December 28
Laura M., age 15, North Carolina
December 28, 1997
Worked from 8-2. Dad came and we went 2 Wendy’s. Crabtree, 2. Came home and had dinner. Went 2 Renée’s at about 8:00. Kinda boring. Chilled with “Romi & Michele.”
Anna L., age 76, Illinois
December 28, 1960
Slept real well feel a little washy. Planning on going to Beloit which we did. Left at six, arrived at 7. Left at past 9, home a little after 10. K.J. going to Madison tomorrow eve. for over nite.
Marcy S., age 14, Tennessee
December 28, 1938
Nice day but very cold. I wrote some more when I first got up. About 12:00 everyone else got up so we ate breakfast. I spilled my water all over the table cloth, floor and in the butter. Some of it got in Daddy’s shoe and he shouted “Dearie!” and nearly jumped to the ceiling. Very funny except that I had to wipe it up. After breakfast I washed the dishes. During the latter Helen came in to see if I could come up to her house but I had to go to town. After dishes I dressed. The boys were outside playing “hockey” on bicycles with tin cans for balls and long golf-like sticks. They made enough noise. Helen was out there with “Fuzzy” (her darling kitten). I called to her to come in and show it to M. and D. Both thought it very cute. About 2:30 I went outside for a few mins. Helen had gone in but I played with the kitten. The hockey game was breaking up and George had to go in. I went in and got the shirts, money, etc. that I have to take to town. Then went over to see if George could go with with me. Talked to his grandmother and Miss Wolfe (who went to see Mrs. McClure) while I was waiting. Soon George came so we left. He insisted upon taking a tin can (which he soon got rid of) and his hockey stick. We went to Cates where I got goods and all necessary trimmings to make a uniform for school. Also got some goods to make new collars on Daddy’s shirts. When I had gotten everything I got George and we went over to Mary’s. Mrs. Farmer is going to fix the shirts and my uniform. George played outside with William while I talked to Mary and her Mother, inside. Soon we had to leave. Mary gave George a funny paper and he read it all the way home (taking his time) while I nearly froze. Got home about 4:00. Mrs. Martin was there, sewing and talking to Mother. They didn’t mind so I practiced. Then I read. Daddy came and talked to Mrs. M. but soon he had to answer the telephone so I had to keep Lady Martin company. This off and on till about 5:00 when she left. Then I read in peace till about 6:15 when I had to go and set the table. After supper (at 7:00) I heard One Man’s Family. Good. Then I finished “A Tale of Two Cities” by Charles Dickens. I’m going to write the last of it here because it impressed me so. It is speaking of Sydney Carton who died (on the Guillotine in France) for Lucie Manette, Doctor Manette, Lucie’s child and her husband Charles Evrémonde, called Darnay. He loved Lucie and so (with the help of a spy) he changed places with Darnay and died in his place. He was number 23. He was with a little seamstress till the last. Everyone (but she and the spy) thought he was Evrémonde. But the real Evrémonde and his loved ones had already escaped to England. The last is as follows—
“The murmuring of many voices, the upturning of many faces, the pressing on of many footsteps in the outskirts of the crowd, so that it swells forward in a mass, like one great heave of water, all flashes away. Twenty-three. They said of him, about the city that night, that it was the peacefullest man’s face ever beheld there. Many added that he looked sublime and prophetic.
“One of the most remarkable sufferers by the same ax—a woman—had asked at the foot of the same scaffold, not long before, to be allowed to write down the thoughts that were inspiring her. If he had given any utterance to his, and they were prophetic, they would have been these:
“I see Barsad, and Cly, Defarge, The Vengeance, the Juryman, the Judge, long ranks of the new oppressors who have risen on the destruction of the old, perishing by this retributive instrument, before it shall cease out of its present use. I see a beautiful city and a brilliant people rising from this abyss, and, in their struggles to be truly free, in their triumphs and defeats, through long years to come, I see the evil of this time and of the previous time of which this is the natural birth, gradually making expiation for itself and wearing out.
“I see the lives for which I lay down my life, peaceful, useful, prosperous and happy, in that England which I shall see no more. I see Her with a child upon her bosom, who bears my name. I see her father, aged and bent, but otherwise restored, and faithful to all men in his healing office, and at peace. I see the good old man, so long their friend, in ten years’ time enriching them with all he has and passing tranquilly to his reward.
“I see that I hold a sanctuary in their hearts, and in the hearts of their descendants, generations hence. I see her, an old woman, weeping for me on the anniversary of this day. I see her and her husband, their course done, lying side by side in their last earthly bed, and I know that each was not more honored and held sacred in the other’s soul, than I was in the souls of both.
“I see that child who lay upon her bosom and who bore my name, a man winning his way up in that path of life which once was mine. I see him winning it so well, that my name is made illustrious there by the light of his. I see the blots I threw upon it, faded away. I see him, foremost of just judges and honored men, bringing a boy of my name, with a forehead that I know and golden hair, to this place—then fair to look upon, with not a trace of this day’s disfigurement—and I hear him tell the child my story, with a tender and a faltering voice.
“It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known.”
The End
“I am the Resurrection and the Life, saith the Lord: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.”
Oh, that I may some day do what Sydney Carton did! I don’t think I would be afraid. It must have been a wonderful feeling, dying for others who were as innocent as he.
I am traveling on and on, going to meet someone’s footsteps, that have been coming down the ages to meet mine. They are only echoes now but they are coming, coming—
I might die for them, some day, but I must live a more unselfish life in the future than I have in the past or I would be too selfish to die for others.
For one beautiful moment, tonight, when I had finished the book and looked into the fireplace, I didn’t dread school, I didn’t fear a thing—for that one moment in all my life I had overcome Fear. I felt lifted above all this—I nearly saw the future. But I know one thing, I did see a better Patty Anne Watkins in the future. With the help of God this will be.
Noone must ever read this. I have never written my real thoughts in my Diary before. This is probably the first and last time I ever will—it depends—
At 8:00 we heard Fred Allen’s program. Very funny. Washed dishes before 8:00. Then, from 9:00 till 9:30 I read “Little Minister.” Then to bed.
Henry S., age 26, Michigan
December 28, 1887
There has been one of the worst wind storms raging all day that I ever saw, and the snow has been piled up in great banks all around. It has grown cold also. I did some fixing in the kitchen to keep out the wind and rigged the thermometer so I could see it out of the window. Did a little studying today. It has taken lots of wood to keep the fires going, as the wind seems to pull the heat up the chimney. Have only seen 2 or 3 persons on the road today. I am thinking the mail had a hard day to come through, if it did.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Melinda R., age unknown, North Carolina
December 28, 1865
We had to go to school Monday and Tuesday, I think Mr Cooper might have given us those two days. Tuesday night Sister, Buddy Line & I went to the tableaux. They were very pretty they had the Southern Confederacy, the bride morning & evening star & a great many others, 20 I think. The next morning Lina & I got up early & came down stairs & caught everybody. I got a book & a beautiful reticule green velvet & yellow leather. Lina got a purple velvet & black leather. We went to the Catholic church. I could not understand anything the priest said. Aunts Peggie & Jane & Cousin Jane & Uncle Edward dined with us. Aunt Jane, Lina & I went to walk for the evening. Sarah Goodman, a girl about 18 was very badly burnt Christmas morning & died that night. Thursday Emily, Eliza & Lina spent the day with me. I went over & spent the day at Aunt Jane’s Friday. Today Ma & Sister were both sick. Miss Ann Warren spent the morning here. Aunt Jane has been over all day. Gen Scott of the Federal Army went to Europe soon after, his resignation has returned. He came back in the same vessel he sailed in so he could have only stayed two or three days. The papers seem to think that war is inevitable since he has returned. Prince Albert husband of Victoria, Queen of England died on the 18 of this month aged 41 he was three months younger than his wife. Mr McLean boys had a party Thursday night but I was not invited. Some think that the yankees now that they hear the roar of the British lion will back out of the scrape & on their knees give up Messrs Mason & Tlidell but if they do they will lower themselves as a nation, in the eyes of the world. Lord Lyons the minister of the Eli L has detained a vessel a mail steamer & he has orders if they refuse to deliver up Mason & Tlidell to demand his passports, France takes England’s side. Seward wants war with England, I suppose the yankees have found they cannot “subjugate the South” & they think they can say if there is war with England that they could have subdued the rebellion in the south if England had not interfered.
*(Diary: Melinda Ray, 1861-1865, North Carolina State Archives)
Cornelia H., age 26, North Carolina
December 28, 1862
Betsey left this morning. It is clear & pleasant. The children all at play. I don’t feel very well this morning as I have a dull headache. It was nearly 11 o’clock before I got through cleaning the house. Jinnie getting dinner. I don’t feel as if I wanted any. Betsey will not be back in several days as she has to spin some blanket filling. I intend having the blankets carded on both sides. I think they will be very nice. The flannel is very nice. The warp is No. 11 & put in the five hundred sley. Betsey is a very good weaver, takes a great deal of care to clip the knots. I fill quills & Mr. Henry fills some. I will not take my walk this evening as the ground is wet & my shoes not a protection as they are my own make of cloth.
*(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 34, London
December 28, 1667
Up, and to the office, where busy all the morning, at noon home, and there to dinner with my clerks and Mr. Pelling, and had a very good dinner, among others a haunch of venison boiled, and merry we were, and I rose soon from dinner, and with my wife and girle to the King’s house, and there saw “The Mad Couple,” which is but an ordinary play; but only Nell’s and Hart’s mad parts are most excellently done, but especially hers: which makes it a miracle to me to think how ill she do any serious part, as, the other day, just like a fool or changeling; and, in a mad part, do beyond all imitation almost. [It pleased us mightily to see the natural affection of a poor woman, the mother of one of the children brought on the stage: the child crying, she by force got upon the stage, and took up her child and carried it away off of the stage from Hart.]
Many fine faces here to-day. Thence home, and there to the office late, and then home to supper and to bed.
I am told to-day, which troubles me, that great complaint is made upon the ’Change, among our merchants, that the very Ostend little pickaroon men-of-war do offer violence to our merchant-men, and search them, beat our masters, and plunder them, upon pretence of carrying Frenchmen’s goods. Lord! what a condition are we come to, and that so soon after a war!
*(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.)