JULY 1884
Tue. July 15th. Bright and warm most of day from W. Showers passed around late in eve but only sprinkled here. I took our sewing machine to town on cart in morn. I returned at 1 and hoed in cotton on far SE corner of Persimmon cut all eve.
Wed. 16th. Bright and warm and very dry - wind and clouds from W. I hoed all day in persimmon cut. Nellie sewed most of day at her Pa's. She came home to dinner.
Thu. 17th. Bright, warm and dry wind - clouds from W. It thundered far off in SE most of day. I finished hoeing Persimmon cut of cotton by 10 in morn. I had a pain in left side of my head most of day. We cut 2 watermelons at 11 ( the 1st). I hoed cotton on W side of new ground most of eve. Nellie sewed most of day at her Pa's. Our figs have been ripening for 2 or 3 days.
Fri. 18th. Bright and warm and very dry - wind from NW. It thundered in SE most of eve. I hoed cotton in NE corner of new ground till 10 1/2 in morn and in NW corner all eve. Nellie and Rena at Mr. D's till 2 sewing. I made a wire blow gun arrow for Willie at 1. Our peaches are just beginning to get ripe but are wormy and not good.
Sat. 19th. Bright, warm and very dry till 3 1/2 in eve and then clouded up in SE and rained not far off in that direction but none here. I hoed and finished all of cotton in new ground by 8 1/2 in morn and cut some briars in hollow by Spring gate and got a yellow jackets' nest at 9. I rode to town in eve and got sewing machine head which I took to Carroll last Tue. He charged $3 for fixing it. Got a pair of cable screwed shoes for Nellie and 3 pds coffee, 3 sugar, 1 soda, and 1 crushed sugar and 1/2 doz thread from Schaeffer. I returned at sunset.
Sun. 20th. Cloudy most of day - warm and very dry- wind and clouds from NW. A thunder shower passed around W of here at 2 to 3 in eve. Dixie, Willie and I went to Sunday School in morn. Willie and I rode by Pa's to get Willie's coat - left there since last Sunday and we ate some watermelon there at 9. All of us came home to dinner. Nellie and Rena stayed home. Rena is not well. Dick and Clara here all day.
Mon. 21st. Bright and warm till 2. A cloud passed around from NE to NW but only sprinkled here. I hauled out 3 full cart loads of manure from pen and put around cotton on E side of Persimmon cut by 10. Nellie and Rena went to F. Coon at 1 1/2 to 6 in eve. Little Mamie is sick. Haines came here at 2 to get Lewis to go to town for medicine. Lewis got a bucket of figs. F Coon came at 3 for some salts. I made some Lowells stirrups in eve for my saddle and put thread around our watermelon patch late in eve. Something ate holes in 4 of the lowest ones.
Tue. 22nd. Bright and warm most of day - wind and clouds from SE. It showered around some little in eve but only dropped here. I began to plow in persimmmon cut early in morn but it was too dry. I quit in 1 hr. after commencing and harrowed cut of cotton by front gate next to fence running twice between rows and finished that cut by 8 1/2. I gathered some figs and peaches and carried to Pa's at 10. Pa was in bed sick with headache. I rode Nell (1st time) and Willie rode Julia to "Estina" to water at 3. Haines and Coon came at 3 to 4 and got some figs. Nellie was at Coon's from 10 till dusk. The baby is very sick.
Wed. 23rd. Bright, warm and very dry - wind and clouds from SE. It thundered and showered around most of eve but only dropped some here. I harrowed all of Persimmon cut by 10 in morn running 1 time over 1/2 of it and 2 times over the other 1/2 (between cotton rows). Nellie at Coon's till 10 1/2 (from early in morn). Willie rode Julia and I rode Nell to Estina to water at 2 1/2 to 3 1/2. Willie carried a bucket figs to Mr. D's at 2. Nellie and I had a big spat then. Beauford and Bud came late in eve and got some figs and peaches.
Thu. 24th. It showered in slow showers from SW from 7 in morn to 9 1/2 but just enough to lay dust and not run and again a slow drizzle from SW late in eve. Nellie and Rena went to Coon's early in morn and caried a bucket of figs and came home at 4 in eve. The baby seems to be better. I didn't work any today. I made some blowgun arrows for Willie at 8 to 9 in morn and hunted guineas' nests at 10 to 11 but found none. Willie rode Julia and I rode Nell to Estina at 1 1/2 to 2 1/2. Alice came at 4 and a dark cloud from SW ran her home. Willie and I walked and drove up cows late in eve. I had a dull pain in left side of my head all last night and in right side of it all eve and all night.
Fri. 25th. Bright and warm till 3 in eve and we had a quick shower from SW, then just enough to lay dust. Willie rode Julia, I rode Nell and Dixie went in buggy with her Pa to Methodist Church in Woodville. We returned at 3 just before shower. I suffered all morn with headache. It left me in eve. Bob Humphreys came at 4 1/2 and brought some needles to sell.
Sat. 26th. Bright, warm and very dry - wind from SW. I rode to town for district conference meeting in morn and returned at 2. I got wood and water and cut some green corn stalks and got a sack of boatcorn in eve. Dick D came late in eve and I gave him a sack of peaches to take home with him and gave Seymour and Gussie each a sack too.
Sun. 27th. Bright and warm - very dry. Thundered far off most of eve. Dixie rode Julia and I rode Nell to Sunday School in morn and Willie walked. Nellie and Rena stayed home. Nell cut up with me at creek coming home and Bud rode her on here. He came home with us. Nellie, Dixie, Alice, Rena, Dick D, Bud and I rode to Methodist Church at night. I rode Nell and she cut up with me all the way to town. We returned at 11. Seymour and Gussie stayed here with Willie at night.
Mon. 28th. Bright, warm and dry - wind and clouds from W. Seymour and Gussie stayed here last night. I gathered a bucket of figs for them just after breakfast and I gathered a bucket for F Coon at 9 to 10. He was here then and ate some watermelon. Nellie and I walked to F. Coon's at 2 to 5 1/2 in eve. They are in trouble about Mamie. Haines wants to take her. Lula and Clarence Chambers came in eve and got some figs and peaches.
Tue. 29th. Bright, warm and very dry - wind and clouds from W. I hoed till 8 1/2 in cut of cotton by front gate next to fence. Seymour, Gus and Dudley Wigner came early in morn and I helped them to gather a basket of figs. Dick D came at 8 1/2 - left at 10. He brought some apples and carried away a basket of figs. I put another barrel in spring at 2 to 3 1/2 in eve. I didn't work any in eve.
Wed. 30th. Bright, warm and very dry, but a pleasant SW breeze all day. Dick D came at 7 and he and I rode to Cosling's old field hunting colt - but didn't find it and returned at 1 1/2. Dick dined here. Alice and baby came in eve.
Thu. 31st. Bright most of day - a shower passed around NW of here and sprinkled here at 2 to 3 1/2. Dick D came early and we rode to Mr. Cosling's old field hunting colt but didn't find it and we returned at 1. Dick dined here and left at 2 1/4. Nellie and Dixie washed in eve. I helped them to pack some water in eve. F. Coon and Bob H came at 4 to 6 and got some figs and 2 large watermelons from patch late in eve.