January 1903

Mallets Bay Vt. Thursday, Jan 1. 1903

at Buttons Camp. Living alone.

12:01 am The advent of the new year finds me writing to an old friend B.S.P. with my two cats for company.

9:20 pm Was taken sick at 2. am and was worse until near noon. Sick abed. Tried twice to go to W.Pt. but had to give it up. At 2 pm. started again. Jones let me take team as I went.

All well at station. Water rough + C. couldn’t come over. Took supper at Jones.          

Home at 9:20 pm

Not a very pleasant or happy new year for me. Squab Manual came. Very interesting.

Fri Jan 2.

Very pleasant day. Started for W.P. at 7. am. Walked over + back. Chet come over with reports + other mail. All well.  Got home just in time to mail reports.   

Great celebrating at Hardy’s. 18 at supper + breakfast + 18 stayed there all last night.

Sprained my right foot about 4 pm. Couldn’t get up for five minutes. Sawed + split wood in shed. Put one piece of Paroid on roof. Mailed letter to B.S.P.

Sat Jan 3

Rain last night + rainy all day. Very little snow. Paroid on roof kept out lots of water from pantry. Foot very lame today. Cleaned the sitting room and room beyond.                

Black kitten very sick. Letters from Mrs. Carey and Frank Guyette.

Sun Jan.4.

Cloudy but quite comfortable. Very little wind, Thawing. Walked to Point with mail. Chet + Ruth had been at cottage and left mail. I signaled Chet asked, “Any mail?” and answered “Yes”.  He asked “Letters?” I said “yes”. He said “Wait”.  I waited and both came over. Mrs. Jones sent liver to them.      

Got back to Jones to dinner. Mr. & Mrs. Griffet came with Graphophone + stayed an hour or two.           

 Took supper at Jones. He brought me home. I let him have a gal. of oil. He paid 14 cents for it. I let him have 3 lbs crackers for which he did not pay. Showed him over the house. He wants to lease + buy.

Mon. Jan. 5 1903.

Light snow half on hour in morning. Some sun but mostly clouds.  Thawing a very little in sun. Very little wind. A very comfortable day.

Mailed letter to Mrs.Carey requesting someone to meet carrier at mailbox to see if Gov’t mail comes to Chet, + to send me word if they will come down after C & R. Howard agreed to notify them.

No one to see me today. Worked most of the day on my wood cutting large sticks 4ft long + piling + putting more wood into shed.   Made quite a good showing. Trouble with nail on right big toe again.  Sample copy Green’s Fruit Grower to read this evening. Brought big rope from landing up to the house. At 7:40 this evening while sitting dozing in my chair the sound of what seemed to me to be like Brother Charlie’s voice calling “Al” suddenly awoke me. And before I was fairly conscious of what I was doing, I shouted “What is it?”

Trying to write out a little speech for Chet’s +Ruth’s paper wedding the evening of the 10th if I go.

Tues Jan 6

Snow all day but very fine + light. About 2 inches in all day.   Fair N. wind.

Permit to come ashore, came today. Went to the Point with it + got there at 2:45 pm. It took nearly an hour to attract attention as it was snowing and difficult to see and they did not expect me before tomorrow.  Mr. Howard kindly wrote on my letter to Mrs. C. that Gov’t mail was here already + I shall look for some of them to narrow if it is pleasant. Look supper at Jones + he gave me some pitch pine for kindling. A tooth is troubling me tonight. Cleaned out pantry and kitchen this morning.

Jones says he intends to go to Randolph Thursday to see about hiring this place.

Wed. Jan 7

A lovely A.M, but wind and snow later part of day and evening. Went over to Jones on way to W. Pt.  Drove for him to M. Cross’ shop for pump-handle.  Drove to Point.  C. + R. had just landed and were taking things to cottage.

Rowed to station with Chet after key.  Then we came here to my camp and had got ready to start for Colchester when Mr. Carey came with two horses + sled. He took my load and I took Jones team home; split wood till nearly dark + then drove for him to Porter’s with milk in snow storm.  Took supper and staid awhile, then came along with Mrs. Hardy + stopped there till 8 + came home.   Good moon + not snowing.

Thur. Jan 8

Cold day.  Snowing in morning but not afterwards.  Not a windy day.  Very little sun.

Washed dishes, cooked hen feed and kept inside the house all day.  No mail.  Mrs. Hardy here and I gave her some cabbage, turnips + carrots.  She invited me to dinner tomorrow.  Wind southerly to-night.  Hope to see it  warmer tomorrow.

Fri. Jan. 9

Another colder day.  Very fine, sunny AM but wind rising and growing cold + stormy all around.  Haven’t done much today.  Had just got breakfast out of the way about noon when Chet came with two horses + long sled on his way to the point.  I got ready and went with him.  When we got there we found that neither of us had our keys to Stone’s cottage so he put team in shed + came over here on foot + got mine.  He was gone only 65 minutes.  We loaded the things he went after and came home.

The wind was blowing fresh from S. and lake was rough and steaming.  Should have disliked very much to have gone out on it today.  Chet says roads are very bad so I will have to give up my intended trip to Mr. Carey’s tomorrow night.  Windows covered with frost and wind coming in through so many cracks makes it rather hard to keep warm here tonight.  Boils on my neck also help to make one feel rather mean.

Sat. Jan. 10

Still another cold day with a little snow in mng.  S wind all day.  Very light this evening.  Carried Henry Thayer’s saw and Clara’s qt can home.  Helped Henry and Patsy take off a load of intervale hay and then took dinner after which I carried Alma’s glass home, visited awhile and then went up to Uncle Willard’s.  A stick of wood had hit Bert’s nose and he looked as if he had been hit pretty hard.

Uncle Willard was well + Aunt Mary was looking much better than I have seen her for many months.

 Elijah Thayer, my mother’s father, born in Wendell, Mass.

Polly Spear, my mother’s mother, born in Burlington, Vt.

            Married in Burlington + both died in Burlington.

Joseph Hunter, my father’s father, born in Wendell, Mass.

Mary Thayer, my father’s mother, born in Wendell, Mass.

            Married in Wendell.  Both died in Montague, Mass.

Warren Hunter, my father, born in Montague, Mass.

Lucinda Thayer, my mother, born in Burlington, Vt.

            Married in Montague.  Both died in Montague, Mass.

 Stopped at Mrs. Tatro’s on my way home and at Geo. Sumner’s.  Mrs. Sumner very kindly gave me an apple pie and five doughnuts.  All were very nice and I thank her.

Two boils on my neck are very painful.

Mr. + Mrs. Raytee went to hospital to see Miss Mabel R--.  Wants to come but is too sick.

Dreamed last night of finding and picking up lots of money all coin, gold, silver + copper.  Heaps of it and pockets all full.  Hope it may come true, but am afraid it wont. 

Wish I could have gone to Mr. Carey’s tonight to the anniversary of Chet’s + Ruth’s wedding.

Sun, Jan 11. 1903

Snow + wind all day.  Stayed in the house. 

No one came in sight. 

In evening, shelled beans until 11 o’clock and then went to bed.  Cold as blazes yet.

Mon, Jan 12

Cold as ever, and snow drifting badly.  About midnight wind blew so hard, the house trembled quite sensibly.  I have never felt it more so.  Fed my hens, saved a little wood, I got a pail of water kept the house.

This evening picked over some of Jones’ beans.  I have nearly three buckets to pick over for him. 

Boil on my neck kept me awake, and pains me all the time. 

Some kind of animals are digging lots of dirt from cellar walls.  Seems as if it must be something larger than common rats. Must do something to stop the devils or they will have the wall down I fear.

Tues. Jan. 13

 Cold again and quite breezy in mng. But wind dropped before noon.  Quite a little sunshine.

 Picked over beans for Jones.  Breakfast between 1 + two and while getting it (pancakes) Antoine Bessett came in.  He was here an hour and as he was going Chet came.  He had already been over to Station.  Folks well at home.  Bessett offered to give me  a place or lot corner opposite his house to build on, to give me sills for the building + to help me put it up.  I wonder what kind of an axe he has to grind.  Perhaps we may find out later.

 Went over to Jones this evening.  Took supper + visited till nearly 10.  They made me a present of nearly a pound of nice ham.  They have been very kind to me in many ways and many times. 

 Chet gave me $5.00 and I think I can use it to good advantage.  Rec’d Burpee’s Farm Annual 1903.  Expect to go to city with Jones Thursday if pleasant.

Wed. Jan. 14

 A little warmer or rather not quite as cold as the wind has been light.  Quite pleasant as sun has shone a good part of the day.

 The big boil on my neck is still growing painful + more painful.  Cleaned up all the flood-wood in the shed and there is now room to put in a lot more.

 Picked over quite a lot of beans also from Jones.

 Mended my cap this evening.  Have managed to keep pretty busy most of to-day.  No one called.

 New Pkg Stpd Envelopes.

 Writing for Rural New-Yorker to be sent 10 wks to Clara Thayer and myself.  20 cents for 2 copies.

 Looks now (9 PM) as if it might storm tomorrow.

Thurs. Jan 15.  

 10 PM  Snow in mng. Sun midday + cloudy PM + Snow again at 9 PM.  Considerably warmer today.

 Went to city on sled with Jones.  Took dinner and supper with him.

 Bought Leggings and overshoes, nice and warm, $2.50.  Two pr drawers, 50 cents.

 Started from Jones at 9 and it took me three quarters of an hour to get home via road.  I feel that I am really growing old and can’t get along as I could once.  Boils on my neck not yet improving.

 Jones’ wife badly stirred up over stories told by Clara Sumner about Jones, her sister and Geo. Bean. 

 Fire in basement of Belrose’s Drug Store while I was at city.

 We met one Mr. Armstrong, the “retired” preacher who once was around in this vicinity a few years ago and who for a few days took his meals here while I was a cook.

Fri. Jan. 16

 A little snow, a little sun, some thaw, but more freeze.  A little of all kinds of weather.

 Bert Hines here before I was up after circle of the 2 horse sled that Smith failed to replace before he left.  Of course it could not be found any more than many other things that disappeared at the same time.

 Had an awful bad night. Boils pained as I could not sleep. Better today, but instead am having a devilish tooth-ache which if possible is worse.  All one side (left) of lower jaw is involved, don’t expect to sleep any tonight.

Letter from B.S.P. inclosing item relative to sentences of Louis Bitzer for life in state prison of Mass. for murder of Miss MacCombe his clerk, and of his son. Also pamphlets descriptive of various skin lotions from which he leaves me to evolve one much better than any of them + advertise his Lilac Cream. It will be no small job, but as he is in no hurry for it before next spring or later perhaps I can do it for him.

He also sent his photo.

Mailed .20¢ to Rural New Yorker and also a letter to C.F.B.

 Haven’t felt able to do a thing all day.

My teeth, ear and in fact the whole side of my head is awful it might, and seems to be growing worse instead of better. I dread the night.

Sat, Jan, 17.                 

6:30P.M.  Thawing, very little wind until just now it seems to be coming up. Very little sunshine.

 Had a very hard night. Slept but little and it was my frequent  applications of camphor that enabled one to live through it. I swore I would have it out to-day, but this mng and through the day it felt as much easier that my resolution failed and as of course to-night it is as bad ever. Jaw swollen considerably and it is giving me hell.

 No one has called and probably no one ever will unless I advertise to give them all the cider they can swill down. If I did that I’ve no doubt I might have my house full of company as long as it lasted, and afterwards it would be the same as now.

 Seed Cat. from James J.H Gregory + Son Marblehead, Mass.

 Jaw paining me really bad again to-night. Steeped Burdock Root + commenced taking for boils + haven’t done a thing. Feel sick, discouraged, and almost sick of living.

Sun, Jan, 18                  

10:30 P.M.  Very pleasant, but very cold and windy, Sun nearly all day.

 Another very bad night with jaw + boils but better towards morning. Swelling reduced and soreness much relived so that I slept until nearly noon.

 Washed every dish in the house, swept floors, and got things looking first rate.

Went over to Jones’ this evening. He had gone to Jericho to look at a farm. Left orders for George Sumner not to milk a cow until either he or Porter came. Cows not milked tonight. Jones came at 9:30. Very cold tonight. Windows at Jones and here covered very thickly with frost. No one called. Feeling much better tonight. Jones came near having a scrap at Winooski.

Writing to B.S.P.

Mon. Jan, 19.

10. P.M  Cold as Greenland, but sunny and pleasant. Light winds.

 Sawing wood and picking beans, alternately.  George Sumner called, A.M. Looking for a box stove. Boil on neck and tooth giving me hell all the time and especially at night. Don’t feel at all well. The house is like a barn, and wood is green + poor + rotten. Hard work to keep comfortable. Hope another winter will find me differently situated. Another note from B.S.P. He is to be in Win, N.H. for a week from last Sat.    Writing to B.S.P.

Tue. Jan, 20.                    

11 P.M.  Another cold blustering drifting day, though a little warmer than yesterday, South wind Sunny.

 Picked over Beans most of the day. Got up at 9:30 A.M. Professor Smith passed here 4 times to day with George Blakely. Guess they are putting in ice for Hall.

 At Jones this evening, gave him lessons in Arithmetic. Took supper. He + wife going to Essex tomorrow to look at a farm they expect to run next year. Black kitten gone this evening since middle of P.M.

 Writing to B.S.P.

Wed, Jan,21,  

9 P.M.  Snow, snow- snow, from S. in A.M, + N. in P.M, and nearly turning to rain. Snow all day. Very light wind to-night. 

 Made 4 apple pies and plates of biscuit, all good.

No callers; and to hard traveling to go out this evening.

Picking over beans “Black Beauties”, to night,

Hardly think Jones + wife would go to Essex, in the storm.

Mail brought Black Duck and other cloth for mending my wool lined coat. And also a padlock for fish-shanty.

 Later Jones + wife did go.

Thrs, Jan 22, 

 Midnight. A warm lovely day, though a little flurry of snow in the morning.

 Put all my 4 ft- wood, ¾ cord into woodshed. A.M. Chet came about 10.30, and we went to station with big boat from the Pt.   Hi Merrihew, Harvey + two men were filling Hi’s ice house.  We rowed to island to see Hi about making a boat, and took dinner there.  Ice 18’’ thick and good.  Got home about 2. p.m. At Jones’ this evening studying arithmetic, Just home. He wants me to churn for him to-morrow A.M.

  Only a very thin layer of ice in spots on broad lake, we had an easy trip. 

 A year ago to-day, I left L.H. with Chet who came after me on ice about 2’’ thick. Lake doesn’t look much as it did then.

 Bartley , coal- dealer will pay Chet well, to draw the remainder of coal, some over 3 tons, from city to station.

Friday Jan 23      

8.15 p.m. Cold + blustering with snow. Some sun, middle of day.

Fed hens + went to Jones, about 10.A.M. Churned and studied arithmetic, took dinner, pared half bu. apples, read article of explanatory of wireless telegraphy, + Mrs. Jones game one the magazine containing it. Spoke to Porter about wood for stove, took supplies and came home. Starlight but not clear. Though quite cold. They gave me some buttermilk, and are going to give me a little butter I expect.

Sat, Jan, 24 

8 P.M. A very cold day , with very little wind: almost no wind.

 I think the lake must be covered with ice, as it was as cold and still the latter part of last night and today. No callers. Two teams each of a man a horse and sleigh went north to Halls Point I guess, and came back. One of them got Goodspeed and carried him over there, for some great thing no doubt.

 At home all day. Boiled mash for hens. Baked beans. Made a five pies and plate of biscuit. Everything first class. Had to chop hole through ice for water. Ice 18 to 20” thick, 2 or 3 inches of water top of ice at foot of hill.

 Another boil started on neck . Lots of fun in it. Steeping more Burdock-root tea, and taking sulfur and molasses. I’ll fix them if they don’t kill me first.

 On the 18^th Int.  Marconi sent wireless message from Roosevelt to King Edward, from Mass. to England 3000 miles.

 Lake froze over to- day.

Sunday Jan 25 

11:20 PM Cloudy and cold, Air seemed to be full of frost most all day. Looking stormy.  Very little wind. 

 Adrian Hardy escaped from diphtheria quarantine at Plainfield, and come home.      Boiling turpentine in house to prevent taking disease.

 Have done nothing except wireless telegraphy and propulsion of boats without oars, but as yet have reached no conclusion regarding either. 

 Called at Jones this evening, Took supper and studied arithmetic with Jones.

  Boil on neck raising hell again. Didn’t sleep at all well last night and don’t expect to to-night.

Monday, Jan 26    

7 P.M. A beautiful day, of sunshine until near night. Very light N Wind blowing. Thawing on S end of building a very little in middle of day.  Filed Stone’s big handsaw, and cut off several large blocks with it.  It cut better, but is not just right. Mended a pair of overalls this A.M.

 No callers, and no one has passed either way. 

 Only a circular in the mail-box.

 Boil on neck growing worse.  Sulphur + burdock tea.

 Picking over beans this evening.

 Stove seems to be clogged and wood is poor and it is hard to keep comfortable here some days.  I shall be glad when spring comes again.

Tue. Jan. 27  

 8 P.M.  Wind almost a gale from S. Cloudy except short time about mid-day.  Thawed on south side about noon.

 Very dark and threatening to-night.  Snow drifting badly.

 Edson + his father drew logs from lake shore a.m.

 No callers to-day.

 Sawed a 15” pine log into 4 block and cut up some other wood a.m.

 Picked over and winnowed beans p.m.

 Letter from B.S.P.  Not to write him until I hear from him again.

 Boils on neck don’t seem to be improving.  Pain me lots.  Taking Burdock-root tea and sulphur, it will do some good sometime.

 My cats are both away all the evening and some how I miss their company.  It has seemed unusually lonesome all the evening but I hadn’t thought before why it was so.

Wed. Jan. 28  

9 P.M. Thawing all day.  Rain in morning.  Light S. wind.  Some sun but mostly cloudy.

 Didn’t get up very early.

 Sawed the old oak tree butt at landing 4 times in two.  Also sawed several other sticks that I had dug out of snow in the yard near wood shed.

 Killed rooster.  Weighed alive 4 ¾ lbs. crop empty.  Head + feathers off 4-2 oz; dressed 3-8oz.; feet cut off 3-5oz.  Shrunk overnight 25 per cent.

 Boil on neck feeling better: Still taking medicine.

 Wrote to Ohio Electrical Works last night but failed to mail the letter today.

 Thought of going over to Jones this evening, but it was quite dark and hard walking so concluded to stay at home.  Looks as if we might have a thaw.  Built no fire today until after 4 P.M.

 Vic. Raymond and Sol. Francis drove from Stave Island on ice + called and took two bags of husk, left here when bay was freezing over.

 They said Lake froze over last Saturday and many were out skating Sunday.

 Shall expect Chet to-morrow to go to Station unless it rains.  Looks like rain: dark and air quite damp.

Thu. Jan. 29

8 a.m. Just up and fire built.  Thawing.  Fog as thick that I cannot see Barstow's.  Hardly think Chet will come.  Verily a January thaw.

 11:50 P.M. Thaw continues and increases.  Water over the road here.  Must clear the ditch first thing in morning.  Some rain by spells to-night.

 Chet came about 10:20 and we went to Pt. found ice 2 to 4 in thick + lots of water on it and S. wind fresh.  Everything OK.

 He brought me a lovely little roast of fresh pork.  Some of which I had for dinner.

 Carried home Carrie’s pie plate and gave her a few turnips, beets, carrots + two heads of cabbage.

 Paid Sid half a dollar rent for use of his fish shanty this season and he cleaned it out for me.  It is ready now.

 Called at Raytees.  They were just home from visiting Mabel who is sick with fever at hospital.  Found her worse.

 Went over to Jones this evening.  Took supper. Jones + I had great time measuring woodpiles by duo-decimals.  I have convinced him all right that it is the best way to figure that business.

 Am very sorry that he is going to move away.  They gave me a part of a nice little ham of a pig that weighed a little over 30 lbs. dressed.  It will make a fine roast.  Lots of meat now.  Two roasts of fresh pork and a nice chicken.  It rains fresh meat.  I might almost say it pours.

 But I saw it lighten quite frequently about 7 o’clock and so I am looking for a cold snap in a day or two and if it comes my fresh meat will all come in handy.

 Mailed letter to Electrical Works, Cleveland, O.

Fri. Jan 30,

8.P.M.  Thaw continued until towards night.  Wind shifted to W or N.W. and commenced to freeze.  Blowing hard now.  The cold snap indicated by lightning last night is here.

 Fred Farmer came just before noon for cabbage. Sold him 50 lbs. discounted 40 percent in weight on account of being frozen, leaving 30 lbs. at 1 cent per lb., 30 cents. Weighed 2 frozen heads to thaw out and weigh again after thawing to estimate shrinkage better hereafter.  The two frozen heads weighed 4 lbs. 2 oz. Thawed.

 Letter from Mrs. Button.  All sick or gone except her + Cass.

 Boiled feed for hens and sawed up one big stick of timber and part of another.  Loosened all but one of others lying around and got them into place so I could get to them better if it should snow again.

 Picking over beans this evening for Jones.

 Edson came in and stayed half an hour.  Very pleasant.  He had been shoveling out road to landing.

Sat. Jan. 31.   

11:50 P.M. A fine day.  Sunny.  Thawing a little on S. sides only.

 Baked 6 pies and tow plates of biscuit.  Washed dishes.

 Somehow I don’t seem to have accomplished much.

 Jones this evening.  Supper.  Puzzles and discussions.

 Spoke of Mrs. Button’s letter and Jones wishes me to write to-morrow and say he will take this place for three years.

 I think I will buy his hens and have a lot as well as a few.

 First egg of the season to-day.  It scared me when I saw it.

 Tonight is starlight, but only a few shine.

 Last night of the month.  Hope I may feel better and do more next month than I have this.

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