Monday September 5-1898
At Button’s Camp
11p.m.Chet and Capt went to Essex and Westford this morning. They took along the engine and boiler we took out of the lake last winter, and will leave it at Essex Junction. Expect them sometime before morning.
I put guides and a reel on one of Chet’s Bamboo poles and went fishing at 4 pm but could not find Thayers Reef as it was so smoky I could not see any landmarks. Got home at 7 and had to milk and feed cows, water calves and stir up bread and bake biscuit and eat my supper and so I am late to bed.
Henry Bessett came in this evening and I gave him some melon. Quite a hot day.
Tuesday September 6-1898
7:30 Chet and Capt. Got here at 11. A.M. with “Grandfather’s Clock,” and a load of other truck, which they took to the station at 5 P.M. It is now just commencing to rain and so I shall not look for them now till I see them. I baked 5 loaves of bread this morning and had fine luck. Ate one loaf with milk for supper as I was alone and made no fire. I milked red cow. Fed him and horse and watered calves and have at last got through the day.
They got some nice plants in pots. This is first day of the fair at the city. Warm day.
Wednesday September 7-1898
Capt went mowing for Porter on Intervale this morning. Came home around 3 p.m. in rain and washed wagon to go to fair. Chet and I cut corn in A.M. Till driven home by rain about noon. A beautiful sunset. Rain all P.M. Chet went to station at 4 and brought back a nice dinner from his mother for us to take to the fair tomorrow. Horse came near running away. Broke one shaft. Peter B. Cross, thrown from wagon at Winooski and injured badly internally. Bed time at 8:15 tonight.
Thursday September 8-1898
Went to the fair and saw quite a number of friends from Shelburne. Only for that I should not have had a very good time. Missed the team about 4:30, and so came on the electric as far as I could go and then rode as far as Coons with Mr. Richardson a nephew of Mr. Barstow. Took supper at Coon’s and came from there on foot, arriving a 9 o’clock, just as the Capt and Chet drove in. We all felt pretty tired. Chet bought a nice microscope for $ 5.00. Coon says he will come down and go fishing with me every Sunday.
Friday September 9-1898
Sold one Banana melon for 10 and traded another with the Butcher for some meat.
Saturday September 10-1898
Farnham called and made quite a visit this evening.
Sunday September 11-1898
Chet went to station to help Capt unload flower and I had to stay at home last night. The night was very cold and I nearly froze. He came home to breakfast this morning and was here nearly all day. He got one a letter from the post office from W. Hayes.
Coon and two boys came down and we all went fishing away around the point at Mallets Head.
Coon got a 3-foot pickerel. The wind came up hard from west and we had hard work to get home. The Coon’s were well, pleased and so was I. (when they were gone). For they talked to me nearly to death. I was awfully tired and went to bed early.
Monday September 12-1898
Chet not here today. Very windy. Chet gone over this eve to see why we cut corn on Willard Thayer’s land. I made a horse and we bound corn as we went along.
I like that way of doing it. I am alone again to night. P.S. Chet came at 9:00 pm.
Tuesday September 13-1898
Very pleasant all day
Chet got over here about 7:00 am went mowing for Porter on Intervale. He finished and got home about 5.30.
Chet and I cut corn on Willard Thayer’s land. Finished the small piece and husked a bushel of corn on Porter and came home and found Mrs. Saxton of Fairfax, here waiting to go to lighthouse to see her daughter, Franny who has a badly sprained ankle.
Chet took a horse and drove to the point and took Mrs. Saxton from there. He has not came back yet 8:15. There is no wind and he will probably get around all right.
I didn’t stop to wash dishes this noon so had them to do tonight and have only just got through work. Shelled a lot of pole beans for dinner tomorrow evening. Chet came at 8:30
Wednesday September 14-1898
Cloudy and very comfortable. Picked up my potatoes and put them in a bbl. and they filled it about ¾ full.
Picked up cider apples in south orchard and sent a bushel of good ones down to station to night by Chet at 4:15 on sail boat. Not back yet 7:45 pretty dark and some wind as well not be surprised if he stayed over night.
This P.M. we cleaned out the well after hauling out the old wooden pump.
Stirred up bread this evening and have just finished my work and am ready to retire. Looks very much like rain tomorrow.
Thursday September 15- 1898
A fine day. Picked beans, squash, tomatoes and corn and dry potatoes. Capt and Chet made well house Chet went to station this A.M. and after Mrs. Saxton.
Cassius is up with his uncle Adne.
Gave Mr. Porter a banana melon. Saw Jim Summer’s mother for the first time. 89 years old last J une 24th. Biggest old thief on the point.
Friday September 16 1898
Fair day + warm and comfortable
Cap + Chet pulled onions a.m. I did house work+ picked up wood around the house.
Frank Ferrand here to dinner and supper. Cap went with him after supper to get ensilage cuter, + then Ferrand went home to Essex.
Chet drew load of fodder PM. Mr. Porter brought over a melon for me.
Finished shelling and the last of my beans (red ones). This evening received mater. to present my claim against Mass. Masonic Life Association.
I think we will have rain in a day or two.
Helped Chet catch 10 chickens+ Put them in the shed after dark.
Sat. 17
Fine day. Fixed ensilage cutter this a.m. Cap + Chet went to cut grass p.m. I picked up onions. Farnham here this evening. Stirred up bread to bake tomorrow
Cap + Chet gone to station.
Sun 18
Sunshine and rain
Baked 5 loves bread got in wood, shelled beans, husked pop corn and worked all day Cap + Chet came about 5. Farnham came in this evening.
Again alone all day.
Mon 19
Awful smoky all day,
Cap finished mowing on Rubin’s land on interval.
Chet not feeling well. Went to p.o. in am + picked up buttermilk P.M
He + I went down to corn field and husked out a bushel of corn for horses.
I picked melons + tomatoes. Melons + tomatoes are almost gone.
Mr. Armstrong came here to dinner to day + is to board here while he is working on Goodspeed’s house.
Thurs 27
Fair
day, wind blew hard all day.
Chet was over at station all night but came here around 10 am with Bertha + Miss Saxton. He then took them to Colchester for the train to Fairfax. Bertha is going to school there.
Made a wire pigpen, this A.M. Pigs rooted up Barstow’s orchard and he is mad.
Pulled onions this P.M cleaned off one big corner.
Visited Barstow last evening Mr. + Mrs. Johnson + Mr. + Mrs. Richardson there.
Friday 23
warm + rainy all day south wind
Cap made a corncrib.
Chet off the hooks not filing well
I Husked corn + picked up butternuts
Rained to- night.
Cap went to light house 4 P.M
Sat 24
Rain again all forenoon. Line-storm
Cap not here at all.
Chet got old mare shod.
I threshed beans + made ginger cookies for Chet.
We intended to go up Hines this eve but didn’t.
Called at Handy’s but he was away. Met Farnham in pasture and he lent us a book, “Our Flag.”
I split a lot of wood + gave Joe a melon for putting it in the shed for me.
Sun 25
cloudy all day.
Cap at station.
Chet + I here, thought of going to Hines but didn't go.
Farnham called in evening. Lent him a book.
Wrote to Ed + Will Dagur.
Mon 26
fair day
Cap came about 10 a.m.
Chet + I bound corn on Porters
Chet went to picnic P.M at Thompsons Point
Cap cradled buckwheat + I pulled onions + dry potatoes
Pudding + milk for supper.
Rainy now 8 P.M
Tue 27
Cold day
We all cut corn: the long piece on Willard Thayer’s.
A tree agent took dinner with us and we had pancakes in a hurry but he was well pleased.
Chet went coon hunting this evening alone down on the corn patch. Wish I had a few bushels of potatoes like those of Sid Tatro’s.
Wed 28
A lovely day! Warm + Fair.
Cap raked buckwheat,+ I mowed for him this a.m. Chet went over to Lighthouse. This p.m. we all went over to Willard’s lot with Geo. Summer + Sid Tatro to help us and bound + stacked all the corn we cut yesterday. Chet has gone coon hunting again to-night up to Hines’ with Bert. Mrs. Barstow called this evening. Dixon came over + dug angleworms to go fishing this evening. I dug a few of Tatro’s potatoes this morning for dinner and supper and they are nice. He offers to give every eighth bushel to any one who will help him dig them and I wish I could tackle the job. I called on Hardy this evening. Fred Cross came in with his dog.
Hardy gave us some very nice new cider and I found he had done my errand at the City.Got home at 9.15
Cap brought 101 trees of the agent yesterday.
Thur 29
A warm pleasant day
All here. Chet went saw mill + drew load of lumber for the silo a.m. Cap worked on the silo + Chet with him this p.m. I dug1 1/2 bu potatoes. Made yeast, baked 9 loaves of bread, made half a dozen Johnny cakes and a lot of ginger cake for Chet. Chet went coon hunting last night with Bert Hines, no luck.
A letter from Marry and a lot of papers.
Rathe + Henry cut the fodder corn through mistake on Porters piece to-day.
Fri 30
Warm + pleasant.
All here,+ all worked on silo. Boarded up two frames up stairs.