June 9
Laura M., age 15, North Carolina
June 9, 1997
Good day! Wasn’t bored at all because I was doing chores, but it was cool. Ashley came at 6:00. We had dinner and went over to Zach’s at 8:00. Then Mike and Sean came. Me and Mike again! It was pretty awesome. Ashley spent the night. We watched some T.V. and talked about guys until 1:00. I’m not sure how I feel about Mike…
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
June 9, 1960
Mrs. B. called and wanted to come over. Men painting trim on house over there, we had coffee. When she went home to work I up stairs to fix one bed and wipe up etc. Fixed cookies to bake tomorrow. Couldn’t get eggs so went directly to cabin. Jim there had mowed. Ate with us then home. Oscar still gone wish he’d come back. Came in hurriedly and up to see Bess. Mrs. Hill there so didn’t ride.
Marcy S., age 19, Tennessee
June 9, 1944
Up at 7. Beautiful day. Breakfast and down to office at 8:30. Mr. Harris helped me get my desk in the outer office straightened up and I took a duster to it right away. Then he had me type a copy of a paper. It took me awhile to catch on to the workings of the Remington. Later in the morn. when Mr. H. was out a typewriter man came in to sell Mr. H. some ribbon and I got him to show me how the line spacer worked! I was scared to death when Mr. H. called me in for my first dictation but he tried to make me forget myself. At first I couldn’t think of a shorthand character to save me — the thing I had dreaded! But my memory soon returned and I struggled through. To lunch around 12 and gave an account of the morning to Mum and Betty. Betty said she’d been envying me all morn. Back at 1. Mr. Harris complimented me on one of the divorce papers I’d done in the morn — had only 1 error. I was thrilled and felt much encouraged. Then he left again and presently 2 men came in — one could barely speak English (strong accent — looked German) and the other was a country boy. It took me about a half hour to figure out what they wanted but they were very helpful and we came through okay. A Notary Public’s signature was necessary and, not knowing any better, I signed Mr. H.’s name (by me) on their advice. They paid $1.00 and departed. When Mr. H. returned and found out about the Not. Pub. he nearly died laughing — the one thing I can’t sign his name to! Glad he thought it was funny! He’s ever so jolly. Well, I was kept hopping right up till 5 but, as I told Mr. H., the first day wasn’t as bad as I’d feared. He said he hoped we wouldn’t have any bad days. Ever so often he’d ask me if I were tired — said he didn’t want me to get worn out! He said I’d be a real secretary by the time he got through with me! I trudged home at 5, thoroughly exhausted. My “first day” was more an emotional than a physical strain, I think — but nevertheless, a strain! The family was very sympathetic. Good supper. About 7 Mum and Dad went down to Princess to see “This is the Army.” Betty and I had seen it so we decided to go to the Webbo. Lovely evening — looked like rain. I really didn’t want to do anything but didn’t feel like sitting at home. We saw a western feature and a serial and were out about 8:30. I felt amazingly refreshed and rested! We had arranged to meet Mum and Dad in front of the Webbo when they got out but we were out much earlier than we’d expected so we walked around looking for the car. It was nowhere to be seen. We couldn’t go home cause Mum and Dad would wait for us. In desperation we went up and stood in front of the Acme to await the end of the first show at the Princess. I don’t know how many people passed us during that half hour and just stared! It was so funny! We addressed everyone who went by us as Mert or Joe, etc. — not audible to them, though. Finally about 9:15 Mum and Dad issued forth. The car was up at a gas station where a flat had been fixed. Just as we got in the rains came — but didn’t last long. Home and to bed. I still rather dread going to the office. My consuming fear is that I’ll do something wrong — in a big way.
Aloys F., age 16, County Cork, Ireland
June 9, 1926
Yesterday Mammie gave Margherita notice, so she will be leaving us on 21st. She was very good except for her continual grumbling. Páp and I call her ‘Brummerl’ [little growler]. She can’t understand Páp at all, and is very cheeky to him, so that she is sure to give us a bad name in the north parish where she evidently has lots of friends. I pity her, though, because she never expected getting notice, and got quite pale. She has been much nicer since yesterday, so that I really am beginning to feel sorry she is going away. – As to-day was last elocution class Fr. O’Flynn told us several funny stories. He is really extraordinary at imitation, and did Fr. Willie O’Brien for us. He said he [Fr. Willie] will never grow old, but remain as merry and humorous as he always is. Fr. O’Flynn also told us how one of the fellows in Senior Class, Jim Nolan, alias Nick Nock, alias Snizo, fell out of a train, and when the latter pulled up in great consternation, found Jim running after it. – Went to Arthur to-day, and had my first ride in the bus on the way home. They are quite comfortable but tear up the roads terribly. Comp. to-day: Types of Englishmen in day of Addison. –
*(Original Archive Copyright © Estate of Aloys Fleischmann. The Fleischmann Diaries Online Archive by Róisín O’Brien is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Used with permission.)
Henry S., age 25, Michigan
June 9, 1887
It was a very cool morning and I finished plowing in the peach orchard. Went up to the telegraph office at noon and sure enough I got a message from Kate saying that she would be at Frankfort tonight. I ate my dinner and then hitched Jimmie to Fred Neill’s double buggy and came down to Frankfort. Kate and Dor came on the [De…?] about 6 o’clock. I was awful glad to see then. We are staying at the Park House. It was a nice day for them to come. I thought it would be too late to go to Benzonia tonight.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Cornelia H., age 25, North Carolina
June 9, 1862
Cool this morning. I have done no work yet. Atheline is sewing on Peter’s drawers. She made him one pair last week. They are some I cut for Mr. Henry & they are too small. I have been cleaning up all the morning. I scalded a bed of ants last Friday in the strawberry patch, back of garden. There was nary a one. I picked some strawberries for Mr. Henry’s dinner. He went to Asheville, the first we have had. I must stop now & eat some raddishes Mr. Henry has just gathered for me & I must wash some straw berries & put sugar in them for his dinner. I wrote to Frank, Ell & Lena this evening. The mail brought no news. I made some tape trimming. Capt. Moore eat dinner here today. Caladonia Jones spent the evening here. She came to bring letters to mail. Capt. Moore starts to Richmond tomorrow. Mr. Henry is going with him. I don’t want him to go.
*(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
June 9, 1667
(Lord’s day). Up, and by water to White Hall, and so walked to St. James’s, where I hear that the Duke of Cambridge, who was given over long since by the Doctors, is now likely to recover; for which God be praised! To Sir W. Coventry, and there talked with him a great while; and mighty glad I was of my good fortune to visit him, for it keeps in my acquaintance with him, and the world sees it, and reckons my interest accordingly. In comes my Lord Barkeley, who is going down to Harwich also to look after the militia there: and there is also the Duke of Monmouth, and with him a great many young Hectors, the Lord Chesterfield, my Lord Mandeville, and others: but to little purpose, I fear, but to debauch the country women thereabouts. My Lord Barkeley wanting some maps, and Sir W. Coventry recommending the six maps of England that are bound up for the pocket, I did offer to present my Lord with them, which he accepted: and so I will send them him. Thence to White Hall, and there to the Chapel, where I met Creed, and he and I staid to hear who preached, which was a man who begun dully, and so we away by water and landed in Southwarke, and to a church in the street where we take water beyond the bridge, which was so full and the weather hot that we could not stand there. So to my house, where we find my father and wife at dinner, and after dinner Creed and I by water to White Hall, and there we parted, and I to Sir G. Carteret’s, where, he busy, I up into the house, and there met with a gentleman, Captain Aldrige, that belongs to my Lord Barkeley, and I did give him the book of maps for my Lord, and so I to Westminster Church and there staid a good while, and saw Betty Michell there. So away thence, and after church time to Mrs. Martin’s, and then hazer what I would with her, and then took boat and up, all alone, a most excellent evening, as high as Barne Elmes, and there took a turn; and then to my boat again, and home, reading and making an end of the book I lately bought a merry satyr called “The Visions,” translated from Spanish by L’Estrange, wherein there are many very pretty things; but the translation is, as to the rendering it into English expression, the best that ever I saw, it being impossible almost to conceive that it should be a translation. Being come home I find an order come for the getting some fire-ships presently to annoy the Dutch, who are in the King’s Channel, and expected up higher. So [Sir] W. Batten and [Sir] W. Pen being come this evening from their country houses to town we did issue orders about it, and then home to supper and to 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.)