Diary: Caleb E. Iddings, 1897

Ther. 47° Clearing. Wind. Sunday, Mar 21, 1897.

This has been a beautiful spring like day. I went to meeting. Edward going with me. After lunch Harriet Dora & Edward took a walk over to the Friends burying ground. I went up to Henderson's. D^r R Brooke's horse was taken sick on the road, and he called at the "central" next door, to telephone to vetrinary surgeon "Tatum" to meet him at Ashton. He drove his brother Walter's horse home, leaving the sick one there. I was telephoned to from Mrs Kate Janney's (by Hilles who was over there) to go to see Old "Lila Green" who lives with her daughter at Chandlee's saw mill. I will try to go tomorrow.

Today is the first Sunday that Willie & Fanny have failed to come to spend at least part of the day with us. After supper I went over next door to see "Phil" again & found him much better.

Ther. 55° Clear & Cloudy. Wind. Variable Monday, Mar 22,^d 1897.

I went to the mill before breakfast for horse feed. Willie came soon after breakfast and staid about an hour. I drove over to the old Chandlee's mill to see Old "Lila" Green. Edwd going with me. we went to "Fairfield" and took dinner there, coming home soon after, calling on the way at "Eldon" to see Sister Beulah. After noon Edwd & I worked at trimming the grape vines, & cutting out part of the locust tree that was broken by the cyclone. Over the "garden house".

John Howard was here for medicine for Old "Lila" Green. It has been a real spring day.

Ther. 46 Clear & Cloudy. Wind. N.E. Tuesday Mar. 23,^d 1897.

It was partly cloudy most of the day. I worked at the stable fixing the back stall and tinkering at several odd jobs. Afterword I was called to see W Henry Butler, who has moved into Singleton Mitchell's house. he is quite sick, besides having badly scalded one of his feet. Phil Robison rode over with me.

Edward worked in the garden and lot, clearing up & getting ready for spring. We had a light shower whilst we were on the road over to see Butler. Ellen Stabler was here, and Dora went over to their house to tea. It looks tonight as if we might have rain before tomorrow morning. I wrote to E. C. Peter Esq. for Henry Butler, & mailed the letter at S. S. After dark I went up to the P.O. It is very dark & beginning to rain.

Ther. 50 Cloudy. Wind. Variable Wednesday Mar. 24, 1897.

It rained very hard before daylight this morning. After mid night at became foggy and about 4.o'clock there was a great deal of lightning & some thunder, which wound up with heavy rain & wind. It was disagreeable all day. I recd a letter from F. Tyson. Went up to the store and to Fairall's. Afternoon Edwd went over to Benj. H. Miller's to practice with Mrs. Thom. I was summonsed to Rockville, in the "Henry Butler case". I walked down to Ashton & back after lunch. Tom Stabler called & left my dental instruments which I had loaned him. After supper I went over to "Central" & telephoned to Depty Sheriff Sullivan, & also went up to the toll house & saw A. F. Fairall again who promised to attend to my business in Rockville tomorrow

Ther. 32° Clear & Cloudy. Wind. N.W. Thursday Mar. 25,^th 1897.

The wind blew strong from N.W. all last night and was cold this morning. ice formed in buckets on the kitchen porch. The wind continued blowing pretty much all day.

I wrote to F. Tyson & mailed the letter before dinner, taking it up to the store.

Afternoon Edwd & I worked at piling the wood at the wood pile, & Hilles Robison helped Edwd cut out the broken limbs from the locust trees The wind has been blowing all day, and this evening it is quite cold & feels like winter again.

Ther. 31° Clear & Cloudy. Wind. N.W. Friday Mar. 26,^th 1897.

"Art" Sullivan was here to see me at breakfast time, about Henry Butler, and I drove over to see him (Butler) after breakfast, Edwd going with me. I wrote to E. C. Peter Esq. at Rockville again. I finished splitting & piling the wood. Afternoon Edwd took Hilles Robison to "Fairfield" again to finish trimming trees.

Emma Jane Davis was here for advice and medicine & left money from Old "Lila" Green. Dora recd a letter from her aunt Hallie Kirk, and will leave home tomorrow morning for Philad^a in the stage. Cousin Hallie Bentley called about supper time.

I went up to the store & P.O. It has been cold & windy all day. Willie was here this morning for a short time I was called next door to the "central" telephone by E. C. Peter Esq. again in Rockville, enquiring after H Butler.

Ther. 28° Clear. Wind. N.W. Saturday Mar. 27,^th 1897.

Dora left this morning in the stage for Laurel, Baltimore & Philadelphia, where she has gone to help her aunt Harriet Kirk move, & commence housekeeping again after having tried boarding for a year. I went up to the store & P.O. morning & afternoon.

Got our first pair of slead from Fletcher Clark's wagon. I[t] has been quite cold & windy all day.

I took some things to Oldfield's to have them mended, and called to see Old Uncle Perry Leizear who has been quite ill with "grippe" Jas. T. Henderson called at the office to see me.

Ther. 28° Clear. Wind. N.W. Sunday Mar. 28,^th 1897.

Still cold & frosty with high wind from N.W. Edwd, & I went to meeting which was a silent one. Willie came over to spend the day. Fanny & baby both have colds & feared to venture out in the cold wind. Willie went back to "Fairfield" about 4-30 p.m.

James Hill came for me (at supper time) to see his wife in confinement I walked down and found that any interference would premature and came home to await developments, leaving two experienced women with her.

Ther. 37° Clear. Wind. N.W. Monday Mar. 29,^th 1897.

Another beautiful day. Edwd & I drove over to "Riverside" to see Bro. Charles. called at Ashton as we came home in Towards evening I was called again to Jas. Hills wife in confinement and found her case one in which I needed assistance; I came home & telephoned for D^r Agustus Stabler who came & we delivered the woman of an enormous still born child the case being a remarkable one in several ways. I came home about bed time. Willie & Frank Snowden drove over to the "Experimental Station & Agricultural Collage", to get some strawberry plants, taking dinner there and getting home about dusk.

Ther. 40 Clear. Wind. Variable Tuesday Mar. 30,^th 1897.

I went to the store & to Fairall's shop. Willie came over and spent an hour or two, bringing me some tobacco from the "Experimental Station & State Agricultural Collage. I went to see Jas Hill's wife again, riding with Willie as far as the Meeting House, & I walking from there.

Afternoon I went up to Fairall's shop for my boots and to have the "in sole" fastened in one of my other pair. This has been another beautiful spring like day, tempting every one to do some out of doors woork, getting ready for spring in earnest. I have felt quite lame & sore from the real hard work I performed last evening in a close hot room at the bed side of a patient getting over heated & walking home after dark without an overcoat. was quite lame this morning, but gradually became "limbered up".