October 23
Laura M., age 15, North Carolina
October 23, 1997
Felt trippy 2nd period. Leslie cracked me up. (Razberries and cream.) :) Pat gave me his picture with intense poem on the back. Sandra took me to work. (Jenn and Brooke.) Courtney came there and saw me. Made my day. Eddie picked me up and I changed at home. Went 2 his house and did homework. We ordered pizza. He picked up Teddy and came back. Came home. Ashley.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
October 23, 1960
Such a windy cold day. Up quite early. Waited for Geo but late coming. Lo hurriedly made trip to cabin and back before taking Carrie to S.S. G and B came later had eaten with boys and Alb. and Jim. Then the 3 took the 8 o’clock for City. Milwaukee folks came about 11:00. We left soon for cabin didn’t get home until nearly 10:00.
Marcy S., age 14, Tennessee
October 23, 1938
Mild but dull and cloudy. Got up late. Breakfast and dressed. Mrs. McClure’s birthday. I took a gift over to her but she had gone. I left it. Daddy, Mother and I drove to Sunday school. Stayed for church. I walked home with M. and D. drove some older people. I washed the dishes and then ate dinner. Read the funnies and cleaned up my bedroom. Went outside for a few mins. with Helen. She read the funnies. Jim came for a few mins. but left. When Helen went to Mission I went in and practiced. Mother washed the dishes and I dried them. Then I sat in the car and read till Helen got back (3:15). Then (Mother and Daddy were asleep) H. and I walked down on Morgan St., as usual and up to the church. We had a pretty good C.E. meeting due to the fact that Jim and Edward didn’t arrive till it was nearly over. Charles and June weren’t there. Nearly dark when we got out. Betty, Naomi, Marie, Helen and I walked most of the way home together. Mrs. McClure was over visiting Mother. Daddy still asleep. Mrs. M. left. I read. D. got up. After supper I listened to part of Charlie McCarthy. Too much static. Washed dishes. From 8:00 to 8:30 I read. To bed.
Henry S., age 26, Michigan
October 23, 1887
We woke up this morning to find the ground covered with snow. It has been snowing and raining about all day. I thought the snow was all going off tonight but the wind is in the north and seems to be growing cold. I hope it is not going to freeze up just yet. Neither of us went to church on account of the storm. I was over at Neill’s a little while this afternoon.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Abbie B., age 22, Kansas
October 23, 1871
Two letters from home. Yesterday I was not well, and P got dinner, and a nice one it was. This a.m. my head was all right—so I washed. Flocks of wild geese along the river. The air is so still at times, one hears a long distance. Heard some one sing, but did not see the singer. It was pleasant to listen.
*(kansasmemory.org, Kansas State Historical Society, copy and reuse restrictions apply)
Cornelia H., age 26, North Carolina
October 23, 1862
Mr. Henry says he feels a good deal better this morning as he sweated very freely last night. He took some sulphur. He is salivated slightly & his teeth are sore. Jinnie & I scoured my room & she scoured the back & front piazza, also the dining room. Mr. Henry & I took a short walk this evening, went nearly to the mill. He did not complain of fatigue when we came back. The children were at the mill. They came back with us. Willie was there also.
*(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
October 23, 1667
Up, and Sir W. Pen and I in his coach to White Hall, there to attend the Duke of York; but come a little too late, and so missed it: only spoke with him, and heard him correct my Lord Barkeley, who fell foul on Sir Edward Spragg, who, it seems, said yesterday to the House, that if the Officers of the Ordnance had done as much work at Shereness in ten weeks as “The Prince” did in ten days, he could have defended the place against the Dutch: but the Duke of York told him that every body must have liberty, at this time, to make their own defence, though it be to the charging of the fault upon any other, so it be true; so I perceive the whole world is at work in blaming one another. Thence Sir W. Pen and I back into London; and there saw the King, with his kettle-drums and trumpets, going to the Exchange, to lay the first stone of the first pillar of the new building of the Exchange; which, the gates being shut, I could not get in to see: but, with Sir W. Pen, to Captain Cocke’s to drink a dram of brandy, and so he to the Treasury office about Sir G. Carteret’s accounts, and I took coach and back again toward Westminster; but in my way stopped at the Exchange, and got in, the King being newly gone; and there find the bottom of the first pillar laid. And here was a shed set up, and hung with tapestry, and a canopy of state, and some good victuals and wine, for the King, who, it seems, did it; and so a great many people, as Tom Killigrew, and others of the Court there, and there I did eat a mouthful and drink a little, and do find Mr. Gawden in his gowne as Sheriffe, and understand that the King hath this morning knighted him upon the place, which I am mightily pleased with; and I think the other Sheriffe, who is Davis, the little fellow, my schoolfellow, — the bookseller, who was one of Audley’s Executors, and now become Sheriffe; which is a strange turn, methinks. Here mighty merry (there being a good deal of good company) for a quarter of an hour, and so I away and to Westminster Hall, where I come just as the House rose; and there, in the Hall, met with Sir W. Coventry, who is in pain to defend himself in the business of tickets, it being said that the paying of the ships at Chatham by ticket was by his direction, and he hath wrote to me to find his letters, and shew them him, but I find none; but did there argue the case with him, and I think no great blame can be laid on us for that matter, only I see he is fearfull. And he tells me his mistake in the House the other day, which occasions him much trouble, in shewing of the House the Duke of Albemarle’s letter about the good condition of Chatham, which he is sorry for, and, owns as a mistake, the thing not being necessary to have been done; and confesses that nobody can escape from such error, some times or other. He says the House was well satisfied with my Report yesterday; and so several others told me in the Hall that my Report was very good and satisfactory, and that I have got advantage by it in the House: I pray God it may prove so! And here, after the Hall pretty empty, I did walk a few turns with Commissioner Pett, and did give the poor weak man some advice for his advantage how to better his pleading for himself, which I think he will if he can remember and practise, for I would not have the man suffer what he do not deserve, there being enough of what he do deserve to lie upon him. Thence to Mrs. Martin’s, and there staid till two o’clock, and drank and talked, and did give her 3l. to buy my goddaughter her first new gowne … and so away homeward, and in my way met Sir W. Pen in Cheapside, and went into his coach, and back again and to the King’s playhouse, and there saw “The Black Prince” again: which is now mightily bettered by that long letter being printed, and so delivered to every body at their going in, and some short reference made to it in heart in the play, which do mighty well; but, when all is done, I think it the worst play of my Lord Orrery’s. But here, to my great satisfaction, I did see my Lord Hinchingbroke and his mistress, with her father and mother; and I am mightily pleased with the young lady, being handsome enough — and, indeed, to my great liking, as I would have her. I could not but look upon them all the play; being exceeding pleased with my good hap to see them, God bring them together! and they are now already mighty kind to one another, and he is as it were one of their family. The play done I home, and to the office a while, and then home to supper, very hungry, and then to my chamber, to read the true story, in Speed, of the Black Prince, and so 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.)