Diary: Caleb E. Iddings, 1892

Clear Ther. 8th WED. JAN. 27^th, 1892 Wind N.W.

The wind blew strong from N.W. all last night, making it very cold with thermometer 8^o Mrs. Mary G Tyson died last night at about 15 minutes before 9. o'clock. I feared she would not last through the night when I left her at about dark. She was a superior woman in many ways, & her death will leave a blank difficult to fill. I have been so constantly going for some weeks past that I am almost worn out with exposure to the cold & anxiety & responsibility. and remained in doors all day to day to rest, I fear I have taken some cold, but with care will be able to keep going. Eleanora Bell washed for H. W drove to Brighton & Riverside this afternoon.

Cloudy & Clearing Ther. 20 THURSDAY 28th Wind Variable

Quite cold this morning but not so windy I drove to "Marden" & down to Boswell's Afternoon Robert Tyson called to see me. Willie drove "Fritz to the smith shop & had him "roughed," & I gave him exercise to the road cart. Sarah Jane Powell was here for advice & medicine. The weather looks & feels like more snow. Mrs. Robison was here for sometime to see H & Dora. I fear I have taken some cold, as I have "head ache" every morning, & am so stiff & rheumatic I can hardly get about until after breakfast & I get gradually "warmed up". I canot afford to get sick just now, whilst I am so busy with other sick people.

Cloudy Ther. 40^o FRI. JAN. 29^th, 1892. Wind S.E

Dull cloudy day. much warmer. Mrs Mary G Tyson's remains were buried today, at Greenmount Cemetery Baltimore Funeral services at "Marden" at 9.o'clk this a.m. after which they went to Laurel, and thence to Baltimore. Dora & Willie went to "the house." I drove to Jas: Hills to prescribe for his daughter, & to "Norwood" to see Beatrix Tyson, who is staying there for the present. "Phil" went with me. -- Matthews brought me a small load of coal from Washington. Willie drove "Fritz" to E Peirce's & brought Fanny here to tea, after which he took her to "Olney," to a meeting of the "Lodge" in the phaeton in the rain.

Cloudy & Rain Ther. 42^o SATURDAY 30^th Wind N.E.

Willie came home about midnight last. After breakfast he & I drove down to Nicholas Boswell's & called at the "Cottage" to see Chas. Stabler, on business. Afternoon, W. drove over to Tom J Lea's to fix their sewing machine. & after dark he went with Geo: Wilson to "Bells." Miss Alice Tyson sent "Turner" with a note for medicine for Mrs Thos. L Moore, who is staying with them. Albert King (colored) was here for advice & medicine for himself after dark. Clifford Waters came in from store at 10.o'clk p.m. and then went home to his father's.

Clearing Ther. 32 SUN. JAN. 31^st, 1892 Wind W

Willie came home from Bells last night about 11.35 o'clk. Perry Thomas' daughter was here this morning. also Ernest Boswell for medicine for his uncle Nicholas. The ground was slightly frozen this morning but it melted before noon & was muddy & sloppy. After dinner Dora and Willie went to Brighton church & home to supper. Edwd Gilpin brought two horses here to stay all night arriving about dusk. I do not like his bringing his horses to my stable in this way and a stop must be put to it. I walked up to Jas Henderson's for the papers in the afternoon.

Cloudy & Clearing Ther. 32^o MONDAY, FEB. 1^st Wind Variable

Dull cloudy morning. I drove down to Boswell's. (Willie with me) called at Jno. Hill's as I returned; also at John Abell's, & at Ashton store. Drove over to Joseph Wetherald's tennant house to see Jas: Hill's daughter "Sarah" again. Afternoon Charles Stabler called & paid his bill. Weather seems to have cleared off. Jas: Henderson & I went over to the school house & examined & signed the Teacher's Report for the "Winter term" B. Owen Hardy's son "Owen" was here for medicine for his mother. Clifford Waters went home after supper. Samuel Bond (son of Mrs: Mary T. Bond) was here (whilst we were at breakfast) for advice &c for an injury to his knee joint.

Cloudy & Clearing Ther. 40^o TUES. FEB. 2^d, 1892 Wind S.W.

Weather still quite warm for the time of year. I walked up to the village to "Billy Oldfield's to see him on business, and prescribed for his eldest infant. Willie & I drove down to Boswell's & back before dinner Clifford was here to breakfast. Philip T Stabler called afternoon & paid me part of my account against him (for attending "Morris) Afternoon Willie drove "Fritz" to Mucaster's (in the cart) expecting to spend the night there. Clifford went away after supper again. Chas: Howard (colored) called to see me.

Cloudy Ther. 32^o WEDNESDAY 3^d Wind W.

C. Waters came to breakfast. "Addie" Abel called (on way to school) & left $5.00 for her brother "Jimmy" on account of my bill against his father for professional services rendered him (Jimmy of John Thomas (of "Clifton") brought us a cord & a half of oak & hickory wood. Gilbert Smith Jr: was here on a friendly call. Willie came home about 10. o'clk a.m. Alice & Fanny Peirce came, & Alice remained to make us a little visit. I went up to the store after supper Willie with me & staid until the "shut up" the store.

Cloudy Ther, 32^o THURS FEB 4^th 1892 SW wind

Ground slightly frozen this morning, I drove down to Samuel Boswell's to see "Billy" Oldfield & to Nicholas Boswell's. Called at John Hill's. Wille went with me. B D Palmer called to see me. also friend Robert R Moore. Afternoon Marjory Clark was here for advice and medicine for her boy. After supper. Willie drove "Frank" to Muncaster's to a "surprise party" going in the road cart. C Waters also went to the party. Mary Wilson called for a moment to leave a message for W. Samuel Bond Jr: was here again for examination & treatment for his knee.

Snow Snow Ther 31^o FRIDAY 5^th Wind N.E.

I was called out at bedtime last night & rode "Fritz" down to Boswell's & home about mid night. Snowing fast this morning. Perry Thomas sent for medicine W drove to Jno Bentley's for a bushel of potatoes. Afternoon I walked up to the mill. It stopped snowing about 4.o'clock, it is badly drifted. There have been a number of sleighs passed this afternoon & evening.

Clear Ther 8^o SAT. FEB. 6^th 1892 Wind N.W.

Clear & cold this morning. Nicholas Boswell died about 5.o'clock this norning. Joseph Stabler was here to consult me about one of his eyes. I drove up to the store in the sleigh Willie took Alice Peirce to T. J. Lea's to call (in the sleigh) whilst he fixed their sewing machine again. Afternoon W drove to Berry's, Fanny Peirce going with him. she having come over for Alice but went home without her. afterwards he drove over to Riverside for milk. I went with him to Ashton called at Chas: Porter's but found no one at home. & I walked home. Afater tea I walked up to the store. W with me. Ed: Gilpin put his horse in our stable again, which is getting to be a nuisance.

Cloudy Rain & Sleet. Ther 26^th SUNDAY 7^th Wind S.E.

An unusually disagreeable day, part of the time the wind blew violently for S.E. the trees being loaded with sleet were in danger of falling on the house. It rained hard towards night. Charles E Bond called me up about 2.o'clock this a.m. to prescribe for his brother "Sam's" suffering with his eyes. I took some cold and feel bad today Alice Tyson sent "Turner" down with a note, asking for medicine for "Beatrix" and for their bill. I mailed a letter to St Louis Mo: for Antikamnia tablets. We alll staid in the house all day except that Willie drove Frank a short distance to the "cart" for exercise.

Clear Ther. 40 Mon. Feb. 8, 1892 Wind

This has been a real spring day. but muddy everywhere. Edward went to school again. Mr H Davis was here for medicine for Beatrix Tyson. C. G. Porter called at the office, also Miss Courier after school. Saml: Bond Jr: was here for me to take measurements and send for an elastic bandage for his knee. Willie took Alice Peirce home before dinner, afternoon he and Dora went to Mrs. Canby's to call. Edwd: Magruder was here to see me about the school. The snow has almost entirely disappeared

Clear Ther 28^o Tuesday 9^th NW wind

Willie went to Rockville with A. G. Thomas to prove the "will" of Nicholas Boswell (deceased) W and I having witnessed his signature. Mr: "Allie" Mathews and daughter "Mollie" called on their way to Hollands. Afternoon Alice and Fanny Pierce came and went home before supper. We drove to Riverside for milk. Mrs. BO Hardy sent for medicine for her daughter Alice.

Clear Ther. 23^o Wed. Feb. 10^th, 1892 N.W. Wind

Willie drive "Fritz" to Thos Lea's (to the road cart) soon after breakfast and was gone all day and until bed time. I walked up to "Marden" and down to Ashton. "Uncle Henson" was here to see me. After supper I walked up to the store. Tilghman Hood (who works at Rockland) and paid me a ballance he owed me that I had forgotten, which speaks well for his honesty.

Clear and cloudy Ther. 26^o Thursday 11th Variable wind

Brother Charley was here and spent an hour or two. After dinner I drove over to Levi Hopkins and prescribed for his infant son. Willie drove over to Cincinnatti and Riverside and after supper he went again to Riverside taking George Wilson with him.

Cloudy & Clearing Ther 28^o FRI. FEB. 12, 1892. Wind N.W.

The wind blew strong from N:W all day, but increased towards night growing colder all the time. Willie took Dora to Ashton in the phaeton before dinner. I walked down soon after. Moses Murphy (colored) was here to see me about his daughter. There was no school to-day. Miss Connell going to Rockville to a "Teachers Institute"meeting. M K Evans sent for medicine by "Matt" Bill's daughter. Dora & Willie put a new cover on the sofa in dining room, After supper Willie & Clifford Waters went to a "Leap Years Ball" at Olney Grange Hall, cold and windy as it is. I objected to either of my horses going out on such a night. They drove "the poney".

Cloudy & Clearing Ther 11^o Saturday 13^th Wind N.W.

Willie & Clifford Waters came in from the "Leap Year's Ball" at 3-15 this a.m. I walked up to "Marden" & home before dinner. Afternoon I walked down to Chas: G Porters & paid him up in full to Feb: 1st inst. Willie drove over to Riverside etc. home to supper. D^r R Brooke called & spent an hour with me. After supper Eli Thomas was here to have a tooth extracted but I could not get it out without injuring his jaw. There was a beautiful Auroral display this evening.

Cloudy & Drizzle Ther 23 SUN. FEB. 14, 1892 Wind S.E.

An extremely dull day. Clifford Waters went home after breakfast Saml Bond Jr: called got a silk knee bandage I sent for for him Afternoon Willie went to church at "Brighton & home to supper. I rained nearly all the afternoon I went up to Hendersons for milk & the papers. Ed Gilpin came here again with a horse to put in our stable. I could not turn him off in the rain so near night, but requested him to find some other place to put his horses shen he comes to the neighborhood hereafter.

Clear Ther. 33^o MONDAY 15^th Wind N.W.

Wind blew strong all last night. and today until near noon. Louisa Bowen washed for H. Jim Powell came to get ice & he & Willie commenced cutting on Stabler's pond but it was too thin & they concluded to wait until it was better. C. G. Porter called at the office for a few minutes. I walked up to the store . Afternoon Dora & Willie went to Holland's to call lupon ollie Mathews. Luther Muncaster came about tea time to spend the evening. C Waters went away somewhere after tea. It has been quite warm all day except for the wind. I got an ugly fall after dark over the horse bucket on kitchen porch. striking my head against a bench, jarring me all over.