August 13
Laura M., age 15, North Carolina
August 13, 1997
Up at 11:00. Showered. Watched some T.V. Chrissi came over about 12:30. Then Sean, Justin, and one of their friends came, too. I paged Chris about 7 times. Never called. Mom picked me up at 4:00 and I mowed the lawn. Showered. Dad came at 5:30. Ate dinner with Wendy, etc. Everyone left so I paged Chris. Him and Ryan came over, but not in. We talked a lot and kissed some too, of course. I like him so much.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
August 13, 1960
Up and at ’em early. Cleaned up basement so dusty. Washed basement windows outside. Cleaned upper porch and wiped up floors vacuumed hall and stairs. Made rice pudding [?] cookies and cooked meat for nite. [?] and Doc eating with us. Came home about 9:30.
Marcy S., age 20, Tennessee
August 13, 1944
Partly cloudy. Wore green flowered dress. Pop and I went to Sunday school. Kimmie came but not Pan. Sun kept struggling through. Kim and I went in Miss Mellie’s class and the lesson was on Eli and his wayward sons. Miss Mellie brought out once that a lot of time, she felt, things (e.g. in international situations) didn’t work out right because God didn’t want them to!! Imagine people like that going around loose! Well, if that’s the case, let’s just give up and end it all! I almost spoke my mind but thought better of it. Wish I had now, though. After Sunday school Kim and I talked to Ella. I walked down to Kim’s for a few minutes ’cause it was early for church. She and Pan were going to the Methodist. As I was passing the Presbyterian on the way back, Martin yelled out, “Be here at 12:30!” Down to Episcopal where Pop took the service. About 23 out. Walked home and nearly melted. Sun out and very hot. It was 12 then so I mushed radly around and got dressed in bathing suit and slacks. If I say it I shouldn’t, my hair looked very nice — which is something to cheer about. My quicky-quicky lunch consisted of sliced meat and piece of cake! Left about 12:30. Getting cloudy again. Met Ella and brother Bobby down at church. Soon the Ahlers and Bobby Jo came and Mrs. Harvey. We talked and then Ella and I went down to get Kimmie, also clad in slacks. On the way back we spied Kay on her porch and proceeded to persuade her to go with us. We even got her upstairs and practically broken down when she found her shorts and slacks were both dirty. We argued that point another fifteen minutes. But finally gave up and just then Bobby came running down to say we were leaving. So we went without Kay. George and Martin and the others were there by then and Bobby Jo was trying to persuade her Pop to let her drive the car alone, but in the end he went along, too. George and Jack (Navy) Whittacker were going, too, and the Stevens and their cousins from Virginia. We all divided up in different cars. Kim and I went with the Ahlers. Picked up Nancy Speed at her house and were off. We kidded with Alberta. We got there first and the car load of boys arrived a few minutes later. Piled out at same place we had Y.W.C.A. picnic Tuesday night and everyone in bathing suits made a dash for the water. The older ones and the non-bathers sat on the beach. Kim would not be prevailed upon to go in right at first like that so I left her sunning her toes on the shore and waded in. (Ella seems to have transferred her affections from George W. to brother Jack — uniform, maybe?) Bobby Melvin and some other funny people splashed me before I had a chance to duck of my own accord. George came forward with a gleam in his eye but I escaped him. The water was so muddy but when you got out deep it was okay. George and George W. swam way out. The younger fry were fooling around with logs and having great fun. George yelled at me to come on out, which I did. It was very dark and thundery over the lake and I was sure we were in for a big storm. The wind made waves, too, and they made swimming out rather difficult. George was having trouble with the overhand so we went in near shore and I tried to teach him but we didn’t make much progress ’cause there wasn’t anything for him to hold on to. About this time Kim came gingerly in, making faces about the mud her feet were encountering and we played around. Kim tried to hold George under water while I climbed up on his back, preparatory to diving off, but we didn’t coordinate very well. Bobby Jo lent a hand, too, and I actually got up once but fell off backwards before I had a chance to dive! Then I undertook to instruct George in the art of floating but George Whittacker keeps complicating matters and besides George’s feet sink as soon as you let go of him. Then he and George W. made a diving board of their hands and I made several valiant attempts but no soap. Then Millie and Nancy Stevens and Bobby Jo tried with somewhat better results. Kim stayed in till George got her hair wet and then she retired to the safety of the beach. George and I got a big log and rode it. Went out deep and tried to touch bottom. George finally did — he came up once and hit his head on the log! No harm done, though — at least not to George! I couldn’t make myself stay down except when I held on to George and pushed myself. We just about wore ourselves out so decided to go in and rest awhile before swimming down to the bridge — one of my brilliant ideas. We joined Kim and talked. Still cloudy but the storm seemed to have passed around. In a few minutes George and I went in again and set out for the bridge. Kim walked down on the rocks. I never did catch up with George till we got down under the bridge and touched one of the concrete pillars. The water was icy cold under there. Kim went back by the road, hearing that the others were about to eat. George and I started back via the water and George got way ahead of me. I kept steering out to open sea and got way off the track. Began to get a cramp in my leg and was afraid it would be like the one at Stephens so I got out and walked the rest of the way. George said it was permissible as long I had a cramp. They were all lined up for the eats when we rolled in. Hamburgers, potato chips and cokes and watermelon completed the repast. Kim and I sat on a running board and feasted. She said I just had to come home for Christmas — it wouldn’t be the same without me, etc. etc. Well, I hope I can. Presently Alberta came over and wanted to braid my hair. So we sat down and she went to work. George Whittacker came along and, mistaking my hair for rope, undertook to tie various knots in it. Alberta was working under difficulties and I was trying to imagine how I would look with a wig. We all came through alive, however, I’m happy to report. About 3:45 we packed up and started back. It seemed much later. Alberta, Kim, Nancy Speed and I held down the back seat. Nancy got interested in the ring Kim’s mother gave her — she insisted it was a gift from a boy. Which led to talk of marriage and I told Nancy that the best method of getting rid of unwanted husbands was poison — that’s how I got rid of my last one. She looked as if she believed me for a minute but then burst into laughter. She discovered that I’d yell when pinched and somehow she got joy out of hearing me yell and she kept on pinching and the front seat chose to see the humorous side. We let her out at her house and as she was bidding a final good-bye she stuck her head in the window and said what sounded like, “I don’t like you!” directed at me. There was a twinkle in her eye, though, and when I assumed a sad look, she burst into merry laughter. I gave one of my special yells and she went off seeming quite happy. The Ahlers drove Mrs. Harvey home and then me. Kim and I made plans for church. Mum and Pop were napping but awoke a few minutes later. I gave Mum an account of the picnic and then jumped in the tub. Very cloudy but no rain. After cleaning up I sat out on the porch and wrote in diary and then read funnies. Presently George wandered over and amused himself the same way. About 6 Mum popped out with a suggestion of supper but we hadn’t recovered from the picnic enough to consider it. However, watermelon sounded okay. We sat out in the back yard and discussed teeth while shoveling the melon in. Just as we were finishing up there was a rustle in the ivy up near the house. We mushed radly to the scene of action and began hurling tentative sticks of wood. Suddenly I spied a very slender gray tail waving above the greenery and ventured to tickle it with a stick. It promptly submerged, accompanied by a rustle much too loud for a mere lizard. George and I suspected it to be a snake of giant proportions so George, ever the brilliant boy, grabbed several pieces of kindling and hastened up to Mum’s bedroom. Removing the screen from the window he undertook to bomb the target. All quiet on the western front, however, and after hovering around for awhile we decided that (1) a direct hit had been made or (2) the enemy had noiselessly retreated. Went in and reported the incident to Mum and Pop. The former immediately passed the verdict that it was a rat and then it dawned on me that that tail had resembled the rear appurtenance of said creature. We sat out on the porch again where George read the funnies for the third time and I read Wodehouse. About 7 I went in to dress for church and George departed for home. Went by for Kim and Pan and we walked down to the Methodist. Mr. Brewster gave a short, thoughtful sermon and dismissed us at 8:15 so that all who so desired might attend the opening night of the revival. George Mc., George Whittacker and ? were standing outside talking and G. Whittacker made some passing remark about my hair. Kim and I wandered down to the big tent and found many cars and more people. After a few moments of indecision we summoned courage and sneaked into a back seat. A Mr. Powell, the song-leader, made the introductions and then Mr. House arose to the occasion. Meantime the Hudsons had arrived and the girls sat in with us. Being a typical revivalist the fellow lifted his voice and ranted around. Of course, he got off on the inevitable subject of the devil in the world and declared in thunder tones that Russia was the most godless, heathen, atheistic and several other choice descriptives nation in the world — and here were we allied with her. He went on to say — or rather shout — that Roosevelt, Churchill and Chiang Kai — Check — were dictators. When he got off that about Russia, I said, and it was audible to Roby, Marg. and Kim, "Oh, sit down!” People like that!! Well, about 9:45 he desisted and we were free to go. Said bye to the Hudsons. Then Kim. spied Jean Robinson, just returned from a glorious summer at the Boston Conservatory. They knocked each other over but all in a spirit of affection. Talked about 15 minutes and then Kim and I set out for home. Stopped by her house where Pan was entertaining some cronies on the porch and had a morsel of gingerbread. Kim accompanied me to Marshes’ and we parted. In depressed mood. Wish Mrs. Buchanan hadn’t asked me. I don't want to go and yet it will be running away if I don’t. I don’t like Anne and her kind — nothing but sham — but still one has to be friendly and I need to learn to get along with that type of person — if, indeed, one can get along. I hate this acting stuff!
Henry S., age 25, Michigan
August 13, 1887
I sawed some wood in the slashing this morning. Irvie off to canvass again. I gave a little time to the practice of Penmanship. Irvie came back at noon. We all went up to Mr. Waters and spent the afternoon taking tea there. Willie, Irvie and I went down to crystal lake and had a good swim. Tonight I looked Irvie’s pictures over and gave him an order for $5.00 worth of nursery stock. We had considerable fun.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Cornelia H., age 25, North Carolina
August 13, 1862
Finished Jinnie’s dress & began that man Sutton a shirt. Will finish it tomorrow. Willie is very cross. I don’t know whether he is sick or spoiled. At any rate he makes good use of his lungs.
*(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 35, London
August 13, 1668
Up, and Greeting comes, and there he and I tried some things of Mr. Locke’s for two flageolets, to my great content, and this day my wife begins again to learn of him; for I have a great mind for her to be able to play a part with me. Thence I to the Office, where all the afternoon [morning??], and then to dinner, where W. Howe dined with me, who tells me for certain that Creed is like to speed in his match with Mrs. Betty Pickering. Here dined with me also Mr. Hollier, who is mighty vain in his pretence to talk Latin. So to the Office again all the afternoon till night, very busy, and so with much content home, and made my wife sing and play on the flageolet to me till I slept with great pleasure in bed.
*(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.)