Wed. Dec. 1st. It began to rain slowly from E before day in morn and lasted all day and all night. I patched up cart breeching all morn on Pa's gallery. Willie got up Dan from cow pasture just after dinner and rode him fox hunting in eve. I threw back cotton in cotton house on top of seed just after dinner and I found a young yellow hen in calf pasture with 8 chicks and caught the hen and chicks and put them in a coop. I was nearly 2 hours catching them in rain and cut up wood and fed cows and hogs in rain and got nearly right wet. I had a dull pain in left side of my head all day and a cold in head and throat.
Thu. 2nd. Dark cloudy no sunshine and rained all day slowly and most of night and rained hard at night with some wind from S and warm all day and at night too. I patched a pair of pants in morn at 8 to 10 and cut up wood at 10 to 11 1/2 and Willie and I cut and split some oak rails toward Coon place and I hauled 2 cart loads of them (about 30) in eve and got nearly wet in the slow showers. I left about 15 rails that I didn't haul and left a load of locust stakes which Pa cut in old road by H ridge. We got the rails and stakes to repair our hog pen back of garden.
Fri. 3rd. Cloudy and very wet and warm all morn from W of S and a cloud blew up from NW at 11 3/4 in morn and rained till night from N and cold all eve and rained very hard part of time. We had a great fall of water this eve and last night too. I hauled a cart load of rails from toward Coon place and a load of locust stakes from road by H ridge early in morn with Hattie to garden and Willie and Pa rebuilt the hog pen there. I drove Hattie to Dixie's buggy to Cohen's at 10 in morn to 1 in eve and carried 7 young chickens and got 25 cts. apiece for them and got 1 bu. salt and some other little things which I paid for. I came all way home through rain but didn't get wet much. Lewis here awhile in eve. Willie and I put our horses, all but Hattie and Joe, in field late in eve.
Sat. 4th. Cloudy and wet and cold from N and sprinkled and dropped rain all morn (after 8 1/2) and till late in eve and rain froze on trees and fences and everywhere after 2 in eve and quit raining late in eve and cleared up after dark. Willie rode Joe to Nolan Veal's place to see about buying some corn early in morn and returned at 9 1/2 and helped me to cut some wood just outside of N calf pasture gate. I began to cut there just after breakfast and I hauled 3 cart loads from there with Hattie at 10 to 11 1/4 and Pa packed up some from calf pasture early in morn. Willie went to draw some water from well late in eve and the rope was frozen and broke in two and bucket and part of rope fell in well and Willie fished them out with an old well rope with a hook on it. I was cold and couldn't sleep at night and slept very little.
Sun. 5th. Clear and a hard killing freeze in morn but nearly calm and sun thawed everything by eve but a gentle breeze from NW in eve and cold again at night. Willie drove Joe to Dixie's buggy at 10 in morn and carried Miss Berta Kendrick home (she has been here a week) and Miss Adah came back with Willie at dusk to stay a few days. Pa walked to Clara's in eve and I rode Hattie to Chambers place to see Phil McWhorter and he told me that Alice was sent to Natchez hospital on last Monday.
Mon. 6th. Clear, a freeze in morn and wind from S and pleasant after 10 in morn. Gordon and Tigner came early in morn and they and Pa picked cotton in Cherry cut after 9 in morn (balance of day). Anthony Randolph came in morn and here all day helping Willie and me to clean hogs. We killed a large white sow weighing about 200 lbs for lard and 2 white barrows to trade for corn. We finished cleaning them and cut up and salted down sow by late in eve. Leroy D came at 11 1/4 in morn to borrow a horse and he and Willie got up Dan from field at 2 in eve and they hitched Dan and Laura (mule) to Seymour's wagon and "Roy" drove them to Wiley's to help to move Wiley's plunder in eve late.
Tue. 7th. Bright, but some clouds from SW and quite chilly early in morn but no freeze and pleasant after 10 in morn. I led Hattie to cart early in morn and carried the 2 barrows to Surgetts and Belle View and traded them for about 27 1/4 bbls. of corn and $1.45 in money and sold out all but 9 lbs. I sold most at 6 cts. and allowed 35 cts. for corn. I got home at 12. Pa and Gordon and Tigner picked cotton most of day in Cherry cut and finished last of our cotton except Coon field and some scraping in orchard. Willie cut up wood and helped Dixie and Miss Adah Kendrick with lard and sausage in morn. Leroy D and Jim brought 2 wagon loads of Wiley's cotton seed at 1 1/2 in eve and we put them in old barn. Willie and I fixed up hog pen to put Wiley's hogs in late in eve and packed and cut up some wood.
Wed. 8th. Bright, but some clouds and pleasant from SW most of day. It dropped rain at 2 1/2 to 3 in eve and clear at night. Pa picked cotton in Coon field all day and left his cotton there in sks. Willie rode Joe to Pinson place early in morn and drove Wiley's 2 cows and calves here and put them in cow pasture by 12. I drove Hattie to town to Dixie's buggy in morn at 8 1/2 to 12 and carried 1 doz. hens to Mrs. Cohen (which Abe is to pay for). Leroy D brought a wagon load of Wiley's things here by 11 1/2 in morn and went back in eve. Aunt Margaret washed for us in morn. Willie and I cut and hauled 3 cart loads of wood from toward Coon place in eve and Willie drove up cattle from cow pasture late in eve and we put Muley cow and her rickety heifer in cow pen for John F to get heifer on tomorrow.
Thu. 9th. Some clouds but bright and pleasant from SW. Pa picked cotton all day in Coon field and I hauled it home with Hattie and cart late in eve. Willie drove Hattie to Dixie's buggy to Pinson place early in morn and Nellie and Rena and baby came in buggy at 12 1/2 and Willie came back on wagon with "Roy" and Jim drove another wagon and the 2 wagons brought all of Wiley's things but his hogs. Wiley came just before sunset. I stripped grinding cane in N corner of orchard all morn till 11 1/2 and John Fosselman came then with a wagon and butchered the Muley (rickety) heifer in cow pen and he bought Neal's little poor red bull and paid me $4.00 for him and left him here till Spring and he bought 3 bu. of yams from me for $1.20 and left at 12 1/2.
Fri. 10th. Dark, cloudy and dropped rain in sprinkles all morn till 11 1/2 (from SW) and blew up then from NW and rained hard at 11 1/2 to 12 and slowly till 3 in eve and quit and cool and bright at night. Pa picked cotton in Coon field most of morn and I stripped grinding cane all morn till 11 1/2 and rain stopped me. Willie and Wiley went to Pinson place early in morn. Willie rode Hattie and Dan to Seymour's wagon and Wiley rode Jim's Dun pony and Willie brought Wiley's 6 hogs on wagon and Wiley drove Rachael back to our old buggy and they got here at 12 1/2 soaking wet. We put the hogs in pen by garden and Willie, Wiley and I marked some yearlings and put all of our cattle in field late in eve but the 3 milk cows and calves.
Sat. 11th. Cloudy and cool from N all morn and bright and nearly clear and pleasant after 12 and clear and quite cool at night. Willie and Wiley drove Hattie and Dan to Surgettt's and Belleview places and collected the 27 1/4 bbls of corn from negroes (which I traded meat for on last Tue.). They hauled the corn in 2 loads on Seymour's wagon by 12 1/2 and they drove the wagon to Nolan Veal's in eve to get 10 bbls from Minor for sugarcane, but he wasn't at home and they didn't get it. I stripped grinding cane most of morn and got nearly wet and I put up a frame on Pa's gallery in eve to deep dogs out of his cotton and nailed up 2 boxes in big stable to old barn for Wiley to feed his mare and colt in and packed and cut up some wood. Pa picked cotton in Coon field part of morn and part of eve.
Sun. 12th. Clear in morn and a white frost but wind from S and warmer in eve and some little clouds and it showered some late in night. Pa and Willie and Wiley and I packed some wood from calf pasture early in morn and Willie and Wiley hitched Dan (1st time) to Dixie's buggy and drove him to Stuart place to break him. Pa walked to Clara's in eve and Dixie and I and Clara's children walked to Lewis' and had Sunday School. Willie drove Dan to Dixie's buggy early after dinner and carried Miss Adah Kendrick home and Dan ran off with buggy from gate at Cohen's and Willie came home and Wiley went back with him at 7 o'clock and they found horse and buggy near Belleview in field and Willie drove Hattie back to buggy by 8 3/4.
Mon. 13th. It rained a little shower before day and wind changed to NW and bright all day (sun shined most of day) but chilly N wind all day and most of night. Wiley and Willie and I stripped grinding cane till 9 3/4 in morn and finished and Wiley and Willie cut some wood toward Coon place till 11 1/2 and I fixed a road in orchard to haul cane out of there till 1 and finished it. Wiley and Willie hauled 4 loads of cane and 2 of wood to Lewis' (to mill) in eve with Hattie and Dan to Seymour's wagon. I helped them to load up some of loads of cane and I put another piece of old shoe leather in well bucket. I took bottom out to do it. I worked road in calf pasture some with a hoe. Gordon and Tigner here most of day and helped Pa to pick cotton in Coon field and they left cotton there to be hauled.
Tue. 14th. Cloudy and chilly, nearly cold enough to freeze from NW till 10 1/2 in morn and sun shined out then and nearly clear balance of day and pleasant in eve. Wiley and Willie hauled 3 loads of cane to mill early in morn and Lewis put his 2 mules to mill at 8 1/2 in morn and Willie fed mill and Wiley hauled 4 more loads of cane (and all of it) to mill by 11 3/4 with Hattie and Dan to Seymour's wagon - making 11 wagon loads in all. I helped Wiley to load up wagon and I put fodder on the 2 ricks of seed cane while he was gone to mill every load and I covered both ricks by 11 1/2 in morn. Wiley and I hauled 2 loads of wood from toward Coon place to mill at 1 to 2 3/4 in eve and put Hattie and Dan to mill then and Wiley and Willie ground with them till dusk and Wiley brought horses home then and Willie came home at 9 at night. Pa packed up wood in morn and picked cotton in Coon field in eve.
Wed. 15th. Clear and a white frost and light freeze in morn but wind from S and some clouds all day after 9 in morn and warmer in eve. Wiley and Willie took Hattie and Dan to mill early in morn and they ground cane till 11 3/4 and Wiley brought wagon home then and he and I hauled a load of wood from toward Coon place at 1 to 1 3/4 and Wiley and Willie ground cane balance of eve. Lewis cooked molasses all day. Seymour layed up with a severe cold. Buddy and Doug Kendrick came here from mill and dined. Pa and I packed some wood early in morn and Pa picked some cotton in orchard at 9 to 12 and in Coon field in eve. I emptied old molasses bbl and put the old molasses, about 10 gal., in Wiley's 10 gal keg at 8 3/4 to 9 3/4 in morn and I rolled the bbl to mill by 10 and I cut a load of wood toward Coon place at 10 to 12. I had a dull pain in left side of my head all yesterday and in right side all today and all night too.
Thu. 16th. Bright and pleasant from S but some clouds and dry. Pa picked cotton in Coon field most of day and I hauled all that has been picked there since last Thu. (275 in all) at 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 in eve with Hattie and cart. Willie and I ground cane at mill till 9 in morn with Hattie and Dan and finished all and Lewis and Willie finished cooking and dividing it by 12 3/4. We made 101 gallons and got about 80 to our share. I hauled 2 big cart loads of wood from field at 9 1/2 to 12 with Hattie. Wiley rode Rachael to McGehee's early in morn and returned at 1 and he and Willie and I hauled our 2 bbls of molasses from mill at 2 3/4 to 4 in eve with Hattie and Dan to Seymour's wagon. The headache left me entirely at noon.
Fri. 17th. Warm and cloudy and a damp S breeze all morn and till 3 in eve and wind changed to NW then and sprinkled and dropped rain balance of eve and part of night and turned cool. Wiley and Willie drove Hattie and Dan to Seymour's wagon to Nolan Veal's early in morn and got the 10 bbls of corn from Jonas Minor, which I am to let him have 500 stalks of seed cane for (and I am to keep cane till planting time) and he bought 25 bbls more of corn (at 40 cts) and Wiley and Willie brought 15 bbls and Jonas brought 20 bbls on his wagon at 11 3/4 in morn. Pa and I picked cotton in Coon field in morn and till 3 1/2 in eve and rain stopped us then. Wiley and Willie ground their axes at Seymour's in eve to get out timbers for Wiley's house and rain prevented them from chopping any.
Sat. 18th. Cloudy and wet and chilly from NE and misted rain most of day and no sun. Wiley and Willie hunted timbers and cut some for Wiley's home in morn and Pa and I packed some wood in morn and cut up some and some in eve too and Wiley and Willie and I tried to catch 2 red roosters (young ones) to sell but they hid and we didn't get them.
Sun. 19th. Cloudy and foggy or misty all morn and sun shined out at 1 1/2 in eve and nearly clear and warm balance of eve and night. Wiley rode Rachael to his Pa's early in morn and returned at dusk. Lewis here awhile in morn and B C came at 2 1/2 in eve and he and Dixie and Willie and I walked to Lewis' in eve and had Sunday School. Hattie and Dudley W here late in eve and left at sunset.
Mon. 20th. Cloudy and warm from SW till 1 1/2 in eve and wind changed to NW then and rained in slow showers most of eve and at night and cooler at night. Pa picked cotton in Coon field all morn and he and I went back there at 1 1/2 and rain ran us home then, and I brought 3 sks of cotton home in cart and got partly wet with rain. Wiley and Willie cut timbers for Wiley's house in morn and till 2 in eve. I drove Hattie to old buggy to Cohen's early in morn and carried 1/2 doz. chickens and Abe paid me for them and for the 1 doz. carried to Mrs. Cohen on last Wed. a week ago ($4.50) and I got a bu. salt and 10 cts. salt peter and one doz. long screws to fix top to Dixie's buggy and paid for them and I got 2 bu meal on credit and got home at 12.
Tue. 21st. It drizzled and sprinkled rain in slow showers all morn and till 3 in eve from E and wind changed to W of N at 3 and turned cold and rained harder at 3 to 4 and again after dark. We sat in house most of day on account of rain. I patched a pair of old pants in morn in Pa's room and Wiley patched his shoe. Willie rode Rachael to Clara's in morn and returned in eve. Pa, Wiley and I packed some beech wood from beyond garden and cut it up at 1 to 2 3/4 in eve.
Wed. 22nd. Dark, cloudy and very wet and chilly from E of N all day and began to rain slowly at 1 in eve and lasted all eve and quit at dusk. Pa and Wiley and Willie and I killed 4 of Wiley's hogs (in pen by garden) and I shot 2 of our white barrows in calf pasture and we got them cleaned and gutted by 12 and Wiley and Willie cut them up in eve and I salted them down in 2 lard bbls in new barn - they cut up the hogs under shed on W side of barn. Roy and Jack helped us and we finished at 3 1/2 in eve and got wood in rain.
Thu. 23rd. Dark, cloudy and chilly from E of N all day and ground very wet on top and air rather damp and it rained some slowly in eve and at night. Wiley rode Rachael to McGehee's and to Woodville early in morn and returned at 4 in eve. Aunt Margaret cooked lard for Nellie today. Willie cut wood most of day toward Coon place and broke his ax handle at 3 in eve. I hauled 4 cart loads of wood by 12 and 3 more by 3 1/2 in eve with Hattie. I had a dull headache all day and I went to bed without supper and had it pretty bad in early part of night - was sick at stomach but didn't vomit any. Pa packed some wood in morn and picked little cotton in orchard in eve.
Fri. 24th. Dark, cloudy and chilly from NE and rained in slow sprinkles some in day, and good deal most of night. Wiley and Willie cut some timbers in morn for Wiley's house and Wiley rode Rachael to his Pa's late in eve. I drove Hattie to old buggy to town in morn and got some things for Clara's children and some for us and I came back by Cohen's and got 5 lbs coffee on credit and got 1 bu salt and some other things which I paid for and I got home at 3 1/2 in eve. The headache left me early after breakfast but I was cold all day for the air was very chilly. I paid my account at Adam's ($2.30) and I paid my subscription to Woodville Republican to next November. Nellie and Dixie washed in morn.
Sat. 25th. Dark and cloudy and chilly from N and rained slowly till 9 1/2 in morn, and quit then, but ground and everything very wet all day and no sun. Willie worked at well about 2 hours in morn and fished out well bucket and rope which fell in on yesterday eve and I spliced rope and drew all of water out of well at 10 to 11 3/4. Nellie and Dixie cooked some cakes today for tomorrow. Pa walked to Clara's in eve and Willie rode Dan fox hunting. I resalted all of meat and packed up some stove wood and cut up good deal of wood and drew water in eve. Wiley returned from his Pa's late in eve.
Sun. 26th. Dark, cloudy and chilly from N and no rain today and bright and stars shined most of night. Buddy and Clara and her 3 children and B C and Gussie and Jack Deloach here most of day and we had a little Christmas dinner and all left before night but B C and he staid till 8 1/2 at night.
Mon. 27th. It cleared off from NW at 10 in morn and clear and cool balance of day and at night. Pa and Wiley and Willie and I killed and cleaned and cut up and salted down 2 white barrows (our last) by 11 in morn and we packed and cut up some wood by 11 3/4 and Wiley and Willie cut and hewed timbers for Wiley's house in eve (on Elmwood land) and Pa and I picked cotton in Coon field most of eve and left it there. Nellie cooked her lard on stove in eve.
Tue. 28th. Clear and a white frost and light freeze in morn and wind from NW all day but pleasant in sunshine after 10 in morn. Wiley and Willie cut and hewed timbers for Wiley's house all day and Pa and I picked cotton in Coon field all day and left it there. Joe Miller got our old buggy (with Jim mule) early in morn and drove to Sheppard place to get a baby carraige but he did not come back with our old buggy at night.
Wed. 29th. Bright, nearly clear, and a very white frost, and pretty hard freeze in morn, but sun shined all day and a gentle breeze from SW and pleasant after 10 in morn. Wiley and Willie cut timbers for Wiley's house in morn and some late in eve. Pa and I picked cotton in Coon field most of day and left it there. Doug Kendrick and Miss Berta came at 11 3/4 and left at 3 in eve and Beulah and Hattie W here at 1 to 4 in eve. Joe Miller brought the baby carraige on our old buggy early in morn. Dixie and Lila and Edna drove Hattie to town in morn and returned in eve.
Thu. 30th. Bright but some clouds and wind from S of W and dry and pleasant. Wiley and Willie sawed blocks (catalpa) on creek for Wiley's house today and Pa and I finished picking cotton in Coon field and I hauled all home by 11 in morn (210 lbs.) with Hattie and cart. Nellie and I drove Hattie to Dixie's buggy to Cohen's in eve and Nellie got a cooking stove (on time) - $7.75 - and we returned just before sunset. Pa picked a little cotton in orchard and packed some wood in eve.
Fri. 31st. Bright, nearly clear, and a cold dry N wind all day and at night too. Pa packed up some wood in morn and Wiley and Willie got Lewis' 2 mules and wagon and hauled timbers for Wiley's house all day and we kept the mules here in stable at night. I drove Hattie to cart to Surgettt's in morn and carried