Diary: Caleb E. Iddings, 1889

Cloudy & Rainy Ther. 65 MON. MAY 27, 1889 E Wind

Commenced Raining about five o'clock this a m and continued more or less all day. After dinner I drove down to see Caroline Bond again at Mary Bond's. Charley went with me and drove on to see the young man Henry Dorsey who was shot yesterday It Rained quite hard as we came home accompanied with some thunder. It tried to "clear off" before sun down.

Clear _ Ther. 67° TUESDAY 28^th N.W. Wind

Cleared off at last, and to day has been a lovely Spring day. I was about home all day. Charley went to Miss. E Holland's to tea and to spend the evening.

Clear Ther. 65 WED. MAY 29, 1889 S.E. Wind

Afternoon I drove over to "Homewood" to see cousin Ellie Chandlee taking Dora & Bessie as far as Martha Lea's & left them until I returned. This morning Bro R brought Mary Kummer to make a call & took Fanny home with him after Meeting. Ruth Hannah Matthews from Harford C: & Rebecca Pigeon called this afternoon. I went in next door to see Miss Mary again, her improvement is very slow owing to her nervous temperament. being extremely excitable.

Clear & Cloudy Ther. 69° THURSDAY 30 S E & Variable Wind

Much warmer and although it was partially clear in the forenoon it clouded over & blew hard in gusts until about 3-30 pm when it "poured" down rain. Charley drove "Fritz" down to see Henry Dorsey again & afternoon I rode "Fritz" to Ashton to see Kate Stabler on business. and came home through the rain. Charley had also started out to drive to Josiah Jone's, but turned back, We both were wet through. It continued raining with thunder & lightning, at intervals. After supper Charley drove away to attend a party at Scott's to dance. It is so intensely dark and windy, & part of the time rainy that it grieves me greatly, that he would go under all the circumstances it seems wrong to say the least of it. I shall get no sleep until he returns.

Rain Rain Ther. 68° FRI. MAY 31^st, 1889 S.E Wind

It has rained powerfully ever since about mid night last & throughout to day. I certainly have never seen such a rain fall as within the past two months. and this has been the most violent rain we have had within that time, with occasional thunder.

Clear Ther. 64 SATURDAY, JUNE 1^st N. W Wind

It cleared off before sun rise this a.m. and has been a beautiful day. Edward found his pet squirrel dead in its cage this morning when he went to feed it. Charley drove up to Josiah Jones & back before dinner. Afternoon Martha Lea & Hannah Archer called. D^r. Brooke also called. Emma King was here & had a tooth extracted. There was a great "Base Ball" match at Sandy Spring this afternoon in which the SS boys were beaten by the "Laurel team". After tea Charley took Dora to Edwd Peirce's.

Clear Ther. 62° SUN. JUNE 2, 1889 Wind N.W.

Cool & delightful weather today all day. Charley drove over to Riverside about meeting time Chas E Bond called to see me. Afternoon Rachael Thomas was here for advice etc. C came home and drove off again to "Elton" Dora walke part of the way home & Edwd & Hallie Bentley brought her from Home wood. Charley came home last night about mid night.

Clear & Cloudy Ther. MONDAY 3^d Wind S. W

I received a telegram from U B Kirk announcing the death of our dear Brother Joseph S Paxson who died in Philad^a yesterday afternoon. I drove over to Riverside to inform them. Charley & Ernest came home whilst I was gone & I met them on the road they going back to Elton. I went up to S S & mailed a letter for C to Jas: Anderson Clark enclosing the post note for 62c. I drove up to Marden to see Alice Tyson again. Martha having called whilst I was away. Carrie Bowen was here for advice etc. B.O. Hardy's boy was here with some money. It commenced raining again about 5-30 p.m. & continued until bed time.

Clear Ther. 68° TUES. JUNE 4^th, 1889 Variable Wind

I drove down to Mrs Mary Bond's to see Miss Caroline Bond again. Had new shoes put on "Fritz" "behind" he was so lame & stiff he could hardly get to Ashton having hurt himself in the stable last night. Charley came home from Elton before dinner. Hettie Stabler brought a boy to have a would in his foot dressed having cut it with a broken glass bottle Running "bare foot".

Clear Ther. 67° WEDNESDAY 5 Variable Wind

Charley took Rachael Gilpin's carriage and the "Frank" horse and his own mare & drove to Laurel & brought to Riverside. Chas: Pickering's wife and Mary Paxson to Riverside Ernest bringing Chas Pickering and U. B. Kirk . Jno Abell talking his horse to bring the remains of Bro: Jos S Paxson. Dora & I went over to the funeral. Returning in time for supper.

Clear Ther. 55 THURS. JUNE 6, 1889 N. W. Wind

Quite cool this morning & a breeze from N.W. C drove down to see Henry Dorsey again. Charlotte Rounds brought her infant here who she says cannot swallow anything but thin liquids since he (some three weeks since) swallowed some "concentrated lye". Perry Thoma's wife was here to see Charley Afternoon Mrs Jack Johnson was here to consult me. & Hettie Stabler's boy to see Charley about his foot again C drove down to see Henry Dorsey again & also to Perry Thoma's. before dinner & after dinner over to Riverside & brought UB Kirk home with him before supper time.

Clear Ther. 58° FRIDAY 7^th S. W. Wind

I took U B Kirk as far as "the Cottage" & left him there & drove on down to see Perry Thomas who lives back of Frederic Stabler's place. Afternoon C drove to D. Slabler's & brought U B K back to our house & he walked (after dark) up to "Avalon" to spend the night. I drove over & brought Hannah Archer home with me from Martha Lea's. I took little Bessie with me, Lucy & Anne Gilpin were here for advice etc. after tea. Charley extracted teeth for two persons whom I did not know.

Saturday, 8^th Ther. 68° Clear N.W.

I drove to Cincinnatti to take Hannah Archer home. E going with me. Also to "Marden" to see Miss Alice Tyson again. Charley planted several things in the garden & made a temporary fence around the Rye patch next door. After supper he drove down to Hetty Stabler's to dress the wounded foot of her boy again. U B K came about 9 p.m. to spend the night with us. D^r. Augustus Stabler came to see me in relation to making out the "diagnosis paper" for the Life Insurance Company (Penn Mutual) for Albert Chandlee's Estate.

Clear & Cloudy Ther. 70 SUNDAY 9^th SW. Wind

Was called to see old Mr Miles of Ashton. who was stricken with paralysis of the right side. Charley went with me. Mrs Walter Thomas (ex Mary Ellicott) died this morning. The Quarterly Meeting was not nearly so largly attended as usual Afternoon Charley took U B K down to Laurel. Mrs M G Tyson called for medicine & advice for Miss Alice. Henry Dorsey called and I examined his wounded hip. Emma King was here before we were out of bed to have a tooth extracted. C got up & attended to it. Fanny Peirce came to spend the night. Charley came home before dark. I rode down again to see Old Mr Miles. by moonlight and fear he cannot last much longer.

Clear & Cloudy Ther. 71 MON. JUNE 10^th, 1889 SE & SW. Wind

Quite warm & hot in the sun. Alice Peirce came before we were all up this morning. I drove down to see old Mr Miles again, who I find gradually sinking. Drove on up to see Alice Tyson again before dinner. Charley went to "Meeting" Alice & Fanny Peirce went home before dinner. Thunderstorm passed south of us about noon, and again in the evening we had some Rain but quite a heavy rain passed north of us _ giving us some heavy thunder.

Clear & Cloudy Ther. 72 TUESDAY 11 Variable Wind

Very hot & oppressive in the sun & indeed in the afternoon it was hot every where. I drove down to see old Mr Miles. Chas G Porter coming for me quite early Charley & Dora went to the funeral of Mary Thomas (ex Ellicott) and home to late dinner. Another thunder gust passed south of us early in the afternoon & one North of us towards evening. I rode Fritz down to Ashton after Supper to see old Mr Miles again who is not quite so well as this morning and cannot last much longer; which indeed it would be no kindness to wish that he should, as he would be completely helpless under the most favorable circumstances that could be hoped for.

Rain Rain Ther. 68° WED. JUNE 12^th, 1889 S.E. Wind

Commenced raining before midnight last and continued at intervals throughout the day. I drove down to Ashton after breakfast to see old Mr Miles again. Charley worked at putting up shelves in the office for medicines. R Roland Moore called for advice & medicine for his infant son Henry. After tea Edwd: Gilpin (of Gideon) came and sat in the office all the evening with Charley.

Cloudy Ther. 68° THURSDAY 13^th W Wind

Joe Abell called us up early to tell of the death of Old Mr Miles who died at about 1 o'clk this a.m. and to get me to give him a certificate of Death from Natural causes etc. Afternoon D^r Brooke called & took tea with us. Charley took his mother over to Homewood before dinner & left her there while he drove on to "Brighton" & home to dinner. Henry Dorsey was here to have his wound dressed & inspected. Rained several times during the day.

Clear & Cloudy Ther. 72 FRI. JUNE 14, 1889 Variable Wind

Quite warm & close. I went over to the School House to sign the Report. Jas Henderson was also there and Miss Sally gave a closing exhibition for the benefit of the Scholars and their parents, who chose to attend. Dora went & took little "Bessie" After dinner Charley took Dora & Edward to "Elton" to spend the night. Cousin Hannah Archer came over to spend the night with us. Towards evening we had a thunder gust, and some quite heavy rain which continued until after "sunset".

Clear & Cloudy Ther. 73° SATURDAY 15^th S. W. Wind

I felt quite unwell this morning, but as the day "wore on" I felt better. I took Hannah Archer over to Martha Lea's. Phil Robison went with me & helped to "hitch up" & unhitch the horse. Perry Thoma's little girl was here for a "certificate" for her father. Wm J Scofield called & left books & keys. belonging to School House for which I gave a receipt to Miss Sally sent by her father. We had another thunder gust about 3 o'clock afternoon & it was threatning & gusts passing both north & south of us all the rest of the day. I am anxious about the children who should have started from Elton in the cool of the early morning.