January - March 1918

January 1918

 

1^st Tuesday  New Year’s Day.  Fair.  Cold-16° at 8, a.m.  The snow melts but little.  The day has been fair, and not so cold.  Temp. at 6 p.m. was 23°; last night 16°.  I ate dinner at the Harris Hotel.  Sorry to record that Mr. Dick Tunnel, a merchant here, got offended at my telling him the bad results I had with the K. Oil I got, last, from his store.  He, in effect, told me he would sell me no more oil; I replied “Then I buy nothing else of you.”  May the Lord forgive us both.  I am sorry for it.

 

 

 

 

 

2^d Wed.  Cloudy, and snowing at 9 a.m.  About 22° temp. this morning.  Got up at 8, a.m.:  same time as yesterday.  Cloudy yet.

 

3^rd Thurs.  Cloudy, but some lighter.  The boats are still frozen in.  There were two cars that went to Belhaven, yesterday, and they took our mail, and brought a load of mail back; and that is the first mail we have had since Sat. night, last.  20° outside my door, this m. after 8, o’clock.  Clearing at 11, A.M.

 

 

4^th Friday  Still Cold.  This is “the coldest spell of weather, that this country has felt for many years”.  “They say.”  We had no mail yesterday.  Only one mail this week so far.  Becoming convinced I was wrong about the Ker. Oil, (I think the bad oil was caused by putting the K. Oil in an old oily (other kind of oil) 5 gallon can.)  I went to Mr. Tunnell and publicly apologised to him, and we shook hands and forgave each other.  And we are “In Status Quo”.  The weather this P.M. has moderated.  Glad to say.  I am glad I had enough grace to make the apology:  I feel more like a man that does the right thing.  Our 2^d mail, for this week, by land, came in two automobiles, tonight.  [See The Big Freeze article in The State magazine - January 2014]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5^th Sat.  Cloudy, Cold, yet.-26° at 8 a.m.  Yesterday, at the same time it was 10°.  Glad it is some warmer, today.  This m. a barrel of K. Oil came to Mr. A. D. Tunnell’s Store, and a large crowd were there to be served.  He let those who cook with oil have two gal.; and less to those who do not.  I think the entire barrel will be sold as soon as it can be drawn, as many cans were in waiting, and others coming in.   Our mail came in, again, tonight, but not today’s mail.  Bath, etc.

 

 

 

 

 

6^th Sunday.  Mostly cloudy, some sunshine.  40° at 8, a.m. & therefore much warmer, glad to say.  I ate dinner at the “New Swindell Hotel”, today.  Some rain about 2 P.M.  Spent about 2 hours with the Lupton’s.  No service in town since before Conf. About 49° at 4, P.M.  More rain about dark.  Had lunch after 7, P.M.

 

 

 

7^th Mon.  Foggy or misty, early; clearing before 10 a.m.  No mail up to 9-20 P.M.  It is supposed the cars are stuck in the holes somewhere.

 

8^th Tues.  Fair and colder.  Freezing again this m.  An unexpected dinner at the Swindell Hotel.  Mamie came around, about dark, to get some Ker. Oil, in a qt. jar.  I went home with her and stayed awhile.

 

9^th Wed. Mostly cloudy.  28° at 7, A.M.  “Just a little sunshine,” occasionally.   K. Oil being about a thing of the past, here.  I borrowed a wood heater from John & Mamie; got Allen Harris to haul it, and we stopt at the office of the Knights of Hyde—J.S. Barnes, Sec. and he, a generous old soul, gave me enough short wood to burn in the heater, and it will last two or three days, perhaps.  It is an improvement, in heat and expense, over the oil cook-stove.  Bro. Grant came in, on my invitation, and spent a while with me, tonight.  It has turned colder, and has begun to freeze.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10^th Thurs.  Fair.  26° outside, about 7-20  Nothing to record today.

11^th Fri.  Cloudy 29° at 8 A.M.  Looks like it may rain tonight.

12^th Sat.  Fair, and windy.  There was rain in the night.  The wind blew all night, I think.  Mr. S.S. Mann gave me some split 3-ft wood, at his office; and I got “J. Mad.” to help me bring it down to my place.  Eddie Brinn is sawing it in ft lengths for me.  It’s green.  “Cousin Ed” Credle is helping them, or penning the cut pieces.  33°.  Have heard that the R.R. Bridge across Albemarle Sound (6 miles) has been swept down; also the bridge at Belhaven.  No mail last night, nor tonight.  I met an old Fairview acquaintance, in A.B. Berry’s store, this P.M.  Mr. or Prof. Lyda.  We talked about Fairview and the people we knew there.  Fairview is in Buncombe Co.  The wind is still blowing, and hope it will keep it up, or it will freeze again.  The ice has broken up, so I heard.  The roads are in very, very, bad conditions since the thaw; but I had rather the boats would make their trips again than to have the roads good, if we cannot have both at once.  Provisions are getting low, as no boat has run since Dec. 29th.  Let it thaw!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

13^th Sunday.  Fair and cold—20° at 7-30 a.m.  We have had the coldest weather in anyone’s recollection.  At Virginia Beach, the Atlantic Ocean was frozen over “as far as the eye could see”.  S.S. & Church merged into one service by the pastor, as it was so cold, and but few out.  I went home with him and ate dinner there; I stayed until half past light; I ate no supper.—I preferred not to, although they urged me to eat with them.  No service tonight.  32° in my room, tonight. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mon. 14^th  Fair.  26° outside at 7-30 a.m. While away about half past 12, Bro. Rube Harris left, on my table, a dish of chittlings, sausage and pig feet, as he told me, on my way home bring a turn of maple wood from The Berry Co.’s pile:  W.T.B. gave me a doz. pieces of wood.  It has been warmer this aft’n.  The Capt. of the mail-boat thinks he can make the trip to Belhaven and back tomorrow.  Hope so.  Mr. W.J. Harris kindly sent me some short wood this afternoon.

 

 

 

 

 

15^th Tues.  Fair and warmer.  There was a wind and rain storm during the night, as I was informed, and as I see; but I was too busy to hear it in the night.  I think the freeze is over, and that the boats can make their trips today.  The mail boat has gone, but the wind is so high that other boats refuse to take the risk.  The mail-boat made her trip, and returned about 7 P.M. bringing four cart loads of belated mail; some of my papers dated Dec. 30 & 31.  Received a box of chocolate candy from my dear “Baby Girl”, in tonight’s mail.

 

 

 

 

 

 

16^th Wed.  Fair and colder.  29° at 7, A.M.  I got 4 gallons Ker. Oil from The Berry Co., this morning.  Seeing Mrs. Lupton in her yard, I asked her if she had any Freshes [The hog meat fresh, before curing in the smokehouse] for me, as they killed hogs yesterday.  I went to get some, and she said she understood me to say Breakfast; and so I left my pan, and ate breakfast there.  Boats go today.  A Mr. Gibbs, from Juniper Bay, came to get some K. oil, and Dan Berry being sold out of oil sent him to me, and I let him have 2 gals.  He said the people, there, have been using “penny candles” for their lights.  Thos. A. Harris told me, tonight, they would cook a hogs-head Sat., and that on Sunday morning, his niece, Miss Dollie Ball would drive in for me.  Good! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

17^th Thurs.  Mostly Fair, and much warmer.  No freeze last night.

18^th Fri.  Fair.  A little colder.  Capt. Thad. Brown came in to see me, while I was cooking my breakfast, about looking after the Toll business of the Canal, here.  I do not think I am physically able to attend to it, as it requires my attention early of a morning, and late at night, or when the mail-boat comes in.  I met the boat about 8-30 or later:  collected 90 cents pass. tolls. Henry Boomer’s wife, - little girls—Edna & Lillian spent the day at the Lupton Hotel: and tonight I was with them an hour or more.  Mrs. B. asked me to take dinner with them Sun. week—the 27th.  In the P.O., tonight, Bro. A. Berry asked me to take hog’s-head dinner with him tomorrow—Sat.  I accept all such invitations.  It has turned colder:  36° at 10-15 P.M.  It may freeze by day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

19^th Sat.  Fair and colder—29° at 6-15 A.M.  I went to the boat, this m. and there were a doz. or more passengers on.  Ate a veg. & meat dinner at Bro. A. Berry’s, and had molasses cake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

20^th Sunday:  Snowing began before 9 A.M.  Mr. Tom. Harris handed me a note, yest. Aft., from Dollie Ball, saying Mrs. Ball (her Mother) is right sick, and had sent for her; and so she could not come after me this m. to take dinner with them, as pre-arranged.  I am sorry it is so she cannot come for me, and it is snowing, too.  It stopt snowing, at noon.  No Sunday School or Church today.

 

 

 

 

21^st Mon.  Fair after 9 A.M.  29° at 9-40; 20 at 7-30, School began again today, after Christmas Hollidays, and 2 weeks postponement on acct. of the severe weather—Dec. 21^st to Jan. 21^st vacation.  My thermometer registered 30° at 10-26, and I let it fall and it broke.

 

 

22^d Tues.  Rainy.  Ground slick with frozen snow.  Have given up my job of “Toll Keeper.”  Too much exposure and risk.  Two have fallen on the ice, this m.  Some sunshine before 11 A.M.  Nothing else. 

 

23^rd Wed.  Fair and cold; heavy frost.  The mail-boat is frozen up again, this m.  Prayer-Meeting, tonight.  No mail for us.

 

24^th Thurs.  Fair, and not so cold as yesterday.  There was too much ice for the boats to run today.  No Mail tonight, I suppose.  Have since heard the mail boat left at 1, P.M.   Am glad.

 

25^th Fri.  Cloudy and warmer.  3 days’ mail came last night, but did not get it until this morning.  Too long opening it last night.  Grant came around and spent a short while with me:  he wants me to preach for him, here, next Sunday or at night.  Boat tonight.

 

 

 

 

26^th  I collected fifteen dollars for cyclone stricken Atlantic, N.C., today.  Have had some unpleasantness today; but it is all right, tonight.

 

27^th Sunday  Cloudy and much warmer:  looks like a rain.  We actually had S. S., this morning.  Henry Boomer and family drove up, after their (Disciples) S. S., and I got in his buggy with his wife & 2 little girls, (he walked home—3/4 mile) and ate a good dinner with them as promised Jan. 18^th q.v.  This was my first visit to their home, and we all enjoyed the time together.  About 3 P.M. all of us went to see two old graves in the woods, and they have been much talked about.  Two Midyetts (brothers) were buried there in 1806 –nearly 112 yrs. ago.  The 2 slabs are of heart cedar, and on one of them is chizzled these words—”Christopher Midyette who died Aug. 28^th day 1806 aged 57 yrs.  You living friends as you pass by, as you are now, so once was I.  As I am now, so you must be, prepare for death and follow me.”  The other slab was not as distinctly marked as the above, and I did not write the inscription.  They are solid boards except at the ground where some of it has rotted off.  Vandalism is apparent also.  They are about a 1/4 of a mile from Henry Boomer’s home.  Two other children 13 years old each went there with us; one a girl—Willie Harris, and Rufus Smith’s boy whose name I do not recall, now.  Henry brot me home, in his buggy; little Lillian came with us.  The little girls gave me one of their recent photos, and I sent mine to them.  The weather being inclement we had no service tonight. [see A Tennessee Connection regarding Christopher Midgette]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

28^th Mon.  Cloudy & misty or foggy.  Have sent a collection of $25.00 to Atlantic, N.C. $5.00 of this the Wesley Bible Class contributed, yesterday.  It is still cloudy at 4 p.m.

29^th Tues.  Cloudy.  Rain about 7-30.

30^th Wed.  Cloudy and rainy.  The merchants rec’d allotments of sugar, last night, and I secured 3 lbs. - 10 cents a lb. is regulation price.  This has been an inclement dreary day.  It is raining, tonight.

 

31^st Thurs.  Cloudy. Yet.  Got sugar from Washington, tonight. 

[February]

Feb. 1^st Fri.  It is yet cloudy and some colder.  There has just been a few peeps of sunshine, today.  Very small mail tonight.

2^d Sat.  Cloudy with some indication of fairing.  But it has not faired off, for it began raining before 3 P.M., giving us more mud.

 

3^rd Sunday  Rainy.  A letter from Neppie, last night says she is sick-a-bed on acct. of tonsilitis.  Rev. R.R. Grant and Mr. Charlie Jones came around to see me, this evening between 4 1/2  and 5 P.M.  G. [Grant] said they had S.S. & Service today.  I had heard no bell, and knew nothing of it:  sorry I did not. This has been a very inclement day; rained most of the morning; and foggy this P.M.  Went around to Mamie’s this evening, and stayed until 8, o’clock.

 

 

 

 

4^th Mon.  Sun shining out full, this morning, first since Jan. 24th.  It is some cooler.  It cleared off in the night, and I saw moonshine continue before day break.  It is freezing, tonight.

 

 

5^th Tues.  Cold, fair and frosty.  Began a treatment, this morning, for a weak sphynchter muscle, from Dr. Swindell.  The mail being so late, tonight, I did not wait for it to open.

 

 

 

 

6^th Wed.  Fair and still cold.    7^th Thur.   Cloudy and warmer.  Sunshine before 1 p.m.  Bro. Grant came tonight, as I had asked him to for a special purpose.  I was too late going to the P.O., tonight, and so I did not get my mail.

 

 

 

8^th Fri.  Fair and Frosty.  Mr. Benners Swindell gave me a bowl of veg. & beef soup to bring home for my dinner; and it was good.

 

9^th Sat.  Fair and pleasant.  Mrs. A. Berry sent me corn bread etc..

10^th Sunday  Nearly fair, and warmer.  Wore my summer black suit, for a change , as I’ve been wearing the other suits all the winter—7 days in the week.  Service, today, by the pastor—R.R. Grant, and by inv. I took dinner at the parsonage, and I spent the afternoon there.  There was service again, tonight.

 

 

 

11^th Monday  Fair and cooler.  John sent me a load of wood, this evening, and Mr. W.B. Swindell furnished the horse wagon and man.

 

12^th Tues.  Partly cloudy.  Mamie and Lucile came around to see me, this morning or later.  It has been warm today.

 

13^th Wed.  Cloudy and warm.   14th Thurs.  Fair & pleasant. It is Valentine Day.  Clouding before 9 a.m.  Uneventful day - .

 

15^th Fri.  Foggy– clearing—fair.  Valentine Party at the Academy, tonight.  I went to it.  Got 2 home-made valentines from Ruth & Mary Emma, my 2 little friends in Greenville, N. C.

 

16^th Sat.  Colder and partly cloudy.  Raining at 2. P.M. and thundering followed.  Mrs. Staton Howard let me have some clabber for my bread; and asked me to stay for dinner; I did not, as I had my Sunday fixings to perform, about noon.  That’s All!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

17^th Sunday  Cloudy and some sunshine.  Rained before daybreak.  Fair before noon.  No wood - no Sunday School.  Sorry.  Ate dinner at the Lupton Hotel; had wild goose.  Mrs. Lupton, Mrs. Rayburn and Miss Maysel Lupton came in to see me, this P.M. at my request.  Services in both churches tonight.  Cold.

 

 

 

18^th Monday  Fair and colder.   19^th Tues.  Warmer and partly cloudy, with increasing cloudiness.  Alternate sunshine and shadows.

 

20^th Wed.  Partly cloudy & warm.  My sphincter muscle is giving me much trouble again.  Mamie & Lucile & Charles came in while I was eating breakfast: she brot. me some fresh sausage.  Borrowed S.D. Mann’s pony & basket-buggy, this m. to carry my clothes to the wash woman.  The roads are in bad shape.  Rain shortly after noon, light rain.  Mrs. Lee (Florence) Harris brought me a half doz. eggs, this P.M.  I had given her some wood-alcohol.  Have been collecting quarters (25¢) to pay light bill on church.  Bill is $5.00+, and I have collected $2.50.  “Judge” Stephenson, a young lawyer of Winston-Salem, delivered an address, or speech, in the C. Ho., tonight; subject—”War Saving Stamps”.  He spoke interesting for over an hour.  It was so late the P.O. had closed up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

21^st Thurs.  Fair, and much colder.  Still collecting that debt.

22^d Fri.  Partly fair with increasing cloudiness and a sprinkle of rain after 10, a.m.  That Church-Light-Debt is all collected and paid in full.  Rainy all the afternoon.  Colder

 

 

23^d Sat.  Fair and frosty; ice on the water in the streets.

24^th Sunday  Fair and moderating.  S.S., and Church service by Rev. Mr. Rawles, pastor of the Baptist flock around here.  After service, I spent a short while at Mamie’s, and came home.  I am feeling weak and bad, today.  Service tonight by the same.

 

 

25^th Mon.  Cloudy and warm.  Bro. Grant came to my room, this A.M., to see my S.S. Mag. that has articles on Christian Education, and into the 2^d Sun. in March for Ed. Day.  He bought the New Dictionary I ordered from the News & Observer, giving me $1.25 which was 9¢ more than it cost me.  I loaned him the S.S. Magazine.

 

 

 

26^th Tues.  Fair and some cooler.  A very heavy wind, last night.  Sold one knife sharpener, this aft. to Mrs. C.A. Jones.  Mr. Ingliss came, tonight and brought me five more sharpeners, as he is the reg. agt. here.

 

27^th Wed.  Fair and Frosty.  Spring-like day.  Pr. meeting, tonight.

28^th Thur.  Mostly fair and warm.  I marked a notice of  “Musical Recital, Friday Night at 7:30”, for Miss Oliver, the music teacher at the Academy.  She had me to draw a scale with these notes.  C Sharp, B. Natural, but never B. Flat ♯ ♮ ♭  She gave me a ticket to the musical.  As the mail-boat had no oil to run on, no northern mail went out, and none came in tonight.

- Exit February—

 

 

 

 

March 1918

 

 

 

 

1^st Fri.  Cloudy and warm, followed, later, by sunshine.   The Pecan trees I ordered, through J.P. Bross, for parties here, came on the Mot, this P.M.  One man refused to take his four.  There was a “Musical Recital” at the Academy, tonight.  I went to it, and it was good.  The letter-mail only came by private conveyance tonight.  I was too late to get it.

 

 

 

2^d Sat.  Fair and colder.  A heavy mail (4 days) came in tonight.

3^rd Sunday  Fair and warmer.  Somewhat cloudy, early.  I didn’t go to S.S., this morning, as I had to walk out to Jesse M. Harris’s, Sr. to take dinner there.  He invited me last week.  There were several others there.  We had a real good dinner.  About 2 P.M. or later, several of us went to Capt. Foster Jarvis's to have some singing.  I then went over to Henry Boomers for a stay with his family, especially his 2 little girls—Edna and Lillian who think right much of me, and I of them.  Henry hitched up his horse and brot. me home.  The girls came, too.  It has been a very pleasant day, except a strong wind.  It is cooler, tonight.  I was at service in our church tonight.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4^th Mon.  Partly cloudy, at 10 A.M.  Fair earlier.  This being the first Monday, the Co. Coms. have their meeting here, today.  Bro. Alec Berry, brot. a man to see me about 1-30 p.m.  He was W.C. Thomas exactly 3 yrs. older than I.  He said we were boys together in ol Betsy town.  I really do not remember him; he said he was not one of my boy associates; and I suppose not from the ones he said he did associate with—Willie Miskell & that crowd.  He is now living in Ocrakoke.  I was glad he called to see me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5^th Tues.  Rain began last night while I was in the P.O., and it was raining this morning, before & after day; but now, (8-40 A.M.) there is the appearance of clearing off.  Fair at noon.  Yesterday, I made a post-board sign for a “Masquerade Party”, next Fri. night, in the O.F. Hall.  This morning, Thos. S. Long, brought me a tin sign to paint over and letter for his law office.

 

 

 

 

6^th Wed.  Fair and pleasant.  Prayer Meeting tonight.  I went.

7^th Thurs.  Mostly cloudy up to 9 A.M.  Turned darker about noon, followed by a rain and much colder.  Tom Long came in to see me paint his office sign.  I hope he can get it tomorrow.  I found the write-up of a vainly imaginary wedding of Neppie and Haynes, written while she was in Carolina College 1914 & 15.  Annie Swindell enjoyed reading it:  so did Mamie.  Mamie gave me some apple dumpling, and I left it at the Swindell Hotel; Marcie S. and Mollie S. brot. it to my room, about 7 P.mM. and before.  No rain this evening.

 

 

 

 

 

8^th Fri.  Partly cloudy—8 A.M.  Bro. Grant came around, this A.M. to borrow my S.S. Mag.  I finisht Tom Long’s sign; and he then took it to his office, after paying me $1.50 for it.  Grant pd. me for a knife sharpening.  J.S. Barnes, Sec. gave me a job of lettering curtains for the “Knights of Hyde”.  That party is on tonight.  I felt to bad to go to it:  I wanted to go.

 

 

9^th Sat.  Mostly fair.  Late breakfast.  Carried the 1st curtain to the office and brot another and lettered that and hung it up, too.  I letter a sale sign for A. B. Berry, hats reduced in price.  While I was eating my dinner (about 5 p.m.) Mr. Charlie Jones brot me a present of some sugar—2 lbs.  I was both surprised and grateful.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10^th Sunday  Warm, cloudy, windy:  it blew all night  Peeps of sunshine some before nine.  Late to S.S. Service by the pastor, R.R. Grant—subject Christian Education.  Dinner at Swindell Hotel.  Went to see Mamie; came home and slept an hour or more, got up at 3-30; made cup of cocoa.  It has been windy all day, and has turned much colder.  Fair.  Services at church tonight.

 

 

 

 

11^th Mon.  Fair and colder.  Finisht last two curtains for K. of H., 7 P.M., tonight.

12^th Tues.  Somewhat cloudy most of the day; darker afternoon.  I got $2.00 for wording the K. of H. curtains.  One of my back teeth—an old decayed one, - a shell, has been giving me discomfort for several days.  The M.D., here, was afraid to undertake to pull it.  It is not paining sharp, but a dull, unpleasant, sore, affair.  Easing -

 

 

13^th Wed.  Partly cloudy, and warmer.  First Qr. Conf., here, this aftn.  Rev. C. L. Read, P. E. present, the pastor, R.R. Grant, myself and 4 officials constituted the Conf.  It is cloudy, windy and colder, this P.M.  We 3 preachers took supper at the Swindell Hotel.  As I have not eaten the 3^d meal in some months, the supper, tho good, was against me.  The Elder preached, tonight.  It is still windy and chilly.  I rec^d a letter, tonight, from Bro. A. Cameron, Vass, N.C., glad to say.

 

 

 

 

 

 

14^th Thurs.   Sunshine and cloudy, and warm.  Mamie has company- Mrs. Holderby & 2 children; she asked me to take dinner with them, and I did so, of course.  The greens, “potlicker”, and apple dumpling—all right.  Joe Rayburn told me that Florence & Maud Parkin, of Beaufort, (and their Mother & baby sister) had come-came last night.  F. & M. are two of my very dear girl friends; I am anxious to see them: they are a mile from here, at their grandmother’s—Mrs. Rayburn.  It is yet warm & windy.

 

 

 

 

15^th Fri.  Cloudy, mostly, and warm.  Turned cool enough before 12 to make a fire in my heater, on which I am boiling potatoes and apples.  The dear little girls-Florence and Maud came in to see me this afternoon.  I measured and weighed them:  F. is 5’ 1/4 “, & weighs 92 1/2 lbs.; M. is 4 ½ ft. and weighs 62 1/2 lbs.  Julian Harris came in shortly after the girls.  I weighed them in The Berry Co.’s’ Store.  I was real glad to see them.

 

 

 

 

16^th Sat.  Fair and colder.  Nothing worth recording for today.

17^th Sunday  Cloudy and warmer.  Sprinkling rain this morning, before 12 m.  A light rain bet. 4 & 5 and later.  Service, tonight, by the pastor.  While in church, there was a heavy shower, but soon passed.

 

18^th Mon.  Fair and a little cooler.  Have heard that Clifford Clary Weston, son of my wife’s sister—Mrs. Etta Weston, died at her home, down the Bay, about 9 a.m. today.  He was about 40 days older than my son– Weston.  Mr. Ben Carrawan, age about 70, was in town today, and Ben Manning carried him to his daughter’s, at Rose Bay, about four miles from here; he died in a chair in a few minutes thereafter.  He has been suffering from dropsy, and was in a serious condition even when he was in town here.  The mail  in after 9 P.M.  [Clifford Clary Weston, son of George Henry Weston & Henrietta Tripp Weston, was born June 25, 1893 & died Mar. 18, 1918.  He is buried in Soule Cemetery.  Richard Benjamin "Ben" Carawan, son of John Greene & Hannah Carawan, was born May 13, 1842 & died Mar. 18, 1918.  He is buried at Amity Church Cemetery.]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

19^th Tues.  Fair and cool.  Mamie and Lucile went, in the mail car—C.J. Harris’, to her Aunt Etta’s, to be at Clifford’s funeral.  I would like so much to go, but my back trouble forbids riding.  I rode out to Joe Rayburn’s, with Dr. R. S. Windley (in his car).  The ride was trying on my back.  Went out to see Mrs. Parkin (Mother of Florence & Maud) spent about 1/2 an hour.  Mrs. Rayburn gave me nine eggs, and Mrs. Florence Harris (her dau.) gave me a pound and six ozs—just a yard, of sausage.  I was glad to get them.

 

 

 

 

 

20^th Wed.  Cloudy and warm, south wind.  Even water is getting scarce, in the cisterns.  Lettered some signs for a “Nigger Night School”, next Sat. night, interest of our church debt.  The two signs are attracting attention.  On one I painted 3 Negro heads; on the other is a running rabbit going to the play—”I’m going to be there—clear the track” -   is under line.  I also worded a sign for a musical recital Fri. night, by Miss Oliver’s students.  It is raining and thundering, tonight.

 

 

 

 

21^st Thurs.  Cloudy and foggy and warm, at 7 A.M.  Nothing else.

22^d Fri.  Partly cloudy & fair.  A sprinkle of rain about 6:20 A.M.  I went to Dan. Berry’s (after seeing him & wife at the store) and got some clabber.  No one was at home; they told me where I would find it.  I got it, and then played their Victrola until Dan came for his dinner (his wife invited out today)  I was there about an hour and a half.  Guy Harris (a nephew of Dan) came in from school, before Dan. came from the store.  I was at the Musical Recital, tonight, at Academy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

23^d Sat.  Mostly fair:  windy & colder.  The musical, last night was by the young girls of Miss Oliver’s class and they did well.  I was at the Play of the “Nigger Night School”, tonight at the Academy.  I was suffering so with pains in my back that I did not enjoy it; but I was given a chair in front of the stage, as a special favor

 

 

~~~~Sunday, March 24^th   1860 -1918; 58, today.~~~~  It has been raining since before day, up to now—8:22 A.M.  It was colder, last night, and is not warm now.  On account of the inclement weather, we had no S.S. Service at our Church by Rev. Mr. Rawles (Bap. Pastor)  Few out.  I went from church to the New Swindell Hotel where I expected to take dinner, at the suggestion of the Prop., last night.  Seeing they were three eating I would not go to the table, as I never like to sit at a table when everybody else is there eating.  Mr. S. [Swindell] brot. me some milk custard and 2 cake muffins; and I ate them.  I left about 2:30.  It is still cloudy and disagreeable, but not raining this aft’n.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

25^th Mon.  Cloudy only.  The aft’n.  I composed a 12 verse Rhyme for Neppie in reply to her saying she went riding, and to the movies as much she didn’t have time to write: see Scrap-book.  In the mail, tonight, I rec^d a letter from cousin John Brothers enclosing a birthday folder card, and 3—one dollar bills with which he asked me to select two shirts, as he did not know my number.  I will do so; but had rather use the money for other purposes.  Exciting news from the war in Europe:  the big German Drive is on; and it is terrible.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

26^th Tues.  Fair and windy.  Went to Mamie’s, and no one there: came back home and found her and Chas. in my room.  With that $3.00 I bought 2 “Hallmark” Shirts and two black ties—one a 4 in hand.  Thanks!

 

27^th Wed.  Mostly cloudy—some sunshine before 9.  Pr. Mtg. tonight.

28^th Thurs.  Cloudy early, sunshine at 7 a.m.  It has been cloudy and growing colder up to now—5:15 p.m., and a few drops of rain.  No further rain up to 9 P.M.; but it has turned right much colder.

 

29^th Fri.  Clear and cold.  Painted an “Easter Egg Hunt” for the Red Cr .

30^th Sat.  Fair and frosty.  Dinner at Mamie’s, today, at her suggestion.

31^st Sunday  Fair.  By act of Congress, the time is set forward one hour, from 2 a.m. today.  I set my watch and clock, last night.  This is Easter Sunday.  S.S. an hour late (by the new time)  Ate dinner at the New Swindell Hotel on my own invitation.  This has been a beautiful Easter Day.  Easter exercises by the children in our church tonight, and were fairly good.