October 22
10 P.M
I started for L.H with pail. But came back.
Rain this evening
Picking Apples
Deer hunters are out. Duck hunters also.
Sent letters to Cass.
Letters from Mary
Monday. Oct 23.
8 P.M Gale from N. since 4 A.M until 3 P.M. and a hard one. Rain nearly all night. Got up before light to assure myself the boat was safe. Found it so.
Shelled many red eyed beans. Cleaned up my kitchen. Made vegetable soup and baked Graham cakes for supper.
Raytee + Joe finished pulling onions and cut off tops. Most of them were scallions.
Mr. Goodspeed called.
Made a little tomato sweet pickle after Aunt Emma recipe. It is ok.
Jones came over with a little pail of fine soup and to see how I was. I was over there Tuesday evening about sick + and have been quite sick with a bad cold several days. Though I went to city Monday with Mrs. Hardy. Am much better today. I dread starting for the light house but if the wind is not harder in the morning than now I guess I shall feel that I might have to attend to it. I started yesterday A.M but had forgotten Chet’s gun and by the time I had came back gotten it and done one or two things I had also neglected the wind had come up as I concluded not to venture.
Friday Oct. 24 1902
9 P.M Gale fierce south all day + a hard one with some rain at intervals, and starts blowing though clearing. To westward since sunset. Lightning all the evening to eastward.
Cut tops off my onions. Had 8 Bu in all. When I sowed seed. I expected to have 10 Bu. It is easy to be disappointed sometimes.
Patched the roof again this P.M.
Called at Raytee this evening.
Shall mail P. Card tomorrow for free book. “Secrets of Power.”
Commission appointed by President Roosevelt to arbitrate settlement of Coal Strike.
Held first meeting in Washington today.
A week ago today I left L.H
haven’t been there since and don’t know when I can get there. Blowing a gale
now.
Sat Oct 25 1902
10 P.M Gale from north all-day and still blowing but easier tonight.
Finished picking apples.
Have the cider apples all bagged and the others in two piles in the kitchen.
One good job done at all events.
Eight-days since I was at the station.
Hope Chet + Ruth are well and that I may be able to get there tomorrow.
Worked every minute all day.
My cough is no worse though bad enough. Was at Jones’s this evening. Took supper there. Jones read laws of army + I borrowed the book.
Letter from Myra.
Sunday Oct 26 1902
Wind quite easy from east, this morning. Cloudy. Started for station at 7:10 arrived about nine. Sailed to pass then wind west on southwest. And had to row to the station. Left station a little after ten + got home at 12:15 P.M. Fresh south breeze from station + sailed. Rained from pass to home. Pretty breezy from south all P.M and had very hard work to pull from Hall’s to Brick House Pt.
Left Jones Army Regulations with Chet to encourage him to learn signal code. I was glad to see that he had my tel-sounder on the table.
Perhaps being left nine days without communication of any kind may have emphasized the necessity of having some means. By which in case of sickness or other emergency communication could be established between Station and shore, and relief obtained.
I got red cloth at city. For signal flags and today Chet hemmed mine. And I have it. And I left his at station. They wish to come ashore next Sunday. So I have to get there some way if possible. Carried Cotton Batting for quilt. Mail Chet’s overshoes. Liscum Apples ½ bu. Beans. 2 qts. Popcorn. 40 lbs flour.
Found them well.
At 9:20 last night while Chet was running the sewing machine. They were startled by a steamer of some kind running on the ripraps on East Side. House jarred and a great noise was made. The boat passed over and along with apparent injury toward south. Wind N moderate. C+R went up to inspect light and found it all right.
Monday Oct 27- 1902
9.30 P.M. Raining steadily and almost as warm as summer. Wind south but fresh and moderate.
Cloudy all day. Wind dropped early about sunset. Commenced raining about 8. Cleaned out wagon shed. Put express into this pit and brought one of Watkins’s skiffs into shed to be overhauled.
Cut up tomatoes for sweet pickles, cleaned up little bedroom and tried to make things a little better. Feeling pretty well knocked out, my cough does not get much better. Raytee and Joe picked bushels of apples and put five of them in here.
Went over to Jones at 5:20 for buttermilk and felt so weak it seemed as if I never could never get there. I felt worse than at any time since my cough commenced.
They gave me some hot tea and some supper and I felt much better after a time. Lottie’s mother. Mrs. Akerson was there.
Sunday Oct 28, 1902
7 P.M. Raining hard and has been so nearly all day. Wind fresh from the north. Haven’t seen a soul all day. Roof leaks like a sieve and I had to remove sugar etc. from pantry last night to keep them dry.
Have worked like the devil on the roof. Patching the paper and it leaks now more than ever.
Wrote to Captain this morning.
I think he will understand how things are when he reads my letter.
Made 3 gallons of tomato sweet pickle.
Swept out my room and did all I was able. Almost sick abed with terrible cough and cold.
Wed. Oct 29. 1902 –
8 P.M. Gale from N.W all day. Cloudy + cold, thermometer only a little above freezing. Snow squall at 7 AM; lasting 20 minutes. Snow squalls somewhere around all day. Sun peeked through a few times for only a minute. Commenced work on Watkin's Boat. Took out seats and slats. Quite a job of nearly 3 hrs.
Raytee + Joe came over + picked apples again this P.M. Made a place for them in sitting room.
Built fire and had good hot supper. As I had not had time to eat anything all day.
Warm and cozy in my old kitchen
Wish I had fuel enough ahead for the winter but I fear I haven’t.
Mose Bessett took my apples and two half bbl beer kegs to cider mill for me and will bring them back free of charge. God bless him.
I drew off about 4 gals of old cider clear as a quill and pleasant to drink.
Now the wind sighs and moans through the locusts. If only someone would come in once in a while of an evening, it would be a little pleasanter. But then it don’t make much difference. The cats and I get along very well.
I am all the time dreading my next trip to the L.H. which I suppose will be on Saturday if I can get there.
I wish we might have a week or more of warmer weather and lesser winds.
Thought I would carry a red cabbage over to Mrs. Jones after supper, but it was dark, windy + cold. As I sat down in my old arm chair with the black kitten and slept instead.
Thursday Oct 30. 1902 . 9.30 P.M
Just home from Jones.
Went to L.H. this A.M. Wind S. + easy. Rowed all the way. Took breakfast + waited a little while. Wind rising all the time. I started with sail, but found I couldn’t manage. Chet was scared I guess, + blew the old shell. I expected to be swamped with water coming over the rail. I dropped the sail as quickly as I could and took the oars. + headed for home. My fingers were wet, the temperature was only a little above freezing and wind blowing a gale. I had a good time making lee of Benlaw, and landed. My fingers were numb, weak and ached as that I was almost faint. After a time I started for home. I rowed up 25 poles + set sail + reached Hall’s Pt. safely without event. Rowed from Hall’s. Wind pretty hard. Three men at Hall's making duck blind. Raytee + Joe were here pulling carrots. He didn’t think I could get away from L.H. and I am quite certain I shall never attempt it again in such a wind. It has been rising slowly since and is blowing a gale tonight. Put my carrots in cellar. A little over 2 Bu of very nice ones.
Carried 2 nice red cabbages over to Jones and we had great talk on signaling in the army. Chet + Ruth are studying at it and are learning it. I am glad. I am only sorry I couldn’t get them on it sooner.
Friday Oct 31-1902
Hard wind all day from W.-N.W. + N. Mrs. Thompson come down this AM after Ruth as Jim Cary’s baby is dead, but I could not get to the L.H. as wind was so hard. Still blowing from N. + no sign of abatement. Raytee + Joe pulled cabbages. 345 heads the Captain's share. And not very good either. I put in 3 wheelbarrow loads of cabbage after sunset.
Cleaned out one of Walkin's boats + got ready to paint inside.
Forgot to mail two letters from L.H. Hope Mose won't bring any cider while I am away. Hope it will be pleasanter so I can get to L.H. in the morning.
Letter from Cap'n and we are going to have the house shingled.
Mr. Godspeed called A.M. to have me fix Edson’s pump as soon as I can.
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