May 27
Laura M., age 16, North Carolina
May 27, 1998
Chilled with Sean at Ash’s after school. Very nice. (Zach was there, too.) We went (me and him) to some lake and yada-yada’d. Came home and packed. Went to Dad’s. We went 2 Macaroni Grill 4 dinner. Good. Sean didn’t call. Talked 2 Ash. No homework!
Laura M., age 15, North Carolina
May 27, 1997
Kind of a long day. Wore my new dress. Hardly even made eye contact with Chris! :) I liked it. Me and Renée walked home. Em picked me up. Went to DQ to get job app. Did homework and story. Took Lucy on a walk. (Saw Cara.) Came home and did more homework. Kathy came home. Ate. Went to BR 31 to get app. Mom came home from Tarboro. (Mema’s surgery.) “Mad About You.”
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
May 27, 1960
K.J. and Jeanne came at 7:45. Got Geo’s car to go to Carrie’s and meet the train. Didn’t get to bed too early. Mrs. B. came over. Her sister coming Saturday.
Marcy S., age 19, Missouri
May 27, 1944
Cloudy when we first got up about 7. Truck after truck load of soldiers went by — the ones who were here last night. Practiced about 8:30. Went to history at 10. We met outdoors by the library and instead of having a test Mr. Carson told us of his experiences in England. It had cleared by then and was beautiful. We handed our term papers in at 11 and then discussed faith, original sin, grace, etc. As soon as class was over, Betty and I hurried down to the Virginia Cafe. En route we had a big argument about faith and were nearly not on speaking terms. Some of the kids were already there. I sat next to Val and Pat Steiner and across from Mary Lou. We had a long table. There were about 18 kids in all. The steak was delicious and the waiter was so cute! We had to sort of hurry because of commencement practice at 1. After we’d finished we all went by the dairy and had ice cream. Mary Lou said she thought Connie’s dad had sent her the money because they couldn’t come out for graduation. We got back to the ballroom by 1 and found our seats. There are over 800 graduating this year, I think, including the sophomores. Dr. Bowman took charge and we marched in and out a couple of times. The line went way past Walter. My number was 206 and my partner was Peggy White from Panama. It was so hot in that ballroom and just as we were coming in for the last time it started to rain. I sat next to Mary Washburn. We were out by 3:30. Back to hall. Jane’s mother and dad had arrived. There was a water show at the lake at 4 but we didn’t go. Washed clothes. Then about 4:30 Betty and I borrowed Mary Jo’s umbrella and went to town. We met Mary and Kath. and they raved about my hair-do. At last I’ve found one that suits me. Betty and I went through P.O. and there was a letter from Kimmie. We went to Mueller’s and ordered a gardenia for Kath. to be delivered tomorrow morn. A belated birthday present. Then I looked for hats and finally found a white felt tam which would do. Back to hall. I took a bath and we went to dinner at 6. In the evening I typed some beauty hints from a book of parts of Reasons for Living. Then took them back to library about 9. Returned and washed my hair. To bed about 11:30. Mary’s mother is coming tomorrow. We’re counting the hours almost now.
Marcy S., age 16, Tennessee
May 27, 1941
Hot, clouds, but no rain. Up about 7:00. By 9:00 I was ready to study and did so. Finished history and then sat out on porch and shelled peas while Mom asked me history questions. Had awful cramps. Took rest after lunch. Went to sleep. When I got up I studied English and Mom heard me. Then I cleaned up. Mary called but I couldn’t talk with her. Music lesson at 4:00. Marshy is housecleaning. Came back and studied some more. Then read some tributes to Abraham Lincoln in a reader. If only I could be like him! Washed and dressed. Sky and Helen’s rose bushes beautiful. At 7:30 Helen and I walked over to school to see the Seniors’ play. Ruth, Mary, Frances, and Marg. K. sat with us. Earl sat in front row and Helen said he turned around every two minutes to look at me. Blush! They all teased me. I felt rather self-conscious. Band concert at 7:30. Play at 8:00. Lasted till 9:45. “The Tin Hero” with Jr. Easter as the star. Very good except they didn’t talk loud enough! Home and to bed. Nice night.
Aloys F., age 16, County Cork, Ireland
May 27, 1926
Yesterday I saw in the paper long accounts about Abd El Krim being done for, but immediately underneath, that the fall of the franc had caused many different outbreaks among ruined Moroccan chiefs. But to-day it is in the paper that poor Abd El Krim has really surrendered. Poor fellow, he put up a noble fight against the bombing and poison gas outrage of the French and Spanish, who are purely out to get the mineral wealth of the country. I was just fighting with another fellow to-day about him and said ‘Where is the defender of small nations now’ to him when I found that Scannie had been listening amusedly to us all the time. Scannie told us if he was a young man, he’d be out fighting for Abd El Krim in Morocco. – Scannie was in great humour to-day, and did some fine conjuring tricks for us. He believes evidently that palmistry can do a lot in finding out one’s character. – I didn’t get my ‘Lands and Peoples’ for 3 weeks now, as the coal question is not settled at all yet, and there is the greatest congestion of all goods in England. – Zaghlul Pasha has just got an immense majority in Egypt, and it is evident that England has either to leave Egypt altogether, or make war. – Did good practice at piano to-day. Compared Clementi with Swift in my own mind. They are both like polished steel.
*(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 26, Michigan
May 27, 1888
It rained some this forenoon; so that but a few were at church. I went and Kate staid at home. I wrote some to ma with the typewriter. Kate and I gathered some flowers this afternoon and carried up to Effie’s grave on the hill and to the ones in our graveyard. It was so stormy tonight that I was the only one who attended the evening meeting.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Henry S., age 25, Michigan
May 27, 1887
I spent the most of the forenoon in planting seeds in the garden. Came in a little after 11 A.M. and wrote a letter to Kate while preparing dinner. This afternoon made a road out to the wood in the slashing, and hitched Jimmie to the stone-boat and drew some up to the house. I went up town about 4 o’clock. Went to the Blacksmith shop to pay for a whiffletree and see about different kinds of buggies. Found out that Mr. Phelps, who works there, used to live in Trenton, Mo., where I was 6 years ago next fall. I was examining my peach trees again tonight. I think the most of them will live. I caught a mouse in my trap tonight, took him over and gave him to Neill’s cat.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Abbie B., age 22, Kansas
May 27, 1871
I am baking yeast bread, with dry yeast Katura gave me. Will write while it bakes. When finished I will go down to the cabin, and hope to stay. Would have gone yesterday, but my bed tick was not yet filled with wild hay. This is frontier life for sure. The bread is baked, and “a perfect success.” I am jubilant over it. Wont Philip enjoy it.
*(kansasmemory.org, Kansas State Historical Society, copy and reuse restrictions apply)
Cornelia H., age 25, North Carolina
May 27, 1862
I did not get ready for breakfast as Mr. Henry did not wake me. I have not done much today. Sewed some on Pinck’s coat, got it ready for the trimming (velvet when I get it). Took a nap after dinner & my head aches a little since. Zona & I went with Mr. Henry down to where he is making fence above E. P. Night’s. He is fixing a pasture there for some sows. That was before dinner. He came back with us after he laid up a good many rails & dinner was nearly ready. I got some raddishes & we eat some before dinner. They are very nice now. I feed my little chickens every day twice. We have some 60 or 70 & three little ducks & two others setting so perhaps we will have more soon. We have some 18 turkeys, young ones. I am sitting on the back piazza steps writing at the pantry door. The kitten is playing around me. Pinck off with his Papa. Zona at the branch as Fannie is washing since dinner & Willie, my pet, is up with Atheline at Mama’s house. She is spinning cotton for the negro’s clothes & has been sometime. The sun is getting low & I must begin to take in the wool. This has been a beautiful day.
*(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 27, 1668
At the office all the morning, dined at home, Mr. Hollier with me. Presented this day by Mr. Browne with a book of drawing by him, lately printed, which cost me 20s. to him. In the afternoon to the Temple, to meet with Auditor Aldworth about my interest account, but failed meeting him. To visit my cozen Creed, and found her ill at home, being with child, and looks poorly. Thence to her husband, at Gresham College, upon some occasions of Tangier; and so home, with Sir John Bankes with me, to Mark Lane.
*(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.)