October 27
Laura M., age 15, North Carolina
October 27, 1997
Good day. I wore my new shirt and got lots of compliments. Went 2 Renée’s with Zach. Mom came and we went thrift shopping. Got 2 new pants and a shirt. Yay. Did homework. Story. Had breakfast 4 dinner. Cleaned up room some. Did yoga and Mom watched. Ashley called and so did Renée.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
October 27, 1960
Still cloudy. Fixed back porch and while in the kitchen, woman came to front door — wanted me to go to breakfast. Woman’s club. Didn’t go. Too many things to do outside and in. Raked and picked up but no place for anything. Hope Jim will be available before too long. Washed small storms and windows on porch.
Marcy S., age 14, Tennessee
October 27, 1938
Nice day. Cool. [In left margin: “Good Latin.”] Talked to Mary and Elma before school started. No chapel. Usual classes. Not much Algebra. Home for dinner. Daddy not there. Brought all books home at noon. No lessons in afternoon. Read book. From 1:00 till 1:15 we went in chapel for a pep meeting. I stood with Mary. Went in other room for ‘Spanish study period.’ Finished book. Teacher let us look out the window at the Drill Team. At 2:20 we got out for the football game. Walked down there with Elma, Kat, Mary, and another girl. Elma and Kat wanted to stand or go on the other side of the field but M. and I didn’t so we separated. Helen sat with M. and I which was in front of Clay. He moved, though; poor Helen! Bobby didn’t sit near Mary this time. Thank goodness! Harriman played Madisonville and won the game about 37 to 6. Mary got kicked in the back and nearly got the breath knocked out of her. She was cold so I had to keep her warm. We stuck each other with pins. Elma stood on the other side of the field with Arthur Brewer (her latest) all during the game. M. and I sat by Jim, Ella and that crowd for awhile and talked with them a little after the game. Mary walked a little way with me. When I got home I practiced. Then I worked on a pattern. After supper I washed the dishes, read, then I got ready for bed. At 8:00 I listened to Major Bowes Program. Then to bed. Daddy not home.
Henry S., age 26, Michigan
October 27, 1887
It was a pleasant morning and Kate, Una and I drove up town to get the jar of butter that ma sent us, and so several other errands. We called at Dr. Taylor’s. I received a letter from Prof. Farley of Trenton, N.J. in which he praised my writing; I was much pleased to get encouraging words from so high a source. Worked on the cellar the remainder of the forenoon. Taught at the college this afternoon. Have been writing this evening. We sent 2 of Una’s pictures home today.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Cornelia H., age 26, North Carolina
October 27, 1862
Cold with wind from North. Fannie & Jinnie picking & breaking the black wool. The other hands getting fire wood. Mr. Henry at the mill nearly all day. He is about well, has a good appetite. I have bound my new quilt today with red. It looks very well. Mail brought no news, only a little fight at Pocataligo on the coast in S. C. Our forces drove the yanks to their boats. We lost some 20 killed & 60 wounded & missing. The yanks lost a great many more. I cut Mr. Henry five shirts this evening out of sheeting. In three of them I put bleached bosoms. Other two linen.
*(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 27, 1667
(Lord’s day). Up, and to my office, there, with W. Hewer, to dictate a long letter to the Duke of York, about the bad state of the office, it being a work I do think fit for the office to do, though it be to no purpose but for their vindication in these bad times; for I do now learn many things tending to our safety which I did not wholly forget before, but do find the fruits of, and would I had practised them more, as, among other things, to be sure to let our answers to orders bear date presently after their date, that we may be found quick in our execution. This did us great good the other day before the Parliament.
All the morning at this, at noon home to dinner, with my own family alone. After dinner, I down to Deptford, the first time that I went to look upon “The Maybolt,” which the King hath given me, and there she is; and I did meet with Mr. Uthwayte, who do tell me that there are new sails ordered to be delivered her, and a cable, which I did not speak of at all to him. So, thereupon, I told him I would not be my own hindrance so much as to take her into my custody before she had them, which was all I said to him, but desired him to take a strict inventory of her, that I might not be cheated by the master nor the company, when they come to understand that the vessel is gone away, which he hath promised me, and so away back again home, reading all the way the book of the collection of oaths in the several offices of this nation, which is worth a man’s reading, and so away home, and there my boy and I to sing, and at it all the evening, and to supper, 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.)