Diary: Caleb E. Iddings, 1885

23^o Clear NW Ther. Mon. Jan. 26, 1885 Wea.

After dinner I walked down to Ashton & waited until John brought Charley down with the mail, driving the "Jumbo" horse to the phaeton. I went from Ashton to "Homewood" to see cousin Elma Paxson. Marcie Sedgwick sent her boy "Basil" for advice & medicine for herself & her mother. I sent Jno. to hunt up hands to cut ice tomorrow on Stabler's pond. Richd Proctor came for me & I walked down & prescribed for his infant son "Dennis"

16. Clear. NW Ther. Tues. Jan. 27^th, 1885 Wea.

Alfred Warfield & John Sasko. came to cut ice. Edwd Gilpin & Willie harnessed E's mare "coley", and our "Fox", to his wagon, and hauled 8 loads of ice from Arthur & Jos. Stablers pond. Afternoon Alice & Fanny Pierce came to spend the night with Dora, Hallie Lea also came & took tea with us. After which they all including Charley and Willie went to an "Entertainment". I walked down to Richd Proctor's & prescribed again for his infant son

16. Snow N.W Ther. Wed. Jan. 28^th, 1885 Wea.

Commenced snowing in the night, & this morning the ground is covered, and the wind blowing hard from N.W. cleared off at about 10. o'clk am. Alice & Fanny Pierce left for home taking Dora with them to spend a day or two. The snow & extreme cold &^c interfered with our ice getting the extra hands failing to come. I went to Ashton in the sleigh after dinner, taking C down with the mail. He is suffering with a "periastial" abcess on his finger & did not go back to the store after tea.

8. Clear. N.W. Ther. Thurs. Jan. 29, 1885 Wea.

Jno Sasko, Columbus and Alfred Warfield all came to breakfast and went to work cutting ice again. Willie hauled 9 loads with Ed Gilpin's wagon & old mare and our "Jumbo" horse. Charley came home after dinner his hand paining him so that he could not continue at the store. The ice house holds 17 louds of "broken up" ice Tom Budd Jr. had tooth extracted. Cousin Hannah Chandlee called.

30. Cloudy. Variable Ther. Fri. Jan. 30^th, 1885 Wea.

Mary L Roberts called & left an analysis of the water from "next door". Willie & John finished hauling the cord of oak wood from Arthur Stabler's place, with the "big horse" to the spring wagon. Lizzie Waters here & had tooth extracted. Singleton Mitchell here for advice & med. for Josias Bowen. Alfred Warfield here to see his account. Willie went to Brighton & brought Dora home. Charley going to "Riverside". Alice Peirce came to make a visit. Willie drove roan mare, & took Charley from Riverside to the "Grange" at Brighton.

35 Cloudy E Ther. Sat. Jan. 31^st , 1885 Wea.

Charley & I drove the "Fox" horse to the phaeton over to Josias Bowen's, stopping at Tom & John Budds to have the horse rough shod "all around" I walked up to Insurance office & paid my insurance tax ($4.52). Alfred Warfield here after tea, and settled his account with me in full to date, & I gave him a piece of meat, and 25 cts, to get some meal; besides Harriet gave him some bread. In the evening Charley, Dora Alice Peirce & Willie, played whist, & had some music. Altogether we had a nice "home Saturday evening", such as I most enjoy.

31. Cloud. N.E. Ther. Sun. Feb.1^st , 1885 Wea.

Chas Haslup here to see Charley before he was down stairs also Singleton Mitchell to see me & get medicine for Josias Bowen. After dinner Charley & Willie went away in the buggy driving the roan mare to Riverside &^c. John sent his boys to do the feeding & get some wood I went to the barn after dark to feed the pigs and give the horses hay. Wind commenced blowing hard from N.W. in afternoon & continued until

15. Clear. N.W. Ther. Mon. Feb. 2, 1885 Wea.

Willie went to school again this morning I felt very rheumatic & did not get up very early. Took "Fritz" up to Tom & Jno Budd's & had his shoes put on again, he having recovered from his lameness, to all apperance. Afternoon Charley & Willie went to Ashton in the buggy, and I rode Fritz down & had a settlement with Agustus Bolivar. After supper. Geo. Sprigg here for advice & med for his wife, also Herbert Dublin for advice & med. for himself. Willie went with Frank Snowden to a "La Choclatiére" at Grange Hall Olney.

28 Clear S.W. Ther. Tues. Feb. 3, 1885 Wea.

Walked over to Mary L Roberts and paid her my interest on mortgage notes in full to Feb 1st 1885. Drove "Fox" to the phaeton over to Mahlon Chandlee's & prescribed for him, called to see Josias Bowen. Edwd Peirce came & took Alice Pierce. Afternoon Charley & Dora drove over to Riverside, home just at dark. Miss Fowler here for advice & medicine for Mrs Robinson.

33. Cloudy. S.W. Ther. Wed. Feb. 4, 1885 Wea.

Dull soft morning. Willie went to school in the spring wagon taking a sulley wheel to Brookville for repair. After dinner I took Charley down to Ashton in t he phaeton & got groceries & "gum bumpers" for the spring wagon. Commenced raining just before dark. I walked up to S.S. & mailed money order to Chas Lentz (Philada.) for a binaural stethoscope. Janny Shoemaker called here to get me to go to prescribe for "Jim Johnson's" boy, over his place.