Diary: Caleb E. Iddings, 1895

Ther. 40 CLear Wind S.W. Fri. Mar. 8^th, 1895

Willie drove to Olney for some carpet rags. Edwd drove to E. Thoma's for some cream & W to Riverside for butter etc. W^m Cuff sent some beef steak by his boys. Afternoon the Physicians Society Club met here & there was a full attendance. Doctors Magruder, Brooke, Green, Farquhar, Cissel & Stabler being present. It was an extremely pleasant meeting and all seems to have enjoyed it.

Ther. 30 Clearing Wind N.W. Saturday 9^th

It rained & hailed last night after midnight; the wind changed drom S.W. to N.W. and blew hard growing much colder: it continued blowing nearly all day to day. Willie, Dora, Fanny & Edward went in the "Surry (driving Frank & Bell) to Silver Spring & Washington. Dora will go to Lincoln Va on Monday to make Charley & Ida a visit. The others are to return this evening. They left here at 8.o'clk this a.m. I am anxious about Edwd who has a bad cold already. I went to Sherwood and attended to his fires this afternoon, "Hilles" went with me. The children reached home about 9.o'clock & seemed to have had a pleasant trip except for the cold wind in going down. {Old John was here afternoon. }

Right page Ther. 45 Clear Wind S.W. Sun. Mar. 10^th, 1895

I went to meeting and heard a short sermon from E Farquhar and also from Caroline Miller. Edwd took Willie & Fanny to Fairfield & remained there to dinner. Afternoon I walked down to Bloomfield and made a call upon Edwd and Hallie Bentley. Edwd took the "Bell" mare home.

Ther. 38 Cloudy & Snow Wind S.E. Monday 11 Raw & chilly: it soon began to rain & snow. I went up to the mill for corn for the horse and worked at the stable putting the vehicles all under shelter, cleaning out the stable straightening out and hanging up the harness etc. It continued either raining or snowing all day. I went up to the store and P.O. Wrote to the Post Master in New York enclosing postage stamp to pay for mail matter detained there for insufficient postage.

Ther. 28^o Cloudy Wind E. & SE Tues. Mar 12, 1895

Raw & disagreeable all day threatning rain or snow. Afternoon I was telephoned for & rode over to "Plainfield" to see Margt. G.T. Moore's infant daughter the roads are extremely muddy and sloppy. William Cuff called for a basket he had sent meat in on friday last.

Ther. 37 Cloudy & Rain Wind S.E. & NE Wednesday 13^th

Disagreeable day, muddy & damp and afernoon it commenced raining & continued up to bed time. Afternoon Margt. T Moore telephoned for me & I talked with her from "central" She reports the baby "better" & wanted advice for it. After dark Kate Matthews sent to ask me to come & see her little girl tomorrow. I have suffered with headache all day & am afraid of "grippe."

Ther. 40 Clear & Cloudy Wind N.W. Thurs. Mar. 14^th, 1895

Was called by telephone & rode first to see Kate Matthew's child & from there to Plainfield to see Margt. T Moore's infant which is quite sick with acute "broncha. pneumonia." Afternoon I drove to Ashton.

Ther. 28^o Rain & Sleet Wind N.E Friday 15 This has been an extremely disagreeable stormy day all through. I drove (in the phaeton over to W^m W Moore's to see Roland's infant daughter again; it is a very sick baby indeed. Willie came over this morning for a short time. He has a bad cold. Afternoon W.E. Johnson (from the bone mill) was here for advice & medicine. I went up to the store towards evening. Went over to Mrs R's to talk with Margt T Moore (by telephone) in regard to the infant.

Ther. 30^o Clear & Cloudy Wind N.W. Sat. Mar 15^th, 1895

Everything out of doors is completely covered with sleet. I drove over to Fairfield (in the open buggy) to see Margt Moore's infant daughter "Elizabeth" again & found it much better, the crisis having passed & if she has no "back sets" she may get along nicely now. I got a two bushel bag of coal for our room at Plainfield. Afternoon Willie & Fanny came to spend the night with us. After supper I went up to the store to get word to Tilglunder Mitchell to haul us 1/2 cord of hickory wood from "Pres" & Lavinia Awkcard's. It is cold to night & wind blowing from N.W. Much of the sleet is still on the trees etc.

Ther. 25 Clear Wind N.W. Sunday 17^th

Quite cold today but clear not withstanding its "St Patrick's day." I went to meeting. Margt T Moore telephoned that her baby was still improving. Chas Adams was here for advice & med for his infant and promised to send me a cord of wood tomorrow or next day if I would come & see it tomorrow. "Corrie" Sprigg was also here for advice & medicine. W & F left for "Fairfield after breakfast. I went up to Henderson's for the papers towards evening.

Ther. 30^o Clear Wind N.W. Mon. Mar 18^th, 1895

Cold & windy. I drove to Brighton & went to Chas Adam's & prescribed for his infant daughter, dined at E.Peirce's. After reaching home I went to see old Julia Green on Saml Thoma's place & went in next door to talk to Margt Moore over telephone wires, she having called me for advice for her infant again. W. & Alice were here for a short time. I went to the mill for flour and corn for the horse.

Ther. 33 Clear Wind N.W. Tuesday 19^th

I drove over to Plainfield to see Margt T Moore's infant again. Afternooon Chas Adams brought me a cord of hickory wood with Hartshorne's team. Robert Tyson called. I went with him to the mill & to Sandy Spring where he took the 2.o'clk stage for Laurel & Balto.

Ther. 34^o Cloudy Wind N.E. Wed. Mar. 20, 1895

Raw & disagreeable all day. I rode over to see old Julia Green again before dinner (on horseback. Afternoon Chas Adams was here again to see me about his infant, I gave him medicine etc. for it. Towards evening it snowed not enough to cover the ground completely however, but it may before tomorrow morning. Charley's third daughter was born yesterday morning early, so a postal card recd to day informs us from Lincoln Loudoun Co Va.

Ther. 22^o Clear Wind N.W. Thursday 21^st

This has been a beautiful day but windy & cool. I drove to Brighton to prescribe for Chas Adams' infant again. I also prescribed for his mother in law (Eliza Thomas) who was at their house. The roads have dried out with the sun & winds of the past few days & are wonderfully improved.

Ther. 28^o Clear Wind N.W. Fri. Mar 22^d, 1895

Another fine day. I was called to see Silvester Powell's wife. I drove over & opened an abcess in the left "qlutei maximus" muscle, within the fissure formed by the two sides. It discharged large quantities of foetid pus. Afternoon B Owen Hardy Jr was here with a note from his father. I went to the store for sundries & to Henderson's for the papers. Edwd & Hilles R helped move the coal stove out of our room & took the wood stove from the parlor into its place, our coal being exhaused & it is not worth while to get more so near warm weather.

Ther. 28^o Clear Wind S.W. Saturday 23

I drove to Ashton & replenished my medicine chest: from there to Brighton where I saw Chas Adam's infant again, and called at E Peirce's and saw Willy & Fanny working their new loom. Home to dinner. Bro Chas called about noon. I also called this morning at "Eldon." Afternoon I went to the mill for corn. Willie & Fanny came afer supper to spend the night with us.

Ther. 38 Cloudy, Rain, & Clearing Wind Variable Sun. Mar. 24, 1895

Cloudy & threatning early this morning & commenced raining before meeting time. I went to meeting & we had a sermon from Edward Farquhar. It cleared off in the afternoon & the sun set clear. Chas Adams was here to see me again about his infant & I fear he will lose it. Willie & Fanny left for "Fairfield" after supper.

Ther. 42 Cloudy Wind Variable Monday 25

I hve taken a severe "cold" and sore throat & feel miserable. Chas Adams came for me & I took him with me & drove to see his child again at Brighton: home to dinner. Afternoon Bro C Called I went up to the store & to the mill. Edwd did not go to school afternoon having head ache.

Ther. 40 Cloudy Wind S.W. Tues. Mar. 26, 1895

I feel miserable from sore throat & rheumatic pains. Recd letter from T H Borden & answered it. Edwd went (by invitation) to take tea at Benj H Miller's. I walked up to the P.O. after supper. Willie came on horseback to attend a rail road meeting at Lyceum. Miss Grace Harvey was here in the afternoon and had tooth extracted.

Ther. 32^o Clear Wind N.W. Wednesday 27^th

Cold & clear this morning. I drove to Brighton to see Adam's child again. Saw Bro. Chas at Ashton. Afternoon Willie walked over from Brighton. Morgan Brown (the Huckster) called & I paid him 50. cts. After supper Willie & I went up to the store for some breakfast bacon & eggs. A large flock of wild geese or swans passed over going N.W. about dusk. About 10.o'clock in the evening we had our first thunder & lightning, several quite heavy peals with sharp lightening north & north west of us: the wind being from the South at the time.