May 7
Laura M., age 16, North Carolina
May 7, 1998
Wore my other pr. of shorts. Really liked them. Never saw Sean 2 give him the note. Took Née and Zach home. Ash came 2 my house till 4:00. Took her home. Watched story and did homework. Me and Eddie went 2 Los Tres. Walked around the lake. Bad weather after. LOUD. Homework and T.V. Good “Friends” [“The One With Ross’s Wedding”]. Talked 2 Ash.
Laura M., age 15, North Carolina
May 7, 1997
Gave note about my skipping class to Mom. Same old flirting with Chris. Still want him. Had a Bio test and got a 100%! Dad picked me up. Went to dermatologist — it’s Lyme’s. Damn. Went to Courtney’s to get a dress. Good to see her. Lauren W. was there, too! :) Me and Sandra went to Goodberry’s and grocery store. Had dinner. Did homework and nails. Showered. Talked to Karen. Rolled hair so I’ll look nice tomorrow.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
May 7, 1960
K.J. in bed until 12:30. Lo came and took us to cabin at 1:30. Cooney had kittens (dead). Miserable day had to broil steak inside. Had green beans, corn, browned potatoes, blueberry pie and coffee. Men didn’t stay long.
Marcy S., age 19, Missouri
May 7, 1944
Still cool and cloudy and blowy. To church at 12. Jane’s and Neen’s mothers are here and we were going to eat with them but mothers can’t eat in the dining room now so they didn’t come. Good dinner. Went to library in afternoon. It cleared a bit. Walked over with Dorothy Edwards. Read parts of “Soul of Ann Rutledge” and “Seventeen.” Back about 5. Wasn’t planning to go to supper but Val came down so I decided to go. Met Jane and her mother and Neen’s mother over at Senior. They asked us to eat with them. Mrs. Norris is so sweet — she and I walked back together and she told me about her days at Stephens. We went in Jane’s room and talked. Betty came in. About 8 Jane, Neen and their mothers went to town, Betty went swimming and I wrote letters.
Marcy S., age 16, Tennessee
May 7, 1941
Cloudy, rained, cleared in afternoon. Mild. Dad up at 4:30 and left. I dreamed about Allan. Shade up on one of my windows so I woke early. At 8:00 we of the Jr. Music Club got excused and went to Mary Lee’s room to have our picture taken. Had just given up hope when Joe Posey arrived and we posed on the front elementary steps. Back to classes. I made highest grade in room on English test. During typing class it rained hard but later cleared and was very beautiful. In study hall I read “Show Me a Land.” Good. Mary called last period and hinted that she wanted me to come down tomorrow and she’d give me a mysterious “something.” I felt grand after school. The world was so glorious after the rain. I’m so glad it rained -- we did need it. I called Mary again when I got home and again she started to say what she was going to Sunday, but thought better of it and didn’t. Mom and I discussed Stephens College and I was in very high spirits. Practiced till after 4:30. Then I went over to Clure’s to borrow a tray. A Mr. Tomilson (or something) who stays at Clure’s said he enjoyed my playing. I played with Barbara awhile and then about 5:00 left with drink and sandwiches for park. George told Mr. Tomilson some jokes on me. Harvey was with George. Miss Catrell chaperoned the picnic. Poor Mary Lee was sick. I sat with Marg. Louie, Ruth and Roberta. Fun. Played a game. Sky so lovely. Life grand. Betty Turpin went with me to play a piece. At night I read the book. Daddy away. Fun today. Don’t mind practicing so much now.
Henry S., age 26, Michigan
May 7, 1888
I visited with Ralph this forenoon and took him to the train at Delhi. This afternoon pa took a load of wheat off and uncle Robert and I worked at cleaning wheat. It has threatened to rain a good deal.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Henry S., age 24, Michigan
May 7, 1886
I got up this morning at 5 o’clock and sowed clover seed. Kate and I set out 54 plum trees today. I felt very tired at noon. I got a P.O. order from pa for $100 to buy a horse with. Fred Waters is staying here tonight.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Cornelia H., age 26, North Carolina
May 7, 1863
We arranged the room upstairs for Harrie today. Put up another bedstead (single one). We got the single bedstead from J. Green’s two or three weeks ago. We put the single bedstead that was in my room in the side room & took the corded stead out as it was too large for the size of the room. Matt & Betsey will stay in there when Betsey comes.
*(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 7, 1862
Frost this morning but nipped nothing. I finished Willie’s dress & began one for Zona of pink calico, some of my old dress. Hanes dropping peas, began planting corn today. I am attending to Willie myself. He goes where he pleases & when he pleases. Pinck gone with Mr. Henry. They burried the old man in an undressed box, had not time to make a coffin as he was so decayed. They think he has been dead 2 weeks yesterday as he passed Sandy Bottom that day. Sam Green saw him & says he seemed very feeble. The creek was up at that time. Fannie took some dinner over to the Willis Grave yard for Mr. Henry & Pinck about 3 o’clock. Frost this morning.
*(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 36, London
May 7, 1669
Up, and by coach to W. Coventry’s; and there to talk with him a great deal with great content; and so to the Duke of York, having a great mind to speak to him about Tangier; but, when I come to it, his interest for my Lord Middleton is such that I dare not. So to the Treasury chamber, and then walked home round by the Excise Office, having by private vows last night in prayer to God Almighty cleared my mind for the present of the thoughts of going to Deb. at Greenwich, which I did long after. I passed by Guildhall, which is almost finished, and saw a poor labourer carried by, I think, dead with a fall, as many there are, I hear. So home to dinner, and then to the office a little, and so to see my Lord Brouncker, who is a little ill of the gout; and there Madam Williams told me that she heard that my wife was going into France this year, which I did not deny, if I can get time, and I pray God I may. But I wondering how she come to know it, she tells me a woman that my wife spoke to for a maid, did tell her so, and that a lady that desires to go thither would be glad to go in her company. Thence with my wife abroad, with our coach, most pleasant weather; and to Hackney, and into the marshes, where I never was before, and thence round about to Old Ford and Bow; and coming through the latter home, there being some young gentlewomen at a door, and I seeming not to know who they were, my wife’s jealousy told me presently that I knew well enough it was that damned place where Deb. dwelt, which made me swear very angrily that it was false, as it was, and I carried [her] back again to see the place, and it proved not so, so I continued out of humour a good while at it, she being willing to be friends, so I was by and by, saying no more of it. So home, and there met with a letter from Captain Silas Taylor, and, with it, his written copy of a play that he hath wrote, and intends to have acted. — It is called “The Serenade, or Disappointment,” which I will read, not believing he can make any good of that kind. He did once offer to show Harris it, but Harris told him that he would judge by one Act whether it were good or no, which is indeed a foolish saying, and we see them out themselves in the choice of a play after they have read the whole, it being sometimes found not fit to act above three times; nay, and some that have been refused at one house is found a good one at the other. This made Taylor say he would not shew it him, but is angry, and hath carried it to the other house, and he thinks it will be acted there, though he tells me they are not yet agreed upon it. But I will find time to get it read to me, and I did get my wife to begin a little to-night in the garden, but not so much as I could make any judgment of it. So 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.)