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. [Transcription by Mary Lillian Lathers, AKA Lillian, b. 1901, d. 1978]

Nankin, Wea. Fair, Fri. Mar. 1, 1901, 20 Ther.

Were up in better season so Robert could get his work done & make ready to go to the city. filled & cleaned the lamps, Julia washed the chimneys. I moved most of the furniture in the living room & gave it a thorough sweeping, with salt part way. Shook rugs, beat sofa pillows & cushions, & aired them. Swept part of porch. Have starched & ironed my sunbonnet & Ironed the rest of my clothes. Julia did her ironing & the general work after seeing Robert off & getting Emily off to school. She did not get up feeling very well, thinks she overworked yesterday & did not get rested. I told her not to cook a dinner, as there were only Cyrus, herself, & me, so she picked up one, Cyrus had brought snow and wood & done an errand or two. Julia lay down for an hour or two this p.m. & I tended baby most of that time singing. Miss Montgomery & Miss Ethel Harper called while I was doing it & seemed quite amused at the exhibition. Robert saw Mrs. Southwell in city & thinks her very poorly. Julia had letters from Sarah & Emily C. & cards from Julia B. & Mary Pomeroy.

Somewhat windy.

Nankin, Wea. cloudy, windy, Sat. Mar. 2^nd, 1901, Thawing.

Got an earlier start than usual & had breakfasted before 7. I have brushed up sitting room & done the usual morning chores. Grew colder during the night, and about an inch of snow fell, quite heavy with water. I swept path to water closet & spent an hour sorting and looking over papers. Wrote letter to Henry Everett. Tended baby considerable, while Julia worked. Did some crocheting & mending for Julia yesterday.

This p.m. have worked on Julia's calico wrapper that was begun before she was sick, in the early part of January. Have crocheted little & held baby & sung to her several times. Cyrus & Emily have been to call on Miss Ethel Harper, Miss Montgomery's niece & to carry a mince pie to Ollie. Julia has baked cake & pies, had one of apples for dinner, also a johnny cake. Robert has drawn wood for home use & this p.m. to a school board meeting. Has thawed some & this p.m. quite cold & windy. Took bath at bed time.

Nankin, Wea. Stormy, Sun. Mar. 3^rd 1901, Thawing.

Storm of wind & sleet about 5:30 this a.m. Went through the usual round of morning duties. Ollie & Lizzie came to see the baby while I was in my room, Robert went to Inkster for Emily & her family about 11:30. They stayed the p.m. with Julia & Robert. The children & I went to church & S.S.

Went in the cutter, but found some bare places coming home, much mud & water. Wind blew very hard all p.m. & towards night grew colder. Folks at church had hard struggle to get to their buggies & get in - such a strong wind. S.S. attendance - 28, coll .44.

Rev. Wetmore taught the Bible class.

His text this p.m. Matt. 10-4

Rather thin attendance.

Was 7:30 when Robert took Cavanaghs to the car. We had some music this p.m. & eve. No one went from here to C.E. meeting.

I wiped supper dishes.

Nankin, Wea. Stormy, Mon. Mar. 4^th, 1901, cold Ther.

Storm of wind and sleet all through the a.m., we have gone through the usual round of duties. Ollie & her sister Lizzie came to see the baby while I was in my room. Swept sitting room & kitchen & have shaken out my flannels & washed stockings & drawers. They did not freeze out on porch ofr a while, but I hung them in my room this p.m. Julia did quite a little washing, Robert helped about the lifting.

I have written a letter to R.E. Esselstyn & partly composed one to Mrs. Howell.

Wiped dishes once, tended baby some & this evening read some. Mrs. Jennie Lathers was in on some errands while we were at dinner, and sat a while. She reported roads very muddy, & much colder tonight. Baby is more troublesome than usual, as the rubber nipples do not work to suit, and she is quite fitful.

Nankin, Wea. Fair, Tues. Mar. 5^th, Cold Ther.

Nobody started for the day until after 6:30. Emily baked pancakes for breakfast. I cleared the table, filled & cleaned lamps, emptied slops etc., & then spent the rest of the morning tending baby, singing & trying to keep her quiet while Julia baked bread & took care of butter, (Robert churned) fixing mince meat & otherwise busy in the kitchen. Did not get to my room to do my work till nearly 2:00 p.m. Time has been so broken up have accomplished very little. Have ironed my flannels & partly composed a letter to Mrs. Howell. Think I may have had a + towards morning, as I found my pillow wet, but do not think it was serious.

Nankin, Wed, Mar. 6^th, 1901, 0 Temp.

Colder this a.m., have done the usual morning chores, brushed up the sitting room & when ready to sit down, got my light stand up on my drum & wrote long letter to Mrs. Howell. Began it yesterday, but was interrupted & had to put it aside. Robert started for Inkster with a big load of wood this a.m. & had gone but a few yards when the reach [connects front and rear axles of wagon] of his wagon broke & he had to come back & get tools etc. & mend it before he could go on. He mailed my letter for me. I have sewed flounce on Julia's calico dress & some on it besides, also tended baby as usual.

Nankin, Wea. Fair, Thur. Mar. 7^th 1901

Slept well. Have swept my room & part of the hall with sweeper & damp broom - filled wash pitcher & wiped dishes some, & tended baby. Julia has cooked up & canned some mince meat she prepared & has washed some windows etc.

About 11 o'clock Robert drove down to Jennie's with Julia, baby & I to attend the annual meeting of the Miss. Society. We were the first to get there - was 2 o'clock before folks arrived & exercises began. Julia presided. Sang ³My Faith Looks Up to Thee², I played the organ. Read in concert Proverbs 3.

Had reports of secretary & treasurer after prayer by Mrs. Stewart & a lengthy report by Miss Brainard of a Miss. meeting she attended in the city, Feb. 12^th.

The society's officers of last year were all reelected. Pres. Julia R. Lathers, Vice P. Mrs. Proctor, Secy. Mrs. Stringer & treasurer Mrs. Jennie Lathers.

Mrs. Stewart & Alice Lathers delegates to Woman's Presbyterial Meeting in Ann Arbor next month.

Nankin, Wea. Fair, March 8^th, 1901

Slept well, up in good season. Have swept my room & part of the hall with sweeper & damp broom & filled wash pitcher, wiped dishes, & tended baby. Julia has cooked up & canned some mincemeat she had prepared & has washed some windows.

I swept porch & steps & gave living room thorough cleaning. Robert started for Inkster at 9 to get Emily & Julia Becker.

Julia was busy in the kitchen until after they had arrived an hour later. I had cleaned myself up so as to care for baby when they came, she slept until 10:00. Julia had nice dinner, spare ribs with dressing & for dessert sliced oranges with whipped cream. She sent a dish to Fanny L. by Emily C. Emily helped Julia in kitchen, Julia B. helped wipe dishes. Julia B. played & I sang several pieces. The guests had some sofa pillow covers for work, blue & green gingham with fancy figures done over the chicks. Julia B. crocheted a bit of lace to repair one of the baby's skirts. We had a pleasant visit - Robert took them to the car about 5:15. Has been a cloudy, gloomy day, began to rain before 4:00 o'clock. I have sewed some on outing flannel skirt for baby - wrote in diary tonight.

Nankin, Wea. clouds & wind. Sat. Mar. 9^th

Was up & dressed before 7, wind howled around quite drearily this morning. Have brushed up sitting room, filled my lamp, lay down for a while this a.m. - then darned pair of stockings for self & have patched a mitten of Robert's with ticking & leather. Have tended baby & read State Republican which was brought this a.m. Mrs. Jennie Lathers made quite a call this a.m. Julia was busy in the kitchen most of p.m. baking bread & pies, taking care of the butter Robert had churned in the a.m. The water is 8 in. deep in the cellar, so Robert is the only one who can be allowed to go there & much extra stuff has to stand around kitchen so as to be handy [usual condition in spring]

Robert drove to Inkster at 4 o'clock to meet Will Everett & wife of Ypsi, who had sent word that they were coming. they returned with him, of course, the rest of the evening was spent in visiting. Emily & Cyrus spent part of evening at Jenny Lathers's by invitation, to help form a Missionary Band, a failure from bad weather.

Took bath at bed time.

Nankin, Wea. Stormy, Sun. Mar. 10^th, 1901

Very windy during night. Rained & grew colder & when I got up the windows were sheeted with ice. I could not see out. As the room warmed up it melted off, but windows were coated 2 or 3 times during the day. Rained all night & when it stopped this p.m. it was too late to go to church or S.S. No one went from here. I lay down a little this a.m., tended baby some, slicked myself up & sat below this p.m., not warm enough upstairs. Read some & had some music.

Mrs. Everett sang with me until I got hoarse. Robert took them to Inkster about 5:30. They thought they must go, & would stay with Emily tonight. We waited our supper till Robert got back. Began to rain while we were eating & after a while had lightning & thunder. Emily quite hoarse with a cold. Julia doctored her up some at bedtime. Have read some this eve, has been a very dreary day. Water quite high in the ditch. The Everetts gave Julia & I some life insurance calendars.

Nankin, Wea. Stormy, Mon. Mar. 11, 1901 - cold ther.

Wind during night again, ground covered with this a.m. Robert & Julia washed, I have been out to the line several times to arrange the disordered clothes, and to bring in some. Have patched Robert's other mitten quite extensively & sewed on Julia's dress & tended baby considerable. Read some this eve & crocheted a little. Has been windy most of day, Emily's cold so bad Julia did not think it safe for her to go to school. Julia has had her help some about the house to divert her. Have partly taught Cyrus a piece ³Don't kill the Toad² etc.

A new calf at the barn today, which Cyrus is very much interested in. First calf to the heifer Daisy.

Have written some in diary.

Nankin, Wea Bright, Tues. Mar. 12^th, 1901

Up at 7:00, had beautiful sunrise. Have brought in few clothes left out from yesterday's washing & did usual morning chores, was just going upstairs to do chamber work & write letters when Robert asked if I wanted to men some grain bags. I told him to bring them along, so after I had lain down ½ an hour or so, I went at it and patched 5 bags, took till nearly 3 o'clock, then changed my dress & sewed on Julia's wrapper making buttonholes etc., Julia patched one bag. Robert thought we had done a good job at it. He has been shelling seed corn & putting it up to take to city.

Clarence Southwell came this a.m. to work for him. Has drawn & split some wood. Julia has folded clothes & done little jobs in kitchen. Emily better of her cold, has been to school today. She went to Johnnie's this p.m. with some mail.

Julia & I read this evening when all was quiet. I tended baby 1/2 hour while she did up the work.

Robert & Southwell went to a temperance lecture given by Rev. Clark, the M.E. pastor at Wayne. Julia had letter from Sarah.

Nankin, Wea. Stormy, Wed. Mar. 13^th, 1901

Stormed latter part of night a good deal, rain, sleet & wind. N.E. window covered with ice. Have swept sitting room & little in kitchen. Lay down few minutes after morning chores were done. Have since done some writing, nearly composed one to Lottie L. & copied good deal of it, but was called to supper & did not write any after. Have done my little ironing, tended baby as usual, & this eve. read some in ³Black Rock².

Wind blew hard this a.m.

Julia has ironed & done housework.

Robert has worked at shelling his seed corn.

Nankin, Wea. Snow, Thurs., Mar. 14^th Mild ther.

Good inch of snow on ground & more coming. Swept walk in back yard, brushed up sitting room, wiped dishes, & tended baby while Julia took up dinner. Had a stranger here to dinner who came to see Southwell. I lay down and read a little, finished ³Black Rock². Have finished letter to Lottie Leonard of eight pages, and one to Laura Stevenson of six and some in the diary. Has stormed most of the day, either snow or rain. Clarence churned this morning & has drawn some wood. Robert started to draw a log to mill, but found it such hard work on account of mud that he threw it off & came home. Would have gone to the city with seed corn had the roads & weather been favorable. I tried to read this eve., but got so sleepy that I could hardly hold my work to crochet. Robert read aloud some to Julia. The baby required the attention of us all for a while today. I went to bed early.

Nankin, Wea. Snow, Fri. Mar. 15^th

Arose at 6:30, ground all covered with snow again & more falling, wind seems to be NW. About 8:45 Robert started to the city, Emily rode to school with him. He took 34 doz. eggs for himself + 30 doz. for Alice. He took butter for himself, I commissioned him to get me Bromide Potassium & two packages of grapenuts.

I cleared table & gave sitting room good sweeping. Brushed up some in parlor & porch. Lay down little while before doing chamber work. Have taken few stitches for myself, & finished Julia's wrapper & buttonholed the bottom of baby's skirt. Julia has been baking bread & washing little flannels etc. for baby & Robert. Cyrus complained of head & stomach ache, had some fever & kept to lounge most of afternoon. Was after 7 when Robert got home. Two gentlemen by name of Hubert, bros. of Mrs. Stewart, came to have him write out some legal paper, which he did, after going to the barn & tending to the heifer & calf. He was very tired, & had a cold ride home. He did my errands all right, said I need not pay for grapenuts, but think I shall.

Nankin, Wea. fair, Sat. Mar. 16, 1901, Mild, ther.

Up at 6:30. Had slept quite well. Had little of the grapenuts for breakfast, liked it quite well. At Julia's suggestion walked over to Johnny's with some mail, right after breakfast, lest the ice might thaw and make walking impracticable. Have done chamber work for myself & hired man, sat down for 1/2 an hour or so.

Mended skirt for baby, and sewed considerable on a new on I have been making for her & finished it & have spent some time tending her. Julia has baked pies, brown bread, scrubbed kitchen, swept bedroom & done some extras for tomorrow, she expects Rev. Wetmore to stop with us.

Clarence has been cleaning the hen house. I brought in two eggs from the water closet.

Julia has kept children in kitchen most of the day as Cyrus's footgear would not let him be outdoors & keep dry.

Emily has baked a cake and a small pie & some candy. I helped little, gave Julia 3 baking tins for biscuits. Robert went to city with seed corn, was after 7 when he got back.

I have written some & read some.

Took bath at bedtime. Robert killed & picked a large chicken, & Julia & I looked over 1/2 pan of lima beans.

Nankin, Wea Fair, Sun. Mar. 17^th, 1901, mild ther.

We were up in good season. Children took their baths before breakfast. Julia had finished dressing the chicken, & stuffed & baked it for dinner, also cooked lima beans. I have helped some about the work. Robert drove to Inkster for Mr. Wetmore, he stops with us today. I have eaten my apple, lain down a little, and looked over the S.S. lesson some. Had some music this morning. Robert & Julia sang a little. All went to S.S. but Julia and the baby, well they did not go, for the fires were neglected, & it was rather cold.

Very pleasant overhead, but roads very muddy & getting worse, not as many out as I expected.

S.S. attendance 33, col. .45

Rev. Wetmore preached - text Luck 23,18.

Cyrus & I rode to church with Rev. Wetmore driving, the others walked. Robert, Rev. Wetmore, & Clarence Southwell went to C. Endeavor service, Mr. William Lathers leader, subject, ³temperance². I read aloud to Julia while she tended the baby. I tended her some time while Julia was busy otherwise, & wiped supper dishes.

Nankin, Wea. fair Mon. Mar. 18, 1901.

We were up in good season. Had to wait breakfast some for Mr. Wetmore. He has retiled the mason work about the fireplace. Robert took him to Inkster about 10 o'clock. They gave him some fresh eggs. It is thawing quite a good deal today. Hope water will run out of cellar and ditch. Have run sweeper over my room & in hall & spruced up 3 bedrooms. Was quite nervous last night for some reason, and did not go to sleep until nearly morning, and then not to stay. Have shaken dust from rug and flannels & tended baby before and after dinner cleared dinner & breakfast tables. Cyrus wanted to wipe supper dishes, so I resigned. Robert brought me business letter from J.R.E. contained $2.00. Julia had one from her mother - both spoke encouraging of paying off the debt. Sarah wrote that Mrs. Barnes pledged $75.00, & Mrs. Brant $150.00. Have this p.m. written to Mr. Hammond asking his advice and some questions on business. Have read little, tended baby some. She weighed 12 lb. today - 2 months old.

[Note: The notes referring to the pledges offered by the two Lansing ladies were no doubt pledges to the church building fund (1^st Presbyterian, Lansing)]

Nankin, Wea. clouds & wind. Tues. Mar. 19, 1901

Helped some about morning chores. Have ripped & let out Julia's new wrapper under arms and in arm holes, mended little for myself. Gave Julia few apples for dumpling and pared them for her. She was intending to bake biscuits for dinner. She has had churning & butter to look after, besides general work. She invited Jennie, Henry, & Miss Braeme here to visit and take tea. They were rather late in getting here, but stayed till towards 9 o'clock. To entertain Miss Braeme while Julia and Jennie were doing up the work, I took her to my room a while.

Showed pictures, visited, & loaned her ³Black Rock². Baby was somewhat troublesome and all had a hand in tending her. Soon Ollie, who was in for an hour this p.m. before the others came, was in for 1/2 hour this evening. The water has lowered in the ditch and cellar very much. Cyrus, complaining of not feeling well, played during evening, but went to bed ahead of Emily. Quite windy & cold this evening, I crocheted a little, & tended baby.

Nankin, Wea. cloudy & rainy. Mar. 20^th 1901

Lay awake some after 3:30, but was dressed & reading when the clock struck 7. Have cleared table, stirred up loaf of brown bread & this p.m. made & fried 54 cakes. Have swept sitting room & half of parlor & Julia's bedroom. Made 3 beds & tended baby. She is getting to notice some, and is pleased with my attentions. I intended washing my flannels, but concluded to wait for a better day. Julia has washed, thought she must have some clothes for the baby, but did not put in everything. I had no clothes in. She has baked bread and washed the dishes. Robert is complaining of rheumatism & has lain on couch some, but this p.m. he and Clarence are working on the ice house. He & Cyrus went this a.m. to his father's, then to Jennie's & to get Henry's sheep. Cyrus is feeling better & is around all the while, but Julia is giving him quinine. Robert got a few parsnips from the garden & we had them for dinner. Have written some in diary & this evening wrote sheet on business matters to Cyrus, & will send it when Julia writes. Soaked feet at bedtime, my corns are so painful on right foot.

Nankin, Wea. Snow & wind, blizzard, colder. Thur. Mar. 21^st

Snow on ground & more falling. Snow blew in an open window in Clarence's room till there was quite a drift, and I had to spend some time sweeping his room. Have made 2 beds, swept sitting room, done little mending. Wrote little more on Cyrus's letter this p.m. Have almost written a long letter to Sally Christopher. Have played tunes several times & sung with the children some of the S.S. tunes of 30 years ago. Cyrus is very much interested in learning the 23^rd Psalm. He saw it in Emily's reader, he says it nicely. The storm increased this a.m. until it drove the men in from their work on the ice house, but they were out again this p.m. Have tended baby as usual & read a little.

Robert read aloud some this eve. so I crocheted.

Nankin, Wea fair, Fri. Mar. 22^nd, 1901

Snow on ground & more coming, but cleared away and has been a beautiful day. Have done the usual chores except sweeping. Have cleaned & filled 3 lamps, Julia washed the chimneys, have finished letters & written card to State Republican asking for last week's paper, which did not come, got lost when mail bag burst.

Julia wrote home & I enclosed a sheet to Cyrus. The children took them to Miss Broehme to have her mail them for us.

This p.m. have darned considerable tears in Julia's chenille curtains. I wiped supper dishes, Julia has baked molasses cookies. Emily & Cyrus have been helping her. She kept Emily from school today on account of sore eyes. Alice Lathers was in this p.m. twice, & Ollie & Fanny made quite a call. I loaned my book ³Christian Endeavor Saints² to Fanny. Have played several tunes for baby & tended her. Robert & Clarence have worked on the ice house part of the day, & Robert has cut Cyrus's hair. I read 2 chapters this eve. in ³Record of a busy life², book Carrier Leonard sent me Dec. 25^th.

Nankin, Sat. Mar. 23^rd

We were up a little earlier than usual. A busy morning. Heard some sweet song birds several times before I got up. Robert has churned, Julia has done the morning work, fixed the butter & dressed the children & they have gone to Wayne to visit, all but Cyrus, he went as far as Jennie's. Had 3 squirrels' tails pinned to the crown of his cap & felt quite fixed up.

I have done usual morning work. After they had gone, hung out baby's woolen sheet & pillow to air. Made a fire in the kitchen, warmed up potatoes & sausage for Clarence & myself. Robert told Clarence he could have the p.m. to himself - do not know whether he went off or not. Roads so bad that folks went by car. I lay down a little this p.m. but have spent most of the day on my business writing. Cloudy this p.m., & the wood so rotten it almost puts the fire out & I can hardly keep warm. Around 7:15 when folks got home. Had things ready to get supper. They brought me letters from C.F. Hammond, & J.R.E. with blank mortgage discharge to be signed & returned. Took bath at bed time. Read some this eve. tended baby little.

Nankin, Wea. Fair a.m., clouds p.m. Sun. Mar. 24^th, 1901

Had about the usual routine this a.m. Nearly got to sleep this a.m. while lying down to rest - heard Robert & Julia having some music so combed my hair & went down to it. I have played some for the baby and Cyrus. Dressed for church before dinner. Walked to and from church, as the roads are too bad, but few out. Rev. Wetmore stopped at Alice's. She made poor work of the music, both in S.S. & church.

S.S. att. 25, coll. 43. Rev. Wetmore's text Luke 23-47-49. Spoke of the 4 or more of the persons present at the crucifixion of Christ. He stopped during the preaching to say that he thought there was nothing in his subject to call for any laughter. Some boys were snickering on the south side of the church. The whispering girls behind me behaved better than usual. Robert wants me to get a letter from Lansing and join here & invited me tonight to do so. Communion services are to be held Apr. 7^th or the Sabbath following. He & Clarence went to evening services. R. led the meeting, I read, tended baby, & talked with Julia some.

Nankin, Wea. variable. Mon. Mar. 25^th 1901, Mild Ther.

Did not get to sleep until 3:00 a.m.

Rained some during the night & this a.m. had some bright sunshine. Julia has done 1/2 or more of her washing, baked bread, & done general work. I mixed a loaf of brown bread, wiped dishes, done chamber work etc. Have written a 3 page business letter to Mr. Esselstyn. Got Robert to do a little Notary Public writing for Mr. Chase Newman's mortgage discharge, & Julia came in from the washtub to sign her name as witness. I also wrote a card to Sarah, as Julia was too busy with her work, acknowledging receipt of baby's cloak by mail. Cyrus carried letter & card to Johnnie's for Miss Fannie to mail, as she was going to the city, but she had gone. Robert & man have worked on ice house. Lay down a while this p.m. when work was done, and this a.m. while lying down, mended a baby's dress for Julia to wash. Had two thundershowers, both after 5 p.m. & occasional lightning during the evening. Robert had to write some lease papers for 2 men this a.m. I helped Julia wash, tended baby as usual.

Nankin, Wea. Sunshine & clouds. Tues. Mar. 26^th, warm Ther.

Up little earlier than usual. Have lain awake since 2:30. Julia has done considerable scrubbing of tables, floor & in the kitchen, and worked at the clean clothes folding, ironing, etc. I swept up sitting room & washed my red flannels & stockings, then knit thumb on mitten for Robert. Tended baby some before dinner.

Julia went to Johnnie's on errands before washing dinner dishes. Brought back letters & card to be mailed, & Cyrus & Robert have now gone to Inkster on errands and will mail them. I rocked the baby and read & napped while Julia was gone. Had pleasant a.m., but clouds this p.m. Men have worked on ice house. Have worked this p.m. on Robert's mittens & written 3 pp. in my diary. Baby was unusually troublesome tonight, crying a good deal. We were late getting supper & getting dishes washed. Robert held her until we finished, then he had to go away on business & she cried again, and was quieted by the bottle, & good deal of music. I played & sand ³Softly & Lightly², ³Annie Laurie², ³Belle Brandon², & have read a little.

Nankin, Wea. cloudy, Wed., Mar. 27, 1901, cooler ther.

Robert started about 6:30 to make fires, saw a few snowflakes. I have cleared table, swept sitting room, done chamber work. Tended baby considerable while Julia was ironing, & baking mince & custard pies & doing other work. Had dinner 1/2 hour early, as Robert was going to take an old cow some miles away to sell, and going with some men who were taking steers, will have to be gone overnight. I loaned him $2.00 to pay his lodging. I lay on couch downstairs this a.m. so as to be near the baby. I minded the baby, wiped noon dishes, knit & darned on Robert's mittens & finished them. Have helped Cyrus with his reading. Carried my strip of zinc matting down & spread on porch. Minded baby, held her most of the evening. Read a little.

Nankin, Wea. fair, Thur. March 28, 1901. Cooler ther.

Julia had to start things, but we got around about as usual. Clarence churned & I kept baby quiet until Julia could do her morning work, care for butter, wash up churn. Darned pair of stockings for myself. Filled & cleaned 4 lamps, cleared table, wiped dinner dishes, did chamber work. Lay down little while & then got out materials for cape, but did not get cutting done. Robert got home just as Julia & I got dinner work done & she had dinner to get for him, so had to delay her start for Grandma's, where she was going with the baby to sit a while. Robert said he would go too, but Julia started on & finally got there before he put in an appearance. He came later with roll of baby's napkins. Cyrus & I walked to school & visited there, were a little late having waited to go with Julia. Some 16 or 18 scholars from 2 to 4 pupils in a class. Algebra, grammar, geography, history, civil government, physiology, reading & spelling were on the program for the p.m. with long call from book agent covering all recess & more too. Called at Grandma's on way home. Julia there. Alice brought baby 1/2 way home for her. Beautiful day, but cold wind. Read little this eve.

Nankin, Wea. Fair, Fri. Mar. 29^th, 1901

Was dressed before 6, rather wakeful in a.m. Breakfast earlier than usual. Robert drove to city with eggs & 16 lb. of butter. Road very rough from here to corner. He wanted to get shingles for icehouse. Lay down for an hour, worked on puzzles in Youth's Companion. Spent good deal of time with baby, morning & mid-p.m. while Julia was busy with meals etc. She had Sarah Lathers here helping her with a dress waist. Mrs. Jennie L. brought in some mail for us this a.m. & sat a while. I have cleaned my cloth cape & taken few stitches in it, ironed my flannels etc. Cyrus has been at Johnnie's good part of day. Julia sent Emily over at night to have him come home. Sarah worked on the waist till nearly 8 o'clock & then went home. Clarence spent eve. out. Robert comae home at 10:00, very tired. Julia had water hot to make drink for him. He brought me a peck of Baldwin apples - 35 cents. I tended baby good deal after supper & read some.

Nankin, Wea. Bleak & wind. Sat. Mar. 30, 1901, 32 Temp.

Dressed before 7. Filled & cleaned 1 lamp, did usual chores, then tended baby till Julia was ready to bathe her. Lay down for an hour, but the wind came in so I could not keep warm when covered up. Have darned hole in my blanket, gnawed by a mouse who got into my room. Have patches black alpaca dress skirt & cleaned dust from ruffle & cut a pattern & cuffs for green waist & sewed some. Julia has baked bread, buttermilk biscuits, is now frying fried cakes. She was busy this a.m., has lain down & had a nap this p.m.

Clarence drew load of wood for house this p.m. Soon after dinner he & Robert went to Inkster to a horse sale. Hope they'll bring us lots of mail. Has been a bleak lonesome day. Got my Republican. Had letter from Sarah.

Have read, & tended baby.

Took bath at bed time.