October 31
Laura M., age 15, North Carolina
October 31, 1997
Good day at school — pep rally at 6th period. Sandra bitched at me on the way 2 work about wanting to go 2 Renée’s. Worked with Meri and Noelle. It was fun, but Dad made me cry ’cause of the Renée thing. He hung up on me! Spent night with Renée, anyway. Zach, Tarik, Sol, Joe, and this guy Scott. Sean came, 2.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
October 31, 1960
Such a gloomy day and rained on porch. Jim and G.B. came for breakfast. D. up too as well as Lo. All ate. Later went to Carries. Took Dwight to Cary to catch train for city.
Marcy S., age 14, Tennessee
October 31, 1938
Practiced. Went to chapel. Beta Club program. Usual classes. Sewed. Home for dinner. Begged Mother to let me go to town tonight with Elma and Mary. I even cried but all to no avail. Walked back with Helen and Betty S. Mad. Usual classes. At 3:00 took my lesson from Mrs. Moore. About 4:00 got home. Had to go to town. Met Helen and Betty Turpin at Pres. Church. Went with them. 10-cent stores and library and Cate’s. Got a pattern and goods. Nearly lost check in library. Saw Elma (and Arthur) there. Walked as far as Dr. Neerguard’s with H. and B. And then on to Mrs. Moore’s with some pictures. When I got home I studied. Helen came down and borrowed my sleeping beauty costume. About 6:30 we ate supper. Daddy ’phoned to say he couldn’t be in till late because of a fire. I dressed up and M. and I walked down to the church. I went around with Ella. Had a pretty good time. Played games. Baby pictures to guess. Home about 10:00. Mr. and Mrs. Moore drove us home. Daddy came. Went out again and he got back at 3:30 a.m. Warm day.
Henry S., age 26, Michigan
October 31, 1887
We got up early this morning, and Kate went at her washing and I put down some thresholds to the inside doors and fixed some in the kitchen. Went up town and got our new stove and pipe to put it up. This afternoon we moved the cook stove out into the kitchen, put down our carpet and set up the new stove. Every-thing goes well so far. I went for the mail tonight and to get more stove pipe so we could build a fire in the new stove. We feel pretty tired.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Abbie B., age 22, Kansas
October 31, 1871
The last of the month. As soon as the plowing is done we will go to Augusta and prove up. It is cold and stormy. Yesterday it rained all day. The rain froze on the grass. I baked and had a slow time. The geese are fat, stewed one, it is very nice. I am alone to day, just had dinner— baked a little corn bread in the skillet. Am seated by the fire, writing on my lap.
*(kansasmemory.org, Kansas State Historical Society, copy and reuse restrictions apply)
Cornelia H., age 26, North Carolina
October 31, 1862
I had neuralgea in my jaw last night. I sit up before the fire from three till four o’clock & this morning it is not near easy. Mail was late coming. We got no letters & but little mail matter & Mr. Henry brought it yesterday. I have done nothing today. I took a nap before dinner & my teeth & jaw are nearly easy. Mr. Henry & I went to the mill this evening. He has taken a long nap since dinner. Wiley Night is at work on our sugar or rather molasses mill, says he will get it done sometime next week. Tom Hendrix was at the mill considerably excited on whiskey. He don’t like the idea of having to go to war as the conscripts are called out from 18 to 40. I think Mr. Henry will be exempted as a miller. I do hope he may.
*(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 31, 1667
Up, and all the morning at the office, and at noon Mr. Creed and Yeabsly dined with me (my wife gone to dine with Mrs. Pierce and see a play with her), and after dinner in comes Mr. Turner, of Eynsbury, lately come to town, and also after him Captain Hill of the “Coventry,” who lost her at Barbadoes, and is come out of France, where he hath been long prisoner. After a great deal of mixed discourse, and then Mr. Turner and I alone a little in my closet, talking about my Lord Sandwich (who I hear is now ordered by the King to come home again), we all parted, and I by water, calling at Michell’s, and saw and once kissed su wife, but I do think that he is jealous of her, and so she dares not stand out of his sight; so could not do more, but away by water to the Temple, and there, after spending a little time in my bookseller’s shop, I to Westminster; and there at the lobby do hear by Commissioner Pett, to my great amazement, that he is in worse condition than before, by the coming in of the Duke of Albemarle’s and Prince Rupert’s Narratives’ this day; wherein the former do most severely lay matters upon him, so as the House this day have, I think, ordered him to the Tower again, or something like it; so that the poor man is likely to be overthrown, I doubt, right or wrong, so infinite fond they are of any thing the Duke of Albemarle says or writes to them! I did then go down, and there met with Colonel Reames and cozen Roger Pepys; and there they do tell me how the Duke of Albemarle and the Prince have laid blame on a great many, and particularly on our Office in general; and particularly for want of provision, wherein I shall come to be questioned again in that business myself; which do trouble me. But my cozen Pepys and I had much discourse alone: and he do bewail the constitution of this House, and says there is a direct caball and faction, as much as is possible between those for and those against the Chancellor, and so in other factions, that there is nothing almost done honestly and with integrity; only some few, he says, there are, that do keep out of all plots and combinations, and when their time comes will speak and see right done, if possible; and that he himself is looked upon to be a man that will be of no faction, and so they do shun to make him; and I am glad of it. He tells me that he thanks God he never knew what it was to be tempted to be a knave in his life; till he did come into the House of Commons, where there is nothing done but by passion, and faction, and private interest. Reames did tell me of a fellow last night (one Kelsy, a commander of a fire-ship, who complained for want of his money paid him) did say that he did see one of the Commissioners of the Navy bring in three waggon-loads of prize-goods into Greenwich one night; but that the House did take no notice of it, nor enquire; but this is me, and I must expect to be called to account, and answer what I did as well as I can. So thence away home, and in Holborne, going round, it being dark, I espied Sir D. Gawden’s coach, and so went out of mine into his; and there had opportunity to talk of the business of victuals, which the Duke of Albemarle and Prince did complain that they were in want of the last year: but we do conclude we shall be able to show quite the contrary of that; only it troubles me that we must come to contend with these great persons, which will overrun us. So with some disquiet in my mind on this account I home, and there comes Mr. Yeabsly, and he and I to even some accounts, wherein I shall be a gainer about 200l., which is a seasonable profit, for I have got nothing a great while; and he being gone, I 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.)