Tues1
Pleasant this morning, but has grown colder + windy all day.
All here and Hines also.
Took down chimney + partly built another.
I lathed in bedroom after dinner, and after supper, until 9 o’clock.
Chet did grand job lathing back of kitchen stove.
Duck for dinner again today.
Throat sore from cold and tobacco smoke.
Mixed bread again this evening with new yeast.
Hope I will have good duck with it.
Wed 2
Another cold windy disagreeable day.
All here except Hines. He did not come.
Capt. + Chet went to P.O. this A.M. and to station at 4 P.M + not home yet. 9:35
Joe Durant from city brought calf to winter and took dinner with me.
He complimented my new bread.
I went over to Porters with wheelbarrow + got a bushel of beans
Saw the tree agent there.
Capt. took half the beans to station.
I shot a gray squirrel about noon. Fired twice + nearly knocked me down.
Thur 3
Quite comfortable and pleasant and a little windy.
Hines here in A.M.
Cut hole through roof and fixed chimney and stove pipe.
Grandpa came over around noon, crazy as a bed-bug, Adney with him.
All went to lighthouse after dinner and left grandpa there.
I finished lathing the bedroom.
Had baked beans supper. First we had in a long time.
Hines brought us some wine for dinner.
Fri 4
Pleasant + comfortable but windy
All here, but Hines
Cap plastered, Chet helped him + I put roof paper on the extension.
Helped pick over apples and got cider apples all ready for mill.
Plastered up all the holes under the eaves + over the place in our chamber and this evening no wind came in.
Mr. Barstow came down + helped plaster the back of the stove this eve + I went up and visited Mrs. Barstow + told her stories of hypnotism right after he came home.
Tried an experiment of raising white pancakes this P.M. but it was not a success.
Coon + one of the boys came down this eve to see about some work
Sat 5 10.30pm
All here Awful windy
Took an early start this morning.
Cap went to City + from there to Essex Center with a load of coal and hasn’t got back yet.
Chet went duck hunting this morning + then to P.O.
I sent letter to Leon Ingram and cards to Mary + Charlie.
I baked Bread and beans also
Sat 5
Stirred up bread at 8a.m. + had it all baked at 5P.m. 5 loaves all in good shape. Also cooked vegetables and put lath on one end of our room next the road for back plastering. and have only just now got through work.
Sun 6
warm + pleasant
Cap came from Essex about 10a.m with stove + other things.
Joe Durant’s calf was out all last night+ it rained and wind blew like H-l + he came along early from duck hunting and saw it out. Going to send for it on Monday or Tuesday
Chet + Cap went to station at 10a.m. + I went up to Hines a little later
All got home about 5P.M.
Grandpa came with them.
He is a little out of it tonight I think.
Borrowed a couple of Eleane Kirk’s ideas of Mrs. Hines for a week.
Mon 7
Set up the new stove. Grandpa hollered last night.
Tue 8
Like it first rate. The Dog came tonight.
Wed 9
Lath on big chamber.
Slacked lot of lime for plaster.
Fixed man-hole to cistern.
Night, awful cold north wind
Cap + I brought in apples
Put hot stones in bed to warm feet.
Thur 10
Snow all night and snow all day and still snowing and raining and of course sloshy and disagreeable though not as nearly as cold last night.
All here + Sid Tatro also
Cap back plastering and putting pigs under cover + Sid helping him.
Chet went to Station about 11am and got wet clean through.
Everything is turned topsey turvey from gusset to cellar and he shall be glad when we ever get straight and ahead once more. It seems as though it takes a long time to do it.
We expected Whitten to work on the house and Coon to cement the cistern yesterday but neither of them have made an appearance yet.
Finished reading “Dr. Jack” last night and had to barrow K. Oil of Barstow.
Fri 11
Snow + rain (+ north wind) all night + all day again.
Cap intended to go to city this morning but didn’t on occasion of the storm.
No one to help us today. All here + tacking on lathing to beat the devil.
Goodspeed’s heifer came today.
I went to Barstow’s this eve + got a pallet of oil as we were all out. Letters from Mary + Leon Ingram.
Sat 12
Warm + pleasant as it coiled with the snow and ground.
All here
Pete Cole plastered today
Cap went to Station about 4p.m. as the lake was pretty gusty.
Care for Chilblain: Soak feet half an hour in warm water in which are dissolved a pinch quantity each of salt + soda.
Chet’s feet are sore and seem [?] with Chilblain.
I think it will storm again in a couple of days.
Sun. 13
Windy all day
Chet + I here all day. He went out to go to Station but too windy.
In evening we read awhile and I tried the chilblain cure.
Mon. 14
Comfortable day
Cap came over from station about 8 A.M.
Whitten + Ferrand came about noon. Our family had an early dinner, so I had to get our new comers an extra one afterwards.
I made a couple of loaves of Graham bread for supper a lot of biscuit for dinner and baked 4 loaves of bread this evening. The new stoves works splendidly and I like it better everyday.
Chet and Ferrand went to city P.M. and got load of lime, lumber +c.
Hines was here this evening to hear from Cassins.
He + wife + Bert intend to start for the West, two weeks from today to visit Frank’s brother and he wants Cash to do chores for him while they are gone.
Whitten says Cash has been at his place for nearly two weeks and thinks he will be around this way before long.
We are making new stairs to-day so I guess we will be able to get up stairs to-morrow.
It looks stormy to-night
All hands are talking and visiting and having a great time while Chet reads “For the Flag”and I write Cap occupies the “Chair” on the landing and frequently “reports.
Cap says he wants to get the family over here a week from to-day and that means, I suppose , that Chet and I will got to the Station at that time to stay until Jan. 11th
I picked up my things Sunday and packed most of them away so they would be out of harms way and be where I can find them when needed.
I am wondering how I shall like living over there.
Thu. 17
Cloudy but quite comfortable
Eli + Frank are still here and the new cellar stairs are now finished and door hung so we can go up + down without standing on our heads to open two trap doors every time.
Coon was here yesterday + to-day and plastered the long chamber.
My things are in boxes but I wish there wasn’t half so many of them. It beats all how things do collect.
Farnham called a short time this evening.
Frank Hines found Cash and brought him home to stay while the family are away at Harvard, Ill.
Ferrand and I rode up last evening and called on him. He is looking first rate, better in fact than I have ever seen him. He gave me three pigeons and I picked and dressed them this P.M.
I suppose my letters to L.E. Ingram and R.F. Wheeler were both mailed to-day one by Bert Hines and the other by Mr. Barstow.
Bert told me last night that yesterday was the first time he had ever been near enough to a passenger car to look into it and had never before stood near enough to a locomotive to see how it worked or looked and he is now 26 years old and has always lived within 6 miles of the city of Burlington, Vt.
9 P.M. Have just given Chet a capsule of Magrinine for sick headache and now await results
Wrote this eve to May.
Fri 18
Another comfortable but cloudy day
Whitten and Ferrand still here.
Had 3 doves with dressing for dinner.
Am getting packed up ready for a trip to the lighthouse to-morrow if it is pleasant and wind don’t blow so but what they can bring Lottie over on a bed as she has not recovered from injury received in falling down stairs a few days ago.
Cap + Ferrand went over to parties this evening and Chet went up to Hines.
Hardy helped Chet pull cabbage and turnips + put them in cellar this P.M.
Wind
blows some to-night though the lake has
been pretty quick all day + Chet went down
to Station in little boat this Mng.
Sat. 19th Colchester Reef Light-House
11.41 A.M. Arrived here at 8 A.M. in Watkins’ sail boat, with Chet, bag and luggage for a six week stay if nothing occurs to shorten it.
The family left me here alone at 9 a.m. going over to camp for the winter.
I have been taking a survey of the premises and think I can make myself comfortable if the grub holds out. I have some beans cooking and some bread in the pantry and some other things.
As I brought over some reading matter of my own and have found quite a lot here, besides I think I will keep my self busy reading a good part of the time.
There was hardly any wind this morning but it begins to whistle some now. I hope Chet will get back so as to stay here with me to-night, as I am wholly unacquainted with the management of a light-house, and there is no boat here for any purpose, even if I should need one ever so bad. However I am not worrying.
Fred Wells’ steam launch passed here to the eastward going north at 11.45.
12.35 P.M.
Saw three loons a little ways out this morning soon after we arrived here; alas a solitary duck they call a “butter-ball. Have just hung out my thermometer and barometer, and am proud to take observation of temperature, weather + c at frequent intervals, if I don’t get too tired of it or forget it.
2.05 P.M.
Chet just arrived, bringing my glass, clothes to.
8 P.M.
Rain and wind harder still.
Played Euchre with Chet this evening.
Commenced reading “The Petibone Name” by Margaret Sydney.
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Sun. 20
4.50 A.M.
Sun shines on western mountains, and it looks now as if it might clear up sometime today.
Got up about 7.30 and attended to the fires and commenced setting things to rights in the kitchen.
Spray from waves frequently comes up on to the N.W. window.
The house is built with its corners to the N, S, E, + W, and I have not got used to it yet; and I cannot tell where I am until I look out at the country around me.
We had a nice soft warm bed and I slept first rate all night, only waking up when Chet changed the light.
11.30 A.M.
Sun shining a good part of the time this A.M. Have just got the kitchen pantry and the hall straightened out.
12.40 P.M.
Reading old papers and things.
2.10 P.M.
Gale still continues, hard as ever.
2.10 P.M. A short time ago I noticed what I at first took to be a black stick drifting before the wind, but closer observation showed it to be a duck or some water fowl, as unconcernedly as though the water had been perfectly calm. After a little it suddenly disappeared and I could not see it again.
4.00 P.M.
Just finished reading “The Pettibone Name” by Margaret Sydney. A splendid book worth any ones while to read.
6.30 P.M. Gale has risen again and still continues. Just finished supper. Being entirely 40° unused to a coal stove for cooking purposes, I was not quite successful in the making of my pancakes, but never mind, I guess I will get used to it sometime.
11.40 P.M.
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Monday 21,
6.30 A.M. 33° Clearing in West; very little wind, no white caps, wind N.
7.45 A.M. 35° Still clearing. Top of western mountains, some of them snow covered look grand. Clouds rolling away.
Chet just started for shore, to get grub and another boat at Watkins’ camp.
I am looking for wind but hope it won’t get here until Chet gets around with kindling wood, as well as boat and grub, for there is but little to kindle a fire in case we should loose them both.
10.00 A.M. 36° Chet just landed at point and there are two loons between him and their about half was over heading this way. Sun is shining.
10.30 A.M. 36° Three loons short distance to N.W. and N; quite near at time. Got the gun once but they came up then about a quarter of a mile away.
12.30 P.M. 37° Chet has been back and brought the other boat and 6 loaves of bread 3 or 4 doz doughnuts, a lot of cookies and cake of various kinds a lump of butter nearly a pound of canned corn beef, small jar of pickles, some peach sauce and Irish and sweet potatoes, nearly half a bushel of them I guess.
I think we shall not have to go hungry for at least one week.
Chet has now gone over to Hog-back after wood and then will go over to camp and I may not see him again for a week if wind blows hard.
I have tied in the boat and got that fixed for any storm that may come; and now must fill and trim the signal lamp for night.
Loons. 4 of them off toward Juniper.
Lake now scarcely disturbed by even a ripple and sun shining nice and warm making it at this time a most beautiful day to be out of doors.
2.00 P.M. 46° “H.S. Tisdale, Whitehall, N.Y. just passing with six canal boats in tow.
Light breeze from south springing up.
Sun shining beautifully.
Large flock 1000 certainly of waterfowl off Grand Isle. Have been up in town looking at them three or 4 miles away I think.
Chet has gone around Laws Island to home camp with his wood.
Hope he will return to-night but am not certain he will
Wed.
Continued Colchester Reef Lighthouse
Of course it
may either go out entirely or be an
hour or so coming up a light streak in west at 9:30 is gone and looks stormier
than ever wind beginning to howl just through dinner wind n. just the same he
didn’t eat the muskrat just the same had it nicely cooked, and the tasted was
not particularly disagreeable but some how our appetite did not crave muskrat.
Wrote a 4 page letter to Geo Papineau last night and I ought to write two or
three more sometime to day to other parties
3 p.m 33
5:45
32
7 pm 32
steam tug and boats just went south. eating popcorn and writing to HD Ingram while Chet reads “my neighbors wife”
11 pm very little wind
________________________________
Thursday 24th thanksgiving day
7 am light wind from N
8 am Chet started for camp
9am
10:30 sun shining occasionally and wind going down
2 pm wind rising all clouded over and looks stormy. Have just eaten dinner hope Chet will be back to night. Forgot to send my two letters after all
3:45 pm wind still rising looks like to be a wild night have got my stove all cleaned out two loads of coal up from the cellar and my lamp all trimmed floors all swept and everything is in good shape for the night I suppose Chet is having a good time over home eating thanksgiving dinner and I am glad he can be there this is rather a lone some thanksgiving for me but it don’t matter much. I wish I could see the folks from down home though for it is been long over a good long year now since I have seen them any of them.
4:40 wind rising and storm coming Chet surely wont be here to night for he can not be here any way
6:00 an old nother! Wind howling waves dashing ladders rattling and an rough night generally outside snowing hard first time since I have been here.
7:00 Still snowing + wind blowing a gust from the N.
Just finished reading “women against women” by ms. M.E. Holms
9:00 wind a gale from N. or N W and still snowing.
1000 not quite as hard but still snowing
1130 changed light put up first light at 4:15 wind about the same but snowing very little
12. Mid. 30° wind a little easier stopped snowing.
Going to turn in.
Friday November 25 1898 Colchester Reef Lighthouse
7 am 28
8:00 Storm looks to be coming down from N.E. though wind is still from W sun shining at times squally at other wind has risen to perfect west
11:00 wind continues clouds breaking away and looks more like clearing up all around
12:00 noon have just finished breakfast
everything changed
1:30 lake boiling like a pot white caps every where
2:45 wind rising howls like the devil.
4:45 wind seems like going down slowly.
From the tower at 4:15 the sunset was beautiful even though it was cold one we have almost had a full moon now and no doubt it will be a pleasant evening outside
5:30 wind blowing harder again.
6:20 24
not a cloud to be seen
7:00 have just fixed a good bunk on floor back of the stove and am going to sleep down here by the fire to night as I am alone and it is a pretty cold night all over the hours
8:00 wind has been easier for half an hour but seems to be coming up again now have just eaten supper after having a good nap.
9pm 24
10:40 24
1200 changed light
Sat. 26
1AM wind a little easier again for a little while wind has shifted to east and it is blowing lightly. Chet might get here now if it were light. Barometer still stands at storm point and clouds hang low all around. Steam tug with loaded boats going north.
7:00 put out light sunrise
7:40 fog rising from water all round all clouded over sun has disappeared completely. Loon off hogback think he must have had a cool time of it last night
9:50 sun has shown a little through the haze for dim.
Hour or more wind still east and still blowing lightly as 6 o clock
10:30 shining no longer.
Finished reading “Babylon” good but hard to keep interested looks like snow all around
12:25 “Mariquita” just passed to northward..
Chet got here 11:30 letter from “R.F. wheeler no cash”
2 commencing to snow. Storm coming from west. But think wind will soon a shift to N.E chet has gone to point after kindling wood and muskrats
3.30 20° Snowing as I can only see east-shore and Islands.
Filled Chet’s oil can, brought-into cook. Picked over a lot-of my red striped pole beans that Chet brought-over and in paring two pans of
apples got enough good ones to make about-a quart of apple-sauce.
Wind rising a very little, still East.
3.55 Whitecaps show a little.
Chet returning from H.B.
7.00 20° Snowing Wind shifted to N.
Chet polished the teapot. It looks fine.
8.30 20° Wind still N, not very hard.
Chet making skin stretcher.
11.15 17° Wind blowing a heavy gale from N.W. nearly.
Sunday27 __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
12.20A.M 14° Heaviest gale yet. From N.N.W.
Going to bed.
7. A.M 14° Big Gale N.
Came down and fixed fire and went back to bed. Nearly froze when I went to bed last night, and didn’t sleep well anyway.
10.A.M.16° Just got up Chet + I.
Built fire in kitchen to do some cooking to-day.
One of hardest gales I have ever seen on this lake. Spray flies to tops of chamber windows at times and quite often we feel the whole structure tremble from force of waves which strike it.
P.M 17° Wind hard as ever from N.
Just through breakfast.
2. P.M 19° Gale hard as ever from N.
Windows covered with frost and two fires.
Dishes all washed.
Chet making skin-stretcher.
3.10 20° Gale hard as ever. N.
Clearing in west.
5.30 22°Wind easier.
Think it is going down more yet. The lake has been steaming all day. We brought our bed down into the sitting
room and have got-it-all nicely set up. And I have also got two leaves of Graham bread baking and beet cabbage
and turnip cooking, and we are feeling quite comfortable and contented.
Chet had to screw up the nut of one of the ladders as it was nearly worked off bythe wind.
Robert H. Cook a fine tug went south on east side at 4.25 She looked like a staunch craft, and was all fixed for
storm and wind. This is the only craft we have seen to-day aside from the big steam boat, but they do not run by
near here now. Robert H. blew a salute as she past three short blasts.
8:00 19° Growing colder again.
Wind veering round to N.E.
Chet went to bed and as I am left alone, master of the situation, to read, write or think as pleases me best.
I expect to sleep comfortably to night, as I did not sleep so last night at all. I am now reading “The Wayside Cross or the Raid of Gomez” A Spanish story by Capt. E.A. Milman 33rd Rgt.
Colchester Reef Light-House.
1.30 P.M. 27° Chet just came in little boat with potatoes squashes, bark, milk, Indian meal, buckwheat
flour, hops, + yeast, and is now getting decoy duck and other things in readiness to go out on a hunting and
trapping expedition. He has a big basket of grub.
And I don’t know when I shall see him again. Hope he will have good luck and get back here to-night.
2.30 "
.
340 28° Wind unchanged as yet.
Have been fixing back hall door as the wind will not blow in quite as hard as it has done heretofore. I hope.
4 " Lighted lamp in corner.
4.30
26
The big clock ran down at 18 minutes of 4. But I had another clock going, so I knew I am all right.
5.15 Moon just up. N. Wind very light.
Wound up clock a little too tight and so I have to start it every few minutes. Brought another down from upstairs
and now I have three of them as if I ever get right time again, guess I can keep it all right.
8:00 25° Wind light from N. Cloudy and hazy.
10.30 26° ,, ,, N.W. ,, ,,
Finished reading “Lady Valworth’s Diamonds" by “The Duchess” A fine book.
Wed. 30th Colchester Reef Light-House.
8. a.m. 26° wind N. Stiff breeze. Commencing to snow.
3 butter balls out here.
2.10 pm 31° Wind N.W. stiff breeze. Light storm of rain + snow since 8.a.m.
Chet cleaning up his gun.
4 ,, Wind west. Cloudy, no storm.
5 31° ,, ,, ,, ,, ,,
Took down lightning rod.
9 32° West wind.
10 ,, No wind at all.
11 32° Wind shifted to East. Only very light.Very cloudy.
Midnight 12 32° ,, ,, ,, ,, ,, ,,