May 9
Laura M., age 16, North Carolina
May 9, 1998
Up at 11:00. Me, Les, Courtney, and Anna went 2 Melinda’s. Came home at 2:30 (Courtney’s neighbors bitched at me.) Me, Les, and cousins went to “City of Angels.” Took Les home. Ate. Went to Née’s (Les there). We met Justin and Scrubber at Subway. Played hide-and-seek. Née and Les had my car.
Laura M., age 15, North Carolina
May 9, 1997
Weird schedule today. 1, 2, 3, 6, 4, 5. I didn’t like it. I like to have 6th period last ’cause of that guy I want! I don’t like him — just physically drawn to him. Shit. Sandra picked me up and I had to go over there ’cause grounded. Took a nap. Went to Wake Med. and looked at babies. Talked to Karen about Chris and her Matt. Kathy and Bryan picked me up at 9:00. Watched story. Went to bed.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
May 9, 1960
Another miserable day. Rained off and on. Mrs. B. came over had coffee and toast. Fixed meat loaf and sc. pot. Mooney had 2 kittens (big) (didn’t live!). Lo shopped at noon also eve. at Piggley Wiggley. Went to see Carrie. Her cold bad.
Marcy S., age 19, Missouri
May 9, 1944
Beautiful day. Warmer. Got a letter at 100!! with 7 errors!! In history Mr. Carson assigned 11 chapters and dismissed class till next Tuesday. No philosophy this week either. Convocation in ballroom at 2. Went to take dictation at 5. Came back and found Bubbles and Jane trying to talk Betty into going to Sr. prom. Bubbles had a real “intellectual” date for her and it sounded swell. So I stuck my oar in and when Bubbles was about to give up, I said “She’ll go! Don’t worry!” So Bubbles went to call him up and Betty got mad and started crying and blew my head off. So I got mad too and caught Bubbles just in time to tell her Betty wouldn’t go. Then she blew up again because everyone tried to run her business. We didn’t go to dinner. I practiced awhile but was too upset to do much so went over to library and read. We didn’t talk much that evening but Jane sort of patched things up.
Marcy S., age 16, Tennessee
May 9, 1941
Windy. Beautiful, cooler. Too cool for Spring. No chapel -- dear Mrs. Cummins, Misses Davis and Alford and Hi-Lite staff went to Chattanooga today. Miss Goody had to keep the library third period so we went in with her and didn’t have any Latin lesson. She gave Marg. Louie and I an article in Reader’s Digest to read entitled “My Sister and I.” About the war. Most of the period I read “Show Me a Land” plus blue sky at noon. Silvery dark green trees waving in the wind. Last period Mary called and we made arrangements about Sunday and she said she’d give me the note tomorrow. Don’t believe it! I felt grand, looking forward to the weekend and the summer, etc. Dearest Mary! After school Helen and I took Barbie and went to town to get Mother’s Day gifts. Flags all over in honor of Bain Stewart. Barbie started saluting. So funny. Bought some ribbons to be used in a corsage Helen is going to make for Mom. Also bought two hand-engraved, hand-painted pins -- so quaint. Bought a gift one and one for Mother Lane. Barbie just wouldn’t be still -- once she lay right down on the floor and laughed. Going home I stepped on a worm and squealed when its inners spurted out. Barbie just laughed. Cute. Going home I couldn’t even walk on the walls for what she wanted to do the same. I was feeling very kittenish. Mrs. Gallaher was visiting Mom so I played with Barbie awhile and then practiced. At 7:00 Mom and Dad went to the Bain Stewart banquet. I took my book and went to George’s. Mr. Tomilson was there. George returned from the band [?] and we read jokes in a [?]. Fun. Mr. Tomilson said that it was just natural for the English not to catch onto jokes quickly and that it was no slam at me. Mom came about 9:30. Finished my book and read every magazine in Clures’ house. Fun tonight. Sorry I’ve finished the book.
Henry S., age 26, Michigan
May 9, 1888
I hitched up this forenoon and went over to father Queal’s and got Kate, Una and Nellie, and went to Dexter. Kate and I had our photos taken with Una between us. It threatened to rain a good deal after all. This afternoon I have been helping to clean up wheat. Mrs. Brough has been helping ma clean house today.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Henry S., age 24, Michigan
May 9, 1886
It was raining this morning so we did not go to church. I wrote a letter to pa. We went over to Neills and ate fish for dinner. We stayed a while in the afternoon and then came home.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Cornelia H., age 26, North Carolina
May 9, 1863
I fixed my hoop this evening. Made some flour sacks this morning. A bright, beautiful day. This is the most backward Spring ever known here. The trees are putting out a little now. Last Sunday the woods looked nearly like the dead of winter. They are putting forth very fast now. I lined Pinck’s straw hat yesterday. Mrs. Willey Knight made it. He got it last Sunday. Mrs. Bob Moore was here a short time this afternoon, wanted to see Mr. Henry on business. Mr. Cagle sent a horse for his wife yesterday by the mail boy. He is no better. He expects her today. I hope she will come. He is able to come down stairs yet. The whip o wills came & lit on the piazza Tuesday night & Wednesday night this week. I dislike to hear them very much about a house. Not that I am superstitious but they make such a plaintive wail. Aunt Patsey spent the day here today. She says Betsey will be here Monday. Old Jim & Bill Knight got home today with a load of bacon from Dr. Kilgore’s. They bought 151 pieces & 21 joles. They will go after the other next Tuesday.
*(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 9, 1862
Mail brought no news this morning & battle is expected at Corinth & another at Yorktown soon. I sewed on Zona’s dress. It is very tough sewing & dreadfull rotten. Warm & pleasant. Our garden is getting on slowly. The fly or something has destroyed all our cabbage plants.
*(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 9, 1669
(Lord’s day). Up; and, after dressing in my best suit with gold trimming, I to the Office, and there with Gibson and Tom finishing against to-morrow my notes upon Commanders’ Instructions; and, when church-time, to church with my wife, leaving them at work. Dr. Mills preached a dull sermon, and so we home to dinner; and thence by coach to St. Andrew’s, Holborne, thinking to have heard Dr. Stillingfleete preach, but we could not get a place, and so to St. Margaret’s, Westminster, and there heard a sermon, and did get a place, the first we have heard there these many years, and here at a distance I saw Betty Michell, but she is become much a plainer woman than she was a girl. Thence towards the Park, but too soon to go in, so went on to Knightsbridge, and there eat and drank at “The World’s End,” where we had good things, and then back to the Park, and there till night, being fine weather, and much company, and so home, and after supper to bed. This day I first left off both my waistcoats by day, and my waistcoat by night, it being very hot weather, so hot as to make me break out, here and there, in my hands, which vexes me to see, but is good for me.
*(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.)