May 29
Laura M., age 16, North Carolina
May 29, 1998
Didn’t see Sean all day, but he called me at Ash’s. Chrissi and Née hung out there, 2. Me and Ash had dinner with Dad at the pool. Went 2 Née’s and then 2 Casey’s :) baseball game. He pitched. CUTE! :) Went 2 see “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.” (Les came, 2.) SUCKED. Took Née and Les 2 Née’s. Went 2 Ash’s. Showered. Talked 2 Casey on the phone. Uh-oh.
Laura M., age 15, North Carolina
May 29, 1997
Pretty shitty day. I felt totally fat, and totally pimple-fied. I hate feeling so bad! And Renee is so gorgeous and perfect it’s frustrating. Em picked me, Zach, and Renee up. Came home and talked to Courtney and Karen. Watched story. Slept some. Eddie picked me up. Went to grocery store. Watched T.V. “Friends” with spaghetti. Key Lime Pie with “Seinfeld.” Sean called. Came home. Talked to Ashley. Worked on Algebra.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
May 29, 1960
Up at 6:00, had breakfast. Doc had coffee and a cookie. Geo. ate and went. We up to cemetery with boxes. Came back. Lo made sandwiches and I coffee. Went to Carrie’s and took her to cemetery to see graves. Then the girls and we went to the sale. Were gone all day. The rain ruined the sale to some extent. Got home at six. Lo to office, later we went to cabin and stayed all nite.
Marcy S., age 19, Missouri
May 29, 1944
Nice morn but hot. Went down to the dairy for shorthand. I sat with Marian and 2 other kids. We had orangeade. Had fun. In Eng. Lit. Mr. Miller told us our exam grades. I made 18 which is H and Betty made an S, I think. My semester grade is an H!!!! Had last voice lesson at 10. Practiced at 11. Very good lunch — because parents are here! Mary Lou’s mother ate with us. She’s very nice. I wrote Mrs. Geasland at siesta. It clouded up. Last piano lesson at 2. Miss GS gave me a little lecture on not letting people walk all over me, etc. She feels I’ve advanced a great deal in piano this year as well as in other ways. I gave her a little gift of 2 sweet finger towels. I told her I’d see her again before I left. I nearly broke down but not quite. Back to hall and Betty and I got ready to go to town. Connie came by and wanted us to help her carry some stuff to town. Just as we set out it started to rain and just poured. Of course we’d sent our raincoats and umbrellas home and so got soaked by the time we reached town. I carried Connie’s radio and she and Betty carried the typewriter. We left the latter at a shop to be packed and then parted from Connie. It stopped raining but we looked like drowned rats. Did some shopping. I began to feel cold so went home ahead of Betty and curled my hair. She came soon. Jane came in. Mary Jo’s aunt and 2 brothers are coming this afternoon. About 4 Betty and I went up to see Miss Stanton. She was in her office. Betty Postel was there at first but left in a few minutes. We talked about the U. of Wash. and different things. Mr. Berry came by and stuck his head in. He’s so funny! We left about 5 and the sun was shining and the sky clearing. Lovely. We went to town for a few things (Betty bought a song book) and then stopped at the dairy for a soda. Had taken out dinner permission. Back about 6. Got ready to go to the show. Left about 7. Went to the Missouri, sat in balcony and saw Margaret Sullivan and Ann Southern in “Cry Havoc” about the nurses on Corregidor (I think). Well, it certainly wasn’t a pleasant picture and Betty and I came out feeling at the bottom of the well. At least I did. I don’t know whether I was mad or rebellious or what but we didn’t talk much. Very depressing. [In upper margin: “Mary borrowed my activity ticket to see the ‘Winter’s Tale’ tonight.”] Back to hall. Mary Jo’s aunt and brothers and Jane’s mother were in their room. I kept peeking through the keyhole to get a glimpse of the boys. Oh yes — when we first got back and washed some clothes and then Betty and I went into their room in our slips and were talking when Pat, M.J.’s younger brother, came busting in — well, Betty and I flew and the little fellow nearly died laughing. Mrs. Norris came in and just about had hysterics. Then I started peeking through the keyhole and was in the act once when Neen burst in and knocked me over backwards into Betty’s suitcase. We did have hysterics then. Mary Jo came in and persuaded us to get dressed and come in and meet her brothers. So we took the bull by the horns and did. Eghert, the older one, is over 6 feet and looks like a lumber jack. Neen’s mother was there and soon Eleanor and her parents came and Doris Dickson. Oh, we had quite a gathering. The hall was giving a tea for the parents and Mrs. Norris said she’d be our mother so we went out with her and had lunch and cookies. Parents everywhere. It had started to rain again. Jane took her mother to the car. We went to bed. Only 2 more nights — boo hoo! [In upper margin: “The pearls from Mom and Dad came today with orders not to open till Wednesday.”]
Marcy S., age 16, Tennessee
May 29, 1941
Hot, clouds, no rain. Latin exam at 8:00. Short and easy. Through before but couldn’t leave till 9:00. Marg. Louie walked partway with me. I practiced. Mom and I celebrated school’s being out. Slept after dinner. Got up and read part of “Soul of Ann Rutledge” for last time. Felt rather queer and empty. Want to believe! Very cloudy. Looked like rain. Prayed hard for it. Did dishes and took bath. Then went up to Helen’s. Waited for Barbey to get dressed and then we went to town. Got “Show Boat” at library. Stopped at Ruth’s on way home. (P.S. Vegetables burnt at noon. Mom very irritable.) I gave Barb [?] fourteen [?]. Read book till suppertime. George left for Nashville with Mr. Tomilson about 5:00. Will be gone till Sunday.
Aloys F., age 16, County Cork, Ireland
May 29, 1926
Last night Mam and I were talking about poor old Scully. He is a terrible loss to us. If he were here we would all have had many an enjoyable and delightful evening. The stories of his conjuring tricks, his pranks, his jokes, his never-failing store of sources of amusement, and his kindheartedness are endless. This is, of course, all apart from his painting qualities. He is such a character as Addison or Dickens would delight in, but now he has gone over to England, and he is probably lost for ever. – Was in a mess to-day, because Dr. Scannell is putting on the Irish exam for to-morrow, and the rest for all day on Tues. and Wed. Apart from having to put off Arthur’s and my intended trip to Fountainstown to-morrow, I am in a pickle as to how when and what to study for the exams. – In speaking about Maynooth and Rome, Scannie said it is possible that two in our class, if they pass Matric., may get to the new Irish College this year! – Col. Brase was supposed to come to us to-day on his return from Locarno and the Crown Prince, but he couldn’t, as the liner was late. Got 3 great Maltese self-government stamps from Margherita to-day, one worth 8/6, one 3/6 and one 3d!
*(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 29, 1888
It has been a very fine day. Uncle John and aunt Ann were here today, and we put out plants on the graves. Mrs. Ball came up this morning and spent the day with Kate. Pa, Willie, and uncle John went to the last fishing this afternoon. They had some luck. I finished fractions in reviewing arithmetic. I thinned some of the young onions this afternoon. Sent another letter to ma today.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Henry S., age 25, Michigan
May 29, 1887
I arose at a little after 5 o’clock this morning, got my breakfast, took care of Jimmie, swept out, took a good wash, shaved, and dressed up to church with Fred Neill. We stayed to Sunday school too. It was real warm during the middle of the day. I took dinner at Neill’s, then went out to Fred’s farm with him. It began to rain just as we got back to my house and Fred came in and stayed until evening and I went home with him to lunch. It is giving us a real good rain now. I came back to sleep at home and care for things, caught another mouse today. I hope Kate and baby will be here in a week.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Abbie B., age 22, Kansas
May 29, 1871
Keeping house at last; moved last week. The cabin is back from the river, with big cottonwoods trees in front. The wind in the tree tops keeps up a constant sing-song. The cabin is 12 by 12 feet, with a fireplace made of sticks daubed with mud. My bed is a curious affair. Sticks with crotches are driven in the ground, and then limbs laid acrost, and resting at the head on one of the logs of the house. Then poles are put acrost, and the tick, and so my bed is fashioned.
Along one side I have stretched the double blanket, shawl, and the single shawl acrost the end. It is very nice, but a warm place to sleep. Cook in the fireplace. Have a dutch oven, a skilet, teaketle, and coffeepot. When Philip batched, he had a kettle in which was water and flour, hanging up out side the house, when he wanted biscuits, he poured of the sour water. Now we have yeast bread, and dont need anything of the kind.
Mrs. Lane told me how to make pie out of sorrel leaves—or wild oxalis. The kind that has a purple flower. I could not find any, and as the crust was made, I patted it flat, and made a crumb pie, which I knew Philip would like.
*(kansasmemory.org, Kansas State Historical Society, copy and reuse restrictions apply)
Cornelia H., age 26, North Carolina
May 29, 1863
Mail brought no news more than we have heard. I received a letter from Mollie Henry last Monday. She seemed very desponding about Jimmie. She is devoted to him. I cut Zona & Willie a dress of the homespun today, got Zona’s done & sewed some on Willie’s. Her’s fits beautifully. She is delighted with it. I trimmed it with buttons. The sleeves & front, the waist & sleeves are all together. Rain & sunshine alternately today. Mr. Henry went to Asheville today. He came home in the evening very wet. We had a very heavy rain this evening. He got 41 lbs. of sugar & at 1.50 pr. lb., not very nice at that. Mr. Miller left this morning for home.
*(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
May 29, 1862
I took a long walk with Mr. Henry. Went through the wheat & came back by the Guy house. There we got some french pinks & set out in the flower yard. We also got some honey suckels & sweet williams (wild) for the vases & Mr. Henry got some ivey after. We came back from somewhere. It was quite a pleasant tramp to me. After dinner I cut out Fannie a worsted dress & made the sleeves & sewed some on the waist. She wants it to wear Saturday night to Jim Moore’s wedding. Bets McKinnish & girl & child staid all night. Will finish the wool by tomorrow at dinner. We have several work hands now. A boy by the name of Jones is plowing. Branton & Night at the mill dam.
*(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 29, 1668
The King’s birth-day. To White Hall, where all very gay; and particularly the Prince of Tuscany very fine, and is the first day of his appearing out of mourning, since he come. I heard the Bishop of Peterborough preach but dully; but a good anthem of Pelham’s. Home to dinner, and then with my wife to Hyde Park, where all the evening; great store of company, and great preparations by the Prince of Tuscany to celebrate the night with fire-works, for the King’s birth-day. And so home.
*(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.)