|
|
Below is a web page of text from a journal that (Elizabeth) Marion Frost kept from 1883 to 1921. There is a link to the next page near the bottom of this page. There is also an index of all of the pages. |
August 14
Yesterday was the fifty-ninth anniversary of Mother’s birthday. She received some new spectacles. Favorite now has eleven chicks. One of hers died and she was given five hatched by Goldthroat. Two of those disappeared. Ethel had several birthday presents on her fifteenth anniversary, July 16. A heifer calf, Coral, from Father, and a red pig from Arthur are all that I think of now.
Father and Arthur went to Neligh Aug. 12, and got the mail. Father learned that two letters from the Century Co. had never reached him. The same evening there was a sociable at Mr. Bainard’s. Jennie, Thea and Arthur were there. Jennie was so tired that she nearly fainted and had to lie down while she was there.
August 16
Mr. Hovey got our mail from Neligh and Arthur brought it home to-day. There was a letter for Carrie from Freddie. For dinner we had a Rural New-Yorker Watermelon weighing about twenty-five pounds. I wrote a letter to Ditsie Mosnat but have not mailed it.
August 25, 1886
I think that the letter to Ditsie was mailed on the 17th. Mr. Bainard got our mail the same day and Father brought it home, I think. On the 21st Mr. Winterstein brought the mail, giving it to Cora, I think. There was a letter from Freddie to me, (She spoke as if she had written to Arthur since wiring to Carrie and before writing to me, but he has not seen the letter.) one from Mrs. Tryon to Mother, and one from the Century Co. to Father. Also innumerable papers.
On the 22nd I rode up to Carrie’s house.
August 27
Yesterday Mrs. Bainard, Mr. And Mrs. Hovey, Senior, Mr. And Mrs. Hovey, Junior, and Venna [?] Hovey were here in the afternoon and stayed to supper. Mr. Dean was here cutting hay and Mrs. Dean came up and spent the afternoon and stayed to supper.
August 29
A great deal of smoke 27, 28, 29. Extensive prairie fires in central Dakota. Three counties burned over.
August 30
Jennie is gone after plums. Grit began hatching.
Sept. 1
Jennie is thirty years old to-day. She got about half a grain bag of plums the other day. Grit hatched one chick on
[page break]
the 30th, six on the 31st, and one to-day. Folks helped her to hatch one more on the 31st and two more to-day. So now there are eleven.
Sept. 20
To-day I have been out into the kitchen for the first time this month.
Sept. 22
Wednesday, Jennie’s hammock was put up yesterday for the first time in Nebraska. I was out in it yesterday and expect to be to-day. Father is working with Mr. Dean to-day and Arthur and Mr. Botts. Arthur stayed at Mr. Botts last night and Mother and Father rode down to see what had become of him.
Sept. 28
Tuesday. We had a few raspberries Sunday, the 26th. Yesterday Carrie and I received invitations to the celebrations of the thirtieth anniversary of the First Congregational Church, of Northfield, Minnesota [David Henry and family lived in Minnesota for a while, I don’t know if it was in or near Northfield]. We would like very much to go, but I am sick and Carrie will be teaching and there isn’t any money.
October 2, 1886
Carrie’s well does not seem to be good for much. The threshing was done a few days ago. 7 bush. rye; 72 bush. oats; 59 bush. wheat.
October 6, 1886
Wednesday. Sunday, the 3rd, Carrie and Thea picked up a little kitten on the road, while taking Cora to M. Seabury’s. It seemed to have been run over and had not been weaned. It is doing well. Its name is Blackie Fritz and it belongs to Ethel. Monday, Father, Arthur and Ethel brought Buttercup, Morn, Don, Clover, Cowslip, and Crocus home from Mr. Weaver’s herd. Tuesday Arthur began working for Mr. Davis to pay for having the sorghum worked up.
Oct. 13
Charles Galloway was here to-day to see about a teacher for the Chicago school [there used to be a Chicago, Nebraska, in the area]. He called Mother "The old lady." Once before he called Father "Uncle."
Oct. 14
Mr. Bartholomew was here to see Jennie about the Chicago school. He also went to see Carrie. Arthur found Amber in the dove-cote. Mother thinks he came in the night last night. I seem to be getting better.
[page break]
Oct. 18
Amber went away that night. I am still getting better but am not yet able to sit up. Ethel began going to school today. The well men, Messrs. Lee and Bennett, were here to-day and sand pumped Father’s and Carrie’s wells. Arthur has gone to Adelbert Rose’s to help him dig potatoes.
Oct. 19
Father has gone to Neligh with grain to be ground. He tried to take two hogs but could only get one into the wagon.
Oct. 21, Thursday
Mr. Barrows lectured at the Bitney school-house last night. There was a very small attendance on account of a political meeting the same night. Mr. And Mrs. Barrows stayed at our house about twenty-four hours. We had a very pleasant visit although Mrs. Barrows ws not well.
Oct. 22
While they were at Mr. Barrow’s lecture Gypsy was let loose. She went to Mr. Bitney’s pasture. Yesterday morning, or perhaps afternoon, when Arthur was bringing her home the sheriff came along after a horsethief. He thought Gypsy was the stolen horse, but found that she had the wrong foot white. Last night four heifer calves came. The youngest seemed to need some fingers to help it eat mild. Ethel warmed milk for it and fed it. We will keep them until the owner comes for them. Four of Arthur’s pigs are dead. Eleven more of his, Ethel’s, and Father’s are sick. We suppose the trouble is that some water which had been used for rinsing the pork barrel had been put into the swill.
Oct. 23
The owner of the calves came but did not take them away. Mr. Willard Barrows came, brought some Plymouth Rock cockerels in exchange for some of ours, brought some Stowell’s Evergreen corn, gave Arthur some husking pins, and said that Carrie could use their pony while teaching the Chicago school. Ethel did not speak to him at all, although she was acquainted with him before.
Oct. 25, 1886
Father has gone to Plainview for lumber. He will mail numerous postal cards ordering our mail sent to Chicago, Neb. Carrie’s school begins to-day. There was a little snow which melted as it fell. One day not long ago Arthur thought he saw a few flakes. Otherwise, this is the first snow of the season.
[page break]
Oct. 26
Father is at Carrie’s house building a stable for the horse and cow, which she intends to keep. To-day is a bright, cool day.
Oct. 28
Yesterday Father worked on Carrie’s barn. Mother went up and took dinner with him. To-day he was gone to Plainview after more lumber.
Oct. 29
Father is away. I think he is either shingling for Mr. Dowler or building Carrie’s barn. Arthur is helping Mr. Brandt thresh. Ethel took Gypsy and the buggy to school with her and will go after Carrie after school. To-day is the last day of Cora’s school and the end of the first week of Carrie’s.
Oct. 30, 1886
Carrie has gone after Cora. Father worked on Carrie’s barn yesterday, but did not finish it. To-day he is working for Mr. Dowler. Arthur worked for Mr. Dowler yesterday afternoon. To-day he is helping Mr. Vanevera thresh.
Nov. 4
Father went to Neligh yesterday. Sunday Carrie had a letter from Freddie.
Nov. 9
Yesterday I came up to Carrie’s. I was lying in a bed in the light wagon. I have been better since I came. Father and Arthur were here this morning and stayed to dinner. Father finished enclosing the barn. Arthur put some hay in the loft. It is a windy, rainy, cloudy day. Carrie went to school in the rain.
Nov. 10
Cold, bright, somewhat windy. Arthur plowed for Mr. Dowler yesterday afternoon and slept here in the loft of the barn last night.
Nov. 11, Thursday
Bright and pleasant. Cora came up yesterday afternoon and brought a loaf of bread. When Carrie came home from school she took Cora to her house and brought back some milk and other things. Charles Galloway has been helping Carrie to take care of Skip up at Chicago. Yesterday she told him that she did not wish him to do so.
[page break]
| next Journal page | Journal index page | back to Frost History page | back to Frost Home Page |
Last revised April 26, 2001.