February 21
Laura M., age 15, North Carolina
February 21, 1998
Worked from 7-1:00. Came home & showered, etc. Courtney came at 3:00. We went 2 Curious Goods. Found awesome dresses. Ate at Dad’s. Just drove around & then went & chilled at Sarah J.’s house.
Laura M., age 14, Colorado
February 21, 1997
Up at 6:00 again. We went to Copper Mountain to finish our trip off. In the morning it was freezing again so all us girls wimped out. Went skiing after lunch and had a blast. Got home around 5:00. Showered. We ordered pizza. Talked to Mom. Watched some T.V. and went to bed at 8:00.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
February 21, 1960
Woke up early so finally got up. Had snowed a lot. Lo and George out to cabin to feed. Snow had drifted so were stuck. Walked up and fed then finally got out. Got here a little after 9:00. Down to Carrie’s, got her to Sunday school. Mrs. Merchant brot her after church. After eating took her home. We were glad to stay in. Amy called, she and Del had taken Ole in to hospital. He stayed for treatment. Zella called. Later Lo called. Beloit everything O.K. Then she called Dorothy and Mary, all talked.
Marcy S., age 19, Missouri
February 21, 1944
Off day. Everything went wrong - suspected curse was cause. Voice lesson at 10:30. Exhausting work-out in body building. Bad piano lesson at 2 - couldn’t do a thing!! To town at 4 - Mary and Kath. went to show. I got some bread to drown my sorrows. Betty got my opera ticket. She, Mary and Kath. are going Wednesday night which means I’ll have to go Thursday alone ’cause I’m going to lecture Wednesday night. Got urge to study and concentrate at night and felt better. Read How to Read a Book which Betty is devouring at present. To bed late. Cloudy, rained and thundered at night. Betty’s little people came for and with calendars, etc. Oh yes - went to dairy just before dinner and got quart of milk. Betty and I ate bread and drank milk til we were miserable. Dinner was a misery!!!!
Marcy S., age 16, Tennessee
February 21, 1941
Milder, bright, breezy. Chapel in morning. Band played. Good way to start day off. Had reports in History -- Had to give mine. Honestly, Diary, I was scared to death -- just trembling all over. Bunny -- oh, Diary, I can’t say it but I’m so glad I’m in love (?). Sophomores had half-holiday for attendance record, so typing room was quite diminished in number of typists. Therefore, accomplished a lot, and actually up to date. After school went over to Mary’s. She is looking better. Her mother evidently felt it her duty to entertain me, but finally she left Mary and I to ourselves, supplied with a large glass of home-canned tomato juice. And then she broke the news -- she’s going to Oklahoma -- leaving in two weeks. I did a very good job of hiding my emotions until I got home (William drove us) and then I burst into tears, which Mother, upon her arrival sometime later, managed to wipe away by comforting words. I laughed a great deal after that at supper. Helen and I had an uproarious time. Then George came and we listened to the radio while I tried to read some magazine stories. Finally finished two. Mary wrote me a note -- I’m going to read it again before sleeping. It made the tears just tumble.
Henry S., age 26, Michigan
February 21, 1888
I have been having more of the face ache today, which makes me feel miserable. Went over to the Court House with a letter to ma this morning to send it out with the clerk’s mail. I went up town rather early this noon so as to get mail before school; I received a letter from ma. Called at Mr. Waters after school and left the cards I wrote for them. Have been wearing a poultice on my face this evening.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Henry S., age 25, Michigan
February 21, 1887
Fred got up early this morning and I got down as he was eating his breakfast. I had some then and begun to write letters. Wrote one to Will Cooper and one to ma and finished the one I began to Kate yesterday. Read some more in Longfellow poems and also worked some examples in my Com. Arithmetic. Went up town this afternoon, took some butter for Mrs. Neill and got some groceries. Called at Mr. Waters and made quite a visit at Dr. Taylor’s. I did not get any mail tonight because the cars have not run regularly out of Traverse City on account of storms. Mrs. Taylor gave me some papers to read. It has been a mild day.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Columbus T., age 31, North Carolina
February 21, 1874
Up at 6 to eat an early breakfast which sister J had ready, a good meal prepared by herself. She acts independent of her servant, who if not on hand when she wants something done, goes ahead. Reached Raleigh about 9 overcoat in hand too warm for use.
Called on the Auditor. Expected to have seen Dr. Prichard. He invited me early in the session to call on him for the purpose of talking over differences and hindrances in religious matters, but I have had so many talks with different people that I have gotten to think it is useless, so far as being a satisfied Baptist, Methodist or Episcopalian is concerned, or really it seems any other. There are some things among all I like and some I dislike but piety wherever found I admire. Dr. Burrows of Richmond had written to him on the subject.
[In left margin] Dr. Mason Rector of Ep. Church here died of Pneumonia.
*(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 21, 1871
Poor Journal how I am neglecting you, but it cant be helped. I had an errand down at Mrs. Bee’s, so I left at 3 p. m. yesterday. The roads muddy, slow riding, it seemed 12 miles instead of eight. They were surprised to see me. Bess had the valentine, and was having much fun over it. Started back at 8 a. m. Had a pack of my clothes to bring home, and Mrs. Bee sent some things along for her daughter, who is one of our neighbors. She put them all in a pillow slip, and I carried that big bundle on my lap all the way up, in constant fear of dropping it in the mud. However I reached home safely. Saw a big flock of prairie chickens on the way up. Found two of the children in bed with bad colds.
*(kansasmemory.org, Kansas State Historical Society, copy and reuse restrictions apply)
Cornelia H., age 26, North Carolina
February 21, 1863
I made some cushions for the chairs in my room & cushioned a stool also. They will do better than nothing these cold days. Rain nearly all day today. I sent by Jim Nichols to Asheville today for the mail & some button moulds. They are very small. I gave 50 cts. for 60 buttons at Merriman’s.
*(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 21, 1862
Mail came, no news. The federals have taken Roanoke Island with some 2500 of the Confederates prisoners. They have taken Fort Henry on the Tennessee River also, with 50 prisoners. Things begin to look dark. The state of N.C. has a draft out. Oh! how can I give up my devoted husband, ’tis death to contemplate such a thing. I had a letter from him today. He was in Columbia, had been detained two days. I had a letter from Dora & Matt saying all were well. The people about here are volunteering at a rapid rate to avoid the draft. I wish they would take the Parker boys & T. Hendrix for they are doing no good here.
I made Willie an apron today & began another for him. I went to Mrs. Fanning in the evening to see the cloth, it looks tollerable well. It is cloudy again. Aunt Tena is dying blue. Mr. Henry got the indigo in Henderson at two dollars a lb.
*(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 21, 1668
At the office all the morning to get a little business done, I having, and so the whole office, been put out of doing any business there for this week by our trouble in attending the Parliament. Hither comes to me young Captain Beckford, the slopseller, and there presents me a little purse with gold in it, it being, as he told me, for his present to me, at the end of the last year. I told him I had not done him any service I knew of. He persisted, and I refused, but did at several denials; and telling him that it was not an age to take presents in, he told me he had reason to present me with something, and desired me to accept of it, which, at his so urging me, I did, and so fell to talk of his business, and so parted. I do not know of any manner of kindness I have done him this last year, nor did expect any thing. It was therefore very welcome to me, but yet I was not fully satisfied in my taking it, because of my submitting myself to the having it objected against me hereafter, and the rather because this morning Jacke Fen come and shewed me an order from the Commissioners of Accounts, wherein they demand of him an account upon oath of all the sums of money that have been by him defalked or taken from any man since their time, of enquiry upon any payments, and if this should, as it is to be feared, come to be done to us, I know not what I shall then do, but I shall take counsel upon it. At noon by coach towards Westminster, and met my Lord Brouncker, and W. Pen, and Sir T. Harvey, in King’s Street, coming away from the Parliament House; and so I to them, and to the French ordinary, at the Blue Balls, in Lincolne’s Inn Fields, and there dined and talked. And, among other things, they tell me how the House this day is still as backward for giving any money as ever, and do declare they will first have an account of the disposals of the last Poll-bill, and eleven months’ tax: and it is pretty odde that the very first sum mentioned in the account brought in by Sir Robert Long, of the disposal of the Poll-bill money, is 5000l. to my Lord Arlington for intelligence; which was mighty unseasonable, so soon after they had so much cried out against his want of intelligence. The King do also own but 250,000l., or thereabouts, yet paid on the Poll- bill, and that he hath charged 350,000l. upon it. This makes them mad; for that the former Poll-bill, that was so much less in its extent than the last, which took in all sexes and qualities, did come to 350,000l.. Upon the whole, I perceive they are like to do nothing in this matter to please the King, or relieve the State, be the case never so pressing; and, therefore, it is thought by a great many that the King cannot be worse if he should dissolve them: but there is nobody dares advise it, nor do he consider any thing himself. Thence, having dined for 20s., we to the Duke of York at White Hall, and there had our usual audience, and did little but talk of the proceedings of the Parliament, wherein he is as much troubled as we; for he is not without fears that they do ayme at doing him hurt; but yet he declares that he will never deny to owne what orders he hath given to any man to justify him, notwithstanding their having sent to him to desire his being tender to take upon him the doing any thing of that kind. Thence with Brouncker and T. Harvey to Westminster Hall, and there met with Colonel Birch and Sir John Lowther, and did there in the lobby read over what I have drawn up for our defence, wherein they own themselves mightily satisfied; and Birch, like a particular friend, do take it upon him to defend us, and do mightily do me right in all his discourse. Here walked in the Hall with him a great while, and discoursed with several members, to prepare them in our business against to-morrow, and meeting my cozen Roger Pepys, he showed me Granger’s written confession,1 of his being forced by imprisonment, &c., by my Lord Gerard, most barbarously to confess his forging of a deed in behalf of Fitton, in the great case between him [Fitton] and my Lord Gerard; which business is under examination, and is the foulest against my Lord Gerard that ever any thing in the world was, and will, all do believe, ruine him; and I shall be glad of it. Thence with Lord Brouncker and T. Harvey as far as the New Exchange, and there at a draper’s shop drawing up a short note of what they are to desire of the House for our having a hearing before they determine any thing against us, which paper is for them to show to what friends they meet against to-morrow, I away home to the office, and there busy pretty late, and here comes my wife to me, who hath been at Pegg Pen’s christening, which, she says, hath made a flutter and noise; but was as mean as could be, and but little company, just like all the rest that that family do. So home to supper and to bed, with my head full of a defence before the Parliament tomorrow, and therein content myself very well, and with what I have done in preparing some of the members thereof in order thereto.
*(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.)