The following is the diary of my great aunt, Julia D. Greene, formerly of Lansing, who lived with us in the farmhouse on Ford Rd. for fifteen years, approximately from 1899 to 1914. [Handwritten transcription and notes by Mary Lillian Lathers, AKA Lillian, b. 1901, d. 1978]
Nankin, Wea. Fair, Mon. Apr. 1st, 1901, Election Day
We were up 1/2 hour earlier than usual, a beautiful morning. When work was done & effects picked together, we started for Wayne. Cyrus counted up one load according to our size, "Papa, Auntie, Mama, me, & baby". Robert walked 1/2 mile where the road was worst, then got in & drove the rest of the way. Roads much better than we expected. Arrived about 10:30. Emily ready for us. I carried a few apples & put one wrapped in paper at each place at dinner except Everett, & him I gave a potato, but he had an apple later. Carried my green waist along, but did nothing on it except a little ripping & basting. Helped clear table & tended baby, played on piano some while the girls washed dishes. She cried some, & had to have much attention. The first one of Will's chickens being hatched in the incubator broke its shell & peeped this p.m.
Ollie came in and spent an hour or more this p.m., her brother John went to vote & she offered me a ride home so the others could ride more comfortably. She & Emily went to store to shop. This evening & walked to church with Robert to attend annual meeting, 9 in attendance.
Nankin, Wea. stormy, Tues. Apr. 2nd, 1901
Julia not feeling very well for her ride yesterday & her eye quite sore. Robert churned, & Julia has done the rest. I filled & cleaned lamp. Spread large cloth on the floor & put bed straw from my bed onto it. Put some in Clarence's bed & then carried tick to barn & after a good shaking. Refilled it with straw first taken out. Gave my room good sweeping & dusting after removing many things. Carried rugs downstairs & shook them, beat the chair cushions & salted my towel. Gave Clarence's room good sweeping, also south part of hall & part of stairs. Put my oldest doormat downstairs for kitchen door. Robert & Clarence were putting hay into the barn this a.m., fearing storm. This p.m. has stormed since 3 o'clock. Emily came home in storm. Robert has done some notary public work this p.m., wrote out a mortgage for some neighbor. I have written some & read some, & sung considerably to baby, negro melodies & other songs.
Nankin, Wea. cloudy & wind, Wed. April 3, 1901
Enjoyed my fresh room & bed, & rather hated to leave it, but was up and dressed at 6:50. Julia & Robert washed. I picked up some clothes & hung up part of them. Washed pair of stockings for self and dress for baby. Cleaned & filled 2 lamps. Swept stairs, sitting room, filled wash pitcher & teakettle & usual chamber work thrown in. Have minded baby good deal while Julia was at work. She has baked bread & got meal - Emily not feeling well when she came from school.
She brought me letter from J.R. Esselstyn enclosing bank check for $100.00. Said the Newman mortgage was all paid up Sat., $1000.00 principal & 6 mos. interest $30.00. Said Cyrus had been in and paid $15.00, which he endorsed on his note. Wrote of Mrs. Em's death last Sabbath morning. Worked some this p.m. on my green dress waist. Robert & Clarence have been shingling on the icehouse roof & Cyrus sat on the roof a while & watched them.
Robert drove to Inkster. I gave him $1.00 today on the church erection fund. Have written some.
Have not been feeling well this p.m. & eve, very badly bloated - indigestion, I suppose.
Nankin, Wea bright, Thur. Apr. 4th, 1901, Warmer.
Up & dressed 6:30. Slept well, but have lain awake from 3:50. A beautiful morning. Cleared table, after tending baby a while & doing some morning chores walked over to Ollie's with a big bundle of mail that Robert brought last night. Sat a while with Ollie, carried Fannie an apple. John & Sarah had gone to Detroit taking a lot of eggs. Julia has baked brown bread & done general housework. Is not feeling very well. Robert is 47 yrs. old today. Julia had planned to have him go with her to Ann Arbor to visit Rev. Hobart & wife, but was not able.
Emily gave him shaving soap, & I put plate of apples on breakfast table. Julia gave me an orange this morning. Cyrus has "been around the 40 acres with papa, 2 1/2 miles" he said, putting up fences & they have worked at the ice house & Robert has sown some grass seed. I have finished my green waist alterations, darned stockings for self, & tended baby an hour or more after dinner while Julia was at work, & again this eve. Robert was away most of eve. at his brother William's. I have read a little & ironed skirt for self.
Nankin, Cloudy & wind, Fri, Apr. 5, 1901, cooler
Waked before 4, got up about 5. After breakfast & worship minded the baby before doing my morning work, as Julia was busy otherwhere. Emptied ashes, took up what was in the stove.
Had my plush coat out to air on porch line. When I looked out the window, saw it lying on north steps, though I had it well pinned with four pins. Have done little mending for Julia. She walked to Johnnie's with some letters that were overlooked yesterday - guess she had other errands besides. She has ironed a little. Ollie has just gone home (4:40) from church where she & others have been mopping and preparing for Easter. Robert & Cyrus went to Wayne this a.m. He took the bank draft to be cashed. I have been looking into & trying to straighten up my accounts. Paid Robert & Julia $50.00 being my board & room in full to March 1st & $15.00 in advance. The remaining $50.00 be brought in 10 $5.00 bills. Julia suffering with headache all day, and especially evening & baby crying very hard for an hour or two, took us all to tend her. 104 eggs gathered today.
Nankin, Wea. Stormy & cooler, Sat. Apr. 6th, 1901
Waked before 4. Have slept well. Guess it rained lightly good part of night. We were up before 6. I cleared table, having done my usual chores, made & fried 44 cakes. Furnished apples & pared them & Julia made delicious dumplings for dinner. She has baked white bread & 2 berry pies, cooked vegetable oysters for dinner. Robert churned, Emily baked sponge cake, Cyrus brought in a lot of wood & he & Emily put 23 doz. eggs into crates for market. Cyrus was up & visited me this p.m.
I have reckoned up my account so as to settle before going away - $1.10 in arrears.
Have been cutting out some night clothes & done some stitching on them. Put shields in dress waist. Read Lansing paper, while tending baby. We are all suffering with sore eyes or have been, & mine are quite bad this p.m. Julia has just been having a call from Ollie, Jennie & Henry. Robert & Cyrus picked two chickens tonight, Julia partly dressed them. Baby fretful. I have tended her good deal. Took bath at bed time.
Nankin, Wea. cloudy & windy, Sun. Apr. 7, 1901
My left eye so bad this morning I thought I couldn't go to church. Bloodshot & lid swollen with a sack of water like a blister the whole length of it. Julia prepared dressing for one of the chickens & when the morning work was done & children had had their baths Julia, Robert & the children drove over to call on Amy, Robert's sick niece. Left chickens in oven to roast. I tended fires, brushed up sitting room & porch. Lay down a while & ate an apple. About 12 o'clock when folks returned. I minded baby while Julia got up dinner. Eye got better, so I went to church. Robert drove & took Julia's window box of flowers & few other plants for Easter. S.S. att 23, coll .50. Think we had a little larger attendance at church than usual, & better behaved. Rev. Wetmore's text - 2nd Tim. 2-8. I walked home as Robert had to stay for session meeting. Wm. L. delegate to Gen. Assembly. Julia walked to church, got horse, drove to Inkster for medicine for baby & got Mrs. Southwell at car.
Julia went to eve. service with Ollie & Fannie. I minded baby during both absences. Robert stayed home this eve. & read aloud some.
Nankin, clouds & wind. Mon. Apr. 8th, 1901
My right eye worse this morning, discharged good deal during night. Julia & Robert are washing, & Mrs. Southwell doing things in general. I helped some below, but have spent the a.m. doing things in general, taking necessary stitches for myself, & laying down little while. Cyrus came up on an errand, then came up and visited me. I ironed my outing flannel nightdress & have spent a good part of day sorting & packing my things that I wanted to take to Lansing & putting away other things to leave. Have tended the baby considerable, Julia is about tired out tonight, with baby having a long and hard cry. Robert has been to mother's, and brought home a horse he is to try with a view to buying it. Ollie was over to bring the lantern Julia loaded her last night, & Grace Stewart & Junia L. were in this noon on an errand.
Nankin, Wea fair, but cold wind. Tues, Apr. 9th
Up before 6. Dressed for the trip, & spent all my spare time packing & fixing my room. Wiped my apples, gave Mrs. Southwell some for dumplings, 1/2 doz. to Julia & children to take along, put 1/2 doz. in my satchel. Robert had to lock & strap satchel, I could not do it. We waited some time for Robert, drove to Elm, were 5 minutes too late, did not get out of the wagon, but drove home to wait till tomorrow. I lay down till dinner time & this p.m. have written letter to Jennie Greene & some in my diary. Also tended baby an hour or tow while Julia ironed. This evening Julia & Robert went to Inkster & telephoned by Dr. Bennet to Sarah, about our coming Wednesday. Did not get the car of Mrs. Jessop, who has telephone in the old Myron Greene house. Dr. will telephone again later. They also selected wallpaper for Julia's sitting room & parlor, & got medicine for me from Dr. Bennet for indigestion. They were gone 3 hours or more. I took care of baby, Mrs. Southwell did the work & went to bed, my eyes quite bad.
Nankin, Lansing, & Sarah's. Wea fair, Wed. Apr. 10, 1901
Started early enough this morning, & waited about 1/2 an hour at Elm. No fire in depot, so went to store & had baby's milk warmed. Had plenty of room in car, after while ate an apple. Julia & children ate their apples & oranges. Baby behaved quite well, cried but once on the car. Found no one to meet us, so took street car to Don's, baby crying hard all the way from depot to Em Staley's, where we planted ourselves to wait for Arthur. After dinner went to Ella Greene's to see if they could take Julia & baby to Sarah's, they could not, but Em Staley went to Dr. M.'s next door & telephoned to Will Hunter for Arthur. Mistake about message in Dr. Bennet's telephoning. Wrong train mentioned. A. came about 4 o'clock & got us. Charley Everett came in just before we left. I dunned him. Edward Esselstyn was buried this p.m. with Masonic Honors & great profusion of flowers.
I attended service with Ella Green, saw a great many old friends. Found Cora at Sarah's, who gave us a welcome. Baby cried as usual at bed time. Alice Skinner was at Sarah's today, left for Seymour N.'s, I did not see her.
Sarah's, Wea. fair, Thurs. Apr. 11, 1901, cool wind.
Slept quite well, considering how very tired I was last night.
My eyes were quite bad, & had to be soaked open. Expected to go to city, but Arthur too busy plowing to spare the horse.
I was very tired & have taken it easy. Walked up to Cora's & sat a while this p.m. Julia was already there with baby, crying as hard as possible. She soon had to go back to Sarah's, & when I returned a little later she was asleep, after much tribulation. I have tided my room & crocheted & finished the "husher", & put it on Sarah's cover.
[Note - A husher was a crocheted cover for a china chamber pot, so that people would not hear the lid being replaced. A standard "small gift" item.]
Lansing - Sarah's, Fri, Apr. 12th, 1901
Slept about as usual, eyes ran badly during the night. I have worked round a little but have not accomplished anything to speak of. Expected to have gone to city this a.m., but Cyrus concluded to let Arthur plow till noon & we went this p.m. Cora went with us and drove. I did little shopping for Sarah after they had sold their eggs & then I went to Mrs. Bennet's & she cut my cake, I left it with her to be made. After a while I went to Mrs. Cooley's & spoke for lodging, then called on Mrs. Roe & Tina McCurdy. Tried to go across back yards to Mrs. Howell's but found the fence nailed up, so went around & found her at last & sat with her in kitchen while she sponged her bread, which she was to bake tonight for tomorrow. 2nd division sale of baked goods at church. She invited me to go home with her from church Sabbath. I returned to stay the night with Mrs. Cooley.
Lansing, Mrs. Cooley, Wea. Fair, Sat. Apr. 13th, 1901
Got up early, dressed and straightened room. Waited but five minutes after breakfast before starting out. Went to P.O. & got letter & 5 post cards - to Coleman's office (locked) looked around stores little for 3/4 hour, went again. After much waiting he came & I had an impression of my lower gum taken, am to go without teeth until Wednesday night. Went to Mrs. M. Green's, stopping at secondhand store on the way to look at a baby cap.
Mrs. G. seemed glad to see me. I sat with her in kitchen while she baked & got dinner. I talked with Myron little while on business. He was on the street considerably tending to business. This p.m. I walked up to Mrs. Row's, sat with her a while, then to Mrs. Grove's for a while, then back to Mrs. Green's. Sent by Mrs. Green's grandson for toy carpet sweeper which was on sale. Expected Julia or someone to come for me tonight, but no one came, so stayed with Mrs. Green.
Lansing, Myron Greene's, Wea. cloudy, Sun. Apr. 14th, 1901
Lay awake most of the time after 2 o'clock this a.m. Towards 7 got up and made my toilet and was nearly dressed when Mrs. G. called me - had a nice breakfast, suitable to one with half their teeth out. After the dishes were done I went to Mrs. Bennet's to get my cape, she finished it last night for me to wear. I stopped to enquire for Ella Green, found her better, returned, & when Mrs. G. was ready went with her to church. Found many old friends to greet me. Met Dr. Dodds & had a welcome. We had a very impressive communion service. 9 were added to the membership, 9 by confession, 6 by letter.
I stayed for S.S. & was in the old Bible class taught by H.N.L. S.S. attendance 159, col. $2.63. After S.S. walked home with Mrs. H. acting on a previous invitation she also asked Mrs. Bryant to go with us & had Mr. Blood take her with his horse.
Cyrus came for me about 5 o'clock & he carried her to Mrs. Clark's, where she wanted to stop. He came back for me, we went to Mrs. Green's for my effects, then home.
Lansing, Sarah Everett's, Mon. Apr. 15th, 1901
Have wiped dishes & done my room work, tended baby a little. Julia has done some washing & I washed few pieces for self. Sarah picked up her washing & sent away, I put 2 pieces into her bag. Cyrus took clothes when he & Cyrus Jr. went to city this p.m.
Lansing, Sarah's, Wea Variable, Tues. Apr. 16th, 1901
Sarah brought me warm water before I was out of bed, had not heard much noise around, but was soon dressed & out, have wiped dishes 3 times. Made 3 black silk neckties, Sarah sent one to Robert, & Cyrus has the other two. Have taken few stitches for myself & begun one of the huck towel sofa pillows, quite pretty work. Have read a little. Uncle El was in a little while this a.m. & sat a while, took home some bushels of oats for seed & this p.m. Julia had a long call from Mrs. Roberts who lives on farm near Russ Everett's & is sister to our Mrs. Stewart. Her husband is invalid, did not get out of the carriage, but Cyrus went out & visited with him while she called. A young woman named Wait came to visit Cora this p.m. As Cora had gone to the city to visit her mother & do errands the girl sat with us till about 5 o'clock.
Arthur took supper with us. Julia & Sarah have ironed the clothes washed yesterday. Skies very threatening towards night, but storm passed over. My eyes are somewhat better. Arthur has been plowing in the field west of the house.
[Note: "huck" towel appears to be a fine Irish Linen, often with woven-in designs. - KSF]
Lansing, Sarah's, Wea. variable, We. Apr. 17th, 1901
Cloudy this morning. At 3 looked like clearing. So Julia wanted to drive to the city for Tine McCurdy, who was to come the first fair day to work on Sarah's gray dress. They have spent the day on the gown. Baby has been on her good behavior, so Sarah & Julia have had some time to spend on the white shirtwaist for Cora when not doing other work. Children have been up to Arthur's considerable. He has been dragging this p.m., & cleaning up oats for seed. Has been raining this p.m., quite cloudy all day. I have worked quite steadily on my pillow as my offered services were declined on the dress. I have wiped dishes 3 times & tended baby little & read a little & written some. Cyrus has not suffered as much as usual with his rheumatism & was feeling quite encouraged, but tonight was bad again. Arthur & Cora drove to city this eve. to attend a party, then took Mrs. McCurdy home. Have not used my eyes much this eve. washed them in salt water, & went to bed early. Lay down on Sarah's bed before dinner & took a nap. Was too sleepy to sew or read.
Lansing, Sarah's
Ground covered with snow when I looked out this morning on first waking. Heard enough to know Sarah was up, so I dressed. Have worked considerable on my sofa pillow, wiped dishes more than once.
This p.m. Cyrus drove to city with me. I stopped at M. L. Coleman's to get my teeth, was delayed there 1/2 an hour, then went to store. To Burnhams & got goods for dress for myself & lining for making it, also remnant of black brocade for a dress skirt, and some underwear. Then to Woodworth's to get my shoes stretched & got a pair of cloth slippers, but they are not right. Cyrus came for me there, I did not get out at Mrs. Esselstyn's as I had expected as I was hindered in the stores. Cyrus & I stopped on Baker St. for the washing & at Uncle Henry's a minute for an errand. Roads quite muddy. Baby had a furious cry at bed time.
Lansing & Windsor - Windy & cold. Fri. Apr. 19th, 1901
Up in good season, picked up my effects & packed what I wanted to take to Windsor. Folks going to Uncle El's to visit & spend the day, but at my suggestion Cyrus drove with me to Ben Skinner's, & Cyrus went with us to Elmer's corner & Sarah, Julia & baby had separate buggy. I followed on going to Elmer's. Emily stayed with Cora & Arthur. I found Ben's folks cleaning house, but nearly finished. Ben had gone to city, but he returned, so we had a little visit. About 4 o'clock Nellie drove over to Calvin's with me. Found them not very well, but busy with sewing. Girls all at home, there had been no school for a fortnight due to smallpox scare & quarantine. Emma has been at Grand Ledge at work for few weeks and just got home, has been vaccinated & her arm has been quite bad. Have worked some on my darned sofa pillow, yellow and black. Could not use my eyes this eve.
Windsor - Calvin's. Wea. fair Sat. Apr. 20th 1901
Up in good season, Flora brought me hot water for toilet. Eyes sore as usual. After breakfast & sewed some on Flora's work & Miss Chandler's calico dress. Flora started Ila & Aggie to Lansing with eggs, etc., to sell & do some trading, then she & Miss Chandler sewed when not doing baking & other housework. They had 2 extra men here to dinner & tea as Calvin is building a hen house on stone foundation laid for it. Bess had been in town today, this p.m. Flora & I took our work & went to Julia's & sat an hour or more. She has one of Amos's grandchildren there to care for, & was trying to make it some clothes. Had a neighbor's child there also, with all the noise I got rather nervous.
Eyes too inflamed to read this eve. Took part of a bath at bedtime.
Wea. Stormy, Windsor - Calvin's, Sun. Apr. 21, 1901
Had breakfast about 8 o'clock. I read little & looked over S.S. lesson somewhat. Has been cloudy & unfavorable but we made ready for church, & soon after 10 Miss C., Edith, Calvin, Adeline & I started for Dimondale. The wind, snow, & sleet increased so that Miss C. thought we had better stay home after all, but we went on, with umbrellas to break the severest of the storm. The pastor was there, but they were very late in starting service, as the choir were not there. They hunted up others. Rev. Parker preached on the building of the wall of Jerusalem "And the people had a mind to work". Miss C. & I were in the Bible class. S.S. att. 29, col. .35. Had a windy ride home & rained most of p.m. & eve.
I lay down & slept for a while. Eyes too bad to read & mouth too sore to wear my teeth at table, used little burnt alum at bed time for mouth.
Windsor - Calvin, Cloudy & rain, Monday, Apr. 22, 1901
Up in good season. Miss C. & I have baked bread & lemon & elderberry pie. The rest of us have sewed & done the general housework.
School has begun again & Harry took the little girls to school.
I started a huck sofa pillow & gave it to Edith, as she wants to learn to make one.
Flora suffering with rheumatism, so she could not get up with the rest of us this morning, but got better towards night. This eve we played dominoes & other games good part of evening, different companies of us. Flora & I played most of the time as our eyes would not permit us to sew or read. I have written a little.
Windsor, Calvin's, Rain & sunshine, Tues. Apr. 23
Rained some during the night & part of the a.m. Calvin took the little girls to school & then after a little drove to Dimondale, got flour for himself & Julia, & did other errands. Has partly cleared several times, & we have had quite a bit of sunshine. Miss C. has worked on Ila's cloth jacket, & has had a good deal of bother & perplexity about it. Flora has worked on Miss C.'s calico dress & I have worked on two calico aprons for Flora & some on my sofa pillow. Did not get up feeling well this a.m. so lay down ¾ of an hour or so this a.m. was badly bloated & was till 1:00 o'clock or later getting to sleep last night, & waked before 4:00. Flora has suffered from her rheumatism & wanted to see her Dr. & get some medicine. Said she did not feel up to seeing Dr. when Calvin went, but around 4 o'clock Ila drove down with her, offered to take me to ride, but I thought I had better not.
Julia S. called in a few minutes on an errand. Has Amos at her house, fixing her well. Played dominoes again this eve.
Calvin's, Wed. Apr. 24th 1901 +
Fear I may have had a spasm in the night, as when I wakened, I found the bed quite wet. Have worked some on Flora's work, basting & stitching.
Flora & I went down and at a while with Julia this p.m. I stayed to tea after - Flora went home. Played few pieces on organ, afterward tried Bessie's piano & she also played & sang a few tunes. Amos complaining of headache tonight.
Have worked some on my sofa pillow. This evening Miss Candler & the little girls have sung some Sunday school tunes.
Calvin's, Cloudy, sunshine, wind, Apr. 25, 1901 Thur.
Dressed for my ride when I got up, & picked up & packed my effects. Flora had a few apples picked up for me to take along. Miss Chandler decided to go with us, so we had to wait for her to get ready, Julia & Amos's granddaughter came over to see me off & say goodbye. We got off, Calvin, Flora, Miss C. & I about 10 o'clock - met Sarah going to Arthur's, but she went right back. They were looking for us - Julia had put off going home until Saturday.
Lansing, Sarah's. Wea. Fair, Fri. Apr. 26th, 1901
Cyrus & Emily stayed at Arthur's from choice. Cyrus Everett had errands downtown to get wool twine, etc. I rode with him, to Mrs. Bennet's, to dentist Coleman, to P.O. & to Woodworth & changed shoes. Stopped at Ransom's place on way home & got wool box. Russ Everett, wife & boy called this p.m., also Elmer & Cynthia came & visited, & a niece of Cyrus's with a very puny baby came & sat a while. After they had all gone we went to take tea with Arthur & Cora & stayed in evening with Cora, then she walked back to Sarah's with me. Have worked on my sofa pillow quite a good deal.
Have weighed me - 134 lb.
Lansing, Sarah's. Wea. fair, Sat. Apr. 27, 1901
Waked about 4:00 under unpleasant circumstances. Bed & nightdress were wet, must have had a +. Tended baby some. Sarah has helped Julia pick up and pack her things & Arthur & Cora started for the depot with them about 8 o'clock & saw them off. Cora stayed down to visit her mother & her sister. Hazel returned with Arthur. She wiped dinner dishes, then she, Sarah & I went to the barn to see the sheep shearing. Sarah had 2 extra men besides Arthur & sister for dinner. I have worked on my sofa pillow hemming some by hand & buttonholing 4 breadths of ruffling this a.m. have had some music & read some.
Had pleasant call from Lydia & John Holbrook. John did not leave the carriage. Cora got thrown from the buggy while in the city by a bicycle running into the buggy - cut her head and bruised her somewhat. Took part of a bath at bedtime.
Lansing, Sarah's. Wea. fair, Sun., Apr. 28, 1901
Was up in good season. Put on clean underwear. Cora & Sarah did not feel like going to church, but Cyrus drove in & left me at the church. Was early. Miss Steadman & Mr. Carr were the only ones there, but others soon began to come. Around 50 boys from Reform School out, had quite a full house. Rev. Dodds preached from Mark 11, 13, the barren fig tree.
Stayed to S.S. Attendance 162. Coll. $2.52.
Walked home with Mrs. Howell & stayed with her till evening, when we went to Congregational Church to a Temperance lecture, heard a Miss or Mrs. Phelps of Canada. The M.E., Baptist, & Presb. services in favor of this one. Arthur & Cora were down to her father's & came to Mrs. Howell's for me as planned. A pleasant moonlight evening. 10:20 when we got to Sarah's, all had gone to bed.
Sarah's. Wea. Fair, Mon. Apr. 29, 1901, Temp. 85
Was up early, wiped dishes 2 or 3 times. Picked up my dirty clothes & put with Sarah's to be taken away. Have written up diary & read. This p.m. rode to city with Cyrus - went to Mrs. Bennet's & she cut & fitted the skirt of my new gray dress. Hadn't it quite basted when Cyrus came for me. Ella Green went out and visited with him while he waited. I did not get over to Mrs. Esselstyn's as I had planned. We came home by Balser St. & left the bag of clothes which were forgotten going down. We carried the wool box home when we went down.
Sarah's, Wea. Cloudy & sunshine. Tues. Apr. 30, 1901
Quite warm this morning. I have wiped the dishes twice, Arthur & Cora were down for dinner on Sarah's invitation, and C. wiped the dishes. Sarah threaded the machine for me, & I have stitched up the seam to my skirt, have put the corduroy around the bottom, etc. Sarah had letter from Julia, telling of her safe arrival home & Robert meeting her. Have worked some on my sofa pillow. Sarah & I have each read aloud some from McClure's Magazine.