Diary: Caleb E. Iddings, 1885

18^o Cloudy N.W. Ther. TUES. MARCH 17, 1885 Wea.

Ground frozen hard again this morning. Edward was quite sick through the night & remained in bed today. I was awake all night with him. Alfred Warfield here for advice & for wife. E R Dorsey also here with a terrible sore throat. Willie not able to go to school today I fear is taking "mumps" and possible Edward also. who has high fever & "sore throat."

16^o Clear N.W. Ther. WED. MARCH 18^th, 1885 Wea.

Ed. Hill (lives at Fletcher Clarks) here for advice & med (measles) also his sister from Charles Stablers same disease. Jno. C Bentley's infant died early this a.m. Willie did not go to school. I went down to Ashton afternoon & had "Jumbos" shoes removed "all around" and got some medicines.

21° Clear & Cloudy N.W. Ther. THURS. MARCH 19, 1885 Wea.

Snow squall this morning Willie rode to school. After noon Sammy Stabler called and Dora & Nelly went with her over to the friends burial ground to the funeral of Jno C. Bentley's infant. Samuel Johnson's team brought us a large load of straw. Beef wagon from Sligo. here also fish & oyster men. It is cold' cold' with wind strong from N.W. thermomenter 26° at 3 p. m.

6° Clear High wind N. W. Ther. FRI. MARCH 20th, 1885 Wea.

Very cold morning quite unusual for this time of the year. I felt very unwell and slept until near noon. Willie drove to school in C's buggy. The wind continued blowing all day and with the thermometer not above 16° at any time it was very cold & difficult to keep the house comfortable Edwd came downstairs the first time for several days.

8. Clear N W Ther. SAT. MARCH 21, 1885 Wea.

Another cold day After noon Willie drove the roan mare to C's buggy up to "Elton" After store closed at night C & Frank Snowden intending to go also, driving Franks house to Ernest's buggy which he left at Ashton to have axel mended I overhauled Harry's old clock again.

Cloudy & Snow N.E. Ther. SUN. MARCH 22, 1885 Wea.

Commenced snowing about 8 o'clock this a m, and continued until noon. Little "Fanny" has been quite sick since yesterday with a wretched "cold" and considerable fever I hope it may not prove to be anything more serious: the baby is also suffering from a bad cold. Edwd. ssems better but is still far from well. Our boys did not get home from "Elton" until after dark whilst we were eating supper. Old Henson Plummer died very suddenly last night whilst saying his prayers having been as well as usual (to all appearanace) up to the time of his death.

20^o Clear -Wind Wea. N.W. Ther. Mon. March 23^d, 1885 Wea.

Willie completely broken out with some eruptive disease that looks & acts like "measles". Fanny still in bed but somewhat better. Singleton Mitchell here for advice & med, for Jasiah Bowen. Geo Sprigg also here for advice & med. Also John Johnson Jr (White). Richd Leizier called and settled bill against his father's estate. Elijah Leizier also here & settled his account. Still very cold for the time of year.

Ther. 25 Clear. Wea. N.W. Ther. Tues. March 24, 1885 Wea.

"Little" Tom Budd here for advice & medicine also Emily Bellows . Afternoon John rode "Fox" to the funeral of Henson Plummer. I was awake nealy all of last night waiting upon Willie who is quite sick indeed, the "mumps" & "measles" both together and each being a moderately bad case make it pretty hard upon him but he is quite patient much more so than I had expected he would have been.

30^o Clear N.W. Ther. Wed. March 25^th, 1885 Wea.

Our sick ones seem a little better this morning . Bro Richd called on way to meeting. Lizzie & Ernest also called on way to "Sharon". "Harp Man" here and I had him into the parlour that the music could be heard all through the house by leaving the doors partly open. Afternoon Sister Bealah called Hannah Chandlee called at the gate & informed us of the death by "croup" of E Leadbeather's youngest child "Arthur". I drove down after C at supper time & went up to village & prescribed for Henry Krozen.

22° Clear N.W. Ther. THURS. MARCH 26, 1885 Wea.

I drove up to see Henry Kreezen & down to Ashton to see "Lilly" Stabler. Tom Budd Jr here for medicine. Simmons here for advice & medicine for infant son Our own sick seem to be improving slowly.