APRIL 1900

Sun. Apr. 1st. Clear and some frost in morn and too cold in shade all day but pleasant in sunshine. I packed and cut up wood till 9 1/2 in morn and Buddy here at 9 to 10 1/2 and Wiley cut his hair and Wiley and Rena and baby at Lewis' most of day. Nellie and Pa and I at home all day. I salted cattle just beyond Wiley's late in eve and milked and fed. Willie and Minnie returned at sunset from Mrs James'.

Mon. 2nd. Clear and quite cool early in morn but wind from SW and pleasant after 10 in morn and some clouds late in eve. Pa burned some brush and logs in hollow in orchard and packed some wood today. Willie broke ground all morn on poor NE part of Cherry cut for corn with Dan and Salome and finished there at 12 and he and I planted corn there all eve and finished all there for corn. I helped Wiley (all morn) to plant corn in Coon field and we finished all broke there for corn but about 1 acre and Wiley is to finish that.

Tue. 3rd. Cloudy some all day and warm from SW and we had a little shower at 3 1/2 or 4 in eve and bright after the rain and clear at night. Pa worked in hollow in orchard and packed some wood today. Willie and I planted corn all day in Pine corner and new SW corner and finished there late in eve (about 4 or 5 acres in all). Willie opened with Dan and Salome and I covered with Joe to harrow. I sowed part of corn and Willie part of it. We got nearly wet with the shower but didn't quite.

Wed. 4th. Bright and sun shined most of day and pleasant with a dry breeze from NE. Willie and I planted corn in orchard early in morn and finished there at 10 in morn and we hauled out 1 sk of fertilizer (with Joe and cart) and I put it out through rows with Dan and Salome. We put out about 1/2 of sack by 12 and I hauled our 2 more sacks (200 lbs in each sk) just after dinner and I put out all eve and Willie covered with 4 furrows. The ground was listed some time ago and we put out about 2 3/4 sks all together today and fertilized about 1 1/2 acres on hilltoop of Cherry and Persimmon cuts. Pa lay in bed sick most of morn but was up all eve and better.

Thu. 5th. Bright, nearly clear, and cool and dry from E but sun shined all day and pleasant. Pa hoed down some weeds in hollow in orchard and packed some wood today. I hauled out 2 1/2 sacks of fertilizer early in morn with Joe and cart and put out all but 1/2 sack by 12 on Persimmmon cut and in Pine corner and Willie broke ground with 4 furrows with Dan and Salome and we put out 1 1/2 sks in eve in Pine corner and finished all of Pine corner but a little in bottom. We put 6 sacks on Persimmon cut and Pine corner (about 4 acres). I had a dull pain and something like a crick in left side of my back just above hip all eve and was feverish with it at night but slept well.

Fri. 6th. Bright but some hazy clouds and pleasant from SE and dry. Willie broke ground all day with Dan and Salome. He finished Pine corner and broke most of cut by front gate. Pa cut sticks and poles to put up a bean arbor in orchard today. I hauled out all of manure from stables and put in little piles on Gate cut (for cotton) by 11 1/2 in morn - 6 cart loads - and I hauled out 6 loads of cow manure in eve and put there. I worked in pain all morn with my back but it was better in eve. Robert James came late in eve and went on to Seymour's and he and Bob Fugler and Willie and Minnie went to Clara's to fiddle at night.

Sat. 7th. Bright but cloudy some all day and pleasant from SE. Pa worked at his bean arbor in orchard in morn and walked to Clara's and back in eve. I hauled out 2 sacks of fertilizer in morn and put out all but a little by 12 on Gate cut and Willie covered all with Joe and Dan with 2 furrows and broke out some of middles too and we hauled out 2 more sacks at 2 in eve and put out and covered all but 1/2 sk and finished most of Gate cut (about 1/2 acre left). Wiley got William Walks and Robert Earlicut to carry his peas (35 bus.) to Cohen's in morn and he sold them at $1 per bu. and they brought back 8 sacks of fertilizer for Wiley at 1 in eve. Wiley drove up old Kate with a red heifer calf in eve. I had a dull headache all day and night too but rested pretty will at night.

Sun. 8th. It rained some last night but not enough to run on ground and bright and pleasant from SW all day. Wiley rode to his Pa's in morn and returned late in eve. I walked to Wiley's at 9 in morn and Rena and baby came back with me and they and Nellie walked to Seymour's. Buddy and Tigner D and Edna and Earl dined here (Minnie and Willie got dinner) and Bob Fugler and Lila and Steve here in eve. The headache got better on me early in morn and left entirely late in eve.

Mon. 9th. Bright and quite warm and dry from SW but a nice breeze all day from there. Pa worked on a bean arbor in orchard most of day. I put out 1/2 sk of fertilizer of lower side of Gate cut and last of the ton and fertilized all of Gate cut but a little strip about 9 rows on lower side and Willie broke ground all day in Gate cut and front gate with Joe and Dan and finished both cuts. I finished fertilizer by 8 in morn and shucked and shelled 2 bus corn for bread and cut up some wood by 12 and I made 2 new poplar hoe handles and put one in my hoe and one in Willie's hoe in eve.

Tue. 10th. Bright and warm with a breeze from SW or W of S till 4 1/2 in eve and rained a little shower then till 5 1/4 in eve and began again in thundershowers at 7 1/4 and lasted most of night -a big fall of water in all and a great deal of thunder and lightning. Pa worked on his bean arbor most of day and I took cart to Wiley's early in morn and got a load of cotton seed and Willie and I planted all of Gate cut in cotton by 12 and we planted on hilltop of Cherry cut and Persimmon cut till 5 in eve and got nearly wet with the shower. Willie opened with Dan and sowed part of seed and I sowed part and covered with Joe to harrow. I slept but little at night on account of thunder.

Wed. 11th. We had a big fall of rain last night which washed the fields badly and ground very wet in morn and bright and pleasant in morn from NW but cloudy and chilly from N after 4 in eve and at night. I drove Joe to cart to Cohen's in morn and carried 3 bus corn and exchanged for Western meal at store and I got a bbl of flour on credit and $1 worth of coffee and some other things which I paid for and I got home at 12 1/2. Willie rode Dan to Surgett's in morn and engaged 3 wagons which came at 1 1/2 and we carried our peas, (56 bus.) to Cohen's and sold to him at $1 per bu - on account. We left 10 bus. here for Sims. I rode Joe and went with the wagons to Cohen's in eve and returned at dark.

Thu. 12th. Clear and quite cool from N all day and at night too. Willie broke ground in Luckett field all day with Dan and Salome and I plowed up all of hollow and hill sides in orchard all morn and till 3 in eve with Joe and I opened all of it and Pa sowed cotton seed and I covered with Joe and we finished it at 5 and we packed and cut up some wood late in eve.

Fri. 13th. Clear and cold enough for a little frost in morn but a pleasant day after 9 in morn and calm. Willie broke ground with Dan and Salome all day in Luckett field and Pa cut down bushes in calf pasture most of day. I hauled our 7 cart loads of cow manure from pen and put in water furrows on hilltop of H ridge for potatoes in morn and I rebroke all manured in eve (with Joe) with 6 furrows (at 3 to 5 1/2 in eve). Gussie D and John Deloach came to Wiley's in a wagon at 11 in morn and Gussie dined here and got his sow shoat (which we gave him) and 1 1/4 bus. seed potatoes at 2 3/4 in eve.

Sat. 14th. Bright but some clouds and cool early in morn but wind from SW and pleasant after 9 in morn. Pa cut down bushes in calf pasture most of morn and walked to Clara's and back in eve. Willie broke ground in Luckett field with Dan and Salome most of morn and he and Minnie drove Joe to Lewis' buggy to Mrs James' in eve. I cut some yams early in morn and I planted them most of morn and till 4 3/4 in eve and finished planting all of ground prepared on hilltop of H ridge - about 1/3 of patch there and I planted a row of okra in NE part of orchard late in eve.

Sun. 15th. It thundered some last night and began to rain after daylight slowly from SW with some little thunder and lasted most of morn and bright most of eve but began to thunder before night in W and rained some through night and we had a hard one at 3 with some little hail and thunder and wind. Nellie and Pa walked to Wiley's just after dinner and Wiley and Rena and baby came back with Nellie at 3. I got some wood in morn and some in eve and I found 3 hens sitting out on 35 eggs and set them here under 3 other hens just after dinner and I drove up horse from pasture late in eve and muley cow too with a red bull calf. Willie and Minnie returned at dusk from Mrs James'.

Mon. 16th. Dark cloudy and rained in thundershowers from SW all day after 9 in morn and some of them very hard ones and lasted till late in eve and we had a very heavy one at 9 to 10 at night with a hard wind from E. Wiley and Willie and I patched up cow pasture fence on creek by 9 in morn and I put a pole across branch just below rails of water gap, beyond cowpen and fixed barn door (bottom hinge) by 11 1/2 and Willie and I got some wood and found Kitty cow on outside of cow pasture and got her in by 3 in eve and we got nearly wet in rain. I fed and Wiley and I milked in a slow rain late in eve.

Tue. 17th. Cloudy and ground very wet and soft all day but no rain today and sun shined dimly part of eve. Willie cut bushes in Luckett field in morn and I hauled 2 cart loads of wood from near Wiley's by 11 1/4 in morn and I put up 7 pannels of fence (calf pasture) on side of road that fell down or blew down (last night) early in morn and I drove Joe to cart to Cohen's in eve and carried 2 bus. yams (seed) to Mrs Johnson and she paid me $1 for them and I got an everyday hat for myself 60 cts and 1 gal coal oil 25 cts with the money and I carried some eggs for Rena and got 1 gal oil and 4 spls thread for her and I carried nearly 1 1/2 bus corn for Wiley and got meal for it and I got home just before sunset. Bernice was sick in eve and Nellie staid there at night and I walked there and back at night and she seemed to be all right.

Wed. 18th. Bright and pleasant from NW and no rain and sun shined most of day and dried up ground good deal. Wiley and Willie worked on Donegal road in morn and ate dinner at Seymour's and had a log rolling there all eve. I hauled 2 cart loads of wood from near Wiley's (with Joe) by 10 1/4 in morn and put an old handle in a hoe for Nellie and cut up some wood by 11 3/4 and I worked road S of here most of eve with my hoe and finished it. Our bob-tail sow gave birth to 5 pigs (near old spring) last night but she lay on one and killed it in morn.

Thu. 19th. Dark cloudy all day and began to rain from E of N at 1 and lasted all eve and till 9 1/2 in night - a heavy fall of water in all. Willie broke ground in Luckett field all morn with Dan and Salome and I drove Joe to cart to Wiley's early in morn and we carried 2 sks of fertilizer to Coon field and I put out nearly all of the 2 sks (through tin funnel) and Wiley covered it with 2 furrows with Fanny and Goulden by 12 and Wiley and Rena dined here and the baby had a chill and fever today and Rena and baby stayed here at night and Minnie was sick today too. I made 2 pine straw beds in eve for bob-tail sow and 4 pigs at our old spring to keep them from digging and I milked cows and fed in rain and got nearly wet. I had a dull headache most of day but it left me at night and I slept in Pa's room at night.

Fri. 20th. Dark cloudy and cool and drizzled rain from W of N till 10 in morn and bright and sun shined in eve and pleasant. Willie cut trees in Luckett field (or near there in morn) and he walked to Seymour's in eve. Wiley rode Goulden to town in morn and got some medicine for baby and baby didn't have any fever today and Rena and baby went home in eve. I burned up 9 hen's nests, some with lice in them, and made new nests early in morn and I worked road S of here till 10 1/2 in morn. The rain on yesterday washed out some of dirt where I worked it on day before yesterday and I cut up wood till 11 1/2. I walked cow pasture early in eve and drove up horses to cow pen twice from near creek but they ran back both times and I drove them home late in eve.

Sat. 21st. Bright and pleasant from SW and no rain but thundered far off in E or SE in eve. Willie tried to break ground in Luckett field early in morn but it was too wet and he quit and worked on ditches in field with a spade part of morn. I hauled 3 piling cart loads of beech wood from NW of Wiley's by 11 in morn and I scraped Irish potatoes in NE part of orchard most of eve. Aunt Margaret helped Nellie to wash in morn. The baby didn't have any fever today and seems better. Minnie was sick in bed all eve.

Sun. 22nd. Bright and pleasant all morn from SW but began to thunder in SW at 1 and a dark cloud came up at 2 1/2 and rained a heavy rain with some wind and thunder till 4 1/2 and slacked off till 5 1/2 and began again and lasted till 10 at night. I walked to Wiley's and back in morn. Buddy here most of day. B C and Dixie and baby came to Wiley's in morn and they and Wiley and Rena and Bernice came here at 2 and Wiley and Rena and baby went home at 5 in eve and B C went home after dark and Dixie and baby staid all night and I slept in Pa's room.

Mon. 23rd. Cloudy and very wet till 9 1/2 in morn and bright and warm and sun shined most of day. Willie worked on ditches in field part of morn and he planted some popcorn and pinders in Luckett field in eve. Pa cut some weeds in yard today. I scraped the 8 rows of planted cane and all of Irish potatoes except 3 of the shortest rows in NE corner of orchard all day.

Tue. 24th. Bright and warm all morn and cloudy and sultry after 2 in eve from S. Wiley sowed cotton seed and Willie opened with Dan and I covered with Joe to harrow and we planted 3rd Cane hollow by 3 1/2 in eve and then planted in Persimmon cut and Pine corner till late in eve. Willie had a headache all day and came home sick at 4 1/4 in eve. Wiley and I planted on till late. I had a dull headache all day but it went off after I went to bed but I didn't sleep well.

Wed. 25th. Bright and sun shined all day and calm and warm. Wiley and Willie and I planted cotton most of day (as on yesterday). We planted in upper part of Luckett field all morn and we finished Pine corner (in bottom) and all of cut by front gate (which is Pa's patch) by 5 1/2 in eve. Willie was complaining of being sick all day and Minnie taught school today but not well. Pa cut bushes in calf pasture part of day. Rena and baby here late in eve.

Thu. 26th. Bright and warm all morn and till 3 1/2 in eve and clouded up some then and thundered around and rained some in sight but none here. Pa cut bushes in calf pasture today and Willie began early in morn and barred off corn most of day with Dan. He barred off H ridge and some in old Cane hollow. I drove Joe to cart to Wiley's early in morn and we carried 2 sacks of fertilizer to Coon field and I put out all of it (through funnel) and Wiley covered it with Fanny and Goulden and we carried out 2 more sks just after dinner and I put out 1 1/2 and Wiley covered it by late in eve. Willie drove up old Strawberry's big red heifer (or cow) with a red bull calf at dusk.

Fri. 27th. Bright and warm but cloudy some all day and a pleasant breeze from SE and dark cloudy late in eve and thundered far off and began late in night to rain slowly. Willie barred off corn most of day with Dan in old Cane hollow and Cherry cut. Wiley and I worked in Coon field putting out and covering fertilizer all morn and till 4 in eve and we finished putting out all of the 8 sacks on 7 1/2 or 8 acres of ground and I brought a big cart load of wood home by 5 and cut up some of it.

Sat. 28th. It rained a slow rain from after midnight till just before day and quit but it didn't run and bright and warm today. Willie barred off corn on H ridge part of morn and walked to Clara's and back in eve. I rode Joe in cow pasture early in morn and drove up Kitty (cow) with a red heifer calf and I barred off corn and cane stubble in orchard at 8 to 11 with Joe and I barred off there in eve with Dan at 3 to 5 and finished all of corn and cane in orchard. Willie rode Salome and Minnie rode Joe to Mrs James' in eve.

Sun. 29th. Bright and warm from W but some dark clouds most of day and no rain today. Wiley rode to his Pa's in morn and returned late in eve. I walked to Wiley's and Rena and baby came back with me at 9 to 10 in morn and here till late in eve. Willie returned from Mrs James' riding Joe and leading Salome at 1 in eve and left Minnie out there to stay with her mother (she is very low). I walked in field early in morn and got a few dewberries for Bernice. Lewis and his 3 youngest children here awhile in morn. I milked cows in eve and Willie rode Salome to Clara's and back in eve.

Mon. 30th. Cloudy and no sun in morn and bright in eve and quite warm. Willie barred off corn with Dan all day in 2nd Cane hollow and in new SW corner and Pa hoed corn most of day in orchard. I hauled out 8 cart loads of cow manure in morn and put it in water furrows on hilltop of H ridge and I rebedded all manure with 6 furrows at 1 1/2 to 4 in eve and I cut some yams to plant at 4 to 5 and cut up some wood and drew water and helped Rena to milk and carried baby home at sunset.


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