Diary: Caleb E. Iddings, 1887

42^o Cloudy & Clearing. S.W. DECEMBER, MONDAY 12^th 1887.

I took the buggy to Jas; Marlow's shop & left it to have the new shafts put on [...] Bond (colored) from near Spencerville called to see me about getting his wife into the Providence Hospital After dinner I rode Fritz to Ashton & Dora walked down & from there I took her in the buggy to Edwd Peirce's and left her to go to a meeting of the "sociable" to night at Edwd R Stablers & Sisters' Recd letters from F Tyson & Charley.

25^o Clear. N.W. DECEMBER, TUESDAY 13^th 1887.

I drove to the "Bone mill "(W^m S Bond's) and to Jno: Cook's on D^r Frank Thoma's place Richard Retzer going with me. Afternoon I drove to "Homewood" (at request of cousin Hannah by note) to prescribe for cousin Mary, from there I drove on to Edward Peirce's & brought Dora home calling at Ashton for groceries etc. drove up to Sandy Spring for Yeast Powder etc. After dark I took the lantern to the carriage house & gave the new shafts on the buggy a coat of paint. Mrs Robison sent in & got 8 grains of quinnine.

28^o Clear & Cloudy. S.E. DECEMBER, WEDNESDAY 14^th 1887.

Bro: Richd: called on way to meeting & left Fanny to play with Bessie until his return. I drove to Ashton. Afternoon Willie came with Ernest's market wagon on his way from Washington where he had been with a load of potatoes. After getting his dinner & feeding the horses & changing his clothes, he went on to Elton where he should arrive about dusk. Jas Henderson had "Em" Green at work cleaning out the well at the mill taking out 7 feet of mud from the bottom, hoisting it out with a horse. After dark I walked up to the store & mailed a letter to F Tyson & got some oat meal.

37 Rain Rain. S.E. DECEMBER, THURSDAY 15^th 1887.

Commenced raining before day light & continued pretty much all day. After noon I drove over to Homewood to prescribe again for cousin Mary Chandlee Richd Retzer going with me, after which I drove up to Sandy Spring taking Dora with me.

30. Clear. N.W. DECEMBER, FRIDAY 16^th 1887.

Marcella Holland was here for examination, treatment, advice medecine etc. Green Howard's boy was also here with "tooth ache". Charley came in the stage from Balto: via Laurel. After noon I walked over to "Homewood" to see cousin Mary Chandlee again & afterwards walked down to W^m Griffin's & prescribed for his wife who had fallen down stairs: and I walked on to Ashton & home. Charley took Fritz & the buggy & went to hunt up Washington Bowie.

29. Cloudy & Snow. N.E. DECEMBER, SATURDAY 17^th 1887.

Cloudy & cold in the morning. Charley came home from Rockville & Washington arriving about noon. W^m S Bonds team (two horse wagon) brought a load of hay in the fore noon & another smaller load afternoon. It commenced snowing about one o'clock & continued all the afternoon and up to bed time. I am so glad Charley got safely bome before it commenced storming. We suppose the snow storm prevented Willie from coming home, but rejoice in having the mow more than full of good hay before the storm set in. the hay weighed 23.65.lbs.

32^o Cloudy & Clearing N.E. DECEMBER, SUNDAY 18^th 1887.

The snow is 8 or 10 inches deep this morning and the sleighs have been going past all day. Charley took "Fritz" & my sleigh & drove to "Elton" after a late dinner (about 3'oclk) to "hunt up" Willie & the mare to take him to Laurel tomorrow morning. I have had a bad "head ache" all day having slept badly last night. Charley came home without Willie but bringing the mare with him arriving at half an hour after midnight.

32^o Clear. N.W. DECEMBER, MONDAY 19^th 1887.

We were all up early this morning to get Charley off in the stage in returning to Baltimore, stage went "on runners". I drove up to Tom Budd's shop to see about a "turkey" to come from Matilda Bank's & to "jog" his memory about making a "grate" for Dora's stove. I took Edwd & Bessie Robison with me in the sleigh & also went ot Ashton. D^r R Brooke called to see me. Laura Hill here afternoon for advice & med for her little boy.

30. Cloudy & Sleet N.E. DECEMBER, TUESDAY 20^th 1887.

[...] Metz called to see me about putting his horse in on our stable. Rosena & Ruth Anna Bowen sent girl (Martha) for advice etc. and with some money $2.60 from Ruth Anna. After dinner I drove up to see Amanda Dublin above H.C. Hallowell's R Retzer went with me the roads were wretched & it rained & sleeted all the time we were out. It continued raining all day and up to bed time, making the roads wretchedly bad sloppy & muddy off the turnpike

33^o Clear. W DECEMBER, WEDNESDAY 21^d 1887.

Bro R called on his way to meeting and left us a nice turkey for a Christmas gift, & brought a note from Hannah Chandlee he took back with him to Homwood fter noon I drove down to see Jno Cook again on D^r F Thoma's place R Retzer with me, called at Ashton & drove up to S Spring After supper Dora went with the ladies next door to the "little meeting house" to hear a temperance lecture by Caroline Talbot.