Diary: Caleb E. Iddings, 1895

Ther. 43^o Clear Wind N.W. Thurs. Mar. 28^th, 1895

Windy & disagreeable all day. Willie finished cutting down the hedge which had grown too high. I felt miserable, my cold or "grippe" making me stiff & sore all over. After dinner "Angie" Thomas called for more advice & med. for her mother, Julia Green, & paid me $2.00. Afternoon Willie drove "Frank" to Fairfield. I went with him to Ashton & walked home. Willie & Fanny came after supper having brought a carpet to John Bentley's (the first they have woven. Mrs Robison came in after supper.

Ther. 42. Clear Wind Friday 28^th

I went up to the shops and mended the "meat saw." Willie went to "Sharon" on "Phil's" bicycle to enquire about electric bell for our telephone connection with the "central" exchange. Afternoon W drove to "Fairfield" to bring Alice to take tea here & go to Mrs. George Kennan's lecture at the Lyceum this evening. All of our young folks are going; Edwd to officiate as "door-keeper."

Ther. 33. Cloudy & Clearing Wind N.W. & N.E. Sat. Mar. 30^th, 1895

I was called this morning & went before breakfast to prescribe for "Doad" or George Curley's wife who is at W^m Oldfield's. Willie took the horse & Surry & took Alice and Fanny to "Fairfield." Edwd going with them to bring the horse & carriage home. I went up to the shops & finished putting a handle on the meat saw. Edwd came home about supper time. After dark I went to the P.O. & store. It was cloudy & sprinkled rain about dusk & looks as if we might have rain to night or tomorrow.

Ther. 40 Clear Wind Sunday 31^st

I went to meeting, a friend -- Daniel preached, he is a book agent who lives below Alexandria Va. They put in a new "switch board" next door to day. After supper George Curley came for me & I went to see his wife again. Willie was here for a short time this morning. Mary Carter(colored) was here and I extracted a tooth for her this morning.

Ther. 43 Cloudy Wind S.E. Mon. April 1^st, 1895

It rained last night several showers & was raining when E went to school but ceased before 9.o'clock. I went to the store after breakfast. After dinner I drove over to "Osceola" to see about getting fodder to cover the ice house. Bro Chas called this morning. Robert Campbell (colored) was here for advice & medicine towards evening.

Ther. 50 Cloudy Wind N.E. Tuesday 2^d

Cloudy & threatning rain. Afternoon Bro. Charles & Lizzie stopped here on the way to the Horticultural meeting at Roger Farquhar's. They left their horse & buggy here & took "Frank" and the phaeton. Old "Frolic" being too lame to drive so far, they are to exchange again as they return this evening. We had quite a thunder shower about 4.o'clk this afternoon. I went up to the store for groceries.

Ther. 29 Clear Wind N.W. Wed. April 3, 1895

Cold this morning, ice froze in the buckets on kitchen porch. I feel very stiff & rheumatic. Afternoon Willie & Alice Peirce came & staid to supper. Robert Blair came to consult me about his invalid son. After supper Jim Hill's boy came to have his "palate put up." Young J Barnsley brought me 3 pints of clover seed as he came to School this morning.

Ther. 30 Clear Wiind N.W. Thursday 4^th

Still quite cool weather for the time of year. I walked down to Ashton afternoon. Jim Hill's boy was here again & also Walter Budd. Lizzie Scott called. I went up to the store for some seed potatoes etc.

Ther. 43^o Clear Wind N.W. & S.E. Fri. April 5^th, 1895

"Jim" Powell came at 9.o'clk this morning and he & I moved the tops of the hedge (that Willie had cut off) out of the way and planted three & three fourths rows of "Early Rose" potatoes at the lower end of the lot. Powell remained to dinner. I sowed clover seed in the part of the lot where rye was sowed. Afternoon I drove down to Haviland's mill to see about fodder. Took H as far as Eldon & left her until I returned. I called at Riverside a few minutes. Bro C gave me some "John Howard" tobacco.

Ther. 48 Clear & "Hazey" Wind S.E. Saturday 6^th

I drove over to the Charles Carr place & bought 2 blocks of fodder from Milton Cissel, called at "Big Remus" Dorsey's & at Haviland's. Frank Robison went with me. I left him at the river, near Riverside with "Phil" & Hilles who were in the boat near the bridge over the Hawlings River. Afternoon went to the mill for corn. Willie & Fanny came (after dark) to spend the night with us.

Ther. 50 Cloudy Wind NE & S.E. Sun. April 7, 1895

I went to meeting. We had a discourse from Edwd Farquhar. F Snowden called as he went home from meeting to borrow H. Woodruffs "Trotting Horses of America" which I could not find. After noon I rode up to see Jim Powell about going for the corn fodder. W Ed Johnson was here for advice & medicine for a "bad cold." Willie & Fanny went back to Fairfield before supper. After tea I went up to Henderson's for the papers.

Ther. 50^o Rain Wnd N E. S.E. Monday 8

Commenced raining about 2.30 o.'clk this a.m. & continued all day until about "sun set" when it cleared off & the wind changed to N.W. I went to the store & P.O. both before & afternoon & also to the mill. Rebecca Miller called to see about some carpet or rug weaving they want Willie to do for them. It has been an extremely disagreeable day, raining hard most of the time until towards evening and muddy everywhere.

Ther. 45^o Clear & Cloudy Wind N.W. Tues. April 9, 1895

It cleared off some time during last night and was beautifully clear & bright all of this morning but clouded over in the afternoon again. The wind however continued North West and is cooler. "Jim" Powell came about noon & promised to come tomorrow early & haul the fodder for us. Robt Campbell was here again to consult me, he is "much better." I went up to the mill & to the P.O. "Phil and Frank" finished moving the hedge brush into heaps on their lot, ready to burn when a suitable condition of wind etc. presents itself. Owen Hardy Jr here after dark with a note from his father.

Ther. 43^o Clear Wind N.W. Wednesday 10^th

I was called out last night (after mid night) and rode down to B. Owen Hardy's (on Edwd P. Thoma's place) & left them a fine boy, born at 4.o'clk this a.m., home before sun rise. "Jim" Powell came to break fast & he and the boys from next door took "Frank" and went for a load of fodder getting "Bess" & Bro C's wagon from "Riverside." They got here at 11.30 & afternoon went for a load of straw to Frank Snowden's. I went to Ashton with them taking the old refrigerator to Bulwar's for repairs & walked home to dinner or "lunch." I also walked over to see Kate Matthew's child on Farquhar's place.

Right page Ther. 30^o Clear Wind N.W. Thurs. April 11^th, 1895

Cold & "raw" this morning. Willie came before breakfast & he & Frank Robison put the fodder roof on the ice house. I went up to the store & drove down to see Mrs B O. Hardy before dinner. W finished the ice house roof & Frank R took him back to "Fairfield" before 12.o'clk. Afternoon I went to the store & to the mill. After school Edwd rode over to Brooke Grove & Sharon. I went up to Hendersons for some eggs.

Ther. 31 Clear & Cloudy WInd Friday 12^th

Still quite cold for the season. I rode to Ashton & put up a prescription for A F Fairall Esq & took it up to him at S.S. before dinner. Henderson planted potatoes in lot adjoining ours. Carrie Hopkins washed for H. Willie came after dinner & I loaned him "Frank" & the buggy to bring a carpet from "Fairfield" to Ashton after which he came back to spend the night here. Willie Edwd & I went to see a game of Base Ball. "Serwood" versus "Brookeville" in which Sherwood "beat" by 10 to 9.

Ther. 47 Rain & Cloudy Wind Variable Sat. April 13^th, 1895

It commenced raining before day light & continued at intervals until afternoon. We had a thunder storm before sunset. Willie & I drove down to B Owen Hardy's. I walked home from Ashton & W drove on to "Fairfield" and brought Fanny back with him in the afternoon. I went up to the store & to the mill. After supper I rode down to Ashton for some medicine. The boys next door (with our help) burned the hedge brush, which made a tremendious blaze but everything being wet from the rain and there being no wind blowing it did no harm.

Ther. 40 Clear & Cloudy Wind S.E. Sunday 14^th

Clear early this a.m. clouded over before noon. I went to meeting. Alice Peirce came & she & Fanny & Willie went to the (so called) orthodox quarterly meeting. Afternoon they went to Fairfield & to church taking my horse & phaeton intending to return here in time for an evening meeting at the "little meeting house" & to spend the night. After supper I went with Willie & Fanny down to the (So called) Orthodox Meeting house & heard five sermons & 2 prayers.

Ther. 38 Cloudy Wind Variable Mon. April 15^th, 1895

Very raw & chilly all day. I went up to the mill for a sack of flour. Willie & Edwd brought W^m Oldfield's light carriage down & W washed & greased it expecting to drive in it to Silver Spring after Dora & Hannah Archer tomorrow. Afternoon Kate Stabler was here to conuslt me for her rheumatism etc.

Ther. 42 Clear Wind S.E. Tuesday 16^th

Willie & Edwd left home at 5.30 this morning for "Silver Spring" & Washington to meet Dora on her way home from Loudocus Co Va. "Bulwar" brought the refrigerator home, I fixed new listing under the lids, & brought ice up & started it for the season. I also fixed the lattice around the garden house. The children reached home at about 4.o'clock p.m. Dora coming with them. Alice Peirce called.