Diary: Caleb E. Iddings, 1894

Cloudy & Rain Ther. 36° Sunday JAN 7^th 1894 SE&E Wind

This has been an extremely disagreeable day. Raw, damp and mud everywhere. Ent's sent colored boy up with a note and their infection syringe which I put in good order for them & sent back by the boy. Sarah Wright was here to consult me in the case of her grandchild again. Doris went down to Sherwood with E (about 3.15 p.m.) to make up the fires it took then three hours getting home after dark. After supper I went up to S.S. for the milk can & mail letters. After which he went to look after the fires again at "Sherwood".

Clear Ther. 29° Monday 8^th SW Wind

Ground frozen hard this morning. I walked to Ashton to see "Ent" who is a very sick man. Alice Peirce dined with us afternoon. Dora went home with her to make them a visit. I walked up to S S & paid my insurance tax. "John" took "Frank" to Riverside & borrowed their 2 horse wagon & harness & one of their horses ( Old "Charlie") to go to "Laurel" tomorrow for a load of coal. Edwd brought us a little nut coal from Uncle Perry Leizear's at the toll gate. 4 coal hods full , which we will return when we get ours. The weather is much colder & it "feels like snow".

Cloudy Ther 29° JAN 9^th 1894 N.E. Wind

John came early this a.m. & putting"Frank" & Bros C's horse "Charley" to Mary Gilpins. 2 horse wagon went to Laurel for some coal I walked down to Ashton to see "Ent" again calling at the store for medicine. It looks and feels like a snow storm & I fear it is coming. John left here at 10 minutes before 9 c'clock a.m. Recd: & answered letter from F. Tyson. "John" got home about 5 o'clock p.m. and "Phil and Frank" and Edwd put the coal into the cellar so that it is dry. I am very glad, as the weather is threatning either rain or snow.

Cloudy Ther. 32° Wednesday 10^th S.E Wind

Raw & chilly this morning. I walked to Ashton to see "Ent" again. & called at the store. "John" came about 11 o'clk this a.m. & took Mary Gilpin's wagon home before dinner. After noon he took Bro: C's wagon & horse home; we also returned the "Reclining chair" & the "bed chair" which were loaned us during my illness. "John" went home before supper, having cleaned out the stable after returning from Riverside. I fear I have "taken some cold", and am extremely stiff and sore in my back and limbs: perhaps it is only from having walked more than usual. After supper I walked up to the store & P.O.

Foggy and Drizzling Rain Ther.22° JAN 11^th 1894 S.E. Wind

Dark disagreeable morning. Bro Chas called & got some medicine for Lizzie (Liquid Pepsin & Bucheu Fol:) he was on his way to "Sharon" to take Nora home with him. I am very stiff & rheumatic and this kind of weather is unfavorable for it. Afternoon Branson Cook brought a girl to the office supposed to have broken a needle off in her right thumb joint whilst washing clothes her name is Mary Fuller at service at Aloway. Fanny Peirce brought Dora home about 4 o'clk p.m. I rode down to Ashton with her (as she went home) and walked back. Old man "Ent" not so well as he was yesterday. He is extremely head strong and hard to manage: will lie on the floor refusing to go to bed. Luther Mancaster called in the evening. Commenced raining hard after dark.

Clear Ther. 24° Friday 12^th N.W. Wind

Much colder and a high wind from NW makes the change quite severe. I was afraid to go further than to the mill for the papers. E. got a bad of horse feed from the mill. After supper Mrs Robison & "Frank" came in and spent part of the evening. Edwd went down to Sherwood to see after the girls, and to S.S. for the milk can.

Clear

Ther 29° JAN 13^th 1894 S.W. Wind

Beautiful winter day, the wind subsisded during last night. I walked down to Ashton going with Edwd to the School House tto see after the fires. I went to see "Ent" again calling for E as I returned. Recd: letters from Thos. H Borden & sister Mary.

Clear Ther. 30° Sunday 14^th NW&SW Wind

Another beautiful day, rather warmer. I walked up to Handerson's taking a book to "Katy" (Geographical Encyclopedia) she desiring to know something about the "Ornithorynchus" or "Duck Mole". Afternoon Mary E Gilpin called. Mrs Robison also called After supper I walked down with Edwd: to "Sherwood" to see after his fires. I enjoyed the moonlight walk.

Cloudy Ther 32° Monday Jan 15^th, 1889 SE Wind

Cloudy dull morning, the air is "raw" & chilly. George Johnson (son of "Nick" Johnson) called at the office to consult me. & promised to call again tomorrow. I am very Rheumatic & stiff in my hips, legs & shoulders. Miss "Belle" Miller called to see me about Mary Fuller, who lives with them. Bro: C brought Hallie Lea over to consult me professionally. I walked to Ashton to see Ent. & was called to see Mr: C Colts' little boy. Miss Bell Miller called again to see me. Afternoon Miss Alice Tyson called & paid her bill. Mrs Robison came in after tea. I went over to see "Phil" & send by him a note to Hallie Lea, enclosing fifty cents, which I returned to her.

Cloudy Ther. 36° Tuesday 16^th Wind NE & NW

It rained early this morning & was cloudy most of the day, but tried to clear off towards evening with the wind N.W. I went to the stable & cleaned & straightened up things there. Edwd staid at the schoolhouse later than usual as he was putting up Electric bells for Miss Hannum. Colored girl "Aronce Snowden" was here for advice & medicine. I went down to "Sherwood" with Edwd: after dark to see after the fires. We were obliged to wait for some time one of the fires being "very low" and was not very promising when we did leave. and I fear may be out by morning.

Cloudy Ther. 33° Wednesday Jan 17^th, 1894 N.E. Wind

Dull cloudy morning, threatning snow. I felt unusually stiff and sore "all over" when I first got up, but walked down to Ashton & felt better after my walk. Gilbert T Smith was at "Ents". having called whilst I was there. I did the feeding again this evening as Edwd was detained after school hours to finish fixing up the "Electric bells" for Miss Hannum Frank Robison watered the horse for me. After supper Dora went with Edwd: to "Sherwood" to attend to the fires: "John" called in the evening on his way to "meeting" at "Sharp St".

Cloudy & Snow Ther. 33° Thursday 18^th N.E. Wind

Still raw & disagreeable weather it snowed fast for an hour or two early this morning. Bro: Chas called & got some medicine for "Lizzie". "John" came towards noon and tinkered up things at the stable. Afternoon I walked up to the Mill & Henderson's & I walked down to "Alf" Bell's, he having sent for me. George Johnson ( of "Nick") was here for advice & medicine. Lizzie Stabler called to see Dora. "John" went home soon after dinner. After supper Dora & Edwd went to the Lyceum to an Entertainment for the benefit of some charitable fund: for the sufferers from the floods on the coast of South Carolina & adjacent islands.

Clear Ther 35° degree Friday JAN. 19^th, 1889 N.W. Wind

Beautiful winter day "Turner" brought us a can of milk & a note from Alice Tyson. I rode to Ashton on horseback, went to see "Ent" again & bought Edwin a pair of shoes & overshoes. Afternoon there was entertainment, "or Exhibition at Sherwood." in which Edwd took part. I walked down and sat as part of the audience, after it was over I went on to "Alf Bell's Mrs. F. Downey called & she and Dora went over to E. Peirces to call. Fanny and Alice came home with Dora, Alice went home leaving Fanny here, she & Dora then walked up to "Marden & made a call & home in time for supper. After supper Dora & Fanny P went with E down to the School House to see after the fires.

Clear & Cloudy

Ther. 34° Saturday 20th S.E. Wind

Raw and chilly but sun shone out about 10 o'clock and it was more pleasant. Bro. Chas: called & sat for an hour or two, having left Lizzie at "Mt Airey" when there is a meeting of ladies to sew for the South Carolina sufferers from the "tidal wave" that swept the coast some time ago Afternoon Dora &Fanny walked over to help them. Wilson Lincoln, a colored man who lives near "Unity" and who worked for Charley when he was at "Elton" was here for me to fill out his application for a pension, he was a "private" in Co. G. 28th U.S.C. Inftry: his claim is based upon Chronic Rheumatism. After supper I went with Edwd: to the school house to see after his fires.

Cloudy and Rain Ther 35° Sunday JAN 21^st, 1889 SE Wind

Dark disagreeable morning. Fanny Peirce went with Edwd to Sherwood to see after the fires. Alice came & took Fanny home with her. I went up to Hendersons about noon for the papers. It rained at intervals all day. There were very few persons turned out today the weather being so unpleasant & the roads bad.

Clear Ther 35° Monday 22^d S.W. Wind

Beautiful clear & bright this morning. I am feeling unusually sore and stiffen. My muscles are all sore and painful. I rode (on horseback) down to see "Ent" again at Ashton before dinner. Afternoon I went to the mill and brought home in the wheelbarrow a bag of horse feed & a sack of flour. "John" was here after supper. Edwd was gone so long in attending to his fires at "Sherwood" that I became uneasy about him. I went down (after 9 o'clock) to find him, and met him coming home. He had become so interested in reading the "Encyclopedia" Britanica, that he did not know how time was passing.

Clear Ther. 37° Tuesday, JAN 23^rd 1889 S. Wind

Another clear bright day. "John" came to breakfast & towards noon he & Jim Hill's son "Willie" went to John Bentleys with "Frank" to Fletcher Clark's wagon & brought home about 400 lbs of "mixed" clover and timothy hay some of which was slightly musty and not strictly "first class", but is very fairly good. If fed with judgement. Edward came home from school earlier than usual, as there were no lessons except examinations. "Eliza Green Howard" was here for advice & med for her husband. After supper Bro Chas & wife came and put their horse in our stable went to the Lyceum to an exhibition of the World's Fair - by Stereoptician Views. Dora also went & Edwd as doorkeeper. I went with Edwd to School House after the entertainment was over.

Cloudy Ther 33° Wednesday 24^th S.E. Wind

Raw and disagreeable, threatning rain I rode down to Ashton with Janney Shoemaker to see 'Ent' and get some medicines. I walked home before dinner. Afternoon it commenced raining towards evening. After dark I went with Edwd to the School House, it was extremely dark & windy fortunately the fires were quite good and we did not have to remain there very long. The weather looks very threatning and "storm like". the wind has changed to S.W. and is blowing hard in "gusts" and may change to N.W. before morning with a flurry of snow.

Clear Ther 20° Thursday Jan 25^th 1889 Wind N. W.

It is much colder today with a strong N.W. wind, which makes it feel even colder than it is: the wind blew a "half gale" all last night. "John" called to bring me my "change" from monies I gave him to get some things at the store when he was here last. Miss Mary Colt was here for advice & medicine. I wrote to E. L. Washburn of New Haven Conn for "circular & price list" of elastic woven silk knee bandages etc.

Cloudy & Snow Ther 18° Friday 26^th N.W. and N.E. Wind

It commenced snowing early this morning but the snow was so fine and light that up to noon it had scarsely covered the ground. I walked down to Ashton called to see "Ent" who seems better. Chas Howard ("huckster") who lives near Brighton was here to consult me. Afternoon I walked up to the mill for the papers & to Henderson's for the butter. After supper Edwd went down to Sherwood to see after the fires. It is a very disagreeable night, either snowing or raining & extremely dark. Mrs. Robison and Phil came in for Edwd to go over to their house to join with them in a "spelling class" he went with them & was gone until bed time.