Irene Dixon Bamford

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& Jim & Bernard Morgan & Mabel & Alice go home in skiff and nearly get swamped. With great anxiety I await Volties return. About daylight he comes thank God. Wet, cold and hungry: none of the party having had a morsel to eat since leaving home last night. Grace & Florence devoured a loaf of bread, 1/2 lb butter and an apple pie. No female women to greet them on their arrival at the grand ball only male men Rick's body guard. But Oh it was providential and I am thankful. At half past 5 wind changed to South and tore things right and left. Such a gale of wind seldom calls here, the river white and flying spray, unroofing barns, demolishing others, uprooting trees, taking every apple from trees, weakening ever obstacle in the way, waves on river running 20 feet high and dashing on the rocks shore with such tremendous force, the water was thrown above the tall cedars

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when rap rap rap again thunders at the door, and Maud who has again commenced reading about old Mr Foil once more goes to the door saying Oh dear and upon being opened in walks Florence Morgan, Miss Foley, George Morgan, Bernard Morgan and a young Mr Lerush with whom I was duly made acquainted. Well I began by this time to think there was most assuredly going to be a dance at Bamford as Mr Lerush carried a fiddle case under his coat sleeve. Surprize and disapointment at not finding V & G at home was plainly shown in their manner but they were made as welcome as the flowers in May inviting them to be seated and disencumber themselves of their wraps "Florence remarking" Well we have got left this time" another saying "Guess we'll go home "Oh no" said the hostess "you can dance just as well though I think I'll not set the stove our door to night, so after sitting awhile in scilent [sic] disapointment

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they made a merry jest of it and laid aside their overcoats, caps and mufflers. Mr Lerush began to draw the fiddle bow and I cleared away the chairs and all other movable obstacles and Geo and Miss Foley danced a whirlagig but Bernard and Florence made no response and they worried out 2 long hours and at last concluded to go home. I politely said I would invite them into the parlor but we had not yet set up our coal stove and the rooms excepting the kitchen were very cold to invite guest into for an evening's entertainment but though the kitchen was warm and cozzy it was hardly the place for a party as over head were suspended baskets of pop corn, dried apples and pendant strings of yellow pumpking drying on the poles and long traces of pop corn hanging on the wall besides two bags of feathers &c &c. at last they took their departure and I came to understand that my surprise

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dance which on account of the cider from Uncle Sammy's about 12 Oclock midnight they Morgans began to feel like old Ireland at Election time. Jim Morgan pitched into Lew Lerush and James Morgan backed by his brother Bernard Alowasius tore the shirt of Lerush and the neck ties and collars flew in all directions with hair, black eyes and bloody noses, after being put out door again renewed the combat in the mud. they rolled each other over and more hair, blood & mud and oaths noise and hard names and they kept it up till the party dispersed Jim sneaking of to the scow with Lerush.

Tuesday 17 Nov V and Grace came home from Wills Dixons about 4 am accompanied by Mary Dignam. Well before they settled down for a nap I learned that there had been a grand Irish row and nearly all the company were participants in the fight and all the Morgans had blackened eyes, broken noses and bloody faces. Whiskey and cider in plenty. Mary D stayed nearly all day and the conversation was principally about the party, what this one done and that one said. How Bernard made an ass of himself. Micke Hensey, John Coffer and Friendship had a row on their own account.

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Monday 23rd Nov 1896 A breezy day, ground white with snow far and wide. Maude at school. V drove down to Wellies in cutter for saw steelyards and brought back a bottle of Kerosine. Cleaned the hen house, sawed the old cherry tree for fire wood. Frank W helped him after dinner. V goes up to help Frank make a stable door. Slightly thawing. Quarterly meeting held here this afternoon. Sun shining Wind South & blowing. Dark in the North Barameter high but falling. Wellie & John Burnham here for big kettle and butcher knives. Going to kill pigs tomorrow. A dance tomorrow night at Mike O'Briens. V drove for Maude and Wills childrens but met them coming from school. Bernard got a bad face Wind blowing strong from south to night and rain on the windows.