April 30
Laura M., age 15, North Carolina
April 30, 1997
Good day at school. Driver’s Ed. Sandra picked me up, went to softball game and lost. 16-6. Played 3rd and pitcher. Came to Dad’s and ate dinner and watched “Ellen.” Did homework. Bed.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
April 30, 1960
Raining. G.B. came up so Loie had a ride down. Cleaned refrig., baked lemon pie, cookies and very few donuts. Cooked meat and had things ready for nite. Helen and Doc ate with us. Had turned cold so fire in fire place felt good. Cooney had kittens dead.
Marcy S., age 19, Missouri
April 30, 1944
Wonderfully warm and springy. Everything smells so good! Up about 10 and washed clothes. Thought. To church with Betty at 12. Got there early. Saw Mrs. Berry and the baby. He’s so sweet. Fun watching people come out, all dressed up. Cloudy and looked like rain but cleared and was beautiful. Breezy, very. Bishop gave splendid sermon. Jeanne Butcher sang. Good dinner at 1. Betty went to meeting right afterwards. I cleaned up room and then went to P.O. Got paper, boxy of spring dresses from home and a box of 24 Hershey bars from Mrs. Waterhouse!! Back to hall — read paper and then slaved away at Eng. Lit. (“Tintern Abbey”) for over an hour. Kath. came and borrowed my racket. Gave her some candy. Jane came in and talked later while I ironed. The girls left. Betty returned about 5:30. We decided to ride out to Pennant. I put on spring dress and Jane, Neen, Betty and I got bus at corner and went out to the Pennant. Gloriously breezy — great fleecy clouds floating around. Went inside Hotel then. Back to tearoom. Had sandwiches and cones. Sat outside and waited for bus. Looked like rain. Airport is right across the highway. Bus crowded going back. Home at 7:30. Sprinkled a bit but didn’t rain. Gave away more Hershey bars — I ate 2! And was almost sick! Finished Eng. Lit. About 9 I went up to Joan’s, Mary Lou’s and Jacq’s and pretty soon all the candy was gone. They thought I was selling it!! Afterwards Mary Jo, Betty and I took a walk around campus. April gone.
Henry S., age 25, Michigan
April 30, 1887
The Dr. was here again this morning quite early. We had him look at the baby ad give us some medicine. I went over home for a few minutes only this forenoon to get some things for Kate. It turned warm today, and has been pleasant. I went to get some medicine and some things for mother Queal. I saw a goodly number of my acquaintances. I found some flowers in the wood as I came back. The Dr. said I could just as well not go to Effie’s wedding as all my nice clothes are over there. I was around the barn with Henry a good deal tonight while he did chores.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Cornelia H., age 25, North Carolina
April 30, 1862
Finished my chemise today. Fannie made some pies after dinner. Atheline no better. Hanes attends to Willie, he goes where he pleases & when he pleases. Can go up the stair steps rapidly. Nothing new going on. A. B. Jones was here this morning taking in taxes. Took in consideration everything about & in the house. Old Nancy Night was here also trying to get one of the Murray cabbins. They have already moved in. They are a trifling set, no account at all.
*(Fear in North Carolina: The Civil War Journals and Letters of the Henry Family, Eds. Karen L. Clinard and Richard Russell, used with permission.)
Samuel P., age 36, London
April 30, 1669
Up, and by coach to the coachmaker’s: and there I do find a great many ladies sitting in the body of a coach that must be ended by to-morrow: they were my Lady Marquess of Winchester, Bellassis, and other great ladies; eating of bread and butter, and drinking ale. I to my coach, which is silvered over, but no varnish yet laid on, so I put it in a way of doing; and myself about other business, and particularly to see Sir W. Coventry, with whom I talked a good while to my great content; and so to other places — among others, to my tailor’s: and then to the belt-maker’s, where my belt cost me 55s., of the colour of my new suit; and here, understanding that the mistress of the house, an oldish woman in a hat hath some water good for the eyes, she did dress me, making my eyes smart most horribly, and did give me a little glass of it, which I will use, and hope it will do me good. So to the cutler’s, and there did give Tom, who was with me all day a sword cost me 12s. and a belt of my owne; and set my own silver-hilt sword a-gilding against to-morrow. This morning I did visit Mr. Oldenburgh, and did see the instrument for perspective made by Dr. Wren, of which I have one making by Browne; and the sight of this do please me mightily. At noon my wife come to me at my tailor’s, and I sent her home and myself and Tom dined at Hercules’ Pillars; and so about our business again, and particularly to Lilly’s, the varnisher about my prints, whereof some of them are pasted upon the boards, and to my full content. Thence to the frame-maker’s one Morris, in Long Acre, who shewed me several forms of frames to choose by, which was pretty, in little bits of mouldings, to choose by. This done, I to my coach-maker’s, and there vexed to see nothing yet done to my coach, at three in the afternoon; but I set it in doing, and stood by it till eight at night, and saw the painter varnish which is pretty to see how every doing it over do make it more and more yellow; and it dries as fast in the sun as it can be laid on almost; and most coaches are, now-a-days done so, and it is very pretty when laid on well, and not pale, as some are, even to shew the silver. Here I did make the workmen drink, and saw my coach cleaned and oyled; and, staying among poor people there in the alley, did hear them call their fat child Punch, which pleased me mightily that word being become a word of common use for all that is thick and short. At night home, and there find my wife hath been making herself clean against to-morrow; and, late as it was, I did send my coachman and horses to fetch home the coach to-night, and so we to supper, myself most weary with walking and standing so much, to see all things fine against to-morrow, and so to bed. God give a blessing to it! Meeting with Mr. Sheres, he went with me up and down to several places, and, among others, to buy a perriwig, but I bought none; and also to Dancre’s, where he was about my picture of Windsor, which is mighty pretty, and so will the prospect of Rome be.
*(The Diary of Samuel Pepys M.A. F.R.S., edited by Henry B. Wheatley F.S.A., London, George Bell & Sons York St. Covent Garden, Cambridge Deighton Bell & Co., 1893.)