Diary: Caleb E. Iddings, 1885

31^o. Clear & Cloudy N.W. Ther. Thurs. Nov. 26^th, 1885 Wea.

Thanksgiving day, and a very quiet day for us. Willie did not go to school but rode over to Arnold Water's and induced him to bring us another load of corn for the hogs & horses. P. T. Stabler team brought us another load of pine wood. After supper Charley, Dora & Willie went to some kind of an "Entertainment" at "Crow Town" to raise money for Brighton Grange Library. I finished the old armchair & put in the parlor, good for another 250 years. The children got home about 10.30 p.m. having had a pleasant time.

35^o Clear & Cloudy. SE Ther. Fri. Nov. 27, 1885 Wea.

Willie & I fixed the pig-pen so as to confine the pigs to the part in which there is a board floor & a roof over it. After supper Charley & Willie went to a dancing party at the "Academy" at Brookeville. Harriet and Dora went in next door to spend part of the evening.

33. Clear. W Ther. Sat. Nov. 28, 1885 Wea.

Charley & Willie came home from the dancing party at Brookeville at about 2.o'clk this a.m. I drove to Ashton before dinner. Afternoon Willie rode C's bicycle to "Elton" to spend the night. Rachael Kelly here for advice and medicine. After supper I walked to Ashton and Jno Abel cut my hair for me. bought groceries &^c.

35 Cloudy & Rain. N.E. Ther. Sun. Nov. 29^th, 1885 Wea.

Commenced raining soon after 10.o'clock this morning. Charley & Dora left home in the buggy (driving "Kit") about the time it commenced raining C. expecting to dine at Richd Lansdales, leaving Dora at E. Peirces to go to church from there. Rained more or less all day. Charley got home about 10.o'clk p.m. having taken Miss Fanny Rust home from Richd Lansdales after dinner, leaving Dora to stay all night at Edwd: Peirces' and Willie to get home with the bicycle tomorrow somehow, through the mud.

33^o. Clear. N.W. Ther. Mon. Nov. 30^th, 1885 Wea.

Annie Snowden (lives on Chanlees place) here for advice also Lavinia Hood. for whom I prescribed. Alfred Warfield came to cut wood &^c just before dinner time I helped him fix the "pig-pen", so that the pigs can have a clean place to sleep and to eat their corn. Willie staid with Ernest last night at Lansdale's, and came from there to school this morning. Edwd went to school this afternoon for the first time for some time. Willie went after Dora in the "jagger" Alice Peirce came home with them & Fanny P & Lucy Kummer came later all to spend the night here.

33. Cloudy & Snow. N.W. Ther. Tues. Dec. 1, 1885 Wea.

Alice & Fanny Peirce and Lucy Kummer left here for "Delincer" after breakfast. Uncle Henson came to work/ Jarrett Lee's son here for advice &^c for his brother "Fletcher". Commenced snowing before breakfast. Recd letter from Fdk: Tyson. Annie Snowden here again for advice & medicine. Willie & Dora both complaining: D with diarrhoea & W with sore throat & "misery in his bones" they both having "taken Cold". Harriet is not at all well suffering much from pain in her head & neck: to night is stormy, & as dark as it can well be.

32. Clear. N.W. Ther. Wed. Dec. 2^d, 1885 Wea.

I drove to Richd Dorsey's & prescribed for both him and his wife. Willie suffering from "stiff neck" & sore throat & staid at home from school. Afternoon I drove to Ashton and had irons made to strengthen the "arm rocking chair in the dining room. Prescribed for Louisa Green Dorsey at Ashton.

37^o Cloudy & Clearing N.W. Ther. Thurs. Dec. 3, 1885 Wea.

Cloudy & dark early in the morning clearing with high wind from N.W. Charlotte Rounds came to wash for H. Albert Chandlee brought us some sausage. Jno: Simms here for advice & medicine for his wife. also Tom Budd Jr: Willie still complaining of sore throat stiff neck & headache. some fever & no appetite.

29 Clear. N.W. Ther. Fri. Dec. 4, 1885 Wea.

Quite cold this morning I drove to Ashton & had Fritz shod & had side braces made for the rocking chair. Finished putting the braces on the chair. Afternoon I drove down to B O Hardy's & prescribed for his infant son. Willie seems to be rather better.

33. Cloucy. S.W. N.W. Ther. Sat. Dec. 5, 1885 Wea.

Cloudy & threatning until afternoon when the wind worked around to N.W. and blew hard until after sundown. I walked down to Ashton & back before supper W^m Platts daughter here & had a tooth extracted. Willie drove down after Charley at supper time.