November 25
Laura M., age 15, North Carolina
November 25, 1997
Good day. Dad picked me up after school 4 work with Meri and Jason. Came home and Mom said I couldn’t spend night with Courtney — hurt my feelings. Took a nap. Ate. Courtney came over here 2 spend the night. We went 2 Mike Thor’s and saw Liam. Went 2 Renée’s. She had a date with Luke. We saw them kissing! Home at 11:00.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
November 25, 1960
Not so tired as I had expected. Cleaned up. In P.M. washed. Bob came in P.M. and we went to Carrie’s. Bob’s sinus bad. He left for Chicago in late P.M.
Marcy S., age 14, Tennessee
November 25, 1938
I slept till 11:30. Terrible! Ate breakfast about 12:00. Then Mrs. Martin came over. I washed dishes and did some more odd jobs. Then took some books over for Allan, who is still sick, to read. Then more jobs and later I made paper dolls. Went out for a few minutes around 4:00 to talk to George. Miss Goodwin came over in her car and brought G. a present. I went up to Helen’s but she wasn’t home so I went back in the house. Wrote in diary. Had a little lunch with Mother. Wrote Margaret Loft. Daddy came and built a fire in the fire place. I washed and then read till Mary and William came for me around 7:00. We talked down to the chile [sic] supper a the Christian Church. Quite a lot there. Awfully cold outside but warmer in the church. After supper we played games till 10:00 when the party broke up. Had good time. M., W., and I went through town going back. Laughed and had fun. Coming up from the Pres. Church William and I teased Mary about scary things. Got her scared. Finally got home. Bed about about 11:00. Cold.
Henry S., age 26, Michigan
November 25, 1887
I did not work much this forenoon, took a rest on the rushing business I have been doing so long. It has not stormed any today, and has been thawing. I received a lot of pens, Indian Ink, and tray for grinding some in from H.W. Kibbe, tonight. Am pleased with them. Wrote a holiday greeting to Scott tonight as it will take the letter about 6 weeks to reach him he may not get it until too late.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Abbie B., age 22, Kansas
November 25, 1871
Have been helping Mrs. Lane all day. It is decided we go to Wichita tomorrow. Someone shot a deer—so we have deer stake.
*(kansasmemory.org, Kansas State Historical Society, copy and reuse restrictions apply)
Cornelia H., age 26, North Carolina
November 25, 1862
I made a little flannel today for Willie. Atheline mixing wool & Fannie doing the cooking. I cut out two other little skirts for Willie this evening, cotton ones. I took the children to the mill dam this evening to meet Mr. Henry. Waited till nearly dark. He will not come tonight. Hanes had Willie along too. Cold & cloudy today.
*(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 34, London
November 25, 1667
Up, and all the morning finishing my letter to Sir Robert Brookes, which I did with great content, and yet at noon when I come home to dinner I read it over again after it was sealed and delivered to the messenger, and read it to my clerks who dined with me, and there I did resolve upon some alteration, and caused it to be new writ, and so to the office after dinner, and there all the afternoon mighty busy, and at night did take coach thinking to have gone to Westminster, but it was mighty dark and foul, and my business not great, only to keep my eyes from reading by candle, being weary, but being gone part of my way I turned back, and so home, and there to read, and my wife to read to me out of Sir Robert Cotton’s book about warr, which is very fine, showing how the Kings of England have raised money by the people heretofore upon the people, and how they have played upon the kings also.
So after supper I to bed.
This morning Sir W. Pen tells me that the House was very hot on Saturday last upon the business of liberty of speech in the House, and damned the vote in the beginning of the Long Parliament against it; I so that he fears that there may be some bad thing which they have a mind to broach, which they dare not do without more security than they now have. God keep us, for things look mighty ill!
*(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.)