AUGUST 1884

Fri. Aug. 1st. It thundered N of here all night last night and some through day and a dark cloud and wind came up from N after night tonight but only sprinkled here. I hoed 7 rows of cotton in cut by front gate next to fence and finished all that cut by 7 1/2 in morn and hauled 2 cart loads of manure from henhouse and pen and put around some of cotton in that cut next to road by 10 1/2 in morn. I rode to Cohen's at 3 to 5 1/2 and paid the $4.50 owing on bbl of flour that I got in June. I got 4 pds coffee, 6 of sugar and 1/2 doz thread and paid for all.

Sat. 2nd. Bright and warm, wind and clouds from SW. It thundered in SE all eve far off. I rode to town with Alice in morn and we returned at 12 1/2 and Alice and baby dined here and went home at 1 1/2. Dixie, Willie and I went to preaching in eve (Nellie and Rena stayed home). Gus and Sally came to Pa's in morn and Gus came home with us from preaching and here for supper.

Sun. 3rd. Bright, warm and very dry - wind and clouds from NW and thundered far off in eve. Nellie went to Pa's early. Rena and I went that way to Sunday School and Dixie and Willie by Mr. D's. All of us went to Pa's for dinner - Gus and Sally, Lewis and Beauford, and Mr. A Newman there. Misses Katie F,and Lucy C came there in eve. Dick D found thier mare colt at Turnbull's and brought it home late in eve.

Mon. 4th. Bright, warm and very dry - clouds from NW. It thundered far off in S at 12 1/2 to 3. I made a flower box for Nellie early in morn and gathered a bucket and a basket of figs and carried to Pa's at 8 1/2 to 10. F. Coon there to see the colt which Dick D found on yesterday. I rode around in my crops at 10 to 11 and it is nearly ruined with drought. I made another flower box for Nellie at 1 1/2 to 2 1/2. F. Coon and wife and Mamie came then and here all eve. I gave Frank a watermelon late in eve.

Tue. 5th. Bright and a cool N wind all day and very dry - but some dark clouds from E all eve. I gathered a bucket of figs for Mr. D's folks early in morn and Willie and I cut brush and poles and fixed some of fence toward Luckett's by corner till 10 in morn. I grated some corn at 10 1/2 to 11 for dinner. Willie and I rode to Bayou Sara Creek to hunt Mattie and colt (in eve). We found them on Estina just above its mouth. I took my gun but only killed 1 dove.

Wed. 6th. Clear and cool - wind cool and very dry from N. I cut poles and worked on and finished line of my fence from corner to Luckett's fence by 10 in morn. Mr. A Newman, Alice and baby here all day. I did nothing but sit about house all eve.

Thu. 7th. Bright and cool - wind from N, some clouds from E and very dry. I cut all of sorghum seed heads by 8 1/2 in morn and put them in oat sacks on house to dry. I brought some water, fixed a bbl for Nellie to put some soap in (which she made this morn) and made 2 wire blowgun arrows for Willie and grated some corn at 10 to 11. Willie, Rena and I walked hunting in field in eve (after packing a tub and pot full of water to wash with) but killed nothing.

Fri. 8th. Bright and cool in morn - warmer in eve and some dark cloud from SE. Wind still from the N and very dry. I helped children pack some water to wash with in morn and didn't work any. I made a flour bbl tub for Clarissa and put 3 iron hoops on it at 1 1/2 to 4. I carried 3 watermelons to F. Coon's at 4 1/2 to 5 1/2.

Sat. 9th. Bright and warm in morn and showered most of eve from E. It rained in slow showers here at 4 1/2 to 6 - enough to run off house and lay dust. I sawed and cut off a half of cut from old board tree below spring and made 2 blocks to put under our house (the old Cherry ones are rotting) at 7 to 10 1/2 in morn. I cleaned and gave some sorghum seed to Gussie at 1 1/2 to 2 1/2. Dick D came at 3 to 6 riding Billy. Dixie went to Pa's in eve to stay all night. Cousin Sallie there ever since last Sat.

Sun. 10th. Bright and cool N wind all day. Some dark clouds in eve from E and lightened in W and S at dark. I had a dull headache all yesterday and last night and bad all today. I vomited little in morn and laid down some in morn. Willie walked to Sunday School in morn and Dixie and Sallie from Pa's to Sunday School. Nellie, Rena and I stayed home in morn and Nellie and Rena rode Julia and Willie and I walked to Pa's in eve and Cousin Sallie came home with us late in eve.

Mon. 11th. Bright and cool N wind and very dry. I cut most of Dewberry cut of corn (for fodder) in morn and finished cutting last of Dewberry cut of corn at 3 to 5 in eve. Cousin Sallie here all day and last night.

Tue. 12th. Bright, warm and very dry. Nellie, Dixie, Rena and Cousin Sallie walked to Pa's early in morn. Willie and I rode Julia there at 10 and had a birthday dinner for Dick. Beauford, Lewis and Mr. A Newman there. I came home at 3 and got some green corn ears and stalks, brought it home on Julia - brought 4 watermelons from patch on Nell late in eve. I led her to and from patch.

Wed. 13th. Bright and warm - wind and clouds from E and very dry. I tied up and hauled in 4 cartloads of corn fodder from Dewberry cut by 12 and spread it in yard by barn to dry and put it in barn late in eve. A clock agent stopped here at 9 to 10. Beauford came at 11 and Bud at 3 and here all eve.

Thu. 14th. Bright and warm and very dry - wind and clouds from E. I tied up and finished last of corn fodder in Dewberry cut and hauled home 1 load by 8 1/2 in morn. Bud and Mr. Lansdel and Emmanuel came then and ate some watermelons at 9 and we rode out on creek and sold Dollie and Lizzie to Mr. L for $18. We roped Lizzie on creek opposite Mr. Chambers about 11 and worried with her till 2 and then put her in Harrison's wagon and they hauled her. I came home at 3 and hauled 1 1/2 loads of corn fodder (and 1/2 load of green corn to feed on) in eve and finished last of fodder.

Fri. 15th. Bright and warm - wind and clouds from SE and it showered little W of here and sprinkled here late in eve. I drove cart to Pa's in morn and got a bedstead which Nellie bought from Buddy. I returned at 10 and bought a hundred bundles of fodder from Joe Porter (at 50 cts.) at 11 and Willie and I brought 4 watermelons from patch at 11 and cut them at 11 1/2 and I ate some. I fixed cotton house floor and cleaned it out at 2 to 3 and children and I picked 30 pds cotton in Gate cut in eve.

Sat. 16th. Bright and warm till 2 1/2 and clouded up then and rained from SE a good hard rain for about 3/4 hour (the 1st that we have had to run good since July 1) therefore it didn't wet the ground much. Willie, Rena and I picked about 25 pds cotton in Gate cut early in morn. I put all of my fodder corn out to dry at 10 and took it in at 1 1/2 to 2. I cleaned out spring after rain at 3 1/2 and packed some wood.

Sun. 17th. Bright and warm till 4. It showered a little at 11 1/2 and it rained a good hard shower here at 4 in eve. Lewis rode Nell to Sunday School in morn. Dixie, Willie and I went - Nellie and Rena stayed home. We came home to dinner. Dixie rode Rosa, Nellie rode Julia with Rena behind her and I tried to ride Nell but she cut up with me down on branch and we went by Pa's and I got Hunter and rode him to chapel. Dr West preached. We returned at dusk. Cousin Gus came home with us from Pa's and rode Nell and stayed here till 9 1/2 at night.

Mon. 18th. Bright and warm most of day and showered all around here most of eve but only sprinkled here. I fixed the fence around manure pen and N of it at 9 to 10 and threw corn fodder out of barn to sun at 10 and put some of it in barn loft then. Children and I cut and put some brush in road in front here and covered them with dirt at 3 to 5 in eve.

Tue. 19th. Bright and warm most of day - thunder showers passed around most of day but didn't rain here. Nellie, Rena and I went to town in Mr. D's buggy in morn and returned at 1. I took buggy home at 3 to 4 in eve and cut some sorghum for calves at 4.

Wed. 20th. Bright and warm most of day but showered around from S from 1 to 5 in eve (close by) but only dropped here. I plowed some ground in Dewberry cut (where I cut corn last week) for slips till 9 in morn and grabbled a mess of potatoes (the 1st ) at 10. I put out my corn fodder at 10 1/2 to 2. Willie, Rena and I picked cotton on lower side of Gate cut at 3 to 5 1/2 in eve.

Thu. 21st. Bright and warm till 2 and showers with thunder passed around close by all eve. It rained enough here to run at 2 and again at 4 1/2 to 5. I plowed up and harrowed strip of ground in garden between lower rows of trees and pickets on lower side for turnips and packed manure from henhouse and pen and put on S end by 10 in morn. Nellie, Dixie and children dined at Mr. D's. Lewis left today. I stayed at home. I planted the Munich turnip seed sent me at 1 1/2. The weather was so threatening all eve that I did not go out in field to work. Nellie and children returned at 3.

Fri. 22nd. Bright and warm till 2 and rained a good shower from SE at 3 to 4 in eve - enough to thoroughly wet the ground (I think). Willie and I set out 6 1/2 rows of slips in Dewberry cut by 9 in morn. Cleaned out spring at 10 and brought 4 watermelons from patch and cut them at 10 1/2. Pa came at 2 1/2 and saw my crop at 4 1/2 to 5. I took Julia to creek at 5 1/2 and crossed Pa over. Willie and Rena went. Nellie and Dixie washed in morn.

Sat. 23rd. Bright and warm all day with wind from N and clouds from SE. A cloud came up from SE at dusk. Willie and I set out slips in Dewberry cut and finished by 10 1/2. Adah and Beulah W here all day. Lula and Clarence C and Seymour and Gus here in eve. Lewis here late in eve.

Sun. 24th. Bright and warm all day. Showers passed around most of eve from SE but didn't rain here. Dixie, Willie, Rena and I went to Sunday School in morn and home to dinner (Nellie stayed home). Dick D and Clara came at 3 and Bud at 4 1/2 in eve.

Mon. 25th. Bright and quite warm. It thundered far off in eve. I sawed and cut off 2 blocks from old oak log below spring by 11 in morn and dragged up the 2 blocks cut in morn and the 2 cut some time ago with Julia to top of hill in eve. Willie, Rena and I picked a sack of cotton apiece in new ground late in eve.

Tue. 26th. Bright and very warm till 2 1/2 and rained a good shower here from 3 to 4 from NE. I sawed, cut and split and got out 4 blocks for house from old board tree below spring by 12. I dragged 1 of them up hill before rain in eve and the other after rain - making 8 blocks in all that I got out.

Wed. 27th. Bright and warm till 3 in eve and clouded up then from SE and E and rained a slow shower - enough to run - from 4 to 5. I hauled the 8 blocks from pasture by 9 in morn and rode to Pa's at 9 1/2 to 11 to get them to come tomorrow and help put blocks under house. Alice and baby here all day. I rode to Mr. D's at 2 and to Cohen's at 2 1/2 to 6. I carried Cohen's crosscut saw home from Mr. D's. I got 50 cts sugar, 2 pds rice, and 15 cts turnip seed (white egg) and 30 cts coffee and sugar for Clarissa and paid for all and I got 6 pds pork - 75cts, and 10 pds of nails - 60cts-on credit.

Thu. 28th. Bright and very warm. No rain but thundered far off in eve. Pa, Bud, Dick, Lewis and Jack here all day. We put blocks under our house and finished late in eve.

Fri. 29th. Bright and very warm all day - no rain but thundered far off all eve. I harrowed in turnips (the white egg) after sowing the seed in N end of "the strip" on lower side of garden early in morn. Willie and I picked about 60 pds of cotton in new ground from 7 1/2 to 10 in morn and Willie, Rena and I picked about 50 in eve in new ground.

Sat. 30th. Bright and quite warm and thundered in NE early in morn and in SE in eve but no rain. I stopped leaks over kitchen early in morn and tore 1/2 of old roof from my cotton house and recovered nearly 1/2 of it by 10 1/2 in morn. I washed and changed my clothes at 11 and shot a partridge for Willie in pasture at 11 1/2. I went on cart to Cohen's in eve and got a half bu fresh meal 45 cts, and 15 cts salt and paid for them and got a bbl of flour on credit $6.75. I returned just before sunset. Cousin Gus here most of eve but left before supper.

Sun. 31st. Bright and pleasant- wind cool from N. All of us went to Sunday School and Brother Cecil preached in morn and all of us came home to dinner. Cousin Gus and Beau Chambers came with us and dined and ate supper here at 5 and all of us but Willie and Rena rode to chapel and Dr. West preached at night. Lewis rode Nell in morning and rode her to Woodville in eve. I rode Rosa to chapel in eve. I had a dull pain in left side of my head in morn and in right side all eve and it left me in night. I had bilious dysentary at 10 1/2 in night after we came home. Seymour and Gussie stayed here all night.


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