Diary: Caleb E. Iddings, 1898

Cloudy & Clearing. 52° Ther. SAT. MAR. 19^th, 1898 Wind.

Cloudy early this morning but cleared towards noon and quite warm, indeed hot in the sunshine. "Phil" Robison came & helped Edward to renovate the roof of the back part of the stable, using the boards that came from the old school house, and part of the former roof boards. I helped them what I could. Went to the store & P.O. Afternoon Willie telephoed for Edwd to come after Fanny & the baby, & he would come on his bicycle. W. arrived some time ahead of the others, they all getting here in time for supper. After supper Edwd, Willie & I walked to the store & toll house.

Cloudy. 48° Ther. SUN. MAR. 20^th, 1898 S.E. & N.W. Wind.

Cloudy & threatning all day Willie Rode his bicycle to "Fairfield" early this morning & brought back their own horse & carriage, & after dinner he Fanny & the baby went to "Fairfield". Edwd. & I went to meeting this morning, which was a silent one. Afternoon I walked up to Hendersons. Edw's pigeons commenced going back to their loft over the stable, seeming to be aware that their enemy the big gray cat was dead & out of their way. So long as they could see him about nothing would induce them to return to the old quarters. After supper I walked up to the toll house Weather warm & unsettled looks as though it might rain before morning but had often looked so before lately without doing so.

Cloudy 43° Ther. MON. MAR. 21^st, 1898 N.W. Wind.

Rained last night & for a time this morning & was cloudy and threatning all day. I went to the P.O. morning & evening. Afternoon I walked to Ashton & back. Henry Thomas came for me and I walked down to see Alcinda's little girl "Bertha". who had fallen yesterday & hurt her left arm, it was not broken or dislocated but bruised and sprained. After supper Edwd. went to Mt. Airy to a "Singing Class" Frank Hewitt brought us a cord of wood

Cloudy. 42° Ther. TUES. MAR. 22^nd, 1898 E. & N.E. Wind.

Raw & disagreeable, threatning rain. I went up to the Mill & to the store & P.O. called at "Fairall's" shop. Susan Davis brought her grand son ("Louis") to the office & I extracted a tooth for him before dinner. Afternoon Charlott Detter was at the office for advice & medicine I went to the store twice & to Mill for horse feed. Sally Ellicott was here to see Dora. After, supper Harry Fairall came to practice telegraphy with Edwd again. The weather is very damp & almost Raining this evening & is colder than it has been for some days past.

Cloudy 50° Ther. WED. MAR. 23^rd, 1898 S.E. Wind.

Still cloudy & threatning I was sent for and went over to see "Old John" W. Johnson on Arthur Stabler's place also went to P.O. & to the mill. Recd a photograph from Thomas H Borden and wrote a letter to him which I mailed by the 2.o'clk p.m. mail.

Rain. Rain 45° Ther. WED. MAR. 24^th, 1898 N.E. Wind.

Rained all through last night & continued all day today. "Sam" Hill came to report Old John's condition. I wrote a prescription & sent him to Ashton for Medicine. Went to the P.O. and Received my"pension certificate, together with the "vouchers" (in duplicate) for the payment of the money due from Sept. 2^nd 1897. to March '98. I made the necessary affidivt before A.F. Fairall Esq and Mailed it to Pension Bureau in Washington. After supper Edwd. went to the Lyceum to act as a door keeper for a lecture by D^r Fewkes of Wahington on the Moki Indians

44° Ther. FRI. MAR. 25^th, 1898 N.W. Wind.

Clear & bright this morning, having cleared off during last night. I went to the P. O. & toll house. Afternoon I walked to Ashton & back. Edwd. took his sister to "Fairfield" & left her there to spend the night, and to attend a church meeting to night. E came home after supper. Harry Fairall came again to practice telegraphy with Edward.

33° Ther. SAT. MAR. 26^th, 1898. N.E. Wind.

Quite chilly this morning. I was called up about daylight to prescribe for Louis Hill's wife. Edwd. went to "Fairfield" for Dora & home to dinner. Afternoon Wille Fanny & the baby came to spend the night with us. After supper W & I walked up to the store & P.O. Harry Fairall came again to practice with Edwd. "Old John" was here to see me this afternoon. It is considerably warmer this afternoon & evening. The "newspapers" are filled with threatnings of war with Spain, and it certainly does look more like it than at any time since the great civil war. and I fear we can scarsely avoid it; certain it is there is nothing to be gained for us by war with Spain although poor Cuba would be freed by it.

Cloudy & "Misty" 40 Ther. SUN. MAR 27^th, 1898 N.E. Wind.

Cloudy & misty. Louis Hill was here again for advice & med. for his wife. Edwd went to meeting & heard sermons from E. Farquhar & W^m W. Birdsall of Philad^a Saml Bond called on his way to meeting for me to go to see his mother. Willie drove me down to "Magnolia" with our "Charley" horse and his jagger, & home in time for lunch. After which he and Fanny & the baby went to "Fairfield", as it looked very threatning for rain. I have not felt well today having headache. did not sleep well last night.

Cloudy 44° Ther. MON. MAR. 28^th, 1898 S.E. Wind

Showers last night & cloudy all day today. Willie came over to the Mill this morning & Fanny & Alice were here this afternoon. Jno Thornton took his carpet away & left the money with Dora. Lizzie Scott was here & took her carpet away, leaving word for Willie to send her his bill for it. I went to the store & P.O. and to "Fairall's shop this morning and bought a pair of "low quarter" shoes from him. Bought some herring from "Doad" Curley. After supper went again to the P.O. & toll house. Edwd went to Mr. Airy to a "singing class" going on horse back.