Diary: Caleb E. Iddings, 1892

(Left side of journal)

Clear Ther. 62° MON. OCT. 17^th, 1892 Wind Variable The fine weather continues to favor us: the sun was very warm and it is quite warm enough in the house to be pleasant without fires. I tinkered at various things, wheeled up some sand for plastering the pantry etc brought up the small coal stove from the cellar & worked at "fixing" it for our room. I worked at clearing out the cellar. & Dora whitewashing up stairs. Afternoon I drove to Ashton & left part of the "little" stove at Bulwar's to be repaired, "dear knows" knows when it will be done.

Cloudy Ther. 65 TUESDAY 18^th Wind S.E. Looks & feels like rain this morning. "Jim" Powell was here & had tooth extracted. "Eleanora" Bell came to wash for H. At noon I started for Rockville to attend the regular meeting at the Montgomery Co: Medical Society. "Phil" going with me. Reached home about dark. "Turner" was here for medicine for Margt: T Moore. Bro: Chas called whilst I was away.

(right side of journal)

Cloudy & Clearing Ther. 65 WED. OCT. 19^th, 1892 Wind Variable Looked like rain early this morning and "sprinkled" a little about 9. o'clk but cleared off again. Mrs Walter Brooke called & paid their bill. I extracted a tooth for H. Afternoon Anna Parker called. I walked up to the store both before & after supper.

Clear Ther. 60° THURSDAY 20^th Wind N.W. There was a partial eclipse of the sun to day about noon. Afternoon I took H & Dora in the Surry over to Thos. Lea's, where we left H and Dora & I drove on up to E Peirce's to make a call bringing Alice home with us calling for H as we returned. There was a grand colored wedding at "Sharp St:" this evening & Margaret Powell who lives with Edith Bentley was taken ill & brought to the office for treatment.

(Left side of journal)

Cloudy & Clearing Ther. 60 FRI. OCT. 21^st, 1892 Wind N.W. Alice Peirce walked home after breakfast. This is "Columbus Day", proclaimed a legal holiday by the President & Govenor, it is four hundred years to day since Columbus discovered America. Mr: Ayer from Spencerville was here for advice & med: for his wife. Emeline Hopkins sent for medicine.

Cloudy Ther. 60° SATURDAY 22^d Wind Variable About house all the morning - Afternoon I took H, Dora & Edwd in the Surry over to Riverside for a call. No one at home but bro: C and we did not get out of the carriage. It "sprinkled" rain as we came home. Emma King was here for medicine for M K Evan's. Angelina Thomas sent for her bill by two little boys. E & I walked up to the store after supper. Eliza B Moore called after supper and took Dora to a Lecture by Edwd Farquhar at "Aloway": they were home in good time (about 9-30 without being caught in the rain as I feared they would when they started.

(Right side of journal)

Cloudy & Clearing Ther. 60° SUN. OCT 23^d, 1892 Wind N.W. It looked very much like rain early this morning, but the wind changed from N.E. to N.W. again & it is clear again. Bro: R called on way to meeting. Afternoon Dora, Bessie Robison, Edwd & Phil went to Brighton to church. Phil driving "Frank" to the Surry. Phil took tea with us.

Clear Ther. 56° MONDAY 24^th Wind N.W. John W Johnson came & getting Jno Bentley's oxen & cart & Frank Cook to help him moved the hay over from Mrs Robisons stable. Robt H Miller's team brought us 1 cord of oak & one cord of chestnut wood, for which I paid him six dollars cash.

(Left side of journal)

Cloudy Ther. 45° TUES. OCT. 25 ^th Wind N.E. Quite chilly. "Phil" & I put the wood into the"wood house" after dinner. Sister Mary & Lizzie called. I felt quite sick towards evening. I walked up to the store. Took "Frank" to T Marlow's shop & had his front shoes changed this morning. Mr H Davis of Washington delivered an address on the political issues of the present presidential campaign at the Lyceum this evening. I did not feel well enough to attend.

Clear Ther. 45° WEDNESDAY 26 ^th Wind N.W. It has cleared off again, with the wind N.W. which is a great disappointment as we need rain the wells are all getting low & if the drought continues much longer it will be serious. I have felt unwell all day and went no where except to the mill & to the store & P.O.

(Right side of journal)

Clear & Cloudy Ther. 40° OCT. 27 ^th, 1892 Wind N.E. It was quite cold this morning but clouded over & was warmer afternoon. Estelle T Moore was this morning for advice & medicine for her sister Alice. Afternoon I took Harriet & Dora over to Riverside to call. Dora also walked down to Bloomfield this morning to call upon Anna Parker. I put a new handle in an old "Woodside" four pronged fork to use in the hay mow.

Clear Ther. 56° FRIDAY 28 ^th Wind Variable Edwin Davis came about 8 o'clk this morning to plaster pantry and over head in the vestibule between the back passage door and the end of the pantry, he finished at 2 o'clk afternoon. Phil carried the mortar for him. I was called down to Ashton to see Mr M K Evans after dark & walked down "Phil" going with me. Mrs Robison & Phil & Frank spent part of the evening with us.

(Left side of journal)

Clear Ther. 60° SAT. OCT 29 ^th, 1892 Wind N.W. Quite cool and very high wind. I rode (on horse back) to Ashton & had "Frank" weighed, which proved him 1175 lbs in weight. Afternoon Bro: Chas: brought sister Mary & left her here to make us a visit before returning to her home in Boston. Marcelina Sedgwick was here & settled Martha Wrights bill.

Clear Ther. 50 SUNDAY 30 ^th Wind N.W. Still dry & windy. Bro: Richard came after meeting & dined with us. Chas: Addison was here for advice & medicine for his son. I was about home all day. Sophie & Alice Peirce were here,

(Right side of journal)

Cloudy Ther. 35° MON. OCT. 31, 1892 Wind S.E. Kate Winfield's daughter brought her little boy for advice & medicine. Eliza T Moore & Anna Parker called. Bro Chas dined with us. Chas: Adams came for me & I rode over to see his boy on Jos: Moore Jr:'s place back of "Sharp St". Afternoon I took H & sister Mary to call at Chas: Stablers & Mary Gilpin's. Alice Tyson was here for advice & medicine for herself. Henson Hopkins called & paid his bill.

Cloudy Clear & Smoky Ther. 50° TUESDAY, NOV. 1 Wind S.W. Considerably warmer and the air full of smoke from the "forest fires" that are burning in consequence of the drought which prevails all over the country. Bro: Richd brought sister Lizzie over this morning & left her to spend the day. Bro Chas: came afternoon & took her home with him. Jessee Stabler called in the afternoon.

(Left side of journal)

Cloudy & Smokey 56^o ther. WED. NOV. 2^d, 1892 Wind S.W. I took sister Mary & Dora over to Riverside & Thos: Lea's to call before dinner. Chas: Adams was here to consult me again for his infant son - After supper Edwd & I walked up to the store. After I had gone to bed I was called up to prescribe for Rev: Brook's child.

Cloudy 58o Ther. THURSDAY 3^d Wind Variable It rained some time during last night enough to "lay the dust" Sister Mary left this morning after early breakfast for Philad-a & home sending trunk by stage & going with Anna Parker in Edith Bentley's carriage to Laurel, Wm John Hinton came for me at 7. o'clk this a.m. to attend his wife in confinement. I drove over & came home to dinner after which he came again for me & I drove over again & left her a fine boy, born at 5. o'clk p.m. Reached home just after dark.

(Right side of journal)

Cloudy & Rain Ther. 62 FRI. NOV. 4^th, 1892 Wind S.E. Rained at intervals all through last night & continued this morning until afternoon, when it partially cleared off. Henderson "staked out" the foundation for another tenement house on the lot between us and the mill : to near our house for our liking - After dark Walter Matthews & his wife brought their little boy "Gilbert" to the office to have his wounded head dressed: it was cut by falling of a porch (at "Amersley") onto a pile of stones.

Clear Ther. 37 SATURDAY 5^th Wind N.W. Cold & windy. I drove down to see Mrs Wm J. Hinton again Frank Robison went with me, we had a cold ride. I fixed the pantry window Edwd & I walked to Ashton about dark & brought home stove pipe & c for the "little stove". Chas Addison was here to see me after supper Edwd & I went to the store & tollhouse. I borrowed a box of coal from Perry Leizear & paid E Gilpin six dollars with which to get me a ton of nut coal, which he promised to deliver on monday or tuesday next.