Diary: Caleb E. Iddings, 1892

(Left side of journal)

Cloudy Ther. 34^o FRI. DEC. 16^th, 1892 wind M.E Raw & chilly all day. Willie drove "Frank" to E Peirce's this morning & home towards evening. Hallie Bentley was here for "cocaine" to use for toothache. Emory Snowden was here for more medicine for his son. After dark I walked up to the store for milk cans. Lizzie Scott called to see Dora, but did not come into the house.

Rain Rain Ther. 34^o SATURDAY 17^th Wind E. Rained nearly all last night and most of to day. Willie took Bulwar's buggy home and at 12 o' clk noon he took the passage with "Broderick" to Forest Glen thence to Washington & Lincoln Va to reach there at 7 o'clk p.m. Edwd L. Gilpin was here for advice & medicine again, also Jno: W. Johnson.

(Right side of journal)

Cloudy & Rain Ther 37 SUN. DEC. 18^th Wind S.E. Another extremely dull disagreeable day "out of doors" we spent a quiet sunday at home Emory Snowden was here to see me about his his sick boy again who is improving not with standing the damp weather. Willie will have a dull day in Virginia for his visit there as he expected to start home tomorrow.

Clear & Cloudy Ther. 29^o MONDAY 19^th Wind Variable Clear early this morning and much colder , but clouded up again and is damp & disagreeable. I walked up to the P.O. and mailed a package to sister Mary containing a painting of a winter scene with birds, by Edwards After dark Grime's folks came for me, but I refused to go Jim Hill's son "Augustus" was here and I extracted two teeth for him.

(Left side of journal)

Snowing Ther. 32 TUES. DEC 20, 1892 Wind N.E. Commenced snowing about mid - night last ( after raining since dark and contiued snowing up to 9. o'clk this a.m. "Billy" Oldfield came after me at 1-35 this a.m. I walked back with him & at 4 o'clk delivered his wife a fine boy baby: their first boy out of three children within little more than two years. Afternoon, walked up to thte mill to the store and called at "Billy" Oldfield's again also at his father's shop to see about the harness strings for my double harness. Snow about 5 inches deep but melting.

Clear Ther. 12 WEDNESDAY 21^st Wind N.W. Clear & cold. I was sent for and went to "Alf" Bell's where Caroline Hopkins (Levi's daughter) had been "confined". I was obliged to remove the placenta. I took "Frank" up to T Marlow's shop & had new shoes put on his front feet & some nails put on behind. The roads being very icy.

(Right side of journal)

Clear Ther. 16^o THURS. DEC. 22^d, 1892 Wind N.W. Quite cold. I rode down to Ashton to see M K Evans on business. Willie came home about 6. o'clk p.m. having left Lincoln Va this morning.

Cloudy Ther. 16^o FRIDAY 23^d Wind S.W. Still cold & looks and feels like snow. "Phil" rode "Frank" to see about wood & met Jas Holland's team bringing us a cord of sawd hickory. Alice & Fanny Peirce were here Willie walked over to Brighton Edwd brought over "turkey" from Jno Bentley's. Philip T Stabler's barn was burned to the ground, just after dark. Fortunately they saved all the stock except two calves.

(Left side of journal)

Ther. 14^o SAT. DEC. 24, 1892 Wind N.W. Clear & cold with high wind which makes the cold hard to bear W came home from Brighton about 9. o'clk & drove "Frank" to Rockville to the "Surry" for the chance of meeting Charley & family but it was too cold to bring a young baby out for such a journey & they did not come. We are very sorry, but it is best, as it would have been very important. Jno W Johnson here with a cut hand Elizabeth Franklin also here for advice & medicine for her daughter.

Sunday Dec: 24^th Continued Augustus (or "Gus") Hill came to the office at about 8-15 in the evening with a 38 caliber pistol shot wound in the abdomen about 2 1/2 inches to the left of umbilicus, and slightly below a horizontal line from that point. The wound was said to have been made by a revolver in the hand of Clarence Thornton.

(Right side of journal)

Ther. 15 MON. DEC. 26^th, 1892 Wind S.E. Still cold. Alice & F. Peirce left for home after breakfast. W rode on horse back to Brighton & ^c. Uncle Henson called. Fred & Ernest Iddings called. Dora walked back with Ernest. Elvira Hill was here for advice & med: for her husband "Gill" Smiht Jr: called also Lizzie Scott. W came home in afternoon & took the "Surry" to Riverside to bring Dora home. Edwd went with him they will come home after supper Mrs Robison's entire family spent the day at Mrs Ellicott's.

Cloudy Ther. 12^o TUESDAY 27^th Wind N.W. & N.E. Look & feel like snow again and is very cold. I took the wheel from my phaeton to Oldfields shop to have some new spokes put in. Edwd went skating with Frank Robison. Afternoon W rode "Frank" to Edwd Peirce's. Ella Jackson (Nee Hood) was here & paid me a balance.

(Left side of journal) First pargraph covered by a piece of paper.

2^nd Paragraph Clear & Cloudy Ther. 21^o SUNDAY 25^th Wind N.W. "Christmas". clear & frosty. One of "Jim" Hill's boys was here to report the condition of his brother before I was up. We had a nice Christmas dinner, with our children all here exept Charley. Afternoon Willie & I drove over to see "Gus" Hill. Alice & Fanny Peirce came to spend the night here.

(Right side of journal)

Clear & Cloudy Ther. 15 MON. DEC. 26^th Wind S.E. Still cold . Alice & F. Peirce left for home after breakfast. W rode on horse back to Brighton & ^c. Uncle Henson called. Fred: & Ernest Iddings called. Dora walked back with Ernest. Elvira Hill was here for advice & med: for her husband "Gill" Smith Jr: called also Lizzie Scott. W came home in afternoon & took the "Surry" to Riverside to bring Dora home. Edwd went with him they will come home after supper. Mrs Robison's entire family spent the day at Mrs Ellicott's

Ther. 12^o TUESDAY 27^th Wind N.W. & N.E. Look & feels like snow again and is very cold. I took the wheel from my phaeton to Oldfield's shop to have some new spokes put in. Edwd went skating with Frank Robison. Afternoon W rode "Frank" to Edwd. Peirces Ella Jackson (Nee Hood) was here & paid me a balance.

(Left side of journal)

Clear & Cloudy Ther. 20^o WED. DEC. 28^th Wind N.E. Willie came home from the "dance" at olney at 3. o'clk the a.m. After breakfast he went to "Eldon" in J. T. Henderson's "buck board" & brought home the coal stove: he started for Laurel & Wellsborough Pa: at 2 o'clk: p.m. in the stage. I set up the stove in our room in place of the smaller one we have been using, which is not satisfactory.

Clear Ther. 10^o THURSDAY 29^th Wind N.W. The coldest morning so far this winter - but there being no wind blowing & we are becoming accustomed to it, so that it did not seem as cold as some other mornings as we have had. Edwd went with the boys next door skating down on the Hawlings & Patuxent Rivers.

(Right side of journal)

Ther. 10^o FRI. DEC. 30^th, 1892 Wind N.W. Still cold. I was sent for & rode to Ashton to prescribe for Mr M K Evans who has an attack of "pleuro pneumonia" & should have had treatment sooner, having been suffering nearly a week Went again afternoon. Elizabeth Franklin was here again for advice & ^cfor her daughter. Dora went to the Insurance office after breakfast & helped them all day sorting envelopes.

Cloudy Ther 20^o SATURDAY 3^1st Wind S.E. Cloudy & some snow after noon. I rode to Ashton to see M K Evans this morning & again afternoon. Had rough nails in "Frank's" hind shoes. Mrs E N Bentley sent for advice and medicine after dark.