September 30
Laura M., age 15, North Carolina
September 30, 1997
Damnit. Things didn’t go as planned. Chris is still so pissed at me. WHY?! I will never understand him. But I’ll get him back (as my friend). I need him 2 take me places and make me laugh! Went home with Ashley after Chris gave me the worst look ever. Mom came at 5:30. I drove home. Studied. Ate. Phone rang and I said hello twice be4 they hung up. Hmmm…
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
September 30, 1960
Carrie expecting to move today don’t know what time. Lo came home after 9:00 said movers coming at 10:00. However 10:30 when they arrived. Lo cut linoleum in D.R. for kitchen in apt. Really had a workout. Lo and I stayed at apt. and Carrie stayed to wait for gas man to disconnect gas and stove there. Missed him. Fortunately he came to apt. and went back and did it and later came and connected plate so all set. Living room pretty good except little things. Carrie at it all day Sat. Lo worked Sat. so we didn’t do any unpacking.
Marcy S., age 14, Tennessee
September 30, 1938
“Did my head.” Practiced. Nice day, though cool. Walked to school with Arthur Burton. Went to chapel and had short pep-meeting. Usual classes. Algebra extra dull. Home at noon. Can’t go to football game because of cold. Mary has to go. Usual classes. Last period all of high-school that hadn’t gone to the game went down to Room 1 to “study.” But you couldn’t study because it was too crowded and Miss Davis (a new teacher) didn’t have any control over them. I sat with Elma. (P.S. Earlier in the afternoon Miss Goodwin got after me for bringing my movie book to school.) Miss D. made us stay in 10 mins. and I didn’t get home till 15 to 4:00. [In upper margin: “P.S. In Eng. class we had a book review. The first of 8.”] Everyone else had gone to the game. I dried the dishes and did a few odd jobs. Then I took some ginger bread to Mrs. McCarter (who isn’t very well) and then went to town to the library and got “The Red Signal” by Grace Livingston Hill. It’s about German spies in America during the World War. I walked home with Allan who has just gotten over being sick and had been to town to see the doctor. I stopped at A.B.’s to ask about some music but noone was there. I went home and sat on the porch and read. Daddy came home. Helen came down and said she didn’t think she could go tonight but later found out she could. About 5:15 I went in and practiced and after supper, read and while I was washing the dishes, Helen came down. I “dressed” and then (about 7:10) Mother, Daddy, H. and I drove down to the Princess Theater but were too late to see all of the cartoon. There was another picture on about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and the name of it was “The Man in the Barn” (John Wilkes Booth). The main picture was Tyrone Power Jr, Don Ameche, Alice Faye and Jack Haley in “Alexander’s Ragtime Band.” Quite good but not what I expected. H. and I sat in front of A.B. and family. Drove home afterwards but before I went to bed Daddy and I sang some while M. played.
Henry S., age 26, Michigan
September 30, 1887
This was the last day of the fair and I can settle down after this, I think. It began to rain this morning and was at it all day I had nothing to protect me from the rain but happened to get a ride with Fred Neill, and have the protection of his umbrella. I received a first premium on my card writing, and a record on my plate of R.L. Greenings. I was too tired tonight to do anything but sleep.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Abbie B., age 22, Kansas
September 30, 1871
Since Monday have been in bed nearly all the time. Had an attack like Mrs. L. Thankful to be better. I came the nearest to being homesick I ever was. Philip has been doing the cooking. I have no appetite, and that worried him. It is laughable to see him bake flap jacks for himself. To be ill and not see a woman for a week—is hard luck. I am better so let us rejoice. Philip has gone to see if he can shoot a prairie chicken.
The sun is setting—I must take a look at this last of Sept. sun set. And may a picture of it be on memories wall for a long time.
*(kansasmemory.org, Kansas State Historical Society, copy and reuse restrictions apply)
Cornelia H., age 26, North Carolina
September 30, 1862
I have quilted all day. I can’t quilt more than half a side a day. It is very tedious work. Atheline does the cooking. Hanes attends to Willie. His bowels get no better. The other children are very well. Charlie has had the sore throat, it is getting better. A good many cases of dyptheria in the neighborhood. I trust & hope my little ones may escape. Mrs. Common left this morning for home.
*(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
September 30, 1667
By water to White Hall, there to a committee of Tangier, but they not met yet, I went to St. James’s, there thinking to have opportunity to speak to the Duke of York about the petition I have to make to him for something in reward for my service this war, but I did waive it. Thence to White Hall, and there a Committee met, where little was done, and thence to the Duke of York to Council, where we the officers of the Navy did attend about the business of discharging the seamen by tickets, where several of the Lords spoke and of our number none but myself, which I did in such manner as pleased the King and Council. Speaking concerning the difficulty of pleasing of seamen and giving them assurance to their satisfaction that they should be paid their arrears of wages, my Lord Ashly did move that an assignment for money on the Act might be put into the hands of the East India Company, or City of London, which he thought the seamen would believe. But this my Lord Anglesey did very handsomely oppose, and I think did carry it that it will not be: and it is indeed a mean thing that the King should so far own his own want of credit as to borrow theirs in this manner. My Lord Anglesey told him that this was the way indeed to teach the Parliament to trust the King no more for the time to come, but to have a kingdom’s Treasurer distinct from the King’s. Home at noon to dinner, where I expected to have had our new girle, my wife’s woman, but she is not yet come. I abroad after dinner to White Hall, and there among other things do hear that there will be musique to-morrow night before the King. So to Westminster, where to the Swan … and drank and away to the Hall, and thence to Mrs. Martin’s, to bespeak some linen, and there je did avoir all with her, and drank, and away, having first promised my goddaughter a new coat-her first coat. So by coach home, and there find our pretty girl Willet come, brought by Mr. Batelier, and she is very pretty, and so grave as I never saw a little thing in my life. Indeed I think her a little too good for my family, and so well carriaged as I hardly ever saw. I wish my wife may use her well. Now I begin to be full of thought for my journey the next week, if I can get leave, to Brampton. Tonight come and sat with me Mr. Turner and his wife and tell me of a design of sending their son Franke to the East Indy Company’s service if they can get him entertainment, which they are promised by Sir Andr. Rickard, which I do very well like of. So the company broke up 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.)