September 23
Mark S., age 42, North Carolina
September 23, 1995
Up ~ 6:30. To Raleigh Racket Club with Sandra for indoor tennis clinic (more ragging enroute re Emily using tent, wanting to live off-campus, etc. ("I'm sure whatever Princess Emily wants you'll give her")). To Paradigm after tennis clinic => home. Ironed clothes. *To Tarboro with Sandra, Rebecca, and Sarah (copied "Pattie Ann" story enroute). Picked Mom and Wendy up at Mom and Dad's => to Sister Mary Ann's house for Patty Simpson Appreciation lunch; talked to Miss Putnam, Mrs. Heidenreich, Myrtle Wickham, etc. Tearful, very emotional program for Mom (~ 40 attendees); Wendy and I (and others) got up and spoke about Mom. Talked to Mary Ann Holderness (Rusty's wife), Sister Mary Anne, Mr. Coggins, etc.; reporter from Daily Southerner there and took pictures. Crystal (six-year-old living with her mom at Sister Mary Ann's (her house also a shelter for abused women)) came back to Mom and Dad's with us to play with Rebecca. Sandra took Rebecca and Crystal shopping => bought them new clothes and shoes. Played Canasta and Spades with Mom, Wendy, and Sarah; newspaper. Talked to Dad. T.V. football = U. Va. > Clemson. Spades with Sarah vs. Mom & Wendy. T.V. football = U.T. > Miss. St. To Subway with Sarah & Rebecca after taking Crystal back to Sister Mary Ann's => "home" (Sarah read latest chapter in Dad's memoirs to me). Supper = subs. Mom opened letters from all of us (me, E & S, Reb., Wendy, & Eric) => more tears, hugs. "Bye" to Mom & Dad & Wendy ~ 8:00 => drove home with S & R & Sarah. T.V. football = Penn. St. > Rutgers. Read in "The Prince of Tides.” Journal, "Sports Center" in bed; Sandra ill re being woken up.
Laura M., age 15, North Carolina
September 23, 1997
Tried 2 talk 2 Chris after 3rd, but Corin walked by when I was talking and he just walked away with her. I’m tired of writing about him and his B.S. Sandra picked me up and I worked with Mark and Bryan until 5:30. Came home and did homework and story. Ate and watched “Mad About you” with homework. Talked 2 Ashley about the pain Chris is bringing me and not just the anger.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
September 23, 1960
Lo coming home early as we had planned to go to town and purchase a mattress, no key for the apt. yet so decided to look at Flora’s not bad. Carrie afraid she wouldn’t get this one near us and disappointed.
Marcy S., age 14, Tennessee
September 23, 1938
Practiced. Warm. As I was leaving for school I discovered I had brought Mary’s Latin book home with me by mistake. I had carried it for her yesterday. When I got to school I tried to find someone who had gotten their Algebra but no one seemed to have. Elma didn’t know, either. When Mary came she had to copy my Latin paper and she didn’t have her A. either. We had a pep meeting in chapel. Mr. Johnson came again. We then had usual classes. In Home Ec. I copied Bobby’s graph and Mary copied Anne’s. Mr. Ballard was out of the room quite a bit in A. class and I couldn’t get the graph we had to do in class. At noon I got some hateful pimples out and my face looked (as usual) a mess. Talked to Mary. Missed 2 English definitions. Got out at 2:20. Mary and I sat together at the football game. Harriman and Knox High. We sat behind Sterling (Squirt) Turner and a certain Bobby Morris who Helen and Betty Turpin have fallen for. Jim sat near with Ella, who told me later she was lucky. Bobby got friendly with Mary and asked her last name and telephone no. and finally sat by her. We all teased Mary. Dot Jones made her put her arms around B and she got mad and slapped Dot. She (Mary) bought herself and me some pop. Harriman won the ball game 6 to 0. Mary walked to the auditorium corner with me and across the street. (4:30) I told her I was going to put that in the Hi Lite (our school paper) about she and B.M. and she got angry. Finally we left each other kind of mad. I hope she isn’t really though because if I lost Mary that would be terrible. I guess I was mean but I won’t put it in the Hi Lite. Helen and Allan were playing football, when I got home and Mother had gone to Mrs. Whittacker’s. H. and I walked up to the corner and I told her about B. and M. We came back and George and another boy were playing football, too. I changed my dress but when H. had to go I read till Mother came with our new dresses and M.’s new hat. Kinda “gone with the wind” style. We tried on our new dresses and then I washed and curled my hair. Daddy came and after supper we listened to “The March of Time” on the radio and Hitler has demanded that Czecksolavokia [sic] hand over part of their country. Britain and France won’t fight yet. Blast Hitler! Made and painted a birthday card for Mary. Mother and Daddy went to the Coleman’s and George stayed with me. Practiced and then to bed when M. and D. came home. There will probably be war soon.
Henry S., age 26, Michigan
September 23, 1887
Was sick all last night and could eat no breakfast this morning. We got under way at 7 o’clock and reached Benzonia at 11 feeling pretty well chilled. I have done nothing today. Found Kate and baby about as usual. I can’t say this trip has been very profitable in all ways but the experience may be worth a good deal.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Cornelia H., age 26, North Carolina
September 23, 1862
Finished the napkins today. Willie’s bowels getting a little better. The others well. Mr. Henry went to Asheville today as the mail carrier told us last night that there had been some hard fighting at Harpers Ferry. Our forces have taken it with terrible loss on both sides. The conscript bill has passed one house of congress. If it should pass both houses it will nearly ruin this country as there are so many poor men with large families of that age.
*(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 35, London
September 23, 1668
At my office busy all the morning. At noon comes Mr. Evelyn to me, about some business with the Office, and there in discourse tells me of his loss, to the value of 500l., which he hath met with, in a late attempt of making of bricks1 upon an adventure with others, by which he presumed to have got a great deal of money: so that I see the most ingenious men may sometimes be mistaken. So to the ’Change a little, and then home to dinner, and then by water to White Hall, to attend the Commissioners of the Treasury with Alderman Backewell, about 10,000l. he is to lend us for Tangier, and then up to a Committee of the Council, where was the Duke of York, and they did give us, the Officers of the Navy, the proposals of the several bidders for the victualling of the Navy, for us to give our answer to, which is the best, and whether it be better to victual by commission or contract, and to bring them our answer by Friday afternoon, which is a great deal of work. So thence back with Sir J. Minnes home, and come after us Sir W. Pen and Lord Brouncker, and we fell to the business, and I late when they were gone to digest something of it, and so to supper and 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.)