May 21
Laura M., age 15, North Carolina
May 21, 1997
Wow! Good day again. In English we watched “Great Expectations.” It was okay. Brandy was in between us. Didn’t care, though. (On the floor.) Went home with Renee. Mom picked me up at 5:00. Packed. Dad picked me up. Had dinner with him and “Simpsons.” Went to softball game against Action Graphics. Lost, but it was a good game. (I pitched.) Came home and showered.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
May 21, 1960
Worked all day. Cooks ate with us in eve, also Jim. Honey had a colt, the ground so wet. Small gate into the yard left open and ponies had trampled the whole yard. All cut up and messed all over too. Surely looks bad. Everyone upset.
Marcy S., age 19, Missouri
May 21, 1944
Clear and hot again. Betty and I got up and went to Burrall at 9:30. Sat next to Betty P. and Val. Mr. Weaver gave very good talk. Then at 11:00 we went to the Baptist church with Jane and heard excellent sermon by Mr. Bartlett — Betty and I were planning to be very religious and go to 12 o’clock church, too but we didn’t get out in time. Betty was restless when we got home so, after I wrote family, we took a little walk around campus before dinner. My hair was a mess! We saw our little lieutenants again — at least mine and Julie’s with Julie and Jean Ward! Well, if that’s the kind they are. Neen said that they necked all last Sunday afternoon. Corn! Good dinner. Betty and I didn’t feel like studying although we knew we should. So we went down to the Uptown and saw Ginger Rodgers in “Tender Comrade.” It was very sad but pretty good. Out about 4:30. Beautiful afternoon. We studied till supper time. Betty and I got separated. I ate with Jacq. After supper we went right back to the room and started in again. I wrote some letters and was getting along fine when Jane burst in about 8 with the news that Neen’s boy friend had come to see her and he’d given Jane the keys to his car and said she could use it tonight. So Jane and Mary Jo wanted us to go riding with them. Of course, it’s against rules but we were feeling very reckless so we said yes! Being caught seemed a very remote possibility but we could just see ourselves being expelled the week before graduation. Nevertheless we took the bull by the horns and made arrangements for meeting them. The car was in front of Hickman and J. and M.J. were going to drive it around by Willis courts where we were to get in. About 8:15 they left and we followed a few minutes later. Betty and I passed a watchman and nearly went through the ground — guilty consciences at work ahead of time! We walked up and down by the appointed place and had just about given up hope when up they drove in a tan Buick. We casually got in the back seat and were off. Jane was driving. It seems so funny to be in a car again and driving in Columbia, too — it seemed so different. We drove out to the Columbia country club — past some beautiful homes. It was just beginning to get dark and the landscape was lovely. Reminded me of a drive we took once near Hamburg. Then we drove back into town and down to the Wabash station. Mary Jo kept yelling “Hi, fella!” out the window at every soldier we passed. Once Jane said “yell, Taxi” and M.J. did and the soldier halfway stopped. We nearly died. Mary Jo got out at the station and mailed some letters. We thought she’d fallen in but finally she came back. We drove out to the barracks then and said “Hi, fellas” to all the soldiers we passed. We kept looking for 4 and every time we found 4 together we were either on the wrong side of the street or else going the wrong direction. And when we’d go back they’d be gone. Finally we did pick up 2 on the running board and took them to their barracks — they had to be in by 9:45. We drove around some more but no luck so we decided we’d better get home since it was nearly 10. Betty and I got off on a side street and walked over to Lela Raney tearoom for some refreshments. Back to hall and whom should we see sitting on the benches but Julie and her lieut. and Jean Wood and “my” date. We went in and peeked out Jane’s window and then went down to Val’s room. They were in a clutch then — and Julie is engaged! Well, anyone who would want Jean W. is just completely off! Betty and I were disgusted anew. After census there was a party on the roof — punch only. Betty and I went up and danced a little. Then we got in with Jacq, Connie, Val, and Mary Lou, Joan, etc. and sang in a corner of the roof. It was a beautiful night. Went down about 10:30 and got ready for bed. Then we went up to Jacq’s room for hot dogs and all the trimmings. Mary Lou and Betty Reiser (Jacq’s roommate) were there and we had lots of fun teasing Mary Lou about being “Her Highness.” To bed about 11:30. Quite a day! Fun.
Henry S., age 25, Michigan
May 21, 1887
I left Bear Lake about 7 o’clock this morning. I had an awful hot dusty walk, at one place there was a [slarhing?] on fire and the smoke was suffocating. When I got to the bridge over the Betsy they were fixing it and I left Jimmie on the other side for a while and called on Mr. Jordan’s folks, where I had some bread and Milk and took a good rest. In getting Jimmie over the bridge, he got through and skined [sic] his leg badly. I thought he was a gone horse for a while. I called at Dr. Taylor’s and had a lemonade also at the store Mr. Hopkins made me one. I got my satchel there all right. Am at the hills tonight.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Cornelia H., age 25, North Carolina
May 21, 1862
I finished my bonnett after dinner. I put some tattin on some sleeve loops this evening. I seamed three beds today. Bright & warm, the wind from South. All are well. Atheline has got so she can attend to Willie. Very weak 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
May 21, 1668
Up, and busy to send some things into the country, and then to the Office, where meets me Sir Richard Ford, who among other things congratulates me, as one or two did yesterday, [on] my great purchase; and he advises me rather to forbear, if it be not done, as a thing that the world will envy me in: and what is it but my cozen Tom Pepys’s buying of Martin Abbey, in Surry! which is a mistake I am sorry for, and yet do fear that it may spread in the world to my prejudice. All the morning at the office, and at noon my clerks dined with me, and there do hear from them how all the town is full of the talk of a meteor, or some fire, that did on Saturday last fly over the City at night, which do put me in mind that, being then walking in the dark an hour or more myself in the garden, after I had done writing, I did see a light before me come from behind me, which made me turn back my head; and I did see a sudden fire or light running in the sky, as it were towards Cheapside ward, and it vanished very quick, which did make me bethink myself what holyday it was, and took it for some rocket, though it was much brighter than any rocket, and so thought no more of it, but it seems Mr. Hater and Gibson going home that night did meet with many clusters of people talking of it, and many people of the towns about the city did see it, and the world do make much discourse of it, their apprehensions being mighty full of the rest of the City to be burned, and the Papists to cut our throats. Which God prevent! Thence after dinner I by coach to the Temple, and there bought a new book of songs set to musique by one Smith of Oxford, some songs of Mr. Cowley’s, and so to Westminster, and there to walk a little in the Hall, and so to Mrs. Martin’s, and there did hazer cet que je voudrai mit her, and drank and sat most of the afternoon with her and her sister, and here she promises me her fine starling, which was the King’s, and speaks finely, which I shall be glad of, and so walked to the Temple, meeting in the street with my cozen Alcocke, the young man, that is a good sober youth, I have not seen these four or five years, newly come to town to look for employment: but I cannot serve him, though I think he deserves well, and so I took coach and home to my business, and in the evening took Mrs. Turner and Mercer out to Mile End and drank, and then home, and sang; and eat a dish of greene pease, the first I have seen this year, given me by Mr. Gibson, extraordinary young and pretty, and so saw them at home, and so home to bed. Sir W. Pen continues ill of the gout.
*(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.)