February 17
Laura M., age 15, North Carolina
February 17, 1998
(No school.) Courtney and I wanted 2 get up at 9:00, but slept till 11:00, so we didn’t go 2 Curious Goods. But we ordered a pizza & watched T.V. She left at 1:30 & that’s when I took a nap. Slept until 5:00! Went on a walk w/ Lucy ’cause it’s like 70 degrees out & sunny. Me & Mom went on a convertible ride. Ate. Did homework & painted my new book shelves. Ashley.
Laura M., age 14, Colorado
February 17, 1997
Up at 6:30 again. Ate breakfast. Skied Keystone again. Came back to condo for lunch. Then me, Karen, Ashley, and Becca went skiing till 4:00. Came back and showered. Watched “Designing Women.” Did some homework. Went to Mexican restaurant for dinner. Came back and watched last half of “Melrose.” Did homework. Wrote Sean and Karen. Pretty good skiing.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
February 17, 1960
Up and at it again this A.M. The window curtains washed and ironed and up again. Finished walls etc. can stand it for a while at least. Done before noon. Washed front window so dirty too cold to do much. It is getting colder. Lo got her sno [sic] tires she’s very happy now she can go most anywhere. Cooked meat and veg. for nite. Went up to Ole’s a few minutes. Spirits good.
Marcy S., age 19, Missouri
February 17, 1944
Rainy in morn. Then snowed. Then stopped and turned real cold!! Did pretty well in transcription. Had easy test in history. Mr. Berry gave good lecture. Got our exam papers back. Betty made H. I made H- ’cause I got Bentham and Mill confused. Good lunch. Miss Omer wasn’t there. Slept during siesta. House meeting at 2. Dr. Bowman led discussion on girls upholding morals, etc. in wartime. Discussed Stephens’ bad local reputation due to rude minority. Made me boil! Went to practice. Clara came about 4:30 for valentine cookies. Piano lesson at 4:30. About 5:15 Betty and I went to town. Nearly froze! Went to Reck’s and had veg. soup. Back for dinner. Betty wants to go to show tonite so we decided to after vespers. Mary at our table for dinner. Good meal. I committed bad social error, but funny! Mary decided to go with us. Found out it was long picture and that we wouldn’t get to see it all. To vespers at 7:40. Sat near back. Mr. Davidson read one of Emerson’s essays. Out about 5 after 8. Mushed down to Uptown. Near end of “Destination Tokyo” with Cary Grant and John Scofield. It was wonderful! We only missed about 10 minutes of it. Made it back to hall in 2 minutes and we just about dead! Studied, bath and bed.
Marcy S., age 16, Tennessee
February 17, 1941
Bright blue sky, glorious wind. Not cold. Mary not at school all day. Mary Louie back. She got locked in Home Ec room and was 45 minutes late to music lesson. Mrs. Marsh was hopping (mad!). After school, Ruth and Helen went over to Mary’s with me to take her lessons. She was lying on the couch in the living room. We teased and talked for a few minutes and had fun. As we were leaving (Helen and Ruth had gone outside), Mary said, “You’ve been so sweet just now, Marcy” and I leaned down and kissed her, Diary. She is so dear. I have the queerest feeling that this is the beginning of the end. Nearly blew away going home. Glorious! At night listened to “Johnny Apollo” and knitted. Pop heard prize fight -- lasted one and a fraction rounds. Joe Lewis winner as usual. Letter from Margaret S. and McCall’s.
Henry S., age 26, Michigan
February 17, 1888
The weather has been very moderate all day. I wrote a letter ma this forenoon and made out an order to the Plymouth Rock Pant Co. for a vest. Mr. Morrow called to see our Calla lilly, which is just a beauty. Jimmie fell down when I was on his back this forenoon and spilled me into the snow. Kate got a letter from Nellie tonight. I have had no letter from home this week. My arm has bothered me about writing today; it almost discourages me.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Henry S., age 25, Michigan
February 17, 1887
It was clear and beautiful this morning and was quite warm at noon, so that I thought it would rain before I got back form school, but it didn’t, and the wind felt real chilly from the east. It is storming hard tonight though, raining, snowing and hailing all at once. I practiced the song at the Hall with Mrs. Waters, after school this afternoon. Bought some new stationery today and wrote a letter to Kate tonight on some of it. Fred went to Frankfort with a load of lumber from the Platt River mill. He got back before it commenced to storm much. The wind just howls from the east. I came awful near having a bad spell of homesickness today, I want to see Kate so.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Columbus T., age 31, North Carolina
February 17, 1874
Only two members at breakfast table. Mr Dickey and myself. Went down town to get the morning papers. Found Joe Turner as ready as ever to talk about rings and impeachment. The Legislature has adjourned and now he appeals to the people. Violent card in paper from Dr. Grissom against Senator Ransom or Tyrrel — the result of certain investigations into the expenditures of Insane Asylum and some stricture on Dr. G. Ransom and myself made first investigation. Dr. G. wrote me a week ago, to know how errors occurred. I did not write him, but wrote to day and think of not sending yet, as errors were perhaps made by others. Mr Dickey as he did last night so again to day, wished me to repeatedly sing Over there and Dont reject Him or Come to Jesus so that he might learn. In my room pretty much all day. [In left margin] Dickey gone to call on Mrs Gov. Swain. He will leave to night. [Crosshatched] Walked to depot with Dickey. Went to Concert at Peace Institute at night.
*(Worthy of Record: The Civil War and Reconstruction Diaries of Columbus Lafayette Turner, Ed. Kenrick N. Simpson, courtesy of the State Archives of North Carolina.)
Abbie B., age 22, Kansas
February 17, 1871
I put my journal away, thinking I would have more time when school closed, which it did last Friday. The school house caught fire again. One of my good boys put it out, but another, a regular lomix, from the school south, got on the roof and with a stick knocked a hole in the chimney. I was very much attached to my own scholars, and sorry to leave them, but the others O. dear.
It is a comfort to me that the building did not burn down, while I was teacher. Some times when there was a high wind I would go out to see that the roof was not on fire.
A week ago school closed, then Saturday a. m. Bess and I mounted the ponies and came up here. The roads were rough, frozen hard. The ponies were not shod, so we road very slowly, and finily got off and walked over two miles, and led them. When we got to the creek there was three or four feet of thin ice along both sides, and an open current between. The water from the late rain and thaw had run off, so the water was not deep.
Bess’ horse, the one I had trouble with some time before, would not cross that strip of ice, and got frightened. Then Kit got spunky, and I could not get her to cross. We got off, and broke the ice with a stick. No good, acrost they would not go. Then we decided to go back to Mr. A leave the ponies in the barn—and wade the creek. Mrs. Awent along as she said, to see the “performance.” We took off shoes and stockings, rolled up our drawers, took our skirts over our armes, carried shoes and stockings and started. Bess [Belle] first. I thought Mrs. A would hurt her self laughing. It was a cold crossing, first through ice—then water, then ice again which we had to brake with our feet. We dried our feet and legs—on our skirts as best we could, put on stockings—which fortunately were heavy woolen ones—and shoes—then on we went through the timber to brothers, while Mrs. A still laughing, went home to tell the men when they came for dinner, of the comical sight she had seen down at Pine Creek.
Fortunately neather of us caught cold. The mile or more walk through the timber warmed us up. In the p. m. some of the men went for the ponies. They followed right along through the creek, but would not go first.
Bess went home Monday. The creek wading was too good to let pass. So near Valentine day too. So I sketched a picture of Besse in the creek—shoes in hand, riding skirt and clothes all gathered up. Mrs. A on the bank laughing, while from behind a tree, peeping at her was a handsome man. Katura said it was good, so I sent it to her for a Valentine and addressed it this way— Now listen while I tell This letter is for Mrs. Bee’s Bess, Near Williamsport doth dwell, In Warren Co. Who from? Now guess.
*(kansasmemory.org, Kansas State Historical Society, copy and reuse restrictions apply)
Cornelia H., age 26, North Carolina
February 17, 1863
Betsey came today through the rain. She will get out the cloth in a day or two. Mr. Henry in the house all day as it is raining. I cut some little aprons today, two brilliante & two bleached. Sewed some on one. I am fixing it around with green chambre. It will look very well.
*(Fear in North Carolina: The Civil War Journals and Letters of the Henry Family, Eds. Karen L. Clinard and Richard Russell, used with permission.)
Cornelia H., age 25, North Carolina
February 17, 1862
Cloudy & began to rain about 10 o’clock. Aunt Patsy Jamison spent the day here. I cut out some aprons of blue checks for Willie & Zona, did not get one done. Atheline moulding candles. I want my summer supply moulded now. The children well & very noisy as they have to stay in the house all the time. The creek up a good deal. They took some planks off the dam. Mr. Henry has been so engaged he has not finished the dam yet.
*(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
February 17, 1668
Up, and to the office, where all the morning till noon getting some things more ready against the afternoon for the Committee of Accounts, which did give me great trouble, to see how I am forced to dance after them in one place, and to answer Committees of Parliament in another. At noon thence toward the Committee, but meeting with Sir W. Warren in Fleet Street he and I to the Ordinary by Temple Bar and there dined together, and to talk, where he do seem to be very high now in defiance of the Board, now he says that the worst is come upon him to have his accounts brought to the Committee of Accounts, and he do reflect upon my late coldness to him, but upon the whole I do find that he is still a cunning fellow, and will find it necessary to be fair to me, and what hath passed between us of coldness to hold his tongue, which do please me very well. Thence to the Committee, where I did deliver the several things they expected from me, with great respect and show of satisfaction, and my mind thereby eased of some care. But thence I to Westminster Hall, and there spent till late at night walking to and again with many people, and there in general I hear of the great high words that were in the House on Saturday last, upon the first part of the Committee’s Report about the dividing of the fleete; wherein some would have the counsels of the King to be declared, and the reasons of them, and who did give them; where Sir W. Coventry laid open to them the consequences of doing that, that the King would never have any honest and wise men ever to be of his Council. They did here in the House talk boldly of the King’s bad counsellors, and how they must be all turned out, and many of them, and better; brought in: and the proceedings of the Long-Parliament in the beginning of the war were called to memory: and the King’s bad intelligence was mentioned, wherein they were bitter against my Lord Arlington, saying, among other things, that whatever Morrice’s was, who declared he had but 750l. a-year allowed him for intelligence, the King paid too dear for my Lord Arlington’s, in giving him 10,000l. and a barony for it. Sir W. Coventry did here come to his defence, in the business of the letter that was sent to call back Prince Rupert, after he was divided from the fleete, wherein great delay was objected; but he did show that he sent it at one in the morning, when the Duke of York did give him the instructions after supper that night, and did clear himself well of it: only it was laid as a fault, which I know not how he removes, of not sending it by an express, but by the ordinary post; but I think I have heard he did send it to my Lord Arlington’s; and that there it lay for some hours; it coming not to Sir Philip Honiwood’s hand at Portsmouth till four in the afternoon that day, being about fifteen or sixteen hours in going; and about this, I think, I have heard of a falling out between my Lord Arlington, heretofore, and W. Coventry. Some mutterings I did hear of a design of dissolving the Parliament; but I think there is no ground for it yet, though Oliver would have dissolved them for half the trouble and contempt these have put upon the King and his councils. The dividing of the fleete, however, is, I hear, voted a miscarriage, and the not building a fortification at Sheernesse: and I have reason every hour to expect that they will vote the like of our paying men off by ticket; and what the consequence of that will be I know not, but I am put thereby into great trouble of mind. I did spend a little time at the Swan, and there did kiss the maid, Sarah. At noon home, and there up to my wife, who is still ill, and supped with her, my mind being mighty full of trouble for the office and my concernments therein, and so to supper and talking with W. Hewer in her chamber about business of the office, wherein he do well understand himself and our case, and it do me advantage to talk with him and the rest of my people. I to bed below as I did last night.
*(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.)