier bargain days, 25# sugar for $1.29 with $1.50 worth of other goods. We think we save a few pennies by taking advantage of these sales. Anna and kids took a walk down to Ednas this afternoon. Maggie Joy was there. While we were eating supper tonight Mrs. Graham walked in. She had been coming from California for several weeks, she has been visiting on her way. Baby Laurence is losing his reputation for goodness the last few days. I guess he must be teething, he howls nearly all the time. Last night he howled about half the night and of couse that wears his Mother out.
Saturday June 15 A perfectly beautiful day and I spent the whole day cleaning out the celar and such a dirty job. The celar is only about 10 X 12 but the coal bin is in it and it was all as dirty as a coal bin. I am on my vacation today and I thought that would be a good way to celebrate the first day. Anna and baby went down and called on Aunt Dill this afternoon.
Sunday June 16 Another beautiful day. I hope they will continue now that they have got started. I have not done a thing today but
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shave and help with the dishes. The baby is crosser than Sam Patch and it seems as tho he cries all the time. We all took a walk towards night, saw Mr. Oulette. Rayman has had a tumor removed from his neck. Josie is to graduate this term from high school and he is having his teeth straightened for a big cost, some $80. Fredie had something the matter and Clara had had a long fit of sickness. I thought he was having his troubles. We stopped at Ednas but nobody at home. Monday June 17 Another beautiful day and hot, up to 80°. Today I got the screens down from the attic and pushed and put up the doors altho there are no flies or mosquitoes as yet. Howard and Bennett think it such fun to crawl up thro a hole above a closet into the attic that as soon as screens were mentioned they could not rest till they had got up there and got them down. Then I cut both Howards and Bennetts hair and a strenuous time I had of it too. Howard got so tired because it took me so long that he cried, and Bennett just yelled and fought. Anna just had to hold him tight while I cut. His hair had hung down around his ears and I cut it short and did a fairly good job considering. And he looked like a different child but much more comfortable. Then Howard and I went down town towards night, bought Howard a pair of Oxfords with heels on and Howard saw the heels he could not be induced to take any other. Tho I thought they were rather large we got underwear for Howard and I, a peanut cap for Bennett and the pictures of Bennett and baby. The baby's were not good and will have to be taken over again.
Tuesday June 18-Tuesday June 25 [No entries, on vacation]
Wednesday June 26 Beautiful day, quite cool. A week ago yesterday, "Tuesday June 18" we got ready and all went to Northville to spend my vacation. We had terrific time getting ready to go and it took till the 2 oclock car to accomplish it. Anna had to do the ironing and then to get 3 kids ready is no joke, but it was a beautiful day and a beautiful ride out there. Gummie just home from California had been cleaning and straightening up the old house. Mr. Clarkson had lived there along for a 1 1/2 years and I guess had never done a bit of cleaning or I presume he had not changed his underwear, bed or anything, and the house was decorated with cobwebs and over run with rats and mice. The lawn was grown up with tall grass and the garden had not been planted and was all grass and weeds. And Mr. Clarkson was long whiskered, long haired and ragged. He never works but spends his pension for drink and as little for other necessaries as possible. Surely it was a desolate home to come home to but she staid to Norines untill she had it habitable. When we came she was ready for us and we all staid there and helped to get it in shape. I mowed the lawn, cut the grass in the garden, fixed up the steps and kept busy the whole week. Friday I went to Plymouth and visited Father and Mother, Uncle Asa and Aunt Vina's folks, they all live within a stones throw of each other. Mother and Father are staying with Uncle Asa while their cottage is being built. We had beautiful weather, some quite hot and a few showers but good in general. The children enjoyed it immensely especially Howard. We got him a pair of overalls and turned him loose. Bennett is rather hard to get acquainted and staid in the house more than we wanted him to and if it rained or he thought it was going to rain he would go for the house and could not be coaxed out. Tuesday we all went to Plymouth and spent the day. Mother is moving into the cottage. Ernie came down with a load of things for the house. I have not seen Ernie before in a long time, he has been out with the family and does not come, only when it is necessary. He looks old, gray and thin but otherwise seemed just like Ernie. And so we came home today, Wednesday June 26, and it always seems good to get home. The house looked good, if it is not a mansion.
Thursday June 27 Beautiful day, not very hot, just fine. Took my wheel this morning and rode out Grand River to the Boulevard and then over to Hamilton Blvd. and all out through the North Woodward district to Highland Park looking at houses. I saw plenty of places that would suit me but nothing for less than $3500 and I am afraid to tackle so large a debt. It is a beautiful district out there and a fine place to live. I would like to get a place in the neighborhood of Hamilton and Lothrop, not because it is any nicer but because it would be handy to my work if I go to the new Station that is going to be built at Woodward and the Boulevard. This afternoon I went to the Ball Game between the Detroits and Cleveland, it was an exciting game but the Clevelands won 5 to 4.
Friday June 28 Beautiful cool day. Howard and I took the car to Mack and City limits and went cross lots to the Water Works on Jefferson. I wanted to see this part of the City but there is nothing hardly to see. Berwick Ave. is about the last street east that has any houses that is built up to a little above Kercheval. Away out Jeff. there is quite a village what was Fair View. Then we took the car to Belle Isle bridge and rode over the bridge in an Auto, 3¢. Then in an auto around the Island, 15¢. Then we got on the Garland and ate lunch and rode for 4 1/2 hours, 10¢. Then we got off went up town to Heyns Bazaar and bought a Rattle for Laurence and a sprinkler can for Bennett and a ball for Howard. Then got onto a Trumbull car and came home about 5 oclock. We started out in the morning about 9 oclock and we enjoyed every minute.
Saturday June 29 One heavy shower about noon, nice otherwise. Cleaned and pressed a couple of pairs of pants and a few errands in the forenoon and went to the ball game P.M., another game between the Det. and Clevelands. Det. won [this] time to the tune of 12 to 2. Ate our first strawberries of the year.
Sunday June 30 Beautiful day. Nothing doing today. The baby had got the 5 oclock colic. I guess for a week or two he begins to whoop her up about that time every morning. And when he cries he intends everybody within a mile or so to hear. Charlie Blair and wife called this evening. Uncle Henry and Aunt Dill called this P.M.
July 1907
Monday July 1 Raining early morning, hot and close all day. Vacation over, I had to crawl out this morning, get my breakfast and go to work. It seems awful hard after a play spell and it has been a hard day, heavy mail and hot and close. And my Bicycle tire went flat today noon and I had to walk over to the Sta. and that added to my burden. Mrs. Walker walked in on us after supper, we have not seen her for over a year. And now the kids are all in bed, Anna is out on the steps trying to enjoy life without the kids but she is so sleepy she has hard work to keep awake. It seems so good to her to have all the kids in bed and out of the way. Then it makes her mad and disgusted to think she cannot keep awake to enjoy it. Howard has a cold. The baby has been better than usual today. Anna lays that to a dose of Castor Oil. I suppose I am getting more pay for working beginning today but we have had no official notice to that effect. Beginning with the 1 of July we are to get $1100 a year, and beginning today automobiles transport the mail from the Main office to all stations, A., B., C., D., F., and G.R. F. has had auto service ever since it started but not the other stations.
Tuesday July 2 Beautiful day, cool almost chilly. Strawberries were down to 10¢ a box today. I dont know when they have been as cheap as that here. So Anna canned a few boxes. Edna called this afternoon, she is enjoying a vacation this week. Gummie came in this evening to stay a few days.
Wednesday July 3 Beautiful, cool. Went down town this noon, paid the gas, $3.20, bought a uniform hat, etc. Bought some fireworks for the kids. I dont like fireworks worth a cent but I suppose the boys must have them or they would never make good American Citizens, but I think the Glorious Fourth ought to be celebrated in a more sensible manner. I guess as many people have been killed and maimed celebrating the Fourth as were killed and maimed in the Revolutionary War. Gummie went down to stay with Aunt Dill as she is all alone. Inez gone on a teachers tour and Uncle Henry gone a fishing. Anna took a walk down with her this evening.
Thursday July 4 Beautiful day, cool and delightful. Of course I worked in the forenoon. In the afternoon I took a nap and helped Howard shoot a few fireworks and in the evening we shot off a few little fireworks. Howard was pleased as tho we had a 100 dollars worth. We sent up a balloon but it only went up a little way when it burned up. We thought Bennett would not like the 4th because he has always made a fuss about noise, but he enjoyed it. The street furnished considerable show up and down. The baby was as good as gold and kept his hands and feet going. Gummie spent the day down to Aunt Dills. We were invited out to Plymouth but it is too much to take the kids and go on the crowded cars, etc.
Friday July 5 Threatened rain, but did not and was a fine day. Feel rather bum today and I guess the whole family feels a little that way. Anna is almost sick and the kids are cross and unmanageable. Gummie is here today.
Saturday July 6 Very hot today, underclothes wringing wet with sweat. Aunt Dill up today and Gummie went home with her. She who used to be Inez Cudworth and Lydia Joy called here today.
Sunday July 7 Not quite so hot but hot enough. Worked today, home all the rest of the day except we all went for a walk towards evening. Gummie came back from Aunt Dills this afternoon. Inez has got back from her trip, she went east on an 8 day teachers excursion to Washington [and] the Atlantic Ocean. Jamestown exposition, etc. from what that papers say the Jamestown exposition does not amount to much. Nothing as great and fine as the Chicago, Buffalo and St. Louis exposition. I say the Chicago but none of the others.
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July 7, 1907 Neighborhood Kids (left to right) Ken Monroe, Sidney Turner, Elmer Hardenbergh, Donald Burns, Howard Dean |
Monday July 8 Hot but quite a stiff breeze. Anna, Gummie and the kids went down town this afternoon then went and rode on the Belle Isle boat for a couple of hours, pay 10¢ and you can ride all day on any of the river ferry boats. Everybody is tired out tonight and all have gone to bed but me. Bennett got a pair of sandals today and they tired him out. Howard wanted a pair so bad that he felt bad and baby Laurence got a pair of soft sole slippers but he just chewed them.
Tuesday July 9 Very hot.
Wednesday July 10 Cooler today. Gummie went home today. All of them but me had thier pictures taken out on the front steps by a fellow that came along, they are to be on post cards, 3 for a quarter. Edna and Clarence called just as we were going to bed. I have a bad cold in my head. Yesterday a bad stomach, today a bad cold, that is the way they come on me. I try to get rid of it by taking Phthisic but while I think I help it I never quite escape. Anna went to the dentist, she tried Bailey at the cor. 14 and Warren this time, she goes to a different each time.
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(standing) Eveline (Nash) Clarkson (sitting Middle) Anna (Clarkson) Dean, Laurence Dean (sitting front) Howard Dean, Bennett Dean |
Thursday July 11 Rained nearly all night and all day, a most miserable day. And I am tired, wet and already have a bad cold. Baby Laurence tries awful hard to creep these days, he humps and grunts and rolls but dont know how to manage quite. He is a regular alarm clock mornings lately. He wakes up and cries every morning about 5 oclock, but no one appreciates it, not even the neighbors I guess.
Friday July 12 Fine cool day. Aunt Dill and Inez called about supper time. I suppose my Father is 79 years old today and hale and hearty too. If I grow old as he, I hope I can have as good health. They are living in thier new cottage at Plymouth now and I guess are quite comfortable.
Saturday July 13 A grand day. Well today has been a hard day in the P.M. and at home too. The children make so much work that Anna gets discouraged because the house work gets behind and we can not do anything or go anywhere. She wants to go down town and do some shopping but it seems impossible to get away even long enough to do that. There are times when one would just like to drop everything and run to get away. Howard tries her patience fearfully, he wants to be gone all the time and for some unaccountable reason he always wants to play with the bigger boys of the neighborhood rather than boys of his size and they fool him and teach him to be saucy. It is remarkable that he does not learn anymore bad things than he does. He uses some slang and is smart allicky like but I have never heard him say a nasty word or a swear word and I can tell you some little boys of his age can rip it off by the yard.
Sunday July 14 Beautiful day. Did not have to work today, no body got to Church, we are getting to be heathens sure. Howard was quite sick this morning vomiting fearfully, mussed the bed all up and made more work that a dozen ought to have to do, but he got better soon. But when he is sick he is awful sick. We all took a walk towards night. It is building up around here very fast, when we came here "6 years" ago it was all commons between here and Trumble, and now we cannot see Trumble. We have always hoped we might be able to buy here someday but I guess space will be all gone by the time we could buy.
Monday July 15 Very hot and muggy. Rained nearly all P.M., a good deal of water fell. I got wet through. Howard is all over his spell today. But Bennett is taking a turn. I guess [it] is his teeth, he just feels bad and lays around and wants to sleep, dont want any dinner, wants to get down and go sleep on the couch. He seems to have a little fever and we worry about him but guess it is only his teeth, they can be responsible for almost anything.
Tuesday July 16 Hot, fearful close, muggy and sticky and rain in the evening. Bennett is better today but is not right yet. Anna found a canker sore in his mouth, he said his mouth hurt and made him sick. My but what a lot of work children are, there is always something to do for them. They try ones patience to the limit, ones strength and ones loyalty. A mother is a slave, Anna works from early till late, never through, never caught up with the work, always something that ought to be done, never gets a chance to go or get away from the children for a minute. "Jimminy", I some times wonder if it is worth the sacrafice.
Wednesday July 17 Hot, perfectly fearful. The thermometer is not so bad, up in the 80ies, but the humidity is awful, sweat ringing wet and so disagreeable. Went down to the Main P.O. on the U.S. Auto tonight to sign the pay roll. I guess if it were not for going and signing that every 3 months I would never see the inside of the Main P.O.
Thursday July 18 Hot, very hot. Just as hot as yesterday by the thermometer but better air so you do not feel it so much. Howard is quite sick again today, he did not want any dinner and has laid on the couch all the afternoon, has vomited some and has canker sores in his mouth and throat, the same as Bennett had. Bennett is better but the sores have not all gone yet. Anna washes thier mouth with borasic acid and gives them castor oil or Castoria. They do not complain so much about thier mouth, it dont seem to hurt much but they say they are sick and they want to lay down. Herbert Clarkson from Chicago came here today, took dinner with us and then went onto Northville. Anna has gone to Grand River to get some Castoria. Bennett is asleep on the floor, Howard asleep on the couch, and Laurence asleep in the buggy.
Friday July 19 Hot, some rain in the afternoon. Howard has a bad looking throat today, it is inflamed and looks ragged and white canker spots in it but he does not complain but little. His eyes are dull and he looks bad. Anna gave him Castoria and had him gargle with Listerine. We keep him away from other children for fear it may be contagious. My rear tire came loose today and I traded it in toward a new Hartford 77 E.H. at Berries, gave him $3 and old tire. Anna swept and dusted up stairs today and I can tell you there are tired people around here tonight but thank goodness the children all went to bed good natured and early and Anna and I sat on the steps until 10 oclock, it was a beautiful evening.
Saturday July 20 Hot but fine day, a few drops of rain P.M. A terrible accident happened on the Pere Marquette between Plymouth and Salem about 9 oclock this morning. A freight and passenger [train] came together with terrific force, smashing cars into kindling wood, killing between 30 and 40 people, and injuring as many more. The passenger was an excursion train loaded with R.R. employees. I guess from what I read it was a carelessness of the freight crew, it seems as tho there has been so many wrecks all over the country the last year or two. It just seems to me as tho the population of this country was in too big of a hurry. I dont see why people are not content to go slower. R.R. accidents, street car accidents, automobiles, etc. All it seems to me because they are in such a hurry. Aunt Dill and Inez called this evening.
Sunday July 21 Beautiful cool day until towards night it began to rain and rained all the evening. Worked this morning from 7 till 10:30. At home all the rest of the day. The papers are full of the R.R. accident yesterday with pictures of the wreckage and accounts of the terrible slaughter and suffering and fearful scenes. Howards throat seems well and Bennett is all over his spell. He said to Mama at supper, "Mama I am not sick I feel better". Mama says "thats nice I am glad you are better". Bennett says "give me piece cheese Mama". Mama had told him when he was sick that he could not have cheese when he was sick. I think we can say baby Laurence began to creep today. He had been trying so strenuously that we put a news paper in front of him and away about 2 feet and the way he kicked and swam, grunted and whined to get that paper was a caution. Then he would get on his hands and knees and tremble and pant. Sometimes he would then fall backwards and sometimes forwards but in the course of time he got ahead enough to get the paper. So I think we can say that he began to creep today. Well the kids have said thier good night Mama, good night Papa, sleep tight Mama, Sleep tight Papa. Half the bed and all the clothes they have to say the whole rigma role to Mama then to Papa and we must answer the whole thing back then thier "now I lay me down to sleep", etc. And now [they] are fast asleep in their beds. Howard in my bed, Bennett in his own little bed and baby Laurence in Mamas bed. And Anna and I are enjoying a few minutes in peace and quiet and it is raining like the dickens outside, 9 P.M.
Monday July 22 Fine day, threatened rain P.M. but did not rain. As I was sitting on the steps this evening Anna's Uncle Herbert Clarkson of Chicago came. He had been at Northville then went to Merritts cottage at Union Lake over Sunday. He caught a good mess of fish this morning, he says it is splendid fishing there. I have hot been fishing in so long I wonder if I have forgotten how.
Tuesday July 23 Fine day, fine evenings moonlight. Baby Laurence is coming down sick in the same way Howard did we think it must be Tonsilitis. They are sick to thier stomach and dull and feverish the first day. The next day they seem to feel better and look better but thier throat is bad, red and inflamed and with rough looking spots in it. Anna washes it with Listerine. Uncle Herbert and I went on a Moonlight excursion on the steamer Columbia from 8:30 to 11:30 P.M. They steamed slowly out into Lake St. Clair towards the Flats and back again, it was a beautiful night and delightful trip, fare 35¢. Anna went down town today, left Bennett and baby with Mrs. Burns.
Wednesday July 24 Rained this forenoon, hot and close. The baby seemed pretty sick for a while this forenoon. Anna washed his throat with Listerine, he howled in good shape but seems better and brighter this afternoon. Uncle Herbert departed for Chicago today. I cut Howards hair this evening. The baby is asleep and Howard and Bennett are in the bath tub and I guess by the noise they are enjoying it. Every one of them is crazy to take a bath.
Thursday July 25 Fine cool day. Baby not very well, throat looks quite bad and of course he is cross and hard to take of.
Friday July 26 Quite coolish today. Baby is better today but is cross and howls considerable, woke us all up last night about 12 and sung for us for about an hour. They are holding an inquest on the R.R accident at Northville and the papers are full of it and I suppose Northville is having a nine days wonder and the excitement of her life. I guess they wont make out much more than that the freight crew missread thier orders on account of poor tabulation of the schedule, it seems like a mighty small thing to cause the ending of 31 lives and injuring as many more.
Saturday July 27 Beautiful day, fine cool day. Well I guess nothing unusual happened today. I think when Saturday night comes that I ought to do something, go down town or something like that but it seems like a bother to go, so I do not go.
Sunday July 28 Nice enough day, but cloudy, no sun shine. Went to Church this morning, walked down with Sam Hardenbergh and walked home with Sam and Mrs. Bert Toles of Los Angeles, California. She came here in May to bury her sister and intends to be home two weeks from today. And she is pretty bad with consumption herself, it dont seem to me that she can last long. Baby Laurence gets all over now creeping but it is slow and laborious work. He lifts himself up onto his hands and feet then falls forward bump onto his stomach, and he comes down with such force that it makes him grunt. I shook my head at him today and he shook his too and he did it several times so he has begun to mimic. We all went over and called on the Hardenberghs this evening.
Monday July 29 Beautiful cool day. Well we start another week the same thing over again, eat, work, sleep. The great Haywood trial at Boise, Idaho has come to an end. The Jury brought in a verdict, yesterday morning after being out all night, of not guilty. It seems to astonish everybody even the defense as they hoped only for a disagreement but the jury as much as said that they believed him guilty but the evidence was not strong enough.
Tuesday July 30 Fine day. Everything going along in the same old way. Baby Laurence continues to improve in creeping and is fast becoming a nuisance.
Wednesday July 31 Cool, cloudy, threatening. After supper this evening Anna said the children are all clean and ready lets go down to Ednas, so we put on our things and went down to 279 Calumet, found Edna and Clarence at home and had a good visit. The children amused themselves playing on the piano. Howard and Bennett played a tunkity tunk duet and then Howard played with the electric lights, turning them on and off. Well that is kid like anyway if nothing else. Mrs. John Armstrong is keeping house for Edna now.
August 1907
Thursday August 1 Very threatening day, about 3 P.M. it looked quite desperate black and the wind blew in terrific gusts. There must have been a terrible storm north and east of us. And they say that in Highland Park and Palmers Park it hailed perfectly terrible, you could scoop the hail up by the shovel full and the papers say that a good deal of damage was done throughout the state. Gummie came in today to help Anna and the children get out to Northville tomorrow. Well my envelope contained $91.66 today for the July salary. This is the first payday at the $1100 a year rate. We all feel that it ought to be an even hundred but I suppose we will have to be thankful for what we can get. The Carriers have worked through thier association for 15 years or more to get a raise and this is the first fruits of thier labor. 3 or 4 Detroit Carriers did not get the raise because of incompetency and 1 or 2 for discipline purposes, they used to lay you off for infringements of the rules now under the new law they cut your salary for a period of time. Some of the incompetency cases look more like spite work on the part of the superintendents than anything else, and I will bet there well be a large sized kick registered against it. And if it is spite work there ought to be a big kick. Baby Laurence got on a regular tear tonight and showed his Gummie what he could do, he rolled and crept on the floor and laughed and hollered and screamed untill all of us was watching him and laughing too. Howard seems to think everything of the baby and is very interested in him and likes to watch him cut up.
Friday August 2 Quite cool, almost chilly, threatening. Well the family left me today and I suppose I have got to bach. for a while. When I came home for dinner the house was locked up and I had to let myself in with a key and get my own dinner. I feel it the worst this evening after supper I lay down on the couch and steps for 2 hours and woke up chilly and stiff. It was 9 oclock I thought it must be midnight it seems so still and lonely, the clock ticks so loud. I can stand this for a day or two but to think of a whole month, mercy.
Saturday August 3 Cool, chilly, some rain. All alone today. Went down town this evening and got myself a pair of $4 shoes and Howard a pair of barefoot sandals at Fifes and Bennett and Laurence a Jumper suit at Elliots. Got home after ten oclock.
Sunday August 4 Fine cool day. Got up and went to work at 7 came home at 10:30 and caught the 11 oclock car for Northville. Got to Northville about 1, the car was late. The children came to meet me on the run and Anna tagging behind it made me think I had quite a family. Uncle Herbert Clarkson and son Clarence were there. I had a pleasant day and came home on the 7:30 car. The cars were awfully crowded. Anna was nearly sick when I came away.
Monday August 5 Fearful day, rained a cold drizzly rain all the forenoon. I got my dinner over on Woodward near the Sta. Went to Ednas for supper.
Tuesday August 6 Fine day, warmer. I have got a fearful stiff neck. I must have caught cold in the rain yesterday, I do not remember ever having so bad a one before. I got my dinner over on Woodward today, dont like to get my meals when I do not feel well. My neck was pretty bad at night, could not move without getting a twinge that almost brought tears. Rubbed it well with camphorated oil, the only thing I could find in the house that I thought might help it. Bound it up and went to bed.
Wednesday August 7 Hot. Fine day, threatening some but did not rain. My neck hurt me today but it got better all day. I went down and rode on the Belle Isle Boat from 6:40 to 9:40 and it was just fine on the river. I wish I could go more, we have such a beautiful river and such fine boats that it seems a shame not to enjoy it.
Thursday August 8 A beautiful day, cooler than yesterday. Took my dinner over on Woodward, then went down town on my bicycle, paid the gas bill, walked around looking into windows a while then went back to the Sta. A. P.O., corner of Willis and Woodward, and went to work. Belle came over to ask how to direct a card to Howard, I went out and sat on the steps and had quite a visit. I am getting along pretty well alone but I do not get my usual fare and rations and I do not feel as well. Restaurant fare is not home grub by any means, then what I get for myself at home is not what I am used to and I cant say as I like this way of living. My neck is nearly well today. I get a twinge once in a while but nothing [like] it was.
Friday August 9 Beautiful day. I am just baching now and trying to make time go as fast as possible. The work has been hard today and I am as tired as a dog.
Saturday August 10 Fine day, but awfully hot. Well this is the day I go to Northville and after work I came home at 5 and shaved, took a bath, done up my dirty clothes and caught the 6 car which gets up to 14 & Grand River about 6:15 and for once the car was not crowded and I had a fine cool ride.
Sunday August 11 Fine day, hot. At Northville. Well I arrived here last evening at about 7:30 and my family was up town to meet me except baby Laurence. And it seemed good to see them and they were so well and happy and enjoying life, especially the kids. I had a bag of candy for each and told them it was a bag of wind and they must not open it till they got down to the house and they believed it and carried them very gingerly and opened them very cautiously and then laughed like any kids. And Mama had a box of wind so we all ate wind. Sunday A.M. the kids and I took a walk down to Amblers dam and Howard and Bennett thought it a great thing to stick thier bare feet into the water, it was too deep to wade, baby Laurence was hanging on one of my arms but he never peeped just looked and said nothing. In the afternoon all of us including Gummie took the car and went to Plymouth to see my Mother and Father. We found them in pretty good health and spirits. Mother thinks she improves in health and we had a nice visit. Edna was there and Aunt Vina and Lydia. Clarence was down to Jims and Uncle Asa & wife and Maggie are on a trip west. We took supper there and came back about 7 to Northville, then I got the 8:30 car home. Edna & Clarence came home on the same car. The car was fearfully crowded we had a seat but the crowded cars take a great deal of pleasure out of the going on them, they are handy but it is no fun standing when you are tired.
Monday August 12 Hot and getting dry and dusty. It seems as though it rains a good deal but it does not take long for it to get dry and dusty. The Farmers complain a good deal this year, the season was so late and so cold in the spring that crops are might scarse. Small fruit and berries especially are very scarce, berries sold for 20¢ a box or higher, that is raspberries, strawberries was cheaper but they had a very short season. I believe some pest is destroying the wheat and oat crop and the farmers are pretty blue. Well this life is a hard row to hoe and I guess the Farmers have about as hard one as anybody. It takes all a body can earn to live. The country is enjoying unprecedented prosperous times but I cant see as a small salaried man is any better off. The working man gets higher wages but pays it all out for a living because things are just that much higher in price. The Base Ball "fans" are all out today in force tooting, yelling, hurrahing because the Detroit team are back home after a tour in the east, and they came back holding first place. Factories, some of them, are shut down, every Carrier fan that could get a sub is gone and those that could not are wearing a long face. And everybody has gone to the game. The Phils are here to play two games and I hear they are ahead. I went out and bought a Sporting Extra but it only gives the sixth inning, I guess the news boy worked off an old edition on me in the dark, that is American enterprise you know.
Tuesday August 13 Fine day, fearful dusty. The Ball team got beat yesterday and went back into 2nd place. Such an immense crowd attended that they crowded the grounds and hindered the players, about 12000. And I guess the Detroits got beat today, I hear the news boys yelling all about the ball game but I am not interested enough to go out and buy a paper. My front tire on my bicycle got to leaking today and I put some juice into it anything but a leaky tire for botheration. I am getting pretty tired of keeping bach., I dont think I would want more than a thousand years of it.
Wednesday August 14 Cool fine day, dry and dusty. Went down to Ednas for supper, had a fine supper staid till after 9, sharpened Clarence's razor and came home. I am getting to be quite a cook and Mrs. Burns next door helps me with a hand out nearly everyday. She has donated a loaf of bread, cake, pie, pudding, etc. I do not know how to thank her, her kindness really embarresses me. Well the Det. ball club got back at the Phillys today to the tune of 9 to 2, so the Fans are jubilant again.
Thursday August 15 Fine day, threatening night. Went down town after I had got my supper, washed the dishes, etc., shaved and dressed. I intended to go on the boat but it blew and looked like rain so I walked down one side of Woodward and up the other side, ate a glass of Ice cream soda and drank a bottle of ginger ale and came home and was sick all night.
Friday August 16 Fine day, it was raining when I got up but stopped before I went to work and did not rain again, it sprinkled once or twice and threatened all day long.
Saturday August 17 Beautiful day. Came home after work, took a bath, ate my supper, washed the dishes, shaved, dressed and went down town. I bought Howard a base ball on my route this A.M. so I bought Bennett a teddy bear book down town. I got a glass of ginger ale, a nickel worth of candy, walked around awhile and came home so tired I ached in every joint. It is now 10:30 and I guess the best place for me is in bed.
Sunday August 18 Beautiful day. Hurried home from work at 10:30 and got ready and caught the 11 oclock car for Northville. There was two cars and both crowded, but I got a seat. I had a fine afternoon at N. Everybody was feeling fine. The baby is beginning to pull himself up and stand beside things and he has the reputation of being a corker and has to be watched every minute. I came home on the 8:30 car which was 1/2 hour late and got me home at 10:30, the ride in was chilly some of the time I thought I would freeze. So many people use the cars on Sunday that every car is crowded. The car I came in on was a regular city car. I guess they have a hard time to furnish cars enough to carry the people.
Monday August 19 Find day, we need rain it is so dry and dusty. I am so tired and sleepy tonight that I cannot keep awake to read.
Tuesday August 20 Rain all A.M., not much better than rain P.M., cold and damp.
Wednesday August 21 Fine day, cool, very cool nights. Down to Ednas for supper.
Thursday August 22 Beautiful day, warming up a little. The thermometer stood 46° above when I got up this morning. Went down town at noon, bought me a shirt at Traver Bird Co. and got Anna 5 cheap handkerchiefs, saw a sale and knew she wanted some everyday ones.
Friday August 23 Fine cool day. Down to Ednas for supper and staid the evening. May and Dorothy, Herbert's wife and child, and Mrs. Rockwell [Alice Johnson Rockwell, wife of Baker Rockwell], May's sister, came and spent the evening.
Saturday August 24 Beautiful and cool. Went to Northville on the 6 oclock car, had a fine ride out there and found my whole family waiting for me.
Sunday August 25 Beautiful day, cool. At Northville. Cora Manning is here on a visit. Fine day and fine time. Anna, Children and I went for a walk down through lovers lane and along the creek to the road and back to Gummies house in the forenoon. The children played in the water, threw stones and sticks into the creek and sailed imaginary ships, took imaginary voyages to imaginary countries. I took several snap shots with my little Kodak. The baby is as good as can be, creeps up on his hands and knees now instead of on his stomach and he climbs up beside things and stands on his feet. We took the car in the afternoon to Plymouth to see my Mother and Father. I left my family there, they intend to stay till Monday P.M. and then go back to Northville and come home next Wednesday. Edna and Clarence were out and I came back on the same car with them.
Monday August 26 Fine cool day.
Tuesday August 27 A little rain last night and threatened all day but did not rain. Went to the Temple Theatre tonight, the first time I have been to a theatre in I dont know how long and I guess I am losing my enjoyment of them because I did [not] enjoy it much although it was a first rate show, tumbling, singing, dancing, magician, Playlette and trained monkeys. One monkey rode a regular two wheeled bicycle around the stage, to think of teaching it to balance and steer the wheel seems wonderful.
Wednesday August 28 Fine day, cool. Well the whole family came home this evening on the 7 oclock P.M. car. I went to Grand River with the baby buggie and met them bag and baggage. Cora Manning came with them.
Thursday August 29 Fine day. It seems good to have the family at home, but things do not stay in thier place as they did when I was alone. The State Fair opens today and I suppose the crowds will begin going out Woodward. Cars crowded to the hanging on place and running so close after one another that it is hard to get across the streets. I dont know whether I will go or not, they are all alike, not much to see but Fake shows and games with a few hogs and stock in the rear.
Friday August 30 Fine day and getting warm. This evening after the kids were all asleep, Cora insisted on staying with the kids and letting Anna and I go for a car ride or somewhere. We never get any chance to go together and so it was a real treat. We took the Trumbull car to Belle Isle bridge, walked around there a while. Near the bridge are several amusement places lit up with a million electric lights and is very pretty. Then we got into the old fashioned horse carriage (as the automobiles were crowded full) and we had a whole carriage to ourselves. We rode across the bridge to the Island, it was a beautiful ride, cool and breezy. Then we sat down on the bank of the canal and watched the canoes and I guess there was a thousand of them going back and forth. The canoes usually contained a fellow and his girl about 2 dozen cushions and a phonograph. We came home by the boat to Woodward then the Trumbull car home. Got back about 11 oclock feeling as tho we had had quite a bum.
Saturday August 31 Fine day but hot, Cora went to Ann Arbor today.
September 1907
Sunday September 1 Very warm and close, worked. A delegation of Carriers started for Canton, Ohio last night to attend the biannual convention of Letter Carriers. They went to Cleveland by boat, will stay in Cleveland today and be in Canton tomorrow and back here Tuesday. Except those who will stay for the whole convention.
Monday September 2 Beautiful day, Labor Day, 1/2 holiday. I worked in the forenoon and the afternoon layed around home. Would go to the fair but do not want to get into the crowd. Hardenberg's dog "Duke" bit Mr. Partellos hand this afternoon as he was bringing our washing home and he made quite a gash in it. Sam H. was sitting on our steps but could not prevent it.
Tuesday September 3 Beautiful day, cool. Nothing doing today, of consequence that I know of. The Fair is drawing big crowds and it is having fine weather. The evenings and nights are positively cold.
Wednesday September 4 Rain, heavy rain in the afternoon. Married 12 years today and we did not celebrate or do a thing or buy a thing to honor the day at all. We are feeling poor, in fact we always feel poor at this time of a year on account of paying the Life insurance and knowing that there is more coming to pay on the first of Dec. Anna is celebrating tonight by ironing until 10 oclock P.M.
Thursday September 5 Threatening and some rain. Rained hard last night. Baby and Bennett cut up all night. I over slept and had to hurry to work without any breakfast. This is Anna's birthday and not much did she get. I got a box of candy and a bake dish just so she could say she was remembered and she got a letter from Carrie Armstrong and a card or so from the other California people.
Friday September 6 Beautiful day. Anna and children went down to Aunt Dills in the afternoon. Delia Hopkins is very sick. This is the last day of the Fair and the papers say it has been very successful.
Saturday September 7 Horrid day, rain nearly all of the P.M. We are having very cool nights. Baby Laurence is nearly sick today and very cross and hard to take care of. I suppose it must be teeth, here he is 8 1/2 months old and not a tooth yet.
Sunday September 8 Rather a cloudy threatening day, did not work today and was in the house all day, except towards evening the whole family took a walk down Trumbull to Grand River and back up Commonwealth. This part of the City especially Commonwealth Ave. is building up very fast. My how I wish we could afford to build somewhere in this neighborhood, it is nice and it seems a nice place for children. They dont seem quite so bad around here as in most other parts of the City. Bennett saw a man riding a horse and he says see a man broke the horse off then got on his back. Both Howard and Bennett think if a horse is not hitched to a wagon they are broke off. I dont remember that either of the children ever rode behind a horse. Laurence was in the buggy and would get up and stand just as fast as we could put him down so Anna spatted his hands and said no no two or three times and he actually seemed to understand and after he had cried a while he sat as nice as you please all the rest of the way, so I guess he is old enough to understand and mind.
Monday September 9 Fine cool day. Well our oldest son started for school today. Anna left the two youngest with Mrs. Burns this morning and took Howard over to the Dickenson School, corner of 12th and Calumet, and had him enrolled into the Kinder garten class. Howard was anxious and proud to go and when he came home he said he had had all kinds of fun. He had made beads, played ball, drop the handkerchief. And they had music, sung Jack and Jill, etc. But the teacher said he would have to be vaccinated.
Tuesday September 10 Cold, miserable rain all the forenoon and nearly as bad in the afternoon but Howard went to school just the same, Elmer Hardenburg came after him and took him under his umbrella.
Wednesday September 11 Cool but quite nice, a good deal better than yesterday.
Thursday September 12 Fair day, cool.
Friday September 13 Fine day, warming up. Freeman Carrier 82 was knocked off of his bicycle and run over by an Auto today, his leg was broken and he was taken to the Hospital. I went down town at noon and did some trading at Peter Smiths. May (Herbert's wife) and daughter, Dorothy, were here today and they went down to Ednas to spend the night. George and family was there for the evening. I was there for a minute, then came back and staid with the kids so Anna and Bennett went down. Howard is coming down with a cold so he wanted to go to bed.
Saturday September 14 Beautiful day and warm, hot, up in the 80s. Howard does not feel well today and I guess we all feel a little bummy. And when we are all that way life seems almost too strenuous. The baby creeps everywhere now and has to be watched and he is getting bumps about 16 times a day. And Bennett seems to have a faculty of getting hurt and my how he cries and weeps and sobs and is so hard to console, mercy Anna gets so discouraged that I guess if there was any chance to give up she would give up entirely. And I come home so tired out that I am not much help, surely raising a family is not all sugar.
Sunday September 15 Fine day, but it is as hot as Aug. Last night was so hot we slept with only a sheet over us. I had to get out this morning and go to work and it was hard as Howard rolled and tossed and talked in his sleep all night long and kept me awake a good deal. And he barks like a dog today and just lays around and I suppose feels miserable. And when he went to bed he had to be greased and a cold compress put onto his chest, it worries Anna nearly to death to have him that way and so this has been another strenuous day. And Bennett has took every opportunity to cry and get into mischief and baby Laurence well he is so cute and sweet just about now that you can forgive him almost anything. He is enjoying life these days outside of teething he creeps and gets up to things, pulls paper and books down and scraches the floor carefully for crumbs, slivers, pieces of paper, old shoes, or anything else he can find and of course every old thing goes directly into his mouth. Bennett and Dorothy took a fancy to each other and Dorothy enjoyed playing Bennett was her baby and she rolled him up and down in his go cart and Bennett took the part of a baby to perfection and laid back in the cart like an inanimate thing till it gave one a fit to see him but Dorothy finally got to holding him on her lap and was most to squeezy and strenuous and Bennett began to resist. Dorothy says Keep still and be my nice baby and Bennett says "I dont want my head broke off."
Monday September 16 Hot, everybody suffering with the heat. It seems as tho it is hotter than anytime during the summer. Howards cold was better so he went to school just the same. We are having a terrific rain storm outside now, 8:30 P.M. Just after sunset tonight the Northern sky looked as tho the sun was setting in the North, the sky was all aflame then soon after the rain came in gusts. Everybody has gone to bed tired out and done up with the heat.
Tuesday September 17 The rain did not cool it off much, considerable rain today. Howards cold is better, the other children have just enough cold to make them cross and hard to live with.
Wednesday September 18 Still warm, threatened rain all day and finally began raining about 5 P.M. in time to stop the ball game before it was finished, but it was called a game and the Det. won one and lost one as they played two games this afternoon with Chicago and this is the last game to be played in the Det. this season, they go east to finish the season. Detroit still have a chance to win the pennant but it looks dubious, Phil. is first, Det. second and Chi. 3rd. Now with only a few points difference between them.
Thursday September 19 Hot and close, as hot as mid summer and it seems so hard to bear. I am completely done up tonight and so is the rest of the family. The kids are now in bed after a strenuous day for thier Mother. Sometimes life seems hardly worth living but precious few comforts and pleasures under even fair conditions. I wonder if it is so hard for us with our healthy children how it is with those who have sickness and trouble added to thier lot, truely children never appreciate what thier parents have to do for thier sakes if it was not for them Anna and I might get out and see a little of life but of course I would not want to give them up. And now that the children are in bed, Anna has got to iron and I know she ought to be in bed now.
Friday September 20 Beautiful day, some cooler, but I suppose this warm spell is just what the farmers want to harvest the crops that got a late start last spring. Baby Laurence has just got his first tooth, a lower one and I hope he will feel better now and I believe Bennett has lately cut a double tooth and he has yet 3 more to get. And I have cut some kind of a tooth on my right upper jaw and it has split my gum from the teeth clear up so the roots of one tooth are exposed and this tooth or tusk looks like a long slim bone of a tooth that has come down. I have had trouble in the roots of that tooth for 20 years, it began with ulceration and has troubled me off and on since. Gummie and her nephew Clarence Clarkson of Chicago came in tonight just at supper time.
Saturday September 21 A most beautiful [day], delightfully cool and pleasant. Gummie and Clarence went down to the Grand Trunk Depot this morning at 8 A.M. to meet Clarence's Mother who was to come from Chicago and we have not seen them since but we suppose that they went right back to Northville instead of coming back here. Well the baby has been better natured today and I suppose getting a tooth did him good.
Sunday September 22 Beautiful day, growing cool and quite cool in the evening, had a fire in the grate. Anna took Howard to Sunday School to get him started again. Howard and I took a ride out Woodward then down town and home and when we got home at supper we found Gummie, Clarence and his Mother, "Cora Clarkson". She came here from Chicago to spend Sunday with her son and she is to take the train back to Chicago tonight.
Monday September 23 Beautiful day, rather chilly and a few sprinkles of rain towards night. Clarence and Gummie here today. Anna went to the Dentist this forenoon and she took Howard down town to Dr. Bell and the Dr. vaccinated him on his left arm and he did not cry and the Dr. said he was a brave boy. Baby Laurence has got to the gas stove age, they all have had it, and he goes and gets up the stove and turns the oven burners on full till you can take him clear into the front room and let him go and he will paddle back as fast as he can and go right to them again. But I fixed the burners so he could not open them.
Tuesday September 24 Windy day, the wind has blown a gale from the N.W. Cold enough for overcoats, fire feels good.
Wednesday September 25 Fine day but cold, 42° above. Anna and Howard went to the dentist again today. Anna has a tooth so bad she is sick but he dentist does not help it much and Howard has an ulcerated tooth.
Thursday September 26 Beautiful day, cool and bright. Frost this morning, thermometer 36° above. Got warmer by night. Belle over.
Friday September 27 Warmer but a horrid day, began raining at noon and rained every minute till along in the night. We need a little fire but we are all out of anything to burn. I have ordered a load of blocks but they have not showed up yet. Anna and Howard went to the Dentist. Anna did not have anything done because her teeth were so sore and the Dentist said she better wait a month. He cleaned Howards teeth, filled two, touched others with Nitrate of silver to preserve them and charged 1 dollar.
Saturday September 28 Not very cold, but even worse than yesterday. Rained hard and steady all afternoon and most all night. Howards vaccination seems to be working today. Gummie and Clarence are here yet. Clarence intends to start in at short hand school Monday and will board down on Greenwood with Mrs. Parks who nursed here when Howard was born.
Sunday September 29 Chilly and damp, cloudy. We have the little gas stove going and it makes it quite comfortable. Howard is quite dumpish today, I presume it is his vaccination working on him. Bennett had a time last night, Anna and Gummie was up twice last night with him. Baby Laurence is fine today and as sweet as peaches. Gummie has gone to call on Charlie Blair who lives over on Grand River, corner of Forest. Aunt Dill called and went with her. Anna, the kids and Clarence Clarkson and I just now are sitting in the parlor enjoying the comfort of the gas stove and gazing at the people going by.
Monday September 30 Fine day. Anna and Howard went to the Dr. this afternoon down town. Howards arm was all right. Clarence started for short hand school and also went to his new boarding house. Gummie went home this evening, and so we are back in our old rut again.
October 1907
Tuesday October 1 Beautiful day, not very cold or very warm. Need a fire morning and evening. Our load of blocks came yesterday and they make a fine fire in the grate. I ordered 3 tons of coal today. I had to order it now or pay 50¢ more a ton, it has been selling at $7.00 but they have raised to $7.50. And the old lady Burns informed us today that she would have to raise the rent a dollar, that will make $18.50 and also bread goes from 9 to 10¢ a loaf today. It seems as tho the poor man was getting his bumps these days, I guess the poor will have to get off of the earth and let the rich have it. It certainly makes a man feel like going into the woods and living as men used to live in the early times, before anybody heard of trusts, monopoly, combine and the like.
Wednesday October 2 Beautiful day, one of those fall days that are just right. Took some pictures of the children while they were playing with and carrying blocks out in the back yard from the pile to the celar window and throwing them down celar.
Thursday October 3 Oh mercy yesterday so fine and today so horrid, rain and rain how nasty it is to work in the rain. Howard did not go to school today, his arm looks dreadful, it is swelled down to the elbow and looks red and inflamed and the vaccination looks just fearful. We feel worried about it but I suppose it is all right for it to look that way.
Friday October 4 Looked like rain this morning but turned out quite fine. Howard did not go to school today. He seems to feel better, but his arm still looks dreadful and Anna Says it has an odor that is not very pleasant, it seems to me the Dr. put more of the stuff into it than is necessary.
Saturday October 5 Fine day. The Detroit Base Ball Team settled the race for the Pennant by beating St. Louis thus making a lead that could not be overcome. They play two more games there tomorrow but they will not count. Ball fans all over the country have been keyed up to the highest pitch for days. It has been a neck and neck race with Phil. Crowds have stood in front of Score boards for hours, business in some instances have been suspended to watch the score.
Sunday October 6 Beautiful day. Went to Church this forenoon and took a walk with Howard this afternoon. Howards arm begins to show signs of improving, the swelling has gone down and it does not look so fearful. Clarence came up to press his pants and ate dinner with us, he likes his school very much and says he is getting along fine.
Monday October 7 Nasty horrid rainy day. Howard went to school today, his arm improves fast and the oder is nearly gone. Yesterday it was so bad one could smell it all over the house.
Tuesday October 8 Beautiful day, pretty cold this A.M. Norine came in today to stay a day or so, she left Clarkson with Gummie. Belle and Sam came over this evening. Clarence Clarkson came up, he and Norine went out for a walk. The "Tigers" and the Chicago "Cubs" met today at Chicago for the first game in the World Series and the game was [a] tie in 12 innings.
Wednesday October 9 Well the Tigers got beat today at Chicago.
Thursday October 10 Pleasant day, cold mornings and evenings and the Tigers got beat again today, fans are getting "bug house". The house is in an uproar today, the paper hanger is here today putting new ceilings on the parlor and dining room. And this evening Edna and her hubby came up, then Norine and Clarence C. came and we are sitting around on chairs, couches and floor, or any old thing in dirt or confusion, with a fire in the grate and a box of candy to eat.
Friday October 11 This afternoon it has rained and hailed in gusts and showers with sunshine sandwiched in between, but they played ball here today and the Tigers got beat again, 3 straight. The world pennant begins to look dim and the Fans are sick, and I am a little sick myself. Well tonight Anna, Norine and I are alone enjoying the grate fire and the house is a little more orderly, the children are all in bed.
Saturday October 12 Cold, raw, cloudy day, it makes me wish I had the stove up. We keep the grate fire going all day with blocks, that warms the parlor nicely but the rest of the house is cold. The Tigers got beat again today, 2 to 0. The Chicago Cubs won every game and the worlds championship but the Tigers were tired out, they have been playing fierce ball for 3 months to win the pennant and were all in, while the Chicago team were comparitively fresh so I suppose it is no wonder but it is very disappointing. Mabel Smith that lives just back of us on Forest gave birth to a bouncing baby boy today. She claims to have been married to Mr. Widman Feb. 7 last, and no one suspected her marriage, or no on suspected her condition, not even her Mother. She was taken sick this morning and Mrs. Smith sent for a Dr. not knowing what was the matter. It seems impossible that her Mother could be so deceived, but I guess she was. They had our Dr. J. N. Bell and our nurse, and the nurse came in and surprised us with the news. Anna and Norine went down town. The children are all asleep and Clarence C. just came in so we are holding down chairs and enjoying the fire.
Sunday October 13 Cold, cloudy and gloomy. Worked, home all the rest of the day. Every Sunday I think I will do something or go somewhere the next Sunday but the next Sunday I do as I did the last Sunday, sit around, read if the kids will let me and by night I am as tired as tho I had worked. The kids are on my lap nearly all the time. They want me to read them a story or tell them one till I feel like throwing them out doors. Baby Laurence gets all over and he nearly walks, takes a chair and pushes it all around, but does not attempt to go without he has a hold of something. He has one lower tooth and one upper one is just pricking through. Bennett is a corker about wetting his pants, he dont seem to know and he will not tell his Mama till it is too late, and nights he musses in bed and he is so much trouble that Anna nearly gives up in dispair. Howard never was much trouble that way but Bennett is making up for any that Howard missed. Norine went home this afternoon, she has been here since Tuesday, quite a stay for her. It is hard work to keep warm today, it is pretty cold and the grate does not heat much and it takes all of one persons time to carry blocks and keep the fire going they burn up so fast.
Monday October 14 Well it was cold this morning only 30° above, overcoat and gloves feel all right for this weather, it makes me wish the coal stove was up. I pounded the rug and put it down this evening in the dining room.
Tuesday October 15 Not quite so cold, cloudy. Put up the stove this evening, the fire in the grate does not warm the house much and baby Laurence creeping around on the cold floors is liable to take cold.
Wednesday October 16 Warm and pleasant in the forenoon in spite of its being so warm I started a fire in the stove this noon.
Thursday October 17 Beautiful day, one of those days that is so delightful and the country is so beautiful just now. The trees are tinged and tinted in all shades of golden and the rustle of leaves and the smell of burning leaves, which is always prevelent in the City at this time of the year makes life worth living.
Friday October 18 Beautiful day, but a fire feels good in the house. Everybody tired out tonight. Anna has been cleaning the parlor today. Edna came in about supper time and visited for sometime. She told us that Aunt Lucinda Davenport of Wayne was dead, died last Monday and was buried Wednesday. She took care of me a great deal when I was a baby and thought a lot of me although I have not seen her for years. And I wish I had got out to see her before she died for I know she would [have] liked to have seen me and my family. [The 1870 Census has Lucinda Davenport, age 48, Domestic Servent, living in house of William Day Dean in Nankin. Bennett was then 2 years old. I do not know how she is related if she is an actual aunt]
Saturday October 19 Beautiful day, but I guess it is trying to rain outside now, evening. Well today I cut Bennetts hair and he looks better, strange to say considering the barber. I think I could do a first rate job if they would only sit still but I have to jab whenever thier head comes around, just as I get to drawing it down to a fine cut they jerk and I cut more than I intended but it really looks quite good. Bennett is a great hand to ask about where you got this, and that, and who brought you this Mama. He was asking Mama about an old sugar spoon, "who brought you this Mama?" And Mama says "my Grand Ma gave me that", "What grand ma, Grand Ma Dean?" "No", "Gummie out to Auntie Norines?" "No, my own Grand Ma. She is gone now." "Oh" says Bennett, "where has she gone, has she gone up the smoke pipe Mama?" The P.O. began paying by monthly today.
Sunday October 20 Mercy what a day. When we got up it was raining and snow was falling with the rain and it continued all the forenoon, cold sloppy rain. But it cleared in the afternoon and was quite decent. Howard and I went for a car ride out to Oakland and the City Limits then we walked across to Woodward and came home that way, it seems as tho we just have to do something with Howard Sundays. He teases to go for a walk or somewhere and gets so restless that I guess it is no worse to go than it is to stay at home and have to punish him to make him behave. Gummie was here when we got back, she has been out to Royal Oak and beyond there somewhere for a few days.
Monday October 21 Beautiful day, but the nights are just fearful cold, heavy frosts and some ice. The middle of the day is fine and warm. I cut Howards hair today noon and done quite a fine job, he did not wiggle quite so much as usual. Anna and I went over to a millinery store on Grand River near Buchanan St. and Anna ordered a hat, then I went into a shoe store and got me a pair of rubbers, 90¢.
Tuesday October 22 Beautiful day, couldnt be beat. Last night was a corker with the children. All have colds and Bennett had a terrible time coughing and mercy how he wiggles and turns and crys and wants things. Finally he got quieted down towards morning then the baby began and Anna did not get much rest and we all feel bummy today. Gummie went down to Aunt Dills this afternoon and has not got home yet, 7:45. The baby has got his greasing and nursing and got to bed. And now Howard and Bennett are going through the process. Bennett likes to make believe he has been vaccinatied and each night he comes and shows me his bare arm and says see my vaccination Papa. Howards arm is nearly well now, I guess it is going to leave a deep scar on his arm. It was 4 weeks yesterday since he was vaccinated and he certainly got it good and strong and his arm has looked perfectly dreadful but for all how bad it was he did not seem to mind it much. I guess he did stay out of school a couple of days but it was more on account of a cold than his vaccination.
Wednesday October 23 Beautiful weather frosty morning and the leaves falling fast. Baby Laurence 10 months old today. He has 3 teeth, he got one lower one first, then two upper. He tries to say by by and other noises we make for him to mimic. His hair now is as white as snow. Clarence Clarkson gave up his boarding place and came back here tonight and he intends to give up his short hand school and go back to Northville with Gummie when she goes. He dont seem to be able to stick to anything and is here from Chicago at the expense of his Father. His Father and Mother are seperated and I guess he is here because he got into some scrape, we dont know what. He seems like a nice fellow but we cannot help, but wish he was away because we do not know what may come of it. Edna & Clarence called this evening.
Thursday October 24 Beautiful day. Anna went to the Dentist this P.M. I rode my wheel down to the Main P.O. and signed the pay role. Anna, Howard and I went over on Grand River to the Millinery store, Anna got her hat and then we went and got Howard and baby Laurence a pair of shoes but I think we can do better down town, get nicer looking shoes anyway. We paid $1.65 for Howards and 75¢ for the babies.
Friday October 25 Beautiful day, fine and dandy. Well Anna and Gummie got the 3 children ready this morning and went down to Spellmans and had thier pictures taken in the group. They did not know whether they got a good picture or not. Anna said the operator tried hard enough Howard and Laurence would look "pleasant" enough but Bennett the contrary mortal would not crack a smile in spite of all the operaters tactics, but then if it is sober it will be natural. Anna intended to take Bennett to Elliots and get him some shoes but her appointment at the gallery was 10:30 and she did not have time but probably the old shoes will look all right in the picture, we had to get each one a new pair of shoes and they need other things as well. We are finding out that it costs money to support a family of kids. The pictures are supposed to be $10.00 pictures for $5.50 because we had bought a coupon of an agent. Gummie and Clarence C. went home to Northville tonight. This evening about 8 oclock we heard a street car coming then a bang and crash. I ran to the front window and saw a delivery wagon laying over on its side, over on the other side of the street from us and almost directly in front of our house, but it was so dark I could not see the driver. I did not hear any cry but the car was stopped and people running towards the wagon. I ran out and saw that the man had been thrown up over the curb on the grass and apparently unconsious. Two or three men carried him across into Hannas house, the man groaned as they picked him up and said "oh no, oh no" and the way they picked him up and jounced him across and into the house I thought if he was very seriously hurt they would finish him. They soon got a Dr. and about 1/2 hour after a Grace Ambulance came and took him away. The Dr. thought his shoulder was dislocated and perhaps his hip also. I did not hear his name. The wagon was a Atlantic and Pacific Tea Co. wagon. The horse was not hurt and did not try to run. I guess the driver had some chickens in the wagon as we could hear one squaking, I dont know whether it was hurt or not. I suppose we will know more about it when we read it in the papers in the morning. Howard and Bennett was in bed and asleep so did not see it but Laurence saw the whole thing but had nothing to say about it. Jimmie Joy came in today, we got of him 6 bushels of Potatoes, 1 bushel of apples and two squash.
Saturday October 26 Not quite so nice today, began raining about 4 P.M. The fellow that got [in an accident] out here last night, the paper says was Robt. McDonald of 1321 Grand River, collar bone broken and internal injuries. Everybody tired and cross tonight. The baby does not feel well and it took a long time to get him to sleep. I washed the dishes then shaved, now the children are all in bed and Anna is ironing, 9:30, strenuous life, this raising a family.
Sunday October 27 Fearful today, cold rain all forenoon. Went to work at 7, came home in the rain on my wheel. Home all the rest of the day. Edna came out [and] made a call in the evening.
Monday October 28 Cold and raw. Baby Laurence climbed all the way upstairs this evening. Anna and the kids had gone up for Howard and Bennett to go to bed and baby was left here with me. He went to the foot of the stairs and was crying for his Mama. Then he started up a step at a time. I went and kept him from falling and let him climb. He squealed and danced and had a fine time, sometimes he would slip back a step but he would go at it again. Anna and Howard and Bennett were at the top urging and incouraging him and received him with open arms when he finally reached the top.
Tuesday October 29 Cold this morning about 30° above and a frost that looked like snow. Howard came home from Kindergarten with his pants wet. I guess when school was out he was afraid to go to the basement because so many boys were around. Such things nearly busts his Mama up in business. Howard felt awful bad and cried and howled and had to change his clothes but mercy the work that kids are. Bennett is simply a corker in that way, he wets his pants and does grunts in them and in his bed, time and time again. Spankings, jawings or talking to dont seem to have any effect but just now both of them went up to bed so nice and innocent, They always must have something to take to bed with them, so Bennett got the Red Riding Hood book and grabbed up the bottom of his nighty and up the stairs he went. Howard grabbed the Buster Brown doll and up he went, then it is good night, sleep tight, half the bed and all the clothes, and each one must say it all, and Mama and Papa must answer each one with the whole business. Edna came in just as the kids got settled down in bed and sat and talked till after 10 oclock and that is late for us, 9 is our bed time.
Wednesday October 30 Fine cool day, about 30° above this morning. Ted and Norine Merritt came in today to have Clarkson treated by some specialist Dr. Clarkson had an attack of infantile paralysis [polio] last summer and for several weeks was helpless but now he can get around, but drags his right leg and they are somewhat discouraged over his getting over it. They brought Clarksons Teddy Bear, coat and cap that he has out grown and gave it to Bennett and Bennett looks so cute for anything in it, and it is in good shape. Clarkson has a bran new outfit and looks fine and well dressed in it. I found a fountain pen this A.M. when I was going to work over on Willis between 3rd and 2nd. I dont know whether it is any good or not, it seems OK.
Thursday October 31 Fine day. I had another streak of good luck today, as I was riding in from my route on my wheel I saw a piece of money and got off and picked up a 5 and 10 and 25 cent piece, 40¢. I wanted to stay in that spot and look all day. I bought a small baseburner of F. W. Buchanan and it came today and was carried upstairs. Buchanan bought Ednas big stove when she moved and got a furnace and I bought his old one for $5 and I guess it was a bargain, it cost $1 to get it up here. This is Hallowe'en night and the kids are having a great time here in the neighborhood tapping windows, ringing bells "door bells' and shooting peas, blowing horns, etc. Howard was out a few minutes after dark but we would not let him stay out long, he is not old enough yet. He was good about it and said he had a great time. He and Bennett had each a "funny face" full of candy for supper. Bennett was afraid to go to the windows when the boys would tap on them but he seemed to enjoy it just the same.
November 1907
Friday November 1 Threatening all day. Not very cold, this evening I put the stove they brought yesterday upstairs and it looked pretty fine. And maybe we can keep warm upstairs this winter and I feel in my bones that we are going to have a hard winter and I do not look forward to it with a great deal of pleasure.
Saturday November 2 Well I guess it rained all last night and was rainy and nasty all the forenoon. Baby Laurence has another tooth, this makes the fourth one, two up and two down, he gets them easier than the other kids. He walks all around where he can hang on with his hands, but has not attempted to go alone yet. He says what he means for by by when we say it to him and tries to imitate us a little and is very cute just now.
Sunday November 3 A cold wind blew all day but the thermometer staid at about 40°. I went to Church this forenoon and this afternoon the McLeods came in about 3 and staid to supper and till about 7:30. The children were noisy and I declare I dont feel as tho I had had much rest and I guess Anna feels worse than I do. After they went away I went out and heated some water and washed about a ton of dishes. Anna wiped them after she got the kids to bed. We enjoyed the visit but it was rather tiresome, thier two kids, Donald and Helen, are a little strenuous and our kids can follow the lead pretty well. So it is anything but quiet when they are here. Just a while ago Bennett woke up crying and wanted to be rocked. Anna went up and got him and now she has her nose up in the air and her mouth open and asleep and Bennett is asleep and nearly sliding off of her lap. Well this is a great life anyway and but very few of us get out of it alive.
Monday November 4 Cold threatening day. Down town at noon, paid gas bill and made a few purchases and came home. Can feel a cold coming on to me today. Everybody dead tired tonight.
Tuesday November 5 Not very nice, some rain in the afternoon. Norine and Clarkson came to dinner.
Wednesday November 6 A fearful afternoon, rain hard and cold, my, goes right to the bone.
Thursday November 7 Nice sometimes and very threatening sometimes. A man by the name of Hargraves was killed on the R.R. this morning about 7:30 at the corner of Holden and the R.R. I saw him as he lay at the side of the tracks, a crowd around gazing as they always will. The ambulance came but only turned the case over to the coroner. The papers say he had a family of six children who will be left destitute. He was on his way to work [when] he stepped out of the way of one train and in front of another one.
Friday November 8 Fine most of the time today. Threatening rain once or twice, not very cold, down around 40° above. I am awful tired tonight, had a hard day of it. The children, king of cross, all are now asleep, and Anna is out in the kitchen ironing. A woman's work is never done. Howard always wants to go to bed as soon as he has eaten his supper. He can undress himself and put on his nighty all alone, unless it is a back button or so. He always wants a light in the bathroom, then he goes in his room, crawls into bed and that is the last of him. Bennett goes soon after, usually he does about the same but is more apt to find something about. Tonight he cried because he forgot to take his teddy bear to bed when he went up and I was to tired to take it up to him so he made a fuss. I hollered and told him I would come up and spank him if he did not stop crying and he soon quieted down.
Saturday November 9 Fine day, not very cold. Cold wind at night. Hard day at work again today. Too tired at night to go down town or anywhere. Howard went to Elizabeth Hulberts 4th birthday party this afternoon. He took her a bottle of perfume and came home with a tiny train of cars that he fished out of a fish pond they had. He had a fine time and had more ice cream than he could eat and if there is anything he is partial to it is ice cream, he often teases for it. He told me about the party in an excited childish way that is very amusing. He brought home several sample pieces of cake, so we all had a taste. Bennett skinned his finger today and a piece of skin hung loose and he came crying to his Mama and said the paper on his finger was lose.
Sunday November 10 Nice day but threatening. I guess a kind of mist is falling out now almost rain. Worked this morning home at 10:30 and did not go out again all day. Anna took the baby and went over and called on the Hardenbergs, we do not get over there even very often, although they live just across the street we get over but a very few times a y ear. Aunt Julia is blind now and likes to have people come and feels hurt if they dont. She is so sensitive that one has to be very careful of her feelings at all times. Snowing this evening and the ground is white with snow.
Monday November 11 The world is beautiful this morning but the coldest morning so far, 24° above. About 2 or 3 inches of snow on the ground and the trees, schrubberies, wires and everything are beautifully decked out in the beautiful snow. But it was nearly all gone by night making it sloppy and nasty.
Tuesday November 12 About 26° above this morning and a fine day. I built a fire in the little baseburner upstairs today noon. It dont seem very cold up there but the baby has a cold and Anna has to be up in the night so I thought we better start her going. I dont like the work or the expense but I do like the comfort. I hope we will be rich enough someday to have a house with a furnace in it. Bennett is always asking about every article, "Mama who sent you this" and tonight when he was getting ready for bed he said, "Mama who sent me my little piggies" meaning his toes. Mama made some answer and he asked "did they have a paste board patter to make em with". And tonight at the supper he wanted to have some butter all his own to spread bread himself like Howard was doing and we said he was too little, that Howard didnt when he was as little as Bennett, that Howard was 5 years old before he spread h is own bread. Bennett looked at Howard a minute in silence then he said "what did it take you so long for Howard" and he never cracked a smile, but the rest of us did, he certainly is a dry specimen.
Wednesday November 13 Fine day but cold.
Thursday November 14 Fine day, 22° above this morning, the first my ears have felt the cold and I felt it all over this morning. Albert Hart's wife and baby called this afternoon.
Friday November 15 Beautiful day, cold mornings and evenings, about 26° above.
Saturday November 16 About 22° above this A.M. but a beautiful day. Well this has been a hard day and I am tired out and the kids have acted up tonight. Especially Bennett he has cried and cried since supper. He wanted to help carry out the dishes from the supper table and of course he wanted to carry the very ones his Mama did not want him to carry for fear he would break them and that started him a going and he cried enough before he had his bath and got to bed for a doz. kids. And his Mama is ready to quit and skip out. Bennett said he didnt like his Mama and wanted to go somewhere else to live and we asked him where and he said to the Dentist and he has disgraced himself several times today and got spanked and spanked but it does not seem to do any good.
Sunday November 17 Beautiful day, warmer, about 40° above. No work today, nobody went to Church. Anna took the kids out for a walk, I staid at home and read. I did not do anything all day but shave, wash my head, wash the dishes and a few things like that. The Free Press is having a proverb hunt and we are cutting out the pictures and intend to send in the answers before the time runs out.
Monday November 18 Beautiful day, warm. I changed my route today. I was Carrier 129, now I am 247 and it is a new factory route and I thought it would not be so hard and tiresome so I asked for it and changed today. I feel like a man leaving his home, to leave 129. I have been on that route for 9 years or it would be 9 years the first of next February. I begin at the Herpicide Cass. and Milwaukee, then go through to the R.R. & Greenwood, take the Auto. Spec. Monarch Friday, Lloyd Con., McGrath, State Coal, Det. Column, Peuberthy, Acme Brass, Det. Brass, Sun Oil, Crescent Mach., Det. Folding Cart, Lavigue Mfg., Wol. Mfg., Farrand Co. which takes me to the corner of 12 & R.R. Then another carrier brings me a later mail for the same firms and I deliver it right back over the same ground and do this on the first and 3rd trip and also on my way back. I deliver Greenwood from Holden to the Boulevard and Milwaukee from Greenwood to 3rd the 2nd trip. I go over the ground once making 5 deliveries in 3 trips to the factories and 2 to the residences. I hope I will like it and not be sorry I changed and I think I will.
Tuesday November 19 Fine day. Well we were paid in gold today, the money scarcity has finally reached us and even the P.O. has hard time in getting money to pay off the employees. The P.O. pays twice a month now, they used to have only one pay day and a middle of the month draw day, but now they have two regular pay days.
Wednesday November 20 Nice enough till afternoon, then it began to rain and blow and it was a horrible afternoon and evening.
Thursday November 21 It blew all night so hard that I could feel the house shake, but was a fairly nice day, not cold, about 40° above. Baby Laurence likes to get into the pantry every chance he gets and the kettles and pans rattle and bang. And once or twice we have [found] him sitting on the floor with an immense loaf of bread in his paddies and he a nibbling away at the edges but today I guess the bread was too far down in the can. Anna heard him cry and went in and Mr. Laurence was standing on his head in the bread can with his little legs and feet sticking up straight in the air.
Friday November 22 Fine day, warm, about 40° this A.M. I am not feeling very well, I presume it is a cold or my liver maybe. I went down town after work to order some groceries at Peter Smiths, there are some things we think must come from Smiths such as teas, coffees and spices, etc. Then I went to Armstrongs down on Woodward near Jefferson and ordered my new route number to put on my cap, 247 and a wreath like this . Bennett came to his Mama and said "Mama babies nose". Mama said, what is the matter with babies nose and Bennett said "it is all melting." And so the poor baby has a cold.
Saturday November 23 Weather about the same, not very cold for this time of the year. Anna and Howard went down town this evening after I got home. I get home so much earlier than I used to that it makes it possible to go down town before the stores close up but of course they are open Saturday evening anyway. They bought a few necessities for the children such as underwear and Howard a cap of which he was very proud.
Sunday November 24 Fine day. Worked today from 8:15 to 10:30 A.M. May have to work every Sunday for a while because I have no one to alternate with just now. Anna and kids went for a walk this afternoon and I washed up the dinner dishes.
Monday November 25 Beautiful day until evening when Anna said listen and we heard the rain beating against the windows and were utterly astonished because we did not know it was thinking of raining.
Tuesday November 26 Fine day, warm. Bennett swallowed a prune stone yesterday and today he asked if his Mama hadnt better cut a hole in the toe of his shoe. What for? says Mama. "So that prune stone can come out I swallowed yesterday." Anna went down to Spelling this evening and got the pictures of the Children and we were so disappointed in them we were nearly sick. They were not nice a bit. Laurence and Bennetts white dresses were covered with a shadow or something and Bennetts hands were black as niggers, while the faces were first rate. It seems as tho they might be better [if] they were mounted nicely but we must see if they will not give us a new lot because these are not fit to send out.
Wednesday November 27 Rainy, nasty today. Tonight every neighbor has a eye on Hanna's house, Lizzie is getting married this evening to Bert Botsford who used to live across the street but is in Boston, Mass now, and I suppose he and his bride will go there to reside. Baby Laurence has taken his first step alone. He went from his Mama to Howard yesterday, a few steps. He will stand alone for quite a minute and sometimes when he is playing and wants to use both hands he will stand alone as unconcerned as you please. Howard and I went over on Grand River tonight looking [at] things and we went to several stores before we found a decent one [chicken]. We got it for 12 1/2¢ a lb., the fine spring ones had been selling for 15, Turkeys are from 20 up to 22 but I cannot afford a turkey.
Thursday November 28 Fine beautiful day, not very cold, about 40° above in the morning. My new route is a dandy on a holiday. I was home this morning at 9:30. I put in rather a busy day of it. I piled up block in the celar and put up the round stove in the kitchen and fixed the steam cooker that sprung a leak and fairly flooded the gas stove and kitchen floor. We had a good dinner all to ourselves and everybody enjoyed it and we really felt thankful for a good many things. Chief among them was our health, and my job. So many men are being laid off by the factories and other factories are running on short hours. I see the sign "No Help Wanted" quite frequently now. They say it is only the financial strengency and will soon be over, and the factories will resume full time and force then. Well I hope so, but hard times it seems to me is in the air, everybody feels it but it may not last, it is to be hoped it will not. We were home all day and nobody came here. I got a letter, a postal, from Mother saying she had been invited up to Earnies to thanksgiving dinner which was rather a surprise to say the least as Earnest and his wife, especially his wife, has been out with the rest of us for a number of years. They must have experienced a change of heart, well we will be thankful for that.
Friday November 29 Rather a cold damp wind today, about 30° this morning. Anna took the pictures back and they are going to give another sitting so Anna intends to go Monday morning.
Saturday November 30 The last day of November, about 30° above this morning, rather a raw wind but not very cold. Began to snow listlessly in the evening. November has been a fine month, not cold or stormy. I wish we could have just such weather all winter. Baby Laurence learned a new stunt today. Anna blew her nose and the baby began to snuff and Anna gave him a handkerchief and he tried to find his nose. He put his hand on his hair then on his ear but finally he found his nose and snuffed and snuffed. He is a great talker in his baby jibberish and jabbers away over pictures and things hat he is playing with. He takes a step or two once in a while from one object to another but if you want him to he wont do it.
December 1907
Sunday December 1 About 30° above this morning but was threatening snow all day. The ground was a little white and it grew colder all day and by night was quite cold. Got up this morning got breakfast, shaved and got to work by 8:30, back at 10:30, sit around and read all day. Gummie came in about dinner time. She came to help Anna get the children down town tomorrow to have thier pictures taken over again. Anna, Gummie and the Children took a little walk in the afternoon.
Monday December 2 Cold, cloudy, about 22° above this morning and did not warm up much. Anna, Gummie and the children went down to spellmans and had the childrens pictures taken over again, the other ones were spoiled by a shadow that covered the white dresses of Bennett and Laurence. They went down to Aunt Dills this P.M. Laurence has out done himself today in goodness and cuteness. It just seems as tho he has just found himself and has become conscious of his own individuality and that he can do things himself.
Tuesday December 3 Cold, snow flurries all day. Gummie went home. Anna went up to Mrs. McLeods on 23 Hecla to see about getting a dress made over.
Wednesday December 4 Colder, about 18° above and that seems cold. Belle called. Clarence came in on his way home from work and talked hard times about the Glazier failure at Chelsea, lots of Detroit Banks and business men were caught in that and several firms are having a hard time to tide over the money stringency. Partridge & Blackwell, Newcombe & Endicott, Vinton & Co. are all reported on the ragged edge. Dr. J. A. Allridge whom we know pretty well and always thought a good man was shot in the back of the head by another mans wife who it is claimed was in love with him and he with her, then she shot herself, both are near death but both have a fighting chance of recovery. She was a Mrs. Griffith, it happened last night.
Thursday December 5 Still colder, about 16° above this morning but it got warmer, a fine bright day. Anna went down town tonight to take the proofs back. The baby has been on an awful crying spell tonight and has just gone to sleep, 10:30. I have been hunting proverbs, the Free Press is offering prizes. They print pictures representing a proverb and you are to guess the proverb.
Friday December 6 Fine day, warmer. Went down town on my swing time and bought me a dollar cap for 50¢. The stores are advertising sales now, I guess they have an immense stock for Christmas and on account of so many men out of work, they are afraid they can not get rid of it.
Saturday December 7 Beautiful warm spring like day, rained in the evening. Anna and Howard went down town after I got home from work this P.M. to look at Christmas toys and when they came home we had supper. Then I went down to the Carriers annual association election and voted. And I also put in an application for membership in the sick benefit, then Frank Buchanan and I went down on Cadillac Square and bowled a couple of games and then we went and had a lunch then went back up to the G.A.R. Hall to see how the election came out. Our Sta. A. man Ed Brown was elected President, so I came home.
Sunday December 8 Beautiful day, warm enough to go without wraps. Worked. Took a walk with my whole family this afternoon. Looked for proverbs nearly all the rest of the time.
Monday December 9 Warm, up into the 50ies but rainy and nasty. Everybody seems to be on the bum. Howard has a cold and coughs and was sick to his stomach today at dinner and had to leave the table. Bennett is getting a cold and has done nothing but cry everytime anybody looked at him today. And the baby, I dont know what is the matter with him, but he has howled & howled all day. And you can imagine what it means for the Mother with 3 such kids on her hands. We talk Christmas a good deal and the kids get all excited and when we spell out what we want to say Howard begins to ask what we say and tries to guess and he is getting so he can tell sometimes by the sound. We are up the stump as what to get, we cannot afford to get all we would like and what to leave out and what to get is a caution.
Tuesday December 10 Well it snowed and blew all day today. The snow did not amount to much only an inch or two but it got colder all day and by night was pretty cold. Bennett is better today but Howard looked bad ashen pale he did not go to school. Last night he kept he kept us up and down all night, he sees horrible things in his sleep and wakes up crying. He vomited several times. I went down town after work to buy toys. I bought a box of blocks, a combination bank, a Jack in the box, a ball, and a doll on the stick "rattle". I just wish I could buy and buy, there are so many things I would like to get and then to have to pick out a few of the cheapest things is very exasperating but I suppose there[ are] some people too poor to buy anything at all.
Wednesday December 11 Cold, fine day, very wintry looking, about 18° above this morning and did not warm up much. Howard went to school today because he wanted to, but I dont think he is fixed. Bennett and the baby seem better today although Bennett had an ear ache and had to be rocked a good deal. Miss O'Brian called, Edna called. I went over on Grand River to look at toys but did not buy any.
Thursday December 12 Cold all day, about 20° this A.M. Howard did not go to school, pretty bad with his stomach and probably his liver. Anna gave him Castor Oil today and a Carter Little Liver pill tonight. He is seeing things tonight and we are feeling as tho we ought to have a Doctor prescribe for him. Edna called this evening again.
Friday December 13 Cold but getting warmer all day, looks like a snow storm was coming, windy and gray. Howard is a good deal better today. I guess Castor Oil is what fixed him but he looks thin and pale. He had a spell like this one last year at this time and he is so afraid he wont get good and well for Christmas that he is being good and doing just as his Mama tells him. Charles H. Beavis died this morning at 4 oclock. He was a letter Carrier prominent in our association. His death was rather sudden and wholly unexpected. He has been sick since thanksgiving with rheumatism but it was not considered serious. He was prominently connected with the Letter Carriers Insurance and was considered quite a man or an authority on insurance. He just married a 2nd wife last February.
Saturday December 14 Whew but this has been a fierce day. It began snowing early this morning and has snowed and blew all day. Wet nasty heavy snow, about 3 inches of snow at night.
Sunday December 15 Nasty and horrid all day. Snowing a little all day, soft and slushy, bad. I went over to view the remains of Charlie Beavis. The Carriers met at 2:30 P.M. at the corner of Grand River and 16th then went to the house just a block over on 17th. A large number of Carriers were out. I hunted proverbs nearly all the rest of the day. Edna came up and hunted too. I will be glad when it is all over. I am not at all sure that I am getting them right and dont care much. There are 60 in all and it takes a long time and study to find a proverb to fit the picture. Baby Laurence started out today for the first time to walk alone, he let go of something and started but he seems to want to go side ways but he did not go far then dropped and crept.
Monday December 16 Fine day, not very cold, about 30° above but not very good walking, pretty good sleighing. Howard is all right again and went to school today. He is having a fine time with his sleigh today. Bennett goes out and has a fine time too. Bennett has got two or three new teeth lately and I believe has only one more to go.
Tuesday December 17 Fine day, good sleighing but bad walking. Gummie, Norine & Clarkson dropped in on us today. Anna and Norine went down town this afternoon Christmas shopping. Gummie and Clarkson went home early. Norine staid to go to a violin concert tonight, Kubelik, a great player is to play. Howard and I went down to Edna's this evening. I drew Howard on his hand sleigh.
Wednesday December 18 Threatened more snow all day. Sometimes it looked terrible dark and threatening but not but very little snow came. Anna went down to Spellmans and got the 1 1/2 doz. pictures of Howard, Bennett and Laurence, they were fine this time. She took a pair of gloves down to exchange for a larger pair and when she got home she found they had given her two gloves for one hand, somebody got cussed. After long and strenuous efforts I got the proverbs off today. I do not believe I have them right and do not look forward with any expectency of getting a prize.
Thursday December 19 Cold wind, about 30° above. Nothing new that I know of today. Everything is Christmas now, we feel rather poor this year but we have promised the children a tree so I got a tree tonight and had to pay 50¢ for that. They say they are scarce this year but that is what they say about everything that they want to raise the price on. The children are all anxious and want to know what every bundle is and everything we talk about.
Friday December 20 Warmer today and the sun came out and softened the snow quite a bit. Inez Hart called this afternoon and left something for the Xmas tree. Howard went back to school this afternoon, they had an entertainment of some kind. He said a man had two big dolls and they would talk and say things and he told all about what they said and how they had things fixed at the school.
Saturday December 21 Not very cold, about 30° above, cloudy and gray. I took Howard down town this evening and I let him look at toys to his hearts content. We went to several places pushing our way through the crowds of people. He was not satisfied until nearly ten oclock, then he said he was ready to come home. He did not tease much and I enjoyed taking him around and of all the things he saw the only thing he teased hard for was a 5¢ tin horn. And his mother had given strict orders that no noisy things would be allowed so he did not get that. I ordered an inverted gas light, $2.00, and we bought candy, groceries but I told him he would have to wait until Xmas for the thing he wanted.
Sunday December 22 Not very cold, quite a decent day, good sleighing in the streets. Had to be at work at 7:30 this A.M., not so very much Xmas stuff in yet but then it looks like Xmas all right. I wont have it so bad this year as my route is Factories with the exception of about 3 blocks of residences but I think I can stand it if I dont have to work very hard. We are getting quite a number of packages from our relations or Annas folks mostly but none of them have been opened, they must wait until Xmas. Everything for Xmas is a secret so when the children ask what anything is we say secret so they understand and do not tease or try to find out what it is. We are sending the childrens pictures out for Xmas presents this year, do not feel able to do any more. Anna got a large package today by express from Pasadena, California. The express men have to work today in order to get the stuff out.
Monday December 23 Well of all the days one could imagine it would be hard to imagine [one] that was worse. It rained all last night and all the forenoon, the afternoon was mostly snow but the slush, rain and wind and loads of mail. Carriers were loaded up over thier heads, then had to slip, wade and slush through the streets, it was certainly awful. Baby Laurence is one year old today and I guess he has turned over a new leaf as he has been as good and cute all day as could be. He weighs 20 1/2 lbs. and is 26 1/2 inches in his stocking feet. He is very white skin with pink cheeks and blue eyes, white flaxen hair and more inclined to be kinky than either Howards or Bennetts. He has 4 teeth and can walk a little but he walks as tho his shoes were made of wood and I guess they are too stiff. When he is good he is very good indeed. I think he cries easier and louder and is more persistant than the others and he has fight in him because he will try to push the other kids away from him if there is any occasion for dispute. And he is very jealous of his Mama, if Mama takes Bennett on her lap Laurence does not like it and will cry and try and push him away. He is very much afraid of strangers and hides his head in his Mamas dress if they make any advances towards him, of course he is as cute as can be. He can say by by but he will not wave his paddy. He will peek abo as cute as can be sometimes. He knows which is Bennett or Howard or Mama, ask where they are and he will look at them. He did not get a birthday present but Mama made him a little round cake with one red candle on it. He was very much interested in the making but when it came to eating it at supper, alas he was sound asleep and the rest of us had to do the eating.
Tuesday December 24 Not very cold, about 30°, but what was yesterday slush is today frozen and so rough that one can hardly navigate. Baby Laurence has turned back that leaf that he turned yesterday and is crosser than a bear with a sore head today. He seems sick and cries and cries and bothers his Mother so she can hardly do her work and of all the days to be bothered. She wants to bake for Christmas and clean up and do things and he wont let her. The gas Co. man came yesterday and put on our new reflex inverted gas light, it is to cost $2.00 if we like it, if we dont like it they take it back.
Wednesday December 25 Christmas. Warm, between 30° and 40° above. Snowing in the morning and until about 10 oclock A.M., about 2 or 3 inches. The Mail was fearful and the Carriers buried, the walking bad and making it a very hard day. My work was all done by 9 oclock but I had to help 206 for a while, I was home by 12 and mighty thankful to get out of the muss and also that I had a factory route and that the factories all closed and so I only had about 50 houses to deliver to, then I was done. And I am sick. Anna and I worked till late last night to fix up the tree and decorate with green stuff and tinsel, candies, etc. We put the presents on the tree then covered the tree with sheets so the kids could not see till the time came. They had thier stockings hung up and we put some little stuff in them so they might have something in the morning. I had a chill as I went to bed and was cold half the night and hot the rest so I am rather the worst for it today. Mother and Father came in the forenoon and Gummie came in the afternoon and Edna and Clarence came in time to see the children get thier presents. About 4 oclock I awoke from a nap feeling better then we were ready and the children anxious to get at things so we just pulled the sheets off of the tree and it looked beautiful and the children just went for it, even baby Laurence gave a scream and crept as fast as he could go for it. Bennett found a doll and sat down and admired that for a while. Howard got a box of blocks and admired them for a few minutes, then they got something else. We were very informal about it and let them find things as they pleased and they did enjoy it so. And they got so many toys and presents that we declared it was a shame for them to have so many and not any of them that were expensive. Howard got in the neighborhood of 20 and Bennett only one or two less, and Laurence had all he could manage. Howard got a pair of rubber boots, and shoes and rubber for his shoes, blocks, and toys, handkerchiefs, perfume, a good many books. Of course they came from us and his grandparents, Edna and from California and Northville, New York, Chicago and all points of the compass. Bennett got much the same, he got a doll, fine one from Edna, a little wagon, a bank, carpet sweeper, and dust pan, book, etc. Laurence got a doll on a stick that would rattle, a nigger doll from Edna, rolling bell I guess you would call it, and several pair of stockings, etc. And they screamed with delight and there was no discussion or anything, it was a most beautiful Christmas and everybody enjoyed it of course the rest of us all got something but then we grown folks do not amount to anything when the children are before us. I got a book, tooth brush, sponge, handkerchiefs, and etc. useful articles. Anna got an umbrella, gloves, and a great many things sent from California and other places. Everybody staid to supper then Mother and Father, Clarence and Edna left. Gummie is going to stay with us for a while.
Thursday December 26 About 30° above but a fine day, bad walking, sloppy, slippery. Well Christmas has come and gone. The Carriers have a lot yet to struggle through but a day or two will see it through then things will assume the normal again and go on for another year. I am feeling better but do not [feel] very good yet. Baby Laurence seems quite sick today, he acts just as Howard used to when he was teething, listless and floppy and wants to be cared for every minute and looks pale and his eyes look faded and ambitiousless but I presume a day or two and he will be all right.
Friday December 27 Warm, up in the 40s, cloudy but the snow is really all gone and it is raining hard this evening. I have a fearful cold and am in perfect misery tonight. It is hard to have to work when one is sick and it is at such times that I envy the rich. Bennett has all of his first teeth now, a new one discovered today. Baby Laurence just now is making life miserable for everybody by howling at the top of his voice. He wants to nurse while he is going to sleep and his Mother wont let him so he is trying to kill us all off by howling, mercy but he can howl.
Saturday December 28 Fine day, warm enough to go with our gloves and wraps. Rained nearly all night and the snow and ice is all gone today. I put a new Hartford E.H. tire on my bicycle front wheel today, McClurkin got it for me at the Cadillac Auto Motor Co. Xmas is all over at the P.O. now and the mail seems lighter than usual. Edna and Clarence called this evening on thier way to the Temple Theater, they go there nearly every Saturday night. Clarence thinks the hard times are going to continue after the first of the year. The papers try to make out that the times are not so bad as they look. I hope they will prick up because it seems a terrible thing for men especially with families to be out of work. I am not much better of the gripp as I call it and it is pretty hard to keep at work when I feel as I do. Baby Laurence is quite sick too, he is listless, lifeless and dont feel like anything. He will start out creeping or walking quite boldly then will lay down and put his head down on the floor and lay still and silent for a while. He has been perfectly horrid nights and does not give his Mama much chance to rest and she is nearly on the bum too. So we are a bum lot just now. Gummie is here and helps with the work. Norine and Clarkson were here again today at dinner.
Sunday December 29 Still warm but cooler than yesterday. Tonight it is raining hard and hailing and snowing all in a bunch and it must be a corker to be out but I am not out, thank goodness. I worked this morning from 8:30 to 10:30, not all Carriers worked today as they did last Sunday. Anna is sick today and hardly able to navigate. And baby Laurence was perfectly heathenish last night and howled a good share of the night. I took a bath, some quinine and drank some hot lemonade and sweat and slept all night and I have had naps all day today so I feel better. Howard was coming down with a cold last night and had to be doped, but he seems all right today. It seems impossible to keep from having colds this time of year. I guess I will have to study Christian Science, Gummie has one of thier books here and I think it would be a good thing to study up and be able by taking thought to ward off all of the ills of life. The belief certainly finds lots of followers but I never took any stock in it. Gummie does not believe in it but some enthusiastic believer gave her the book and wants her to study it.
Monday December 30 Warm, slush this morning, snow and rain this afternoon, high wind and growing cold eve. A most horrid day, we are having disagreeable weather. My cold is better. Anna is better and the baby is better but he is far from right. I went to the drug store tonight and bought Lime water, Rhubarb syrup, and camphor, that ought to bring him around OK. It was very wet and slushy but Howard must go with me because he wanted to wear his new rubber boots and of course he must look for puddles to wade through. I can remember the first pair of rubber boots that I had. I must of been 10 years or there abouts and I lived then at the old Nankin Mills and Mother brought them from Detroit on one of thier semi frequent trips to the City. And I remember if was late at night but I had to put them on and to go to the Mill and show them to Herbert, who was running the Mill nights. So I can sympathize with Howard. Gummie has been sick in bed all day today, it seems to be in the air around here. The children are in bed, Anna is writing letters. I am writing this and the wind is howling outside.
Tuesday December 31 Colder, about 20° above, beautiful day. Everything froze up this morning but that is better than mud and slush. Gummie up today but pretty sick. Baby cross and the work drags for Anna, she has so much to do and no way to do it. The old year with its joy, sorrows, troubles, successes and failures has gone. The first of the year we read of nothing but prosperity and good times, fearful high prices but most people had the price but the last few months and the last few weeks especially have brought hard times to many. People suddenly thrown out of work that never dreamed of its coming, shops shut down and others running on short orders and the only explanation is tight money. It is all very mysterious and ununderstandable to the layman. Every paper and every magazine have a different reason for it. I only know it is here and wonder at it. As long as I have work I wont feel it, may even benefit by it if prices come down. Prosperity and high prices have been hard for me because of my little salary. A government job is only a good job in hard times, in prosperity my job looks like 30 cents but in hard times it looks good.
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