March 26
Laura M., age 16, North Carolina
March 26, 1998
Took Née home and me and Ash went into work at 10-1. Got Subway. Chilled at her house and John called. Wanted 2 go out with him, but Mom wasn’t reachable so made up a dumb yard work lie. Went to Eddie’s (Chinese 35). Stayed till 8:00. Went 2 bowling alley with Courtney, Liam, John, Christian, etc. Not awesome. Courtney spent night.
Laura M., age 15, North Carolina
March 26, 1997
Normal at school — pretty boring. That’s why I’m writing so big. Dad informed me that I have a tardy in E.L.P. Thanx, Dad. He picked me up at 5:30. His house wasn’t that bad. I got my grounding shortened by one weekend! :) Talked on phone. Watched 90210.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
March 26, 1960
Called Mrs. B. as she was ready to leave with Russel. Made cheesecake for dessert also a cake (choc.) and a new recipe of cookies. Cook meat and every thing ready for eve. Lo came home and said Cooks weren’t coming as Prince Albert on his way here. Lo’s little maple chair and cushions were delivered.
Marcy S., age 19, Missouri
March 26, 1944
Cloudy when we got up at 11. Then just as we were leaving for church it began to rain. Coming home it poured and we got soaked just about. Good dinner. Read “Gaudy Night” all afternoon. Card from Pap. Rainy and cold. Depressing day somehow. No letter from Ross. Heh! heh! Didn’t go to supper. Wrote Kathleen, Evelyn, and Jimmie at night. Went to tearoom for sandwiches. In letter-writing mood — had fun doing it! Thought for half hour. To bed.
Marcy S., age 16, Missouri
March 26, 1941
Nice, much milder. Lovely mild day. Bunny didn’t go to Athens. I said that something would be true if he didn’t go. After school, Helen and Roby went to Ruth’s to practice Silas Marner. I got home and decided I didn’t want to study so got something to eat and set out for Ruth’s. Lovely Springy afternoon. They were waiting for Helen Webb but she didn’t come, so they started practicing. I was the audience and I criticized Helen’s “Thank you, ma’am, thank you, sir” till we all nearly died laughing. Also imitated her curtsy. Left about 4:45. On way home, Helen and I passed Clay on his bike. George had to yell out and remind Helen that Clay was near. Helen is more deeply in “love” now than ever. Practiced. At 3:30 practiced play in auditorium. Sorta fun. Home late. Margie and Ann seem so insincere. They put on too much.
Henry S., age 26, Michigan
March 26, 1888
I went over to my house this morning, and by noon I had all the rooms cleaned out. I took dinner at Mr. Morrow’s. It rained quite hard through the middle of the day. I finished the typewritten letter to Kate this afternoon. Saw Mr. Harvey at the store, and we got to talking about sending for typewriters, and I went home with him and perfected arrangements so that he went for both machine and the Cosmopolitan Magazine with them. I want one for some uses I think I should have one for me.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Henry S., age 25, Michigan
March 26, 1887
It was very cold this morning, 5 degrees below zero at half past five. I went up to the store this morning quite early, my fingers and nose got cold too. I opened the safe this morning without any help, sent a letter to Kate this morning. I wish I could go see her and our baby girl tonight but of course I cant. I hope they are getting along all right. I telegraphed with the operator in Frankfort again tonight, but couldn’t do much because they wanted to use the line all the time, and kept breaking us up. I expect to go to Frankfort Monday and get acquainted with him. I called at Mr. Waters and told them of my daughter, today noon.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Cornelia H., age 25, North Carolina
March 26, 1862
I got up with headache this morning. Finished Pinck’s drawers & Mr. Henry & I took a long walk up the meadow, hunted for turkey nest but found none. There was two men to see him when he got here. Fannie came after us. He came on. Fannie & I picked some sage for sausage meat. Aunt Tena done up lard today. I parched & made me a little coffee for dinner. My head got well. Finished drawers & cut out two pair of pillow slips for my pillows. One pair I will fringe, the other work with turkey red. Nothing new going on. All are well. I made one pair.
*(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
March 26, 1668
Up betimes to the office, where by and by my Lord Brouncker and I met and made an end of our business betimes. So I away with him to Mrs. Williams’s, and there dined, and thence I alone to the Duke of York’s house, to see the new play, called “The Man is the Master,” where the house was, it being not above one o’clock, very full. But my wife and Deb. being there before, with Mrs. Pierce and Corbet and Betty Turner, whom my wife carried with her, they made me room; and there I sat, it costing me 8s. upon them in oranges, at 6d. a-piece. By and by the King come; and we sat just under him, so that I durst not turn my back all the play. The play is a translation out of French, and the plot Spanish, but not anything extraordinary at all in it, though translated by Sir W. Davenant, and so I found the King and his company did think meanly of it, though there was here and there something pretty: but the most of the mirth was sorry, poor stuffe, of eating of sack posset and slabbering themselves, and mirth fit for clownes; the prologue but poor, and the epilogue little in it but the extraordinariness of it, it being sung by Harris and another in the form of a ballet. Thence, by agreement, we all of us to the Blue Balls, hard by, whither Mr. Pierce also goes with us, who met us at the play, and anon comes Manuel, and his wife, and Knepp, and Harris, who brings with him Mr. Banister, the great master of musique; and after much difficulty in getting of musique, we to dancing, and then to a supper of some French dishes, which yet did not please me, and then to dance and sing; and mighty merry we were till about eleven or twelve at night, with mighty great content in all my company, and I did, as I love to do, enjoy myself in my pleasure as being the height of what we take pains for and can hope for in this world, and therefore to be enjoyed while we are young and capable of these joys. My wife extraordinary fine to-day, in her flower tabby suit, bought a year and more ago, before my mother’s death put her into mourning, and so not worn till this day: and every body in love with it; and indeed she is very fine and handsome in it. I having paid the reckoning, which come to almost 4l.., we parted: my company and William Batelier, who was also with us, home in a coach, round by the Wall, where we met so many stops by the Watches, that it cost us much time and some trouble, and more money, to every Watch, to them to drink; this being encreased by the trouble the ‘prentices did lately give the City, so that the Militia and Watches are very strict at this time; and we had like to have met with a stop for all night at the Constable’s watch, at Mooregate, by a pragmatical Constable; but we come well home at about two in the morning, and so to bed. This noon, from Mrs. Williams’s, my Lord Brouncker sent to Somersett House to hear how the Duchess of Richmond do; and word was brought him that she is pretty well, but mighty full of the smallpox, by which all do conclude she will be wholly spoiled, which is the greatest instance of the uncertainty of beauty that could be in this age; but then she hath had the benefit of it to be first married, and to have kept it so long, under the greatest temptations in the world from a King, and yet without the least imputation. This afternoon, at the play, Sir Fr. Hollis spoke to me as a secret, and matter of confidence in me, and friendship to Sir W. Pen, who is now out of town, that it were well he were made acquainted that he finds in the House of Commons, which met this day, several motions made for the calling strictly again upon the Miscarriages, and particularly in the business of the Prises, and the not prosecuting of the first victory, only to give an affront to Sir W. Pen, whose going to sea this year do give them matter of great dislike. So though I do not much trouble myself for him, yet I am sorry that he should have this fall so unhappily without any fault, but rather merit of his own that made him fitter for this command than any body else, and the more for that this business of his may haply occasion their more eager pursuit against the whole body of the office.
*(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.)