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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/5111-h.zip b/5111-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..eca5801 --- /dev/null +++ b/5111-h.zip diff --git a/5111-h/5111-h.htm b/5111-h/5111-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b9515e7 --- /dev/null +++ b/5111-h/5111-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,3538 @@ +<?xml version="1.0" encoding="us-ascii"?> + +<!DOCTYPE html + PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd" > + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en"> + <head> + <title> + The Real Diary of a Real Boy, by Henry A. Shute + </title> + <style type="text/css" xml:space="preserve"> + + body { margin:5%; background:#faebd0; text-align:justify} + P { text-indent: 1em; margin-top: .25em; margin-bottom: .25em; } + H1,H2,H3,H4,H5,H6 { text-align: center; margin-left: 15%; margin-right: 15%; } + hr { width: 50%; text-align: center;} + .foot { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; text-indent: -3em; font-size: 90%; } + blockquote {font-size: 97%; font-style: italic; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + .mynote {background-color: #DDE; color: #000; padding: .5em; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 95%;} + .toc { margin-left: 10%; margin-bottom: .75em;} + .toc2 { margin-left: 20%;} + div.fig { display:block; margin:0 auto; text-align:center; } + div.middle { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; } + .figleft {float: left; margin-left: 0%; margin-right: 1%;} + .figright {float: right; margin-right: 0%; margin-left: 1%;} + .pagenum {display:inline; font-size: 70%; font-style:normal; + margin: 0; padding: 0; position: absolute; right: 1%; + text-align: right;} + pre { font-style: italic; font-size: 90%; margin-left: 10%;} + +</style> + </head> + <body> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + +Project Gutenberg's The Real Diary of a Real Boy, by Henry A. Shute + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Real Diary of a Real Boy + +Author: Henry A. Shute + +Release Date: June 12, 2009 [EBook #5111] +Last Updated: February 6, 2013 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE REAL DIARY OF A REAL BOY *** + + + + +Produced by Kent Fielden, and David Widger + + + + + + +</pre> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <h1> + THE REAL DIARY OF A REAL BOY + </h1> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <h2> + By Henry A. Shute + </h2> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <h2> + Contents + </h2> + <table summary="" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto"> + <tr> + <td> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_INTR"> INTRODUCTION </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0002"> DIRY </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0003"> THIRTY YEARS (OR MORE) AFTER </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0004"> DRAMATIS PERSONAE </a> + </p> + </td> + </tr> + </table> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> <a name="link2H_INTR" id="link2H_INTR"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <h2> + INTRODUCTION + </h2> + <p> + In the winter of 1901-02, while rummaging an old closet in the + shed-chamber of my father's house, I unearthed a salt-box which had been + equipped with leather hinges at the expense of considerable ingenuity, and + at a very remote period. In addition to this, a hasp of the same material, + firmly fastened by carpet-tacks and a catch of bent wire, bade defiance to + burglars, midnight marauders, and safe-breakers. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> +With the aid of a tack-hammer the combination was readily solved, and an +eager examination of the contents of the box disclosed:— + + 1. Fish-line of braided shoemaker's thread, with perch hook, to + which adhered the mummied remains of a worm that lived and + flourished many, many years ago. + + 2. Popgun of pith elder and hoop-skirt wire. + + 3. Horse-chestnut bolas, calculated to revolve in opposite + directions with great velocity, by an up-and-down motion of the + holder's wrist; also extensively used for the adornment of + telegraph-wires,—there were no telephones in those days,—and + the cause of great profanity amongst linemen. + + 4. More fish-hooks of the ring variety, now obsolete. + + 5. One blood alley, two chinees, a parti-colored glass agate, + three pewees, and unnumbered drab-colored marbles. + + 6. Small bow of whalebone, with two arrows. + + 7. Six-inch bean-blower, for school use—a weapon of considerable + range and great precision when used with judgment behind a + Guyot's Common School Geography. + + 8. Unexpended ammunition for same, consisting of putty pellets. + + 9. Frog's hind leg, extra dry. + + 10. Wing of bluejay, very ditto. + + 11. Letter from "Beany," postmarked "Biddeford, Me." and expressing + great indignation because "Pewt" "hasent wrote." + + 12. Copy-book inscribed "Diry." + + The examination of this copy-book lasted the rest of the day, and it was + read with the peculiar pleasure one experiences in reviewing some of the + events of a happy boyhood. + + With the earnest hope that others may experience a little of the + pleasure I gained from the reading, I submit the "Diry" to the public. + + HENRY A. SHUTE. + + EXETER, N. H. Sept. 23, 1902. +</pre> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> <a name="link2H_4_0002" id="link2H_4_0002"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <h1> + DIRY + </h1> + <p> + Father thot i aught to keep a diry, but i sed i dident want to, because i + coodent wright well enuf, but he sed he wood give $1000 dolars if he had + kept a diry when he was a boy. + </p> + <p> + Mother said she gessed nobody wood dass to read it, but father said + everybody would tumble over each other to read it, anyhow he wood give + $1000 dolars if he had kept it. i told him i wood keep one regular if he + wood give me a quarter of a dolar a week, but he said i had got to keep it + anyhow and i woodent get no quarter for it neither, but he woodent ask to + read it for a year, and i know he will forget it before that, so i am + going to wright just what i want to in it. Father always forgets + everything but my lickins. he remembers them every time you bet. + </p> + <p> + So i have got to keep it, but it seems to me that my diry is worth a + quarter of a dolar a week if fathers is worth $1000 dolars, everybody says + father was a buster when he was a boy and went round with Gim Melcher and + Charles Talor. my grandmother says i am the best boy she ever see, if i + dident go with Beany Watson and Pewter Purinton, it was Beany and Pewt + made me tuf. + </p> + <p> + there dos'nt seem to be much to put into a diry only fites and who got + licked at school and if it ranes or snows, so i will begin today. + </p> + <p> + December 1, 186- brite and fair, late to brekfast, but mother dident say + nothing. father goes to boston and works in the custum house so i can get + up as late as i want to. father says he works like time, but i went to + boston once and father dident do anything but tell stories about what he + and Gim Melcher usted to do when he was a boy. once or twice when a man + came in they would all be wrighting fast, when the man came in again i sed + why do you all wright so fast when he comes in and stop when he goes out, + and the man sort of laffed and went out laffing, and the men were mad and + told father not to bring that dam little fool again. + </p> + <p> + December 2. Skinny Bruce got licked in school today. I told my granmother + about it and she said she was glad i dident do enything to get punnished + for and she felt sure i never wood. i dident tell her i had to stay in the + wood box all the morning with the cover down, i dident tell father either + you bet. + </p> + <p> + December 2. rany. i forgot to say it raned yesterday too. i got cold and + have a red rag round my gozzle. + </p> + <p> + December 2. pretty near had a fite in schol today. Skinny Bruce and Frank + Elliot got rite up with there fists up when the bell rung. it was two bad, + it wood have been a buly fite. i bet on Skinny. + </p> + <p> + December 3, 186- brite and fair. went to church today. Me and Pewt and + Beany go to the Unitarial church. we all joined sunday school to get into + the Crismas festerval. they have it in the town hall and have two trees + and supper and presents for the scholars. so we are going to stay til + after crismas anyway the unitarials have jest built a new church. Pewt and + Beany's fathers painted it and so they go there. i don't know why we go + there xcept because they don't have any church in the afternoon. Nipper + Brown and Micky Gould go there. we all went into the same class. our + teacher is Mister Winsor a student. we call them stewdcats. after we had + said our lesson we all skinned out with Mr. Winsor. when we went down + Maple street we saw 2 roosters fiting in Dany Wingates yard, and we stoped + to see it. i knew more about fiting roosters than any of the fellers, + because me and Ed Towle had fit roosters lots. Mr. Winsor said i was a + sport, well while the roosters were fiting, sunday school let out and he + skipped acros the street and walked off with one of the girls and we + hollered for him to come and see the fite out, and he turned red and + looked mad. the leghorn squorked and stuck his head into a corner. when a + rooster squorks he wont fite any more. + </p> + <p> + December 5. snowed today and school let out at noon. this afternoon went + down to the library to plug stewdcats. there was me and Beany and Pewt, + and Whacker and Pozzy Chadwick and Pricilla Hobbs. Pricilla is a feller + you know, and Pheby Talor, Pheby is a feller too, and Lubbin Smith and + Nigger Bell, he is'nt a nigger only we call him Nigger, and Tommy Tompson + and Dutchey Seamans and Chick Chickering, and Tady Finton and Chitter + Robinson. + </p> + <p> + December 6. Gim Wingate has got a new bobtail coat. + </p> + <p> + December 7, 186- Got sent to bed last nite for smoking hayseed cigars and + can't go with Beany enny more. It is funny, my father wont let me go with + Beany becaus he is tuf, and Pewts father wont let Pewt go with me becaus + im tuf, and Beanys father says if he catches me or Pewt in his yard he + will lick time out of us. Rany today. + </p> + <p> + December 8. Skinny Bruce got licked in school today. Skipy Moses was in + the wood box all the morning. + </p> + <p> + December 9. brite and fair, speakin day today. missed in Horatius at the + brige. + </p> + <p> + December 10. Clowdy but no rane. went to church. lots of new fellers in + sunday school. me and Beany and Pewt and Pile Woods and Billy Folsom and + Jimmy Gad and lots of others. Mister Winsor dident teach today, gess they + woodent let him on account of the rooster fite. + </p> + <p> + December 11. My new boots from Tommy Gads came today. i tell you they are + clumpers. no snow yet. + </p> + <p> + December 12. Crismas is pretty near, dont know wether i shall get + ennything. father says i dont desirve ennything. you can get goozeberrys + down to Si Smiths 1 dozen for 5 cents. He has a funny sine it is + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + flour + meal + molasses + sugar + coffe + tea + spises + pork & + lard + salt + butter + ham + eggs + &so +</pre> + <p> + December 15. Fite at resess today, Gran Miller and Ben Rundlet. Ben licked + him easy. the fellers got to stumping each other to fite. Micky Gould said + he cood lick me and i said he want man enuf and he said if i wood come out + behind the school house after school he wood show me and i said i wood and + all the fellers hollered and said they wood be there. But after school i + thaught i aught to go home and split my kindlings and so i went home. a + feller aught to do something for his family ennyway. i cood have licked + him if i had wanted to. + </p> + <p> + December 16. Tady Finton got licked in school today. snowed today a + little. + </p> + <p> + December 17. rained in the nite and then snowed a little. it was auful + slipery and coming out of church Squire Lane fell down whak and Mr Burley + cought hold of the fence and his feet went so fast that they seemed all + fuzzy, i tell you if he cood run as fast as that he cood run a mile a + minite. + </p> + <p> + December 18. brite and fair. nothing particilar. o yes, Skinny Bruce got + licked in school. + </p> + <p> + December 19. Cold as time. Went to a sosiable tonite at the Unitarial + vestry. cant go again because Keene told mother i was impident to the + people. i want impident. you see they was making poetry and all sitting + around the vestry. they wanted to play copenhagin and post office and clap + in and clap out, but Mister Erl woodent let them because it was in church. + so they had to play poetry. one person wood give a word and then the + oppisite person wood give a word that rimed with it. it was auful silly. a + girl wood give the word direxion and then a stewdcat wood say affexion and + waul his eyes towards the girl. and then another wood say miss, and + another stewdcat wood say kiss and then he wood waul his eyes, and when it + came my turn i said what rimes with jellycake, and the girls turned red + and the stewdcats looked funny, and Mister Burley said if i coodent behave + i had better go home. Keene needent have told mother anyway. You jest wait + Keene, and see what will happen some day. + </p> + <p> + December 20. Bully skating. went after school and skated way up to the + eddy, was going to skate with Lucy Watson but Pewt and Beany hollered so + that i dident dass to. John Toomey got hit with a hockey block rite in the + snoot and broke his nose. + </p> + <p> + December 21. Brite and fair. nothing particular to-day. nobody got licked. + old Francis had his hand done up in a sling. he said he had a bile on it. + i tell you the fellers were glad. + </p> + <p> + December 22. Warm and rany and spoiled the skating. coodent do anything + but think of Crismas. + </p> + <p> + December 23. Saturday and no skating. went down to the library to get a + book for Sunday. me and Beany were sticking pins into the fellers and + making them holler and Jo Parsons the libarian jumped rite over the + counter and chased us way down to Mr. Hams coffin shop. he dident catch us + either. then we went down town and Billy Swett lent me a dime novel to + read sunday. it was named Billy Bolegs a sequil to Nat Tod the traper. + sequil means the things in Nat Tod that was not finished. + </p> + <p> + December 24. Brite and fair. Crismas tomorrow. went to sunday school. Mr. + Lovel is our teacher now. + </p> + <p> + December 25. Crismas. got a new nife, a red and white scarf and a bag of + Si Smiths goozeberies. pretty good for me. + </p> + <p> + December 26. Crismas tree at the town hall. had supper and got a bag of + candy and a long string of pop corn. Mr. Lovel took off the presents and + his whiskers caught fire, and he hollered o hell right out. that was + pretty good for a sunday school teacher, wasent it. Jimmy Gad et too much + and was sick. + </p> + <p> + December 27. Beany has got a new striped shirt not a false bosom but a + whole shirt. Beany wont speak to me now. Lucy Watson has got a new blew + hat with a fether. she wont speak to Keene and Cele eether. you jest wait + Beany and Lucy and see. + </p> + <p> + Jan. 1, 186-Had an awful time in school today. me and Cawcaw Harding set + together. when we came in from resess Cawcaw reached over and hit me a + bat, and i lent him one in the snoot, and he hit me back. we was jest + fooling, but old Francis called Cawcaw up front to lick him. i thought if + i went up and told him he wood say, noble boy go to your seat, i wont lick + neether of you. anyway i knew that Cawcaw wood tell on me, and so i told + old Francis i hit Cawcaw first, and old Francis said Harry i have had my + eye on you for a long time, and he jest took us up and slammed us + together, and then he wood put me down and shake Cawcaw and then he wood + put Cawcaw down and shake me till my head wabbled and he turned me upside + down and all the fellers looked upside down and went round and round and + somehow i felt silly like and kind of like laffin. i dident want to laff + but coodent help it. and then he talked to us and sent us to our seats and + told us to study, and i tried to but all the words in the book went round + and round and i felt awful funny and kind of wabbly, and when i went home + mother said something was the matter and i told her and then i cried, i + don't know what i cried for, becaus i dident ake any. father said he wood + lick me at home when i got licked at school and perhaps that was why i + cried. ennyway when father come home i asked him if he was a going to lick + me and he said not by a dam sight, and he gave me ten cents and when i + went to bed i got laffin and crying all to once, and coodent stop, and + mother set in my room and kept her hand on my forred until i went to + sleep. i drempt i was fiting all the time. when i get big enuf there is + going to be a fite between me and old Francis, you see if there aint. + </p> + <p> + Jan. 2, Me and Beany has made up. i told him i had ten cents and then he + dident feel so big about his new shirt. ennyway we went down to Si Smiths + and got a dozen goozeberries and then went down to doctor Derborns and got + a glass of sody water and took turns drinking it and seeing which cood + gulp the loudest. Beany beat. + </p> + <p> + Jan. 3. brite and fair. Went down to Pewts tonite to make hayseed cigars. + We made 5 kinds, hayseed, sweet firn, cornsilk, mullin leeves, and grape + vine. my mouth taisted aufuly all nite. + </p> + <p> + Jan. 4. brite and fair. Pewt dident come to school today. i gess he was + sick. my mouth taisted aufuly all day. + </p> + <p> + Jan. 5. clowdy and aufuly cold. Pewt came to school today and got a + licking for puting gum on Nigger Bells seat. Nig set in it til it dride + and then tride to get up and coodent. then old Francis come down the ile + and snaiked Nigger out and when he see the gum he asked us who put it + there. we all said we dident, but he licked Pewt becaus he had seen Pewt + chooing gum. + </p> + <p> + Jan. 6. it snowed last nite and today. Speaking in school today. i spoke + the berrial of sir John More. old Francis said he never heard ennything + wirse in his life. i hope he wont tell father. this afternoon we pluged + stewdcats. + </p> + <p> + Jan. 7. Ed Towle has got a gote. the fellers stumped me to hold him by the + horns and he buted me over in the slosh. mother said i had no bisiness to + be playing on sunday. + </p> + <p> + Jan. 8. brite and fair. there is going to be a nigger show in the town + hall tonite. father says i cant go becaus i sassed aunt Sarah. it is uncle + Toms cabbin. + </p> + <p> + Jan. 9. brite and fair. Beany went to the nigger show. he led one of the + bludhouns in the prosession and got a ticket. Beany had on a red coat jest + like the dogs. he said it was buly. + </p> + <p> + Jan. 10. rany. Nipper Brown is the best scolar in my class. i am the + wirst. i can lick Nipper easy. + </p> + <p> + Jan. 11. brite and fair. After school me and Beany and Pewt and Fatty + Melcher and Pozzy Chadwick and lots of fellers went skating on fresh + river. i was skating backwerd and i got one leg in a eal hole, gosh the + water was cold and before i got home my britches leg was all froze. + </p> + <p> + Jan. 12. nobody got licked in school today, gess why, becaus there wassent + enny school. old Francis was sick, i went skating. + </p> + <p> + Jan. 13. brite and—no it was rany. had a speling mach today in + school. Cele and Genny Morrison staid up til the last and then Cele missed + and set down balling, and Genny beat. i cant stop to wright enny more + becaus i am going to the levee with father. + </p> + <p> + Jan. 14, 186- Went to a big levee last nite at the town hall. Bill Morrill + and Nuel Head and Dave Quimby and Frank Hervey got it up. they had Hook + and Pasons quadril band of Haverhil. father bought a ticket becaus he was + in the custum house and has to be frends with people. it was splendid. + most everybody went all dressed up in blue silk and red and crokay + slippers. Ham Perkins and Charlie Lane and Charley Piper and Chick Randall + and Dan Ranlet and Grace Morril and the Head girls and Sweat girls and + Carrie Towle and Sarah Clark, J. Albert Clarks sister and the Melcher boys + and they all hopped round pretty lively, i tell you. i staid until 12 + o'clock and listened to the band. i never had so good time in my life. + </p> + <p> + Jan. 15. i am all spekled over. mother says she is afrade i have got + chicken pocks. i gess i have been in the hen koop to mutch. + </p> + <p> + Jan. 16. the speckles have all gone of. doctor Perry says i et to many + donuts. + </p> + <p> + Jan. 18. brite and fair. yesterday to and day before yesterday i have + forgot. + </p> + <p> + Jan. 19. snowed all day. Me and Beany is mad. + </p> + <p> + Jan. 20. father is sick becaus he et to mutch salt fish and potato and + pork. he is auful cross and hit me a bat today becaus i left the door + open. i gess he will be sorry when i am ded. + </p> + <p> + Jan. 21. brite and fair. went to church in the morning and in the + afternoon greeced some paper and trased some pictures. + </p> + <p> + Jan. 22. i had to stay in the wood-box today for whispering to Whacker + with the cover down. i like it becaus they is a peep hole in the box and + you can see the fellers and they cant see you. by and by Gimmy Fitsgerald + whispered and old Francis put him in to and we took turns peeping. + </p> + <p> + Jan. 23. it raned hard all day and we had one sesion. Beany came over and + we made up and plaid in the barn making fly boxes. + </p> + <p> + Jan. 24. nothing much today, rany in the morning and froze at night. + </p> + <p> + Jan. 25. brite and fair. everything was covered with ice and when father + started for the depot he tumbled down the front steps from the top to the + botom. mother says he went bumpity bump and his hat went one way and his + dinner box went the other. i herd him swaring aufuly about that dam boy, + and i gess he wood have come up and licked time out of me, but he had to + hurry to get the train. + </p> + <p> + Jan. 26. jest as soon as the skating comes it has to snow and spoil it. + </p> + <p> + Jan. 27. i coodent go out of the yard this afternoon becaus i dident put + ashes on the front steps before father fell down and so Pewt and Beany and + Whacker and Nibby Hartwell and Diddly Colket and Nipper and Prisilla and + Gim Wingit and lots of the fellers came over and we had a snowball fite. + mother says she hops father wont keep me at home anuther afternoon. + </p> + <p> + Jan. 28. brite and fair. it never ranes Sundays so a feller cant go to + church. + </p> + <p> + Jan. 29. Nothing puticular today. it always seams harder to go to school + mundays, more fellers gets licked mundays than enny day in the weak. i got + stood on the platform with my head in the corner for looking of my book + today. + </p> + <p> + Jan. 30. brite and fair. i have got a auful chilblane on my heel. + </p> + <p> + Jan. 31. brite and fair. i was glad today was wensday in the afternoon i + went skating. the students played baseball on the ice. + </p> + <p> + Feb. 1. brite and fair. pretty soon it will be Washintons berthday, and + then all the boys can ring the town bell at noon and at nite. + </p> + <p> + Feb. 2. clowdy but no snow. tomorror will be saterday they is only 2 days + in the weak that is wirth ennything and that is wensday and saterday + except in vacation. + </p> + <p> + Feb. 3. Snowed like time all the forenoon. in the afternoon me and Pewt + and Beany rolled up some big snowballs. then tonite we put all the balls + together and made a big snowman rite in front of Mrs. Lewises front door. + then we put a old hat on it and hung a peace of paper on it and wrote man + wanted on the paper. tomorrow all the people who go to church will see it + and laff becaus Mister Lewis got a devorse. they will be some fun + tomorrow. + </p> + <p> + Feb. 5. i coodent wright ennything last nite becaus i got sent to bed and + got a licking. i tell you we got in a auful scrape. Sunday morning me and + Pewt and Beany went out erly to see our snowman. he was there and when + people began to go by they began to laff, and most of the people said it + was the funniest thing they ever see and who ever put it there was a + pretty smart feller. so we said we did it and Pewt said he thought of it + ferst and Beany said he did, and i said i did most of the werk. + </p> + <p> + Well, pretty soon some people came along and looked at it and said it was + a shame and they went over to pull of the paper and she came out and see + it, and she took a broom and nocked it over and broke it all up. and then + she went rite down to my house to tell father. then she went over to + Beanys house and then up to Pewts. well after church father took me over + to her house. and Beany was there with his father and Pewt with his + father. she said she wood have us arested for it. but they talked a long + time and after a while she said if our fathers wood lick us and make us + saw and split a cord of wood she woodent say no more about it. when we + went out father said, i never see such dam boys did you Brad, did you + Wats, and they said they never did. so we have got to saw and split that + wood and we got licked two. + </p> + <p> + Feb. 6. brite and fair. me and Pewt and Beany sawed and split some wood + for Misses Lewis. + </p> + <p> + Feb. 7. brite and fair. sawed some more wood, me and Pewt and Beany. + </p> + <p> + Feb. 8. brite and fair. split some more wood, me and Pewt and Beany. + </p> + <p> + Feb. 9. Fatty Melcher and Caw-caw Harding, Chitter Robinson and Medo + Thurston helped saw some more wood. + </p> + <p> + Feb. 10. Brite and fair. this afternoon Whack Pozzy and Boog Chadwick, + Dutchy Semans, Nigger Bell Pop Clark, Shinny Thing and Pile Wood all come + down with saws and axes and helped us saw that wood, we worked all the + afternoon and got it done and piled up before dark. then Misses Lewis + asked us in and gave us some buly donuts and some sweatened water and we + sung and told stories and before we went we told her we was sorry we bilt + the snowman and she said she was sorry two. then when we went away we give + 3 cheers for her. + </p> + <p> + Feb. 11. brite and fair. i shant forget last Sunday very soon. + </p> + <p> + Feb. 12. rany today. i dont care becaus i havent got to saw enny more + wood. + </p> + <p> + Feb. 13. still rany. i dont care. + </p> + <p> + Feb. 14. pretty cold today. going to have a new kind of speling mach + tomorrow. + </p> + <p> + Feb. 15. Got to the head in spelling today. old Francis makes us all stand + up in the ile and gives us a lot of words to spell and then we wright them + down on our slates and then the head feller or girl changes slates with + the foot feller or girl and so on and then old Francis wrights the words + on the blackboard and then we mark each others slates. John Flanygin was + the foot feller and had my slate. well most of Johns words was wrong. but + John marked mine all write. i gess John dident know it, but ther was 4 or + 5 of my words speled wrong. i set out to tell old Francis but dident dass + to becaus he licked me for teling that i paisted Cawcaw Harding that time. + so i kept still and kept at the head and John kept at the foot. i hope + John will do it again tomorrow. + </p> + <p> + Feb. 16. Beat in speling today. + </p> + <p> + Feb. 17. beat in speling today. + </p> + <p> + Feb. 19. Beat in speling today. old Francis is a going to give a prise + tomorrow. i told father i was pretty sure to get it and he said it will be + the first one. Aunt Sarah asked him if he took many prises. and he said he + dident get much of a prise when he got me. i gess he wont say that + tomorrow when i bring my prise home. + </p> + <p> + Feb. 20. i dident get the prise. you see yesterday John Flanygin spelt + more words write than Gimmy Fitsgerald and Gimmy went to the foot. when we + marked slates Gimmy marked 9 of my words wrong out of 20, and i had to go + down most to where John Flannygin was. old Francis said he dident beleave + i had aught to have staid at the head so long as i did and i was afraid he + wood lick me and John but he dident. he said he was ashamed and + disapointed in me but i gess he was not the only one who was disapointed. + i had told Pewt and Beany i wood treat on what father wood give me for + getting the prise. Pewt and Beany was both mad, and are going to lay for + Gimmy. + </p> + <p> + Feb. 21, i forgot to say what the wether was most every day this weak. it + has been brite and fair most of the time, only it snowed two days and + raned most of one day. brite and fair today and cold as time. + </p> + <p> + Feb. 23, Clowdy and cold. Pop Clark had to crawl through a chair today. he + went through so fast old Francis only hit him 2 bats. Tady Finton and + Nigger Bell both got licked. Tady dident cry or holler a bit, but Nigger + hollered just like a girl. i supposed Nigger was more of a man than that. + </p> + <p> + Feb. 24, Beany and Pewt got punching today in school and old Francis made + them stand on the platform with their arms round each others neck all the + forenoon, i bet they felt pretty cheep. Brite and fair. + </p> + <p> + Feb. 25, i have got a new pair of britches at erl and Cutts. i gess Beany + aint the only one which has good clothes eather. + </p> + <p> + Feb. 26. Nothing particular today. Went down to old Heads shop to see the + stewdcats ride velosipedes. There is going to be a race in the town hall + tomorrow night. + </p> + <p> + Feb. 27. Father said i cood go to the velosipede race if i woodent miss + splitting my kindlings for a week. i did miss them twice but mother dident + tell him and if he dont ask her before tonight i am all right. + </p> + <p> + Feb. 28. Last night went to the velosipede race. it was jest ripping. i + got down before the door opened. Bob Carter came pretty soon but he + woodent let us in until the ticket man came. Mr. Watson was the ticket man + and he let me and Beany and Shinny Thing in free. they had a lot of seats + in the center of the hall, and the rest round the edges, and a open track + around the hall. On the platform set Bill Morrill and Dave Quimby and John + Getchell and Eben Folsom. Most of the fellers in the race were stewdcats + and most of the stewdcats and the girls had the seats in the center of the + hall. The stewdcats who were to race were Stone and Stuart and Lee and + Clifford and August Belmont and Swift and Nichols and George Kent and + Cutler and Johnny Heald and Gear and Burly and Bob Morison. the townies + were Charlie Gerish and Doctor Prey. each feller rode round the hall twice + to get going like time, and then Dave Quimby hollered go and he had to + ride around the hall until he had rid a quarter of a mile. + </p> + <p> + When the stewdcats rode all the other stewdcats yelled and the girls waved + their handkerchiefs and the band played and the excitement was dreadful. + </p> + <p> + After a while Doctor Prey came out and all the townies got up and cheered + and the band played the star spangled banner, because Doctor fit in the + war, and Doctor took of his hat and bowed and then rode round like time. + he rode faster than most every one of them except Stone and Stuart and Lee + and Clifford and Belmont and Swift. i guess if Doc hadent fit so hard in + the war he wood have beat them all. and then Charlie Gerish came out and + all the townies hollered again and Charlie made his legs go so fast that + they coodent hardly see them, and jest before the last time around his + velosipede slipped and Charlie went fluking over three settees. he jumped + on his velosipede again and went around with his britches all torn but he + dident get around quite quick enuf to beat Stone, then the townies yelled + and said it was a cheat and the stewdcats hissed, and some of the townies + said they could lick the stewdcats, and the stewdcats said they wasent man + enuf and it looked as if there was a going to be a row when Charlie + Gerrish got up and said he was beat fair and there wasent anything to get + mad about, and that he would like to shake hands with the stewdcat which + beat him, and he wood like to race him another time but he coodent then + because he hurt his leg, and then they shook hands and every one felt + buly, and the stewdcats said hooray for Charlie and the townies hollered + hooray for Stone, and Bill Morrill made a speech and give the prise to + Stone and the band played and we all went home. i bet Doc. Prey and + Charlie Gerrish can lick any two stewdcats in the hall. + </p> + <p> + Mar. 2. i went to a show in the town hall tonight. it was a singing show + called the haymakers. it was splendid. Mr. Gale got it up. they have been + practising all winter. Alice Gewell was a dary maid and Charlie Lane was a + katydid, and lots of others sung. it was splendid. + </p> + <p> + Mar. 3. Cloudy but no rane. went down to Langley's store for some juju + paste, saw a fite. Old Kize tried to arest Bill Hartnit and Bill lammed + time out of him and after a while old Swain came up and arrested him. + </p> + <p> + Mar. 4. Brite and fair. Went to church to-day, the fernace smoked so the + people had to come home. They say they will have it fixed before next + Sunday. i hope not. + </p> + <p> + Mar. 5. School closes tomorrow. i got kept after school tonight for + whispering to Cawcaw. + </p> + <p> + Mar. 6. School closed today and we voted for prises. Mr. Gordon give 4 + prizes for the 2 best fellers and 2 best girls for the term. So we voted + for them. Most of the fellers wanted to vote for Jenny Morrison because + she was the prettiest girl there and can go the greeshun bend better than + enny girl in the school. and most of the girls dident like Jenny Morrison + and wanted to vote for Dora Moses and Mary Luverin, and the girls wanted + to vote for Lees Moses because he was polite to them and rather go with + the girls than the boys and we holler at him, but he can fite for i saw + him lick Gim Erly one day, and Gim Erly can rassle better than enny one + but Jack Melvil. well most of the fellows wanted to vote for Tady Finton + or Pop Clark or Skinny Bruce because they never get mad or cry when they + are licked and make lots of fun, but we knew they coodent get the prize + for they are all the time raising time and getting licked and so we voted + for Honey Donovan and Moses Gordon, and when the votes was counted Dora + Moses and Mary Luvering got the prizes for the girls and Mose Gordon and + Nigger Bell for the boys. That was all write about Dora Moses and Mary + Luverin because they was the best girls and always went together, but we + dident like it very well about Mose and Nigger, only we thought that so + long as Mose's father give the prizes Mose ought to have one. i gess most + of the girls must have voted for Nig, because they was mad with Lees + Moses. i know what they was mad at too. + </p> + <p> + Then the first class give old Francis a present of some books and when he + turned over the leaves there was twenty dollars there, and old Francis was + surprised and made a fine speech, and the people all clapped becaus he + made such a good speech. i heard him saying it over the night before when + i was kept after school. No school for 2 weeks. + </p> + <p> + Mar. 7. When my father was a boy he was the best fiter in this town. + </p> + <p> + Mar. 9. Went down to Fatty Melchers today to make a violin, we cut a piece + of wood the shape of a violin then take some horsehairs and strech them + over a brige and you can play a tune on them. in school i learnt to play + on a piece of india rubber. you pull a piece of elastic out of your + congres boot and hold it in your teeth and pull it tite and snap it with + your fingers and you can play tunes that you can hear but no one else can. + old Francis saw me snapping the elastic and came and took it away. i have + got plenty more in my boot. i am saving money to buy me a cornet. when i + get enuf i am a going to play in the band. +++ + </p> + <p> + Mar. 10. plesent day. old Si Smiths big white dog and a bull dog had an + awful fite today. neether licked and they had to squert water on them to + seperate them. they dident make no noise, only jest hung write on to each + others gozzles. my aunt Sarah said it was dredful, and she staid to the + window to see how dredful it was. + </p> + <p> + Mar. 11, 186- Went to church in the morning. the fernace was all write. + Mister Lennard preeched about loving our ennymies, and told every one if + he had any angry feelings toward ennyone to go to him and shake hands and + see how much better you wood feel. i know how it is becaus when me and + Beany are mad we dont have eny fun and when we make up the one who is to + blam always wants to treet. why when Beany was mad with me becaus i went + home from Gil Steels surprise party with Lizzie Towle, Ed Towles sister, + he woodent speak to me for 2 days, and when we made up he treated me to + ice cream with 2 spoons and he let me dip twice to his once. he took + pretty big dips to make up. Beany is mad if enny of the fellers go with + Lizzie Towle. she likes Beany better than she does enny of the fellers and + Beany ought to be satisfied, but sometimes he acks mad when i go down + there to fite roosters with Ed. i gess he needent worry much, no feller + isnt going to leave of fiting roosters to go with no girls. well i most + forgot what i was going to say, but after church i went up to Micky Gould + who was going to fite me behind the school house, and said Micky lets be + friends and Micky said. huh old Skinny, i can lick you in 2 minits and i + said you aint man enuf and he called me a nockneed puke, and i called him + a wall eyed lummix and he give me a paist in the eye and i gave him a good + one in the mouth, and then we rassled and Micky threw me and i turned him, + and he got hold of my new false bosom and i got hold of his hair, and the + fellers all hollered hit him Micky, paist him Skinny, and Mister + Purington, Pewts father pulled us apart and i had Mickys paper collar and + necktie and some of his hair and he had my false bosom and when i got home + father made me go to bed and stay there all the afternoon for fiting, but + i gess he dident like my losing my false bosom. ennyway he asked me how + many times i hit Micky and which licked. he let me get up at supper time. + next time i try to love my ennymy i am a going to lick him first. + </p> + <p> + Went to a Sunday school concert in the evening. Keene and Cele sung now i + lay me down to sleep. they was a lot of people sung together and Mister + Gale beat time. Charlie Gerish played the violin and Miss Packerd sung. i + was scart when Keene and Cele sung for i was afraid they would break down, + but they dident, and people said they sung like night horks. i gess if + they knowed how night horks sung they woodent say much. father felt pretty + big and to hear him talk you wood think he did the singing. he give them + ten cents apeace. i dident get none. you gest wait, old man till i get my + cornet. + </p> + <p> + Went to a corcus last night. me and Beany were in the hall in the + afternoon helping Bob Carter sprinkle the floor and put on the sordust. + the floor was all shiny with wax and aufully slipery. so Bob got us to put + on some water to take off the shiny wax. well write in front of the + platform there is a low platform where they get up to put in their votes + and then step down and Beany said, dont put any water there only jest dry + sordust. so i dident. well that night we went erly to see the fun. Gim + Luverin got up and said there was one man which was the oldest voter in + town and he ought to vote the first, the name of this destinkuished + sitizen was John Quincy Ann Pollard. then old mister Pollard got up and + put in his vote and when he stepped down his heels flew up and he went + down whak on the back of his head and 2 men lifted him up and lugged him + to a seat, and then Ed Derborn, him that rings the town bell, stepped up + pretty lively and went flat and swore terrible, and me and Beany nearly + died we laffed so. well it kept on, people dident know what made them + fall, and Gim Odlin sat write down in his new umbrella and then they sent + me down stairs for a pail of wet sordust and when i was coming up i heard + an auful whang, and when i got up in the hall they were lugging old mister + Stickney off to die and they put water on his head and lugged him home in + a hack. they say Bob Carter will lose his place. me and Beany dont know + what to do. if we dont tell, Bob will lose his place and if we do we will + get licked. + </p> + <p> + Mar. 12. Mister Stickney is all write today. gosh you bet me and Beany are + glad. + </p> + <p> + Mar. 13, 186- brite and fair. Mr. Gravel has bought old Heads carrige + shop. he is a dandy and wears shiny riding boots and a stove pipe hat and + a velvet coat and goes with Dan Ranlet and George Perkins and Johny Gibson + and the other dandies. i went down today and watched Fatty Walker stripe + some wheels. + </p> + <p> + Mar. 14. clowdy. Elkins and Graves had an oxion to-night. Beany got ten + cents for going round town ringing a bell and hollering oxion. i went with + Beany and it was lots of fun. Beany wouldent treet. he says he is saving + money for something. i know what it is it is a valintine for Lizzie Tole. + it was mean of Beany not to treet becaus i did as much hollering as he + did. + </p> + <p> + Mar. 15. The funniest thing hapened to-day you ever saw. after brekfast me + and father took a walk and then went and set down on the big school steps. + father was telling me some of the things he and Gim Melcher used to do. + father must have been a ripper when he was young. well ennyway while we + was talking old Ike Shute came along through the school yard. Ike wears + specks and always carries a little basket on his arm. he cant see very + well, and father said to me, now you jest keep still and you will see some + fun and when Ike came along father changed his voice so that it sounded + awfully growly and said where in the devil are you going with that basket, + and Ike was scart most to deth and said only a little way down here sir + and father said, move on sir and move dam lively and i nearly died laffing + to see Ike hiper. well after a while i see Ike coming back with old Swane + and old Kize the policemen. i tell you i was scart but father only laffed + and said you keep still and i will fix it all right. so when they came up + he said to old Kize what is the trouble Filander and he said Mr. Shute + here has been thretened by some drunken rascal, and father looked aufuly + surprised and said that is an infernal shame, when did it happen Isak, and + Ike said about fifteen minits ago and father said we have been here about + as long as that and i dident see the scoundrel. how did he look Isak, and + Ike said i coodent see him very well George but he was a big man and he + had a awfu deep voice and father said did he stagger enny and Ike said i + coodent see wether he did or not but i cood tell he was drunk by his + voice. so old Swain and old Kize went down behind the school house and off + thru the carrige shop yard to see if they cood find him, and me and father + walked home with Ike to protect him and father said now Isak if ennyone + insults you again jest come to me and if i can catch him i will break + every bone in his body, and father and Ike shook hands and Ike shook hands + with me and then we went home and father began to laff and laffed all the + way home and then he told mother and aunt Sarah and they said it was a + shame to play such a trick upon him and father laffed all the more and + said Ike hadent had so much exercise for a year and it wood do him good + and give him something to think about. ennyway they said it was a shame to + teech me such things, and father said he would rather i wood be tuf than + be like Ike, and Aunt Sarah said i never wood be half as good as Ike for + he never did a wrong thing in his life, and father laffed and said he + dident dass to for his mother wood shet him in the closet. it was aufully + funny, but i gess they was right. i shall never be half as good as Ike. i + wonder if old Swane and old Kize have caught that man yet. + </p> + <p> + Mar. 16. Pewt dreened 18 marbles and 2 chinees out of me to-day. we was + playing first in a hole. school today. sailed boats in the brook in J. + Albert Clark's garden and got pretty wet. + </p> + <p> + Mar. 17. Scott Briggam has got some little flying squirrels. he is going + to get me one for thirty-five cents. i am going to take it out of my + cornet money. + </p> + <p> + Mar. 18. Father wont let me play marbles in ernest. it aint enny fun + dreening a feller and then giving them back. i bet father didnt when he + was a boy. + </p> + <p> + Mar. 19. Scott Briggam brought my squirrel today and i paid him 35 cents, + 3 ten cents scrips and five cents. i have got it in a bird cage. + </p> + <p> + Mar. 20. my squirrel got out of the cage last nite and father found him in + the water pail drownded. father got up in the night and got a dipper and + drank some water out of that pail, he dident eat any brekfast because he + was thinking that the squirrel might have been in the pail then. i wonder + if it was. ennyway 35 cents of my cornet money has gone up. + </p> + <p> + Mar. 23. school today. went down to Pewts to draw pictures. Charlie + Woodbury can draw the best, then Pewt, and then me. Beany dont like to + draw. we was talking about what we was going to be when we grew up. + Charlie Woodbury is going to be a picture painter, Pewt is going to be a + lawyer, Potter Gorham and Chick Chickering are going to stuff birds for a + living, Beany is going to be a hack driver, Gim Wingit is going to run a + newspaper, Cawcaw Harding is going to be a piscopal minister becaus he + says they only have to read their speaches out of a book, Nipper Brown is + going to be a professer, Priscilla Hobbs is going to play a organ in the + baptis church. Prisil can play 3 tunes now on a little organ. i am going + to be a cornet player like Bruce Briggam. cornet players can go to all the + dances and fairs and prosessions and are invited in and treated when + people are married and they serrinade them at night, and they don't have + to work either. + </p> + <p> + Mar. 25. almost as warm as summer, went to church and Sunday school. Beany + has got a job blowing the organ for Kate Wells. he only let the wind go + out 2 times today. it was funny becaus when the organ stopped Mister Wood + who was singing let out an auful hoot before he knowed what he was doing + Beany will lose his job if he does it again. + </p> + <p> + Mar. 29, 186- The toads has come out. fine warm day. me and Potter Gorham + have been ketching toads this afternoon. they sit in the pudles and peep. + folks think it is frogs but most of it is toads. Potter got 23 and i got + 18. tonite i put my toads in a box in the kitchen after the folks went to + bed. in the night they all got out of the box and began to hop round and + peep mother heard it and waked father and they lissened. when i waked up + father was coming threw my room with a big cane and a little tin lamp. he + had put on his britches and was in his shirt tale, and i said, what are + you going to lick me for now i havent done nothing and he said, keep still + there is some one down stairs and mother said dont go down George and + father said, lissen i can hear him giving a whistle for his confedrit, i + will jump in and give him a whack on the cokonut. i had forgot all about + the toads and you bet i was scart. well father he crep down easy and + blowed out his lite and opened the door quick and jest lammed round with + his club. then i heard him say what in hell have i stepped on, bring a + lite here. then i though of the toads and you bet i was scarter than + before, mother went down with a lite and then i heard him say, i will be + cussed the whole place is ful of toads. then mother said did you ever. and + father said he never did, and it was some more of that dam boys works and + he yelled upstairs for me to come down and ketch them. so i went down and + caught them and put them out all but 2 that father had stepped on and they + had to be swep up. then all the folks came down in their nitegounds and i + went up stairs lively and got into bed and pulled the clothes round me + tite, but it dident do enny good for father came up and licked me. he + dident lick me very hard becaus i gess he was glad it wasent a berglar and + if it hadent been for me it might have been berglars insted of toads. + </p> + <p> + Mar. 30. brite and fair, went out with Potter Gorham. saw some toads 2 + robins and a blewbird. gosh it makes a feller feel good to see birds and + toads and live things. + </p> + <p> + Mar. 31. April fool day tomorrow. i am laying for Beany. old Francis + licked 5 fellers today becaus they sung rong when we was singing speek + kindly it is better far to rule by luv than feer. + </p> + <p> + April 1. auful cold and rainy. i was going to wright a love letter to + Beany and sine Lizzie Toles name to it but i told father about it for fun + and he said that it was fourgery and that i cood be prostecuted and sent + to jale. so i dident. tonite me and Beany rung five door bells for april + fool. + </p> + <p> + April 2. been trying to get rid of some warts. Pewt says if you hook a + piece of pork after dark, rub it on the warts and say arum erum irum orum + urum and nurum 3 times turn round twice and throw the pork thru a window, + then the warts will all be gone the next day. me and Beany is going to try + it tomorrow. + </p> + <p> + April 3. brite and fair. dident get a chance to hook the pork. + </p> + <p> + April 4. The band played in the band room to-nite. it was warm enuf to + have the windows open and we cood hear it. i sat out in the school yard + til 10 oclock to hear it and father came out and walked me home. Beany was + mad becaus i cared more for the band than for getting rid of the warts. + </p> + <p> + April 6. dident wright anything last nite, was too scart. i never was so + scart in all my life before. me and Beany came awful near getting in jale. + we dident know where to hook the pork. i went to our cellar but father was + down there making vinigar all the evening, then we went to Beanys cellar + but Mister Watson was sitting on the cellar door. so Beany told his father + that a man was looking for him to see about a horse and Mister Watson + started down to the club stable. then Beany hooked the pork and rubbed it + over his warts and then i rubbed it over my warts and we said arum erum + irum orum urum and nururn 3 times jest as Pewt said, turned round twice + and i plugged the pork right threw a gaslite jest then the gasman came + along, he yelled at us and jumped out of his wagon and went for us. we ran + down threw the school yard as fast as we cood hiper. there is a hollow in + the corner of the school yard by Bill Morrills back yard and there is a + little hole in the bottom of the fence where the fellers crawl threw when + the football goes into his garden. we skinned threw that hole jest in + time. the gasman tried to crawl threw but he coodent, then he clim the + high fence but while he was doing that we ran across the carrige factory + yard and down by the old brewery up Bow street and home. i went to bed + pretty lively and so did Beany. gosh but we was scart. + </p> + <p> + April 7. One of Beanys warts has gone. + </p> + <p> + April 8. brite and fair. my warts have not gone. + </p> + <p> + April 9. brite and fair. my warts have not gone. + </p> + <p> + April 10. Clowdy but no rane. my warts have not gone. + </p> + <p> + April 11. rany. i have got 2 more warts. i gess i hadent ought to have + broke that gaslite. + </p> + <p> + April 12. i have got another. + </p> + <p> + April 13. bully day. me and Potter Gorharn and Chick Chickering went out + after toads today. i got 14 but i dident take them home you bet. + </p> + <p> + April 15. Brite and fair. we all went to church today to see the Lanes. + they come from New York and when they go to church everybody goes to see + them. there was a boy with them named Willie. i bet i cood lick him. + </p> + <p> + April 16. Nothing particular today. dont feel very well, kind of headaky + and backaky. + </p> + <p> + April 20. have been sick for 4 days. went to school monday and had to come + home. when i got home i fell down on the steps and mother and aunt Sarah + came out and got me in the house and put water on my head and rubbed my + hands, and then the Doctor came and said, well Joanna, children are a good + deel of truble and then he felt of my rist and said hum, and then he + looked at my tung and said hum again, and then he pride open my mouth and + looked down my throte and said hum, and then he pulled off my close and + looked me over rite before mother and aunt Sarah and said well he aint + spekled eny. then he said what have you given him Joanna and mother said, + nothing, and the docter said, all right give him some more, and mother + said i havent given him enything docter, and then he walked around the + room and picked up some things and looked at them and then he gave me some + of the wirst tasting stuff i ever took. then he said i gess he will be + better tomorrow, and then he looked at some more things and went home. i + dident sleep very well that nite but was auful hot and my head aked + fearful. mother was in my room every time i waked up, and Sarah too. next + day i had the docter again he looked at some pictures and things and told + mother to give me some more. i always feel better when the docter comes + in. he dont scare a feller to deth. + </p> + <p> + Well the next day i felt a little better and tried to sit up and have my + britches on, but i had to lay down again my head aked so, and after awhile + my head felt better and as i laid there i could look out of the window and + it seamed as if little chains that you could see through like glass, were + floating up and down they were about an inch long. well i wached them till + i almost went to sleep and jest as i was most asleep i heard Beany out in + the street holler, say Pewt, did you know that Plupy is going to die, and + Pewt said course i did, why dont you tell me some news, and Beany said i + heard he swalowed a peach stone and Pewt said it was liver complaint, and + then i heard some one say, you boys shet up. + </p> + <p> + Gosh you bet i was scart. i hadent thought of dying. i began to howl and + holler for mother. she came running in and i told her i was going to die + and i told her about breaking the gaslite and a lot of other things and + she told me the docter said i was getting better and i wood sit up + tomorrow. well i better then and wished i hadent told mother about the + gaslite becaus i knew she wood make me tell father. well mother set by my + bed all the afternoon and read me some out of Billy Bolegs, jest think of + her doing that, so when supper time came i et a lettle tost and had some + current jelly. when father come home mother told him about the gaslite and + all he said was i wood have to pay for it out of my cornet money. i + thought he wood keep me in for a month. i gess mother must have talked to + him. + </p> + <p> + That nite father slep on a lounge in my room. i went to sleep most as soon + as he come in. after awhile i dremp i was tied on a sawlog jest going + nearer and nearer to the saw and the saw was a going skratch-zoo, + skratch-zoo, skratch-zoo. well i tride to pull away but i coodent move and + i tride to holler and i coodent make a yip, and jest before the saw sawed + into me i woke up. gosh you bet i was glad, but the funny part was that i + could hear the saw going skratch-zoo, skratch-zoo, skratch-zoo, and what + do you think it was. it was father snoring. gosh you ought to have heard + him. well at first i laffed, but by and by i wanted to go to sleep and + father snoring so loud i coodent till mother came in and told him to go to + bed and she laid on the sofa all nite. the next day i set up and had my + britches on and set up to the window all day. i saw Beany and Pewt and i + nocked on the window and waved my claw at them. i am going out tomorrow. + </p> + <p> + April 22. i went out today. it was real warm. i dident go to church becaus + i had been sick. i let my rooster out to fite J. Albert Clark's. they were + fiting good when i looked up and there was father looking over the fence. + he made me stop the fite and shet my rooster up. i wonder if he wood have + stoped them if i hadent been there. i got 2 eggs today, the old brama that + i swaped for with Ed Tole and a bolten gray that John Adams give me. + </p> + <p> + April 23. i went to school today. i dident have to resite becaus i had + been sick. if i dont get wirse i can goto Mis Packerds concert tomorow. + hope it wont rane. + </p> + <p> + April 24. brite and fair and it dident rane tonite, so i went to the + concert. all the girls was flowers. Keene was a crocuss and had to come + out and sing first becaus the crocuss is the first flower that comes out. + she sung i am the first of all the flowers to greet the eyes of spring. + </p> + <p> + Jenny Morison was a tuch me not and set in the top of a rock and sung tuch + me not, tuch me not let me alone. Nell Tole was a piny or a sunflower i + have forgot whitch. Jenny Morison and Keene and Nell Tole are the best + singers for their size in town. father thinks Keene can sing the best. he + feels pretty big about Keene. i told him so one day and he said he had to + becaus i dident amount to enything. i think Jenny Morison can sing the + best but dont tell him so for he wood give me a bat. + </p> + <p> + April 25, 186- Cant go down town for a week becaus i sassed J. Albert + Clark, that is J. Albert Clark says I sassed him but i dident. Beany had + been working for J. Albert raking up leaves in his garden. J. Albert was a + going to give him 10 cents for it and me and Beany was a going to divide + up on goozeberries and juju paist, but Beany dident dass to ask J. Albert + for his pay because he had raked all the leaves under J. Alberts front + steps and he was afraid J. Albert wood find out about it and not pay him. + Beany wanted me to ask him but i dident dass to because i let my rooster + out to fite J. Alberts last Sunday and J. Albert dont believe in fiting + roosters. last night he was setting on his steps with some company and he + had on his best lavender britches and his best blew coat. + </p> + <p> + So Beany said, tell you what Plupy, you set on your steps and i will set + on my steps and we will holler across the street about the money that J. + Albert owes me. So Beany he went across the street to his steps and he + hollered over, hi there Plupy have you got any chink, and i hollered back, + no Beany i havent got a cent, and Beany he hollered i shood have 10 cents + if J. Albert Clark wood pay me what he owes me, and i hollered why in time + dont he pay you, and Beany hollered i gess he hasent got any chink, and i + hollered he has probably spent all his chink in buying them lavender + britches, and Beany he hollered, well if J. Albert Clark needs the money + more than I do he can have it. well while we was hollering mister Head and + the Head girls who was setting on their steps got up and went into the + house laffing, and the company at J. Alberts all laffed, and J. Albert + came down and beckoned to Beany and Beany he went running over to get his + 10 cents and J. Albert he said, Elbridge, that is Beanys name, Elbridge + you cood have your money enny time if you had asked me for it decently, + but now i shall not pay you for a week and i shall not imploy you enny + more. Tell you what, Beany came over to my steps feeling pretty cheap and + we was talking about it when mother called me in and sent me up stairs, + and said she wood tell father as soon as he came home. So i went up stairs + and looked out of the window jest in time to see Beanys father lugging + Beany in by the neck. Well that nite after father got home he jawed me and + said i coodent go down town for a week and made me go to J. Alberts right + before the company and ask his forgiveness, and Beany had to to. J. Albert + was a pretty good fellow and said it was all right, and dident want our + fathers not to let us go down town, but father said i must learn to be + respectable to my elders. Gosh we dident know J. Albert was a elder. We + knowed elder Stevens and elder Stewart and deacon Gooch and we always was + respectable to them, and if we had knowed that J. Albert Clark was a elder + we woodent have sassed him for nothing. + </p> + <p> + April 26. Yesterday and day before it was brite and fair, and yesterday + was as warm as summer. today, it was cold and it snowed a little. jest + enuf to make the ground look as if it was covered with salt. the birds + looked all humped up. i bet the frogs hind legs is about froze. it is + raining now. if i was a frog i woodent come out of the mud until summer. + perhaps they cant stay under more than six months. + </p> + <p> + April 27. Warm again. 2 eggs today. i have got another hen. Willyam Perry + Molton gave it to me. it is a leghorn and his other hens licked it and + made its comb bludy and so he gave it to me. it was on the nest today but + did not lay. i went to church. Mr. Cram preeched. he talked all about + birds and flowers and i liked it. + </p> + <p> + April 28. brite and fair. all 3 hens were on the nest but dident lay. + </p> + <p> + April 29. no eggs today. mother said the hens cackled all the morning. + brite and fair. + </p> + <p> + April 30. i dont see what the mater is with my hens. i havent got 1 egg + this week. father said there was a rat in the koop. i got a steel trap of + Sam Diar and tonite i set it in the koop. i put a peace of cheeze on it. + tomorrow morning i ges mister rat wont steal any more eggs. + </p> + <p> + May 1. what do you think. this morning i got up to get my rat and i found + that my best hen, the bolton gray that John Adams gave me had tried to + pick the cheeze out of the trap and the trap had caught her by the neck + and killed her. i felt most bad enuf to cry. i thought i cood get up + before the hen did. i went to the may brekfast today. it was may-fair day + and they had a brekfast. me and Pewt, Beany, Whacker and Pozzy Chadwick, + Micky Gould, Pop Clark, Prisilla Hobbs, Chick Chick-ering, Potter Gorham, + Pile Wood, Curly Conner and all the fellers were there. we had a good time + and et till just before school time and we had to hiper so as not to be + late. + </p> + <p> + May 2. no eggs today. both hens went on the nest. i am going to lay for + that rat with my bowgun. + </p> + <p> + May 3. what do you think. this noon i set in the hen koop 1 hour. the + brama went on the nest and set a while and came off and cakled, then i + looked and she had lade an egg. i left the egg there and hid behind a + barrel and got my bowgun ready for the rat. well the leghorn hen went on + the nest and i suposed she was a going to lay, but she broke rite into + that egg and began to gobble it up. i was so mad that i let ding at her + with the bowgun and just then she stuck up her head and the arrow took her + rite in the back of the head. well i wish you cood have seen her. she + hollered one little pip and then went rite out of the nest backwards and + flapped round awful. i picked her up and she was dead. i dident mean to + kill her, i only wanted to make her jump and learn her not to eat eggs. O + dear, i dont know what father will say when he finds it out. + </p> + <p> + May 5, 186- Saw a bully fite today. Cris Staples and Charlie Clark. + Charlie is visiting his uncle J. Albert Clark, the feller that we sassed. + that is he said we did but we dident. Charlie is a city feller, he lives + in Chelsy and think he knows a pile about things and gets mad if we call + him names. now every feller who amounts to anything has a nickname, and + some of them have 2 or 3. my nicknames are Plupy and Skinny and Polelegs, + and Beany is called Bullethead and sometimes Fatty. i told Charlie that if + i called him Charlie the fellers would call him sissy or Mary and he + better agree to let me call him bulldog or tomcat or diddly or gobbler or + some nickname whitch wood mean something. but he said he would lam the + head off of enny feller which called him names. well you jest see what + trouble he got into for not having a nickname. he would have knowed better + than that if he hadent lived in Chelsy. + </p> + <p> + Well today me and Charlie was setting on his steps. Beany was mad because + i was going with Charlie and he had gone riding with his father and he + felt pretty big because his father let him drive. well while we were + setting there along came Cris Staples who carries papers for Lane and + Rollins store, and Cris hollered over, hullo Polelegs. Charlie hadent + heard enyone call me Polelegs. and i said, i woodent stand that if i was + you Charlie, now less see you lam the head off of him, and Charlie he + started across the road and walked up to Cris and said who in time are you + calling Polelegs and Cris wasent going to back down and said, you, and + Charlie said jest drop them papers and i will nock your face rite off, and + Cris dropped his papers and they went at it. it was the best fite i have + seen this year. they fit from Mr. Head's down to Gim Ellisons corner, and + Cris licked time out of Charlie, and Charlie began to yell and give up and + then Cris let go of his hair and told him he was to smart, and that it was + me he was calling Polelegs and not him, and he better not be so smart + another time, and Cris he picked up his papers and went off with a great + slit in his jacket and his necktie way round on one side, and Charlie came + home howling and Aunt Clark, Charlie's grandmother came out and said, that + is what you get Charlie for quareling. see how much better Harry feels, + and i said, yes mam. Charlie is never going to speak to me again. + </p> + <p> + May 7. Beany was pretty mad when I told him about the fite because he + dident see it. i gess he will find it don't pay to get mad with me. i saw + Charlie today but he dident speak. he has got a black eye. Cris has got a + funny looking nose on one side. + </p> + <p> + May 8. Chitter Robinson went in swiming today. i bet it was cold. + </p> + <p> + May 9. Went down to the high school yard tonite to hear the band play. + they have got a new leader a Mister Ashman of Boston. he can play the + cornet with 1 hand. i went down today to pay the gasman for the gaslite i + broke. it cost 1 dollar and i have only got 87 cents for my cornet. + sometimes i dont believe i shall ever get that cornet. Scott Brigam can + blow a bugle. a bugle is like a cornet only a cornet has 3 keys and a + bugle is all covered with flappers and curly things where you put your + fingers. Rashe Belnap can play a cornet splendid but he dont play very + often. Frank Hirvey plays one that goes over his shoulder way behind his + back. gosh i wish i cood get a cornet. + </p> + <p> + May 10. father has found out about my killing that hen. he dident get mad + but said i ought to have cut her head off and she wood be good to eat, but + i supose it is to late now for it is almost a week ago and i burried her + the next day. + </p> + <p> + May 11. me and Potter Gorham went mayflowering today. i got a bunch and + sold them to a student named Chizzum for 35 cents. i put it with my cornet + money. i have now got $1.22. i can get a cornet for 25 dollars a second + hand one. i am afraid i shall never get that cornet. + </p> + <p> + May 12. Rany last nite and this morning. in the afternoon it cleared up. + gosh i wish you cood see the licking Beany got tonite. me and Beany went + out to go up to see Pewt and make some sweet fern sigars. Beany came over + for me and went up to Pewts. on the way Beany went up an rung his doorbell + and we hid behind the fence and Mister Watson, Beany's father, came out + holding a light and shading it with his hand. the wind blew the lite out + and in going in again he hit his head an awful bump against the door. me + and Beany nearly died laffing only we tride not to laff too loud. well we + went up to Pewts and Pewt had been sent to bed for something and so we + started back and met a man who said is this you Elbridge, it was pretty + dark and Beany said yes and Mister Watson grabbed us both by the collar + and said, so you are the boys who rung my doorbell and then he give Beany + a rap on the side of the head and began to shake him round lively and + while he was shaking Beany up i put for home. i hid behind the fence and i + cood hear him say i will learn you to asosiate with that misable Shute boy + and wast your time ringing doorbells, and Beany was saying, o father i + will never do it again. i nearly died laffing to hear Beany a rattling + round on the sidewalk. i hope Mister Watson wont tell father. i gess he + wont for he gets over his mad pretty quick. every time i think of Beanys + legs flying round in the air i giggle rite out and when i think of Mister + Watson bumping his head i nearly die. sometimes i think it pays to be + tuff. + </p> + <p> + May 13, 186- Keene and Cele have got some new crokay slippers. you bet + they feel pretty big about it. + </p> + <p> + May 14. nothing particular today. + </p> + <p> + May 15. Went in swimming today. the water was pretty cold but i swum acros + the river twise. + </p> + <p> + May 16. the suckers have come. Potter Gorham caught three yesterday. me + and Potter was going yesterday after school but father woodent let me + becaus i dident split my kindlings. + </p> + <p> + May 17. the band played tonight. father made me go to bed at nine but i + cood hear it becaus my window is jest acros the road. they are playing a + new peace. it is the woodup quickstep, they say Ned Kendall cood play it + on a bugle better than ennybody. old Robinson cood and Mister Ashman can + play it splendid. it goes + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ta-ta tata, ta-ta tata, ta-ta tata + tatatatatatata. + ta-te-ta-te-tiddle iddle-a + ta-te-ta-te-tiddle iddle-a + ta-te-ta-te-tiddle-iddle-a + tiddle-iddle-iddle-iddle-ata +</pre> + <p> + it is the best peace they play except departed days. that always makes me + feel like crying it is kinder sad like. i hope i can get my cornet some + day. + </p> + <p> + May 19. had a auful toothake today and had to go down to docter Pitman and + he pulled it out. i tell you it hurt. Docter Pitman said the roots must + have reached way to the back of my neck. Beany went with me and then told + all round that i hollered. you jest wait Beany. + </p> + <p> + May 21. erly this afternoon me and Fatty Melcher got some real segars at + Henry Simsons store and went down behind old man Churchills store and + smoked them. we were both auful sick and laid there all the afternoon. + when i went home i walked wobbly and mother asked me if i was sick and she + put me to bed and was going to send for the docter, but father came in and + when he found out what aled me he laffed and said it served me rite. then + after supper he set out on the steps rite under my window and smoked a old + pipe and i cood smell it and i thought i shood die. then mother asked him + to go away and he laffed and said all rite, but he gessed i had enuf for + one day and she said she gessed so and i gess so too. he said if it hadent + made me sick he wood have licked me. + </p> + <p> + i dont see why it is so, father swears sometimes when he hits his thum + with a hammer and once when he was in the dark he was walking towards the + door with his arms out to feel for the door, one arm went on one side of + the door and the other arm on the other side and he hit his nose a fearful + bump rite on the ege of the door, and i wish you cood have heard him + swear, well if i swear he licks me, and he smokes and if i do he says he + will lick me and he dont go to church and if i dont go he says he will + lick me. O dear i gess i wont smoke enny more. + </p> + <p> + May 22. Went in swimming today twise, once down to the raceway and once up + to the gravel. + </p> + <p> + May 23. Went butterflying with Chick Chickering today, it is a little + early for them, but we got two blew and black ones and three little red + ones. Me and Chick are making aquariams. Chick has got a splendid glass + one. i made mine out of a butter firkin. i sawed it off half way and then + washed it out with soft soap and rensed it 2 or 3 times and then i put in + some white sand and stones and i have got some little minnies and kivies + and a little pickerel. it looks splendid and i change the water every 3 + days. + </p> + <p> + May 24. Nothing particular today. + </p> + <p> + May 25. i can swim under water from the big tree on Moulton's side of the + river at the gravel to the tree on the bank on Gilman's side. i went in 3 + times today. + </p> + <p> + May 26. My rooster is sick. he has et something. he sits all humped up. i + went in swimming 2 times today. + </p> + <p> + May 27. My rooster is pretty sick. i tride to give him some kiann pepper + tonite. father said kiann pepper was good for sick hens, so i held his + mouth open and give him a spoonful. when i let him go he kept his mouth + open and sorter sneezed pip-craw pip-craw pip-craw, and then he went to + the water dish and began to drink. i think he is better because he hadent + drank any water for 2 days before. he was still drinking when i went away. + i gess he will be a lot better tomorrow. + </p> + <p> + May 28. What do you think, this morning when i went out to feed my hens i + found my rooster dead. he had drank up all the water and he was all puffed + up. i felt pretty bad. father says i gave him enuf kiann pepper for a + horse. he aught to have told me. he was a pretty good rooster too. i am + having pretty tuff luck. + </p> + <p> + May 29. i read over my diary today. i have forgot to tell whether it was + brite and fair or rany, i cant say now. + </p> + <p> + May 30, 186- Nothing particular today. brite and fair. + </p> + <p> + May 31. brite and fair. went up to Whacker Chadwicks today after school to + help him plant his garden. we had about a bushel of potatoes to plant and + it was fun to sit round a basket and cut up the potatoes. after a while + Gim Erly and Luke Mannux cume along and we began to plug potatoes at them, + they plugged them back and we had a splendid fite, me and Whack and Pozzy + and Boog Chadwick on one side and Gim Erly and Luke Mannux and Bob Ridly + on the other. Luke Mannux hit me twice rite in the back of the head. i am + going up tomorrow to help them some more. went in swimming once to-day. + </p> + <p> + May 32 no i mean June 1. i went up to Chadwicks after school. Captin + Chadwick was there and they wasent enny pluggin potatoes. went in + swimming. + </p> + <p> + June 2. Rany. Beany is mad with me. i dont care. + </p> + <p> + June 3. went to church today. + </p> + <p> + June 4. clowdy but no rane. went up to Chadwicks today and sawed wood. + Boog and Pozzy fit while me and Whack sawed wood then we went in swiming + down to Sandy Bottom. some body tide some hard gnots in my shirt. i forgot + to split my kindlings tonite. + </p> + <p> + June 5. brite and fair. Beany is still mad. + </p> + <p> + June 6. brite and fair. i know what Beany is mad about. he thinks i told + about his getting a licking. i dident tell. he can stay mad if he wants + to. + </p> + <p> + June 7. father has bought a horse of Dan Randlet. i rode up to Brentwood + with Sam Diar to get it. it is the prettiest horse i ever saw. i rode it + down from Brentwood and it goes jest as easy as sitting on a spring board. + when i got home Beany got over his mad and came over and i gave him a + ride. me and Beany never were mad so long before. + </p> + <p> + June 9. Rany. this afternoon me and Beany and father went to ride with the + new horse. her name is Nellie. + </p> + <p> + June 10. brite and fair. we keep Nellie down to Jo Hanes stable. Frank + Hanes is learning me how to clean her off. she nipped my arm today and + made a black and blew spot. went in swimming today. + </p> + <p> + i have to get up every morning and harnes Nelly and drive father to the + depot. i like it because i always race with the men coming down front + street. there is George Dergin and Fred Sellivan and Gim Wingit and i can + beat them all. i dont tell father that i race. i rode Nellie this + afternoon with Frank Hanes and Ed Tole. i dident go in swimming today. + </p> + <p> + June 11. brite and fair. Nellie kicked me today. i gess i scrached her + today to hard with the curycomb. it dident hurt me much. i went in + swimming twise. + </p> + <p> + June 12. brite and fair. Me and Chick Chickering went bullfroging today, + we got 3 dozen hind legs and sold them to Mr. Hirvey for 30 cents and took + our pay in icecream. + </p> + <p> + June 13. Rode Nellie this noon. i have to go to the half past five train + every nite for father. i like to drive but i dont like to go every nite. + </p> + <p> + June 14. Rashe Belnap and Horris Cobbs go in swimming every morning at six + o'clock. i got a licking today that beat the one Beany got. last summer me + and Tomtit Tomson and Cawcaw Harding and Whack and Poz and Boog Chadwick + went in swimming in May and all thru the summer until October. one day i + went in 10 times. well i dident say anything about it to father so as not + to scare him. well today he did go to Boston and he said i am going to + teech you to swim. when i was as old as you i cood swim said he, and you + must lern, i said i have been wanting to lern to swim, for all the other + boys can swim. so we went down to the gravil and i peeled off my close and + got ready, now said he, you jest wade in up to your waste and squat down + and duck your head under. i said the water will get in my nose. he said no + it wont jest squat rite down. i cood see him laffin when he thought i wood + snort and sputter. so i waded out a little ways and then div in and swam + under water most across, and when i came up i looked to see if father was + supprised. gosh you aught to have seen him. he had pulled off his coat and + vest and there he stood up to his waste in the water with his eyes jest + bugging rite out as big as hens eggs, and he was jest a going to dive for + my dead body. then i turned over on my back and waved my hand at him. he + dident say anything for a minute, only he drawed in a long breth. then he + began to look foolish, and then mad, and then he turned and started to + slosh back to the bank where he slipped and went in all over. When he got + to the bank he was pretty mad and yelled for me to come out. when i came + out he cut a stick and whaled me, and as soon as i got home he sent me to + bed for lying, but i gess he was mad becaus i about scart the life out of + him. but that nite i heard him telling mother about it and he said that he + div 3 times for me in about thirty feet of water. but he braged about my + swiming and said i cood swim like a striped frog. i shall never forget how + his boots went kerslosh kerslosh kerslosh when we were skinning home thru + cros-lots. i shall never forget how that old stick hurt either. ennyhow he + dident say ennything about not going in again, so i gess i am all rite. + </p> + <p> + June 15, 186- Johnny Heeld, a student, came to me and wanted me to carry + some tickets to a dance round to the girls in the town. there was about 1 + hundred of them. he read the names over to me and i said i knew them all. + so after school me and Beany started out and walked all over town and give + out the tickets. i had a long string of names and every time i wood leave + one i wood mark out the name. i dident give the Head girls any because + they told father about some things that me and Beany and Pewt did and the + Farmer girls and the Cilley girls lived way up on the plains and i dident + want to walk up there, so when i went over to Hemlock side to give one, i + went over to the factory boarding house and give some to them. they was + auful glad to get them too and said they would go to the dance. some + people was not at home and so i gave their tickets to the next house. it + took me till 8 o'clock and i got 1 dollar for it. i dont beleive those + girls that dident get their tickets will care much about going ennyway. i + gess the Head girls wont want to tell on me another time. + </p> + <p> + June 16. Dennis Cokely and Tomtit Tomson had a fite behind Hirvey's + resterent today. Hirvey stopped them jest as they were having a good one. + Thats jest the way. i dont see why they always want to stop a fite. All + fellers fite for is to see which can lick, and how can they tell unless + they fite it out. + </p> + <p> + June 17. Brite and fair. They is going to be a big cattle show here this + fall. They are going to have it in a field up by the depot. They are going + to have horse trots and shows and everything. We are going to have no + school. it dont come for an auful while yet. Charles Taylor is going to + have Nelly to ride. + </p> + <p> + June 18. Me and Mickey Gould had a race horseback. he had one of Ben + Merril's little black horses, we raced way round Kensington ring. i cood + beat trotting and he cood beat running. when i got home Nelly was so + swetty that father told me not to ride her for a week. + </p> + <p> + June 19. Went up to Chadwicks after school. Boog and Whack got Willie + fiting with Johnny Rogers. Willie licked him. Willie is Whack's little + brother. he is a auful cunning little feller. he can fite too. all the + Chadwick's can fite. + </p> + <p> + June 20. Brite and fair. i am going fishing tonite with Potter Gorham. + </p> + <p> + June 21. brite and fair. went fishing today with Potter Gorham. i cought 5 + pirch and 4 pickeril. i cleaned them and we had them for supper. father + said they was the best fish he ever et. i also cought the biggest roach i + ever saw, almost as big as a sucker, and i cant tell what i did with him. + i thought Potter had hooked him for fun, but he said he dident, and we + hunted everywhere for him. i dont know where i put that roach. + </p> + <p> + June 22. the students had their dance last nite. they had a auful time. + some of the girls which dident get no tickets was mad, and the students + which wanted them to go was mad and they went to Johnny Heeld and give him + time. then he went round and told them how it was and give them tickets. + well the nite of the dance everything was all rite until lots of people + came which hadent been on the list, but which we had given tickets. well + the students dident want to let them in and they were mad, and Chick + Randal hit a student named Pendry rite in the nose and nocked his glasses + off and Nichols nocked Johnny Lord way acros the entry and they was going + to have a big fite when Bob Carter and 2 or 3 men stoped it. today Johnny + Heeld came down to the house and said i had got things all mixed up and + father made me give back the dollar. but he told Johnny Heeld he hadent + ought to have let me try such a hard job. Gosh, i am glad father thinks it + was a mistake, and dont know that i did it on purpose. + </p> + <p> + June 23. there is a dead rat in the wall in my room. it smells auful. + </p> + <p> + June 24. Rany. most time for vacation. the smell in my room is fearful. + </p> + <p> + June 25. more trouble today. it seems as if there wasent any use in + living. nothing but trouble all the time. mother said i coodent sleep in + that room until the rat was taken out. well father he came into my room + and sniffed once and said, whew, what a almity smell. then he held his + nose and went out and came back with mister Staples the father of the + feller that called me Polelegs. well he came in and put his nose up to the + wall and sniffed round until he came to where my old close hung. then he + said, thunder George, this is the place, rite behind this jacket, it is + the wirst smell i ever smelt. then he threw my close in a corner and took + out his tools and began to dig a hole in the wall, while father and mother + and aunt Sarah stood looking at him and holding their nose. after he dug + the hole he reached in but dident find ennything, then he stuck in his + nose and said, it dont smell enny in there. then they all let go of their + nose and took a sniff and said murder it is wirse than ever it must be + rite in the room somewhere. then father said to me, look in those close + and see if there is ennything there. so i looked and found in the poket of + my old jaket that big roach that i lost, when i went fishing with Potter + Gorham. it was all squashy and smelt auful. father was mad and made me + throw the jaket out of the window and wont let me go fishing for a week. + ennyway i know now what became of my roach. + </p> + <p> + June 26. Keene and Cele are going to sing in the Unitarial quire. father + says he will give them some bronze boots. mother got them some new nets + for their hair today. girls has lots more done for them than fellers. + </p> + <p> + June 27, 186- Brite and fair. school closed today. we dont have enny more + school til September. snapcrackers have come. 8 cents a bunch at old + Langlys store. Lane and Rollins sell them for 10 cents. torpedos 8 cents a + bunch. pin wheels 1 cent each. Pewt is going to have a cannon. father wont + let me have a cannon. he says i dont know enny more than to look into it + and blow my head off. + </p> + <p> + June 28. clowdy but no rane. 4th of July pretty soon. father says when he + was a boy all they had for fireworks was balls of wool soaked in + tirpentine whitch they lit and fired round. i am glad i did not live then. + </p> + <p> + June 30. clowdy but no rane. went in swimming 3 times today. i am going + bullfroging monday. + </p> + <p> + June 31. no July 1. Went to church today. + </p> + <p> + July 2. i went bullfroging today. thunder storm today. + </p> + <p> + i have got 10 bunches of snapcrackers and some slowmatch. i spent a dolar + of my cornet money. i gess i shall never get that cornet. i hope it wont + rane the 4th. + </p> + <p> + July 3. Nite before 4th. Pewt and Beany can stay out all nite. father took + my snapcrackers into his room and said if i get up before 5 i cant have + enny. + </p> + <p> + July 4. i am to tired to wright ennything. i never had so much fun in my + life. i only got burned 5 times. 1 snapcracker went off rite in my face + and i coodent see ennything til mother washed my eyes out. Zee Smith fired + a torpedo and a peace of it flew rite in the corner of my eye and made a + blew spot there. i fired every one of my snapcrackers. it took me all day. + </p> + <p> + July 5. brite and fair. i dident wake up today til 10 o'clock. i was + pretty sore and my eyes felt as if they was sawdust in them. + </p> + <p> + July 6. brite and fair. father staid home today. i wanted him to go + fishing but he woodent. + </p> + <p> + July 7. father told me i cood go fishing and stay all day. i dont know + what had come over him becaus most always he raises time when i go fishing + and dont come home erly. so i went and cought 3 pickerels and 4 pirch and + 2 hogbacks and went in swiming 2 times. well as i was a coming home 2 or 3 + people met me and said they was company at my house, so when i got home i + skined in the back way so as not to see the company til i got on my best + britches, but i met father in the door and he told me to go rite up to + mothers room and see the company. so i skined up to her room holding my + hand behind me becaus i had tore my britches auful getting over a fence + and i dident want the company to see. well what do you think the company + was. it was the homliest baby you ever see, it looked jest like a munky + and made feerful faces and kinder squeaked like. Mother was sick and they + was a old fat woman who told me to go out, but mother said she wanted to + see me and she kissed me and asked me to kiss the baby. i dident want to + but i did it becaus mother was sick. mother asked me how many fish i + caught and what kind and i told her and said she shood have some for her + supper, but she said she gessed she woodent have enny jest then. + </p> + <p> + then i went down stairs and father did i like the baby and i said it was + homly, and he said it was 10 times as good looking as i was and he said he + was glad that when the baby grode up it woodent have Beany and Pewt to + play with and woodent be tuff like me, and then Aunt Sarah said she gessed + me and Beany and Pewt wasent enny tuffer than father and Gim Melcher were + when they was boys, and then father laffed and told me to go to bed and i + went. that was a auful homly baby ennyway. + </p> + <p> + July 8. nothing particular today. you bet that baby can howl. went to + church. + </p> + <p> + July 9. brite and fair. most every morning we go up in mothers room to see + the old fat woman wash the baby and hear it howl. it turns black in the + face. i bet it will be a fiter. + </p> + <p> + July 10. i have got a new nickname. it is yallerlegs. that is becaus + father bought me a pair of kinder yellow britches, and made me wear them. + i bet he woodent like to be called yallerlegs. + </p> + <p> + July 11. brite and fair. went in swiming today to a new place. we call it + the stump. it is up by the eddy. + </p> + <p> + July 12. a thunder storm. in the afternoon went fishing but dident get a + bite. Pewts father says fish wont bite after a thunder storm. + </p> + <p> + July 13. a auful hot day. tonite i went up to the depot to see Majer Blake + and Charles Tole fite over passengers to the beach. + </p> + <p> + July 14. i am going to the beach to stop with Beany in his fathers tent. + it is called hotel de pig. + </p> + <p> + July 15. i gess i will go tomorrow. + </p> + <p> + July 16. me and Beany went to the beach and stopped all day and all nite. + we had a bully time. + </p> + <p> + July 17. another hot day. went in swiming 4 times. my back is all burned. + </p> + <p> + July 18. me and Beany got in the newsleter today. the paper said the + Siamese twins was at the beach stoping at Watsons tent. Pewt was mad + becaus we got in the paper and he dident and told all round that it dident + mean me and Beany but Rashe Belnap and Horris Cobbs. + </p> + <p> + July 19. Hot as time. nothing particular today. + </p> + <p> + July 20. Hot as time. nothing particular today. + </p> + <p> + July 21. Auful hot. big thunder shower and litening struck a tree in front + of Perry Moltons house. + </p> + <p> + July 22. Went to church. Beany let the wind out of the organ and it + squeaked and made everybody laff. Keene and Cele sing in the quire. father + feels pretty big about it. + </p> + <p> + July 23. i got stung by hornets today. i went in swiming at the eddy and + when i was drying my close i set rite down on a stump where there was a + nest of yellow bellied hornets. they all lit on me and i thought i was + afire for a minit. i ran and div rite off the bank and swam way out under + water. when i came up they were buzing round jest where i went down. when + i came out the fellers put mud on my bites and after a while they stoped + hurting. i tell you the fellers jest died laffing to see me run and + holler. + </p> + <p> + July 24. Brite and fair. i was all sweled up with hornet bites but they + dident hurt enny, i looked jest like Beany when he had the mumps. everyone + laffed at me. + </p> + <p> + July 25. i got a fishhook in my leg today. me and Fatty Melcher was a + fishing when we got our lines tangled, i hollered first cut, but i dident + have enny nife and Fatty woodent let me have his nife. So we got jerking + our lines kinder mad like and all of a suddin the hook got into my leg. + gosh you bet it hurt. me and Fatty got the hook out but it bled some. the + worst of it was there was a wirm on the hook and when we got the hook out + they wasent enny wirm there. Fatty says people sometimes dies from having + wirms in them. i bet this one has crawled way in. it may grow inside of + me. something is always hapening to me. when i got home i went down to + docter Derborns store and bought some wirm medicine and swalowed sum. it + was auful bitter. it cost 20 cents out of my cornet money. + </p> + <p> + July 26. brite and fair. i was all rite today except my leg was stiff + mother asked what made me lame and she put on a peace of pork. i told her + about the wirm and she said the pork wood draw him out if he was there but + she gessed he dident go in. when i told her about the wirm medecine she + jest set down and laffed. so i gess i needent wory about having wirms. i + went down to doctor Derborns and tride to get him to take the medicine + back but he said he woodent. i think he is pretty mean not to. + </p> + <p> + July 27. i coodent go in swiming today on account of my leg. all the + fellers went in and i had to set on the bank and see them. + </p> + <p> + July 28. Coodent go in swiming today either. my leg is nearly well. mother + took off the pork today. it was all white where the pork was. i can go in + swiming Monday. i went down to the library tonite. it is the first time i + have been down since Joe Parsons chased me out. i gess he has forgotten + it. i got out Bush Boys to read. it is a splendid book about shooting + lions and zebras and gerafs and everything. + </p> + <p> + July 29. i tried to have father let me stay away from church today because + my leg was sore but he said all rite you can stay, but i gess that leg + will be too sore to let you go in swiming this week. so i went to church + and dident limp enny. this afternoon i set under the apple tree and read + Bush Boys. father and mother went to ride with Nellie. it is the first + time mother has been out. Aunt Sarah took care of the baby. they gess they + will name it Edward Ashman Shute. i gess it is named Ashman after the + leader of the band. i am going to tell him tomorrow and see if he wont + sell me a cornet on trust. brite and fair. + </p> + <p> + July 30. Brite and fair. i told father i was going down to see Mr. Ashman, + and he said if you ever do i will lick you. the babys name is Edward + Ashton Shute and not Ashman. i woodent name him for enny cornet player. it + is pretty tuff luck. if i cood have got that cornet i woodent have minded + a licking. went in swiming today. + </p> + <p> + July 31. Franky had the croop last nite. i waked up and heard him cough + auful funny and kinder as if his throte was tite. i called mother and she + came in and hollered for Aunt Sarah and father and they rushed round + lively and gave him egg and sugar and put hot cloths on his throte til he + howled and after he cood howl he was all well. Aunt Sarah took him in with + her the rest of the nite. father said i was a brick to wake up and call + them. i dont know when he has called me a brick before. went in swimming 3 + times to-day. + </p> + <p> + Aug. 1. brite and fair. Annie tumbled down the front steps from the top to + the bottom. she howled and mother thought she was about killed but she was + so fat that she dident hurt her. + </p> + <p> + Aug. 2. father came home early to-day and took mother and Aunt Sarah and + Keene & Georgie to ride. Me and Cele staid to look after the house. + Cele went up stairs to look after the baby and when she was gone i got + Annie and Franky fiting. it was the funniest fite i ever saw. they jest + pushed each other round and tried to claw each other. while they was + fiting Cele came down stairs and pulled them apart and boxed their ears + and made them go in different rooms. She jawed me and said she wood tell + father. when father came home she told on me and father sent me to bed at + six o'clock. You jest wait Cele and you will find out. + </p> + <p> + Aug. 3, 186- brite and fair. the fellers played a pretty mean trick on me + tonite. they played it on Nibby Hartwel last nite. Nibby is visiting his + aunt and comes from the city and is pretty green like most folks from the + city. you see if i hadent got sent to bed becaus Cele told on me i wood + have been there and seen them play it on Nibby. well last nite all the + fellers was out. Whack and Boog and Pozzy and Pewt and Beany and Nipper + and Cawcaw and Pile and Chick and Micky and Pricilla and Fatty. Nibby he + was there too. they wanted to play lead the old blind horse to water and i + was to be the blind horse. they said they had some fun playing it the nite + before, that was when they played it on Nibby but i dident know that. Well + you blindfole a feller and give him a rope and a swich and the other + fellers get on the other end of the rope and the feller nearest you has a + bell and rings it and you pull and if you can pull him up to you, you can + paist time out of him with your swich, only if you pull off your blindfole + all the fellers can paist time out of you. Well they blindfoled me and + hollered ready and i began to yank and pull and the feller rung his bell + and he came pretty hard at first but i kept yanking and bimeby he come so + quick that i nearly fell over back wards and i felt him and grabed him and + began to paist time out of him when he grabed away my swich and began to + paist me, and that wasent fair and i pulled off my blindfole and who do + you suppose it was, well it was Wiliam Perry Molton and he was mad. they + had tied me to his door bell and i had yanked out almost ten feet of wire. + when i saw who it was gosh i began to holler and he stoped licking me. i + gess he never licked anyone before because he dident know just how to lay + it on. well when he found out how it was he let me go but he said he shood + have to do something about the boys distirbing him so. it was a pretty + mean trick to play on a feller. we are going to try and play it on Pop + Clark tomorrow nite. + </p> + <p> + Aug. 4. brite and fair. me and Hiram Mingo had a race today to see whitch + cood swim the furtherest under water. i beat him easy. he can lick me but + i can beat him swiming. + </p> + <p> + Aug. 5. Nothing particular today. only church. + </p> + <p> + Aug. 6. the baby was sick today had the doctor. + </p> + <p> + Aug. 7. the baby was sicker. i dident go in swiming. + </p> + <p> + Aug. 8. the baby is better today. i went in swiming 5 times. + </p> + <p> + Aug. 9. Raned all day. The baby is all rite. i went bullfroging with Chick + Chickering. + </p> + <p> + Aug. 10. Nellie is sick. Joe Hanes cut a hole in her and put in a onion + and some braded hair and then father took her out to pastur. i cant ride + her for a month. + </p> + <p> + Aug. 11. brite and fair. mister Watson, Beanys father got throwed off of + his horse today and renched his rist. the horse coodent have throwed him + but the gert broke. Mister Watson can ride splendid. + </p> + <p> + Aug. 12. brite and fair. No more church this month. bully. + </p> + <p> + Aug. 13. brite and fair. i went down to Ed Toles and me and Ed rode on the + hack with Joe Parmer. + </p> + <p> + Aug. 14. Ed Tole and Frank Hanes are mad. Frank hollered over to Ed, Ed + Tole fell in a hole and coodent get out to save his sole, and Ed hollered + back Frank Hanes aint got no branes. and then they was mad. + </p> + <p> + Aug. 15. Wiliam Perry Molton has got some ripe apples in his back yard. me + and Pewt helped him ketch some hens today and he said we cood have some + apples if they was any on the ground. they was only 2 wirmy ones but + before we left 5 or 6 fell off i gess it was because Pewt pushed me agenst + the tree. they was pretty good apples too. + </p> + <p> + Aug. 16. Rany. i went fishing with Potter Gorham. caught 3 roach and 5 + hornpowt. we et them for supper. father said i can clean fish most as well + as he can. he says he will come home some day erly and go a fishing. + </p> + <p> + Aug. 17. John Gardner has hung up a Grant and Colfax flag. they will be + some fun this fall. + </p> + <p> + Aug. 18. brite and fair. Today i went fishing with Fatty Melcher. we + caught some ells and some hornpowt. ells and hornpowt can live a long time + out of water and so when i got home i put 5 that were alive in the rane + water barril. + </p> + <p> + Aug. 19. brite and fair. it is fun to sit round all day Sunday and not + have to go to church. + </p> + <p> + Aug. 20. brite and fair. i had to spend the whole morning in going to the + river for water for washing. it was wash day and when mother went to the + rane water barril there was 5 dead hornpowt floting on the top. she made + me tip the barrel over and get water from the river. they was some fun for + Beany helped me and he stood in the hand cart and filled the tubs and all + of a sudden i let go and the old cart flew up and Beany and the tub and + the pail and everything went rite in. Beany isent going to speak to me + ever again. + </p> + <p> + Aug. 21, 186- Gosh, we are having fun now. what do you think. they is + going to be a big mass meeting this fall. Ben Butler and Jake Ely and lots + of old pelters are going to be here, and they is going to be 4 or 5 bands + and lots of fun. well before that comes they is going to be lots of + political meetings and the first one is to be next week, and father is + going to make a speach. Gim Luverin and Bil Morrill and General Marsten + and Tom Levitt, and he is a ripper to holler. and they want father to make + a speach. father says he must work for the party and perhaps he can get + his salery rased. so he has been a riting every nite and mumbling it over + to hisself and last nite he said he had got it. tonite he is a going to + speak it to us. + </p> + <p> + Aug. 22. last nite father studed his speach over and let us stay up to + hear it. he stood up and looked auful stirn and put one hand in the buzum + of his shert. i coodent help laffin, but he told me to shet up or i cood + go to bed and so i shet up. i tell you it was fine. It begun Mister + Moddirator had i supposed, or for 1 moment dremp that i a humble offis + holder under this glorious government, wood have been called upon to + speak, i shood have remained at home with my wife and my children. + </p> + <p> + i said, if you dont want to make a speach why dont you stay at home that + nite, and he said 1 more word from you sir and you go to bed. so i dident + yip again. + </p> + <p> + then he went on like this, were it not that a crool axident in my erly + youth, in my far away boyhood days prevented me from voluntearing and + desecrating my life to my countrys welfare, in the strugle jest ended i + wood have poared out evry drop of my blud to have maintaned her owner and + the owner of her flag. mother began to laff and said George how can you + tell such feerful stories, you know you were scart most to deth becaus you + was afraid you wood be drafted. + </p> + <p> + father said they was a lot of old fellows traveling round the country and + talking that way who coodent have been drug into the war with a ox chane. + then he stood on the other leg a while and said, it is peculiarly + aproprate that Exeter, the berth place of Lewis Cas, the educater of + Webster, the home of Amos Tuck, of General Marston shood be fourmost in + the party strife, and as for me i wirk only for my partys good, my + countrys good, without feer or hope of reward. they was a lot more to it, + and some of it you cood hear about a mile he hollered so. + </p> + <p> + Aug. 23. We are all going the nite of the rally. mother says she wont go + for she wood be ashamed to hear father tell such dredful stories. Aunt + Sarah dont want to go because she is afraid father will brake down. but + she has got to go with me and Keene and Cele and Georgie. + </p> + <p> + Aug. 24. father practised his speach tonite and we all hollered and claped + at the fine parts. he has got a new pair of boots. they hurt like time and + he only wears them nites when he is practising his speach. + </p> + <p> + Aug. 25. father licked me tonite becaus i spoke some of his speach to + Beany. he was auful mad and said i was the bigest fool he ever see. the + fellers have got up a Grant Club. Pricilla cant belong because he is a + demicrat. + </p> + <p> + Aug. 26. father called me and Beany out behind the barn tonite and gave us + 10 cents apeace if we woodent say anything about his speach. after supper + father practised again but he dident holler so loud becaus he was afraid + some body wood hear him and mother dident want him to wake up the baby, + and it was sunday too. + </p> + <p> + Aug. 27. it has been brite and fair all the week and hot as time. i have + to go to the river for soft water because it hasent raned eny since i had + to tip over the rane water barril. i have got a little tirtle as big as a + cent. father went down to General Marstons office tonite to arrange about + the rally. he came home and practised about an hour. i gess he wood have + practised all nite if the baby hadent waked up an hollered. + </p> + <p> + Aug. 28. we are all getting ready for the rally. Keene and Cele and + Georgie have got some new plad dresses. father has got a pair of gray + britches and a black coat. mother said the rally was a good thing becaus + it was the first time she had seen father dressed up since he was married. + </p> + <p> + Aug. 29. they was a big thunder shower last nite. we all got up in the + nite and went into mothers room. mother sat on the fether bed and all them + that was scart cood set there. i wasent scart. father said it would be + jest the cussid luck to have it rane the nite of the rally. + </p> + <p> + Aug. 30. we had the last practise tonite, father put on his best close and + new boots and the girls had on their plad dresses and i had on a new paper + coller. we all set down and father came in and stood up. i tell you he + looked fine. well he begun, mister modderater had i suposed or for 1 + moment dremp, and then he forgot the rest. i tell you he was mad. i wanted + to laff but dident dass to. well after a while he remembered and went + through it all rite, and then he went over it 2 times more. gosh what if + he shood forget it tomorrow nite. he is going to wright some of it on his + cufs and he practised tonite making jestures so as to bring his cufs up so + that he cood read it. + </p> + <p> + Aug. 31. the rally is tonite. father woke us all up last nite hollering in + his sleep. he dremp about the speach. this morning he went to Boston + without eating his brekfast. i gess he is begining to be scart. i am a + going to make his boots shine today. gosh what if he shood brake down. i + gess i am getting a little scart too. brite and fair. + </p> + <p> + Sept. 1. Last nite father came home and the first thing he did was to send + me down to miss Pratts for his shert. it was all pollished and shone like + glass. then he asked if i had blacked his boots and then he et supper. he + dident eat much though. he said Mr. Tuck came down from Boston with him. + Mr. Tuck was a going to make a speach first and then he was going to + introduce Gim Loverin as chairman and then Gim Loverin was a going to call + on father. father said he bet 5 dollars he wood call him Gim instead of + mister modderator. father was pretty cross at supper. i gess he was + getting scart. the baby began to cry and father asked mother why she + dident choak the squawling brat and mother sorter laffed and put the baby + into fathers lap and said i gess you had better choak him. father laffed + and began to toss the baby up and down. he likes the baby and while he was + playing with it he was all rite. but after supper he was cross and said he + hed an auful headake. then he went practising his speach again so as not + to call the modderator Gim. well we got ready and went down erly to get + some good seats so as to hear father and see him come in with them that + was to set on the platform. we wanted to go down with father but he said + he coodent bother with us. but before we went he came down stairs with his + new close on and he looked fine but his face looked auful white. he said + he had a headake but as soon as he got started to speak it wood all go + off. so we went down. Cele had her hair curled and Keene had a new red + silk ribbon on her hair becaus her hair wont curl and Aunt Sarah had on a + new dolman with beeds on it and some long coral earrings and they all + looked fine. Aunt Sarah took Georgie by the hand becaus she was the + littlest and me and Keene and Cele followed on. + </p> + <p> + When we got there the band was playing in front of the town hall and aunt + Sarah said i cood stay out and hear it and then said i cood sit with Gim + Wingit and Willy Swet if i wood behave. i said i wood and we lissened and + after the band went in we went too. most all the seats were taken and we + got some bully seats way up in front. i looked for father but coodent see + him becaus the speakers hadent come in. well jest as soon as we got in the + policeman was up in front and he said they has been to much whisling and + stamping and the next one that whisles or stamps will get put out. well + they was old Swane and Brown and Kize and Dirgin and every body kept + quiet. after a few minits the band began to play hale to the chief and the + speakers came marching up the middle ile. i looked for father but he wasnt + there. evrybody began to clap and stamp and Gim and Willy asked me where + my old man was. i stood up to see if he was there and jest then i saw the + policeman a rushing at me. he grabed me by the collar and shook me round + till i dident know which end my head was on and he draged me down the ile + and threw me out. as we were going down the ile i saw Aunt Sarah running + down the other ile as fast as she cood go with her bonnet on the back of + her head and Keene and Cele and Georgie following along all bawling. she + got out in the entry jest as he was going to put me out of the front door + and she grabed me away from him and said you misable cowardly retch to + treat a boy that way. he said i whisled and she said he dident and you + knew it only you dident dass take ennyone else. + </p> + <p> + Then she told us to come home and we went home as fast as we cood all + bawling. when we got home mother was sitting up alone and aunt Sarah + started to tell her and Keene and Cele and Georgie all bawled and you + never heard such a noise, and father was in bed with a headake and + hollered out what in time is the matter. and she told him and i heard him + jump out of bed and in a minit he came out buttoning up his suspenders. + Mother said where in the world are you going George, and he said things is + come to a pretty pass if a boy cant go and hear his father make a speach + without being banged round by a policeman. i am going down to knock the + heads off every policeman there. and he reeched for his vest. mother said + George, dont you go near the hall, and father said he cood lick anny 2 men + on the police force easy and he would show them how to slam people round + and he reeched for his coat, and Keene and Cele and Georgia began to bawl + again to think he wood get hurt and aunt Sarah and mother said you had + better not go George, and father said he wood give them more fun in 5 + minits than they had seen in a political rally in 5 years and he reeched + for his boots and mother said what will they think of you after you have + sent word that you are too sick to make a speach, to see you come rushing + into the hall and go punching the policemen and father had got on 1 boot + and when she said that he began to look kinder sick and said, thunder that + is so. and then his headake got wirse and he gave me a twenty five cent + scrip and Keene and Cele and Georgie ten cents each and he went to bed and + so did we. + </p> + <p> + i wonder if his head aked really so he coodent make a speach or if he was + scart. i bet he was scart. + </p> + <p> + school commences monday. father hasent asked once about my diry, so i aint + going to wright enny more. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0003" id="link2H_4_0003"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + THIRTY YEARS (OR MORE) AFTER + </h2> + <p> + On looking back over the pages of the "Diary" it appears to me that some + sort of an amende honorable is due to those citizens now living, and the + relatives and friends of those now dead, whose names have appeared in the + "Diary" and who have, so to speak, been handled without gloves. That I + have been neither mobbed, nor horsewhipped, nor sued, nor prosecuted, but + that I have enjoyed many a good laugh with—and have received many + pleasant words from—the victims, and their friends, is good evidence + that they, and their more fortunate brothers who have not been therein + mentioned, have taken the "Diary" in the very spirit in which it was + published, that of affectionate and amusing retrospect. And it is indeed + with affection that I recall those men, at that time in their prime. That + I could not then understand the reason why they did not fully enter into + and appreciate the spirit that prompted me and my boon companions to + transgress so many rules, laws, and statutes is not surprising. Boys + seldom can understand it. But, although I now fully appreciate it, I often + wonder at the spirit that prompted so many of those men in after years to + show me so many kindnesses, so much encouragement, and such great + forbearance. + </p> + <p> + So many inquiries have been made of me about that cornet, the soul-filling + ambition of my early years, that I feel that the uncertainty in regard to + that delightful instrument ought to be cleared up. I never did save up + enough money to buy a cornet. I haven't to this day. But many years + afterwards, when my ambition had been turned into other and equally + profitless channels, upon the death of a dear friend his beautiful cornet + was sent me. I have it now, as the neighbors and the members of my family + can testify fully and with deep feeling, if called upon. + </p> + <p> + H. A. S. <a name="link2H_4_0004" id="link2H_4_0004"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + DRAMATIS PERSONAE + </h2> + <p> + A good many years ago, during my college days, it was my custom and that + of my room-mate, Brown of Exeter, to make our room the gathering-place for + Exeter boys, both "stewdcats" and homesick Exeter youths then filling + positions in Boston. It happened that frequently undergraduates from other + towns and cities came in at these Saturday evening gatherings and it was a + matter of wonder to them that we had so much to talk about in relation to + our native town; and it was their frequent remark that "either Exeter is a + remarkable place, or you are a remarkably loyal set of fellows." + </p> + <p> + That Exeter is a remarkable place is an axiom, and no better evidence of + the fact can be found (were evidence necessary to sustain an axiom) than + in the loyalty that every citizen displays, and the sincere love that + prompts every one who has ever come under the spell of our dear old town + to revisit her at every opportunity. + </p> + <p> + Where else could a diary of this nature, dealing with actual persons and + actual events, be published and be received with such absolute goodnature + and even enthusiasm by the persons now living who are mentioned therein? + </p> + <p> + It is therefore with affection as well as amusement that I append the + following brief biographical sketches of persons mentioned in the "Diary," + preserving as nearly as possible the order of their appearance in the + book. As many readers of the "Diary" have expressed a desire to know more + of the subsequent histories and achievements of those therein mentioned, + it is hoped this information will satisfy a curiosity and interest which, + to a loyal son of Exeter, appear quite natural:— + </p> + <p> + 1. Father. GEORGE S. SHUTE. + </p> + <p> + A native of Exeter. For twenty-six years a clerk in the Boston Naval + Office. Still living in Exeter, an old man with a young tongue; in fact, + the quickest man at repartee in Exeter. + </p> + <p> + 2. Mother. + </p> + <p> + My mother died in the winter of 1896. No words can do justice to her + qualities. "A sweeter woman ne'er drew breath." + </p> + <p> + 3. "Gim" Melcher. + </p> + <p> + An old friend of my father's. Died in Maiden a few years ago. + </p> + <p> + 4. Some of the men who were "wrighting fast" in the Custom House were the + following:— + </p> + <p> + GEORGE DAVIS, of Lexington, who a year ago celebrated his fiftieth + consecutive year of service in the Naval Office; COLONEL IVORY POPE, of + Cambridge; BENJAMIN A. SIDWELL, of East Boston; JACOB A. HOWE, of Maiden; + FRANK HARRIMAN, a brother of the late Governor Harriman of Concord, N. H. + HIRAM BARRUS, of Reading, Mass. deceased; C. C. WHITTEMORE, of Portsmouth, + N. H.; CHARLES MUDGE, of Maiden; MATTHEW F. WHITTIER, of Medford, a + brother of the poet Whittier, and a newspaper-writer of considerable + prominence, writing under the pen-name of "Ethan Spike"; and TRISTRAM + TALBOT, of Newburyport, with others whom the writer does not now recall. A + few years later the writer spent several of his college vacations as + deputy clerk in the same Naval Office, and made pleasant acquaintances + with all of the above-named men. He found them very competent clerks, + courteous gentlemen, and the best story-tellers that he ever knew, and + recollects those vacations as very pleasant periods in his school life. + Some of them still hold positions in the Custom House. + </p> + <p> + 5. Charles "Talor": CHARLES TAYLOR. + </p> + <p> + A great friend of the family. Died in Exeter about ten years ago. + </p> + <p> + 6. "Beany": E. L. WATSON. + </p> + <p> + In business at Williamstown, Mass. Attained his boyhood ambition and + married Lizzie "Tole," Ed's sister. + </p> + <p> + 7. "Pewter": C. E. PURINGTON. + </p> + <p> + My near neighbor, a decorative painter, who early displayed talent in this + direction. + </p> + <p> + 8. "Skinny Bruce": WM. J. BRUCE. + </p> + <p> + A tinsmith of Exeter who still thinks he could have licked Frank Elliott. + </p> + <p> + 9. Frank Elliott. + </p> + <p> + A successful mechanic in Boston, who is confident that he could have + licked "Skinny" Bruce. + </p> + <p> + 10. "Nipper": JOHN A. BROWN. + </p> + <p> + Exeter. Chairman of the School Board. Trustee of the Seminary. Trustee of + the Library. My room-mate at Harvard. + </p> + <p> + 11. "Micky" Gould. + </p> + <p> + I do not know what became of "Mickey." Wherever he is, there is a + good-natured, jolly man. + </p> + <p> + 12. Mr. Winsor. + </p> + <p> + Address not known. How he could throw a snowball. + </p> + <p> + 18. "Ed" Towle. + </p> + <p> + Exeter, N. H. With a keen memory for old days. + </p> + <p> + 14. "Dany" Wingate. + </p> + <p> + A very prominent man. The father of J. D. P. and C. E. L. Wingate of the + Boston Journal. Died at Exeter many years ago. + </p> + <p> + 15. "Whacker": COL. A. M. CHADWICK. + </p> + <p> + Lowell, Mass. + </p> + <p> + 16. "Pozzy": AUSTIN K. CHADWICK. + </p> + <p> + Lowell, Mass. + </p> + <p> + Two of the best known and most respected citizens of Lowell. Dignified and + sedate, but just touch on old Exeter days and watch their eyes twinkle and + their tongues loosen. + </p> + <p> + 17. "Pricilla": PROF. CHARLES A. HOBBS. + </p> + <p> + Boston. Has written some dreadful mathematical works, and revisits Exeter + often, but not often enough. + </p> + <p> + 18. "Pheby": CHARLES A. TAYLOR. + </p> + <p> + Has inherited the very qualities that made his father so good a friend. + </p> + <p> + 19. "Lublin." + </p> + <p> + Address not known. + </p> + <p> + 20. "Nigger" Bell. + </p> + <p> + So called because his hair was so very white. Professor of Chemistry in a + Western University. Died recently in Maiden. + </p> + <p> + 21. Tommy Thompson: R. G. THOMPSON. + </p> + <p> + New London, Conn. + </p> + <p> + 22. "Dutchy": DR. WILLIAM A. SEAMANS. + </p> + <p> + New York City. Fullback on the Harvard '77 eleven. There are several + ex-principals of the Exeter High School who will remember Thompson and + Seamans in very clear and vivid colors. + </p> + <p> + 28. "Chick" Chickering: PROF. JOHN J. CHECKERING. + </p> + <p> + Flushing, L. I. Commissioner of Public Education of New York State. + </p> + <p> + 24. "Tody": TIMOTHY FINTON. + </p> + <p> + Exeter. An expert wood-worker with a leaning for politics. + </p> + <p> + 25. "Gim" Wingate: JAMES D. P. WINGATE. + </p> + <p> + Winchester, Mass. The business manager of the Boston Journal. + </p> + <p> + 26. "Skipy": H. C. MOSES. + </p> + <p> + Exeter. For many years in the wholesale wool business in Boston. One of + the keenest sportsmen and best wing shots in New Hampshire. + </p> + <p> + 27. "Pile": JOHN G. WOOD. + </p> + <p> + Chicago. Manager of the McKay Cordage Factory in Chicago. Promises to + return to Exeter when he has made his "pile" ($100,000). From present + indications, the prospect is favorable. + </p> + <p> + 28. Billy Folsom: WM. H. FOLSOM. + </p> + <p> + Exeter. Member of the firm of E. Folsom & Co. Brass Works. One of + Harvard's greatest pitchers. + </p> + <p> + 29. "Hoppy" Gadd. + </p> + <p> + A very eccentric but sterling citizen, who could make cowhide boots which, + like the panels in the "one-horse shay," "would last like iron for things + like these." Died in Exeter a few years ago. + </p> + <p> + 30. "Si" Smith. + </p> + <p> + The man with the "funny sine." Died in Exeter nearly thirty years ago. + </p> + <p> + 31. "Gran" Miller and "Ben" Rundlet. Addresses not known. + </p> + <p> + 32. Squire Lane. + </p> + <p> + Died in Lynn. + </p> + <p> + 33. Charles Burley. + </p> + <p> + Died in Exeter. For many years Treasurer of Phillips Exeter Academy, and + Superintendent of the "Unitarial" Sunday School. + </p> + <p> + 34. "Keene": MY SISTER, MRS. C. E. BYINGTON. + </p> + <p> + Exeter. A very able and accomplished woman. The one to whom all members of + the family go when in trouble. + </p> + <p> + 35. Lucy Watson. + </p> + <p> + Mrs. Frank Conner of Lynn. + </p> + <p> + 36. "Curley" Conner: MR. FRANK CONNER. + </p> + <p> + Lynn. Husband of the aforesaid. + </p> + <p> + 37, "Jo" Parsons: MR. JOSEPH S. PARSONS. + </p> + <p> + Boston. An expert bookkeeper. + </p> + <p> + 38. "Billy" Swett: MR. WM. SWETT. + </p> + <p> + Jamaica Plain. I remember him as one of the most polite and affable boys I + ever met. + </p> + <p> + 39. Mr. "Lovel," who said, "o hell": C. LOVELL, 2d. + </p> + <p> + One of the best amateur actors and jolliest men I ever knew. Died + recently. + </p> + <p> + 40. John Flanagan. + </p> + <p> + Exeter. A tinsmith and co-laborer with "Skinny" Bruce. + </p> + <p> + 41. "Gimmy" Fitzgerald. + </p> + <p> + Died at Exeter thirty years ago. + </p> + <p> + 42. "Old" Head: OREN HEAD. + </p> + <p> + Many students will affectionately remember him. Deceased. + </p> + <p> + 43. "Bob" Carter. + </p> + <p> + The old janitor of the Town Hall. Gruff, but very kind-hearted. Deceased. + </p> + <p> + 44. "Wats": IRVING M. WATSON. + </p> + <p> + Father of "Beany," and pleasantly like him. + </p> + <p> + 45. John Getchell. + </p> + <p> + A liberal, free, and kind-hearted Exeter merchant. Deceased. + </p> + <p> + 46. Eben Folsom. + </p> + <p> + Uncle of "Billy," and head of the firm of which Billy is a member. + </p> + <p> + 47. "Charlie": DR. C. H. GERRISH. + </p> + <p> + 48. "Doc" Prey: DR. J. E. S. PRAY. + </p> + <p> + Gentlemen both, of whom the writer can say everything good. + </p> + <p> + 49. Alice "Gewett," who was "a dairy maid": Miss ALICE JEWELL + </p> + <p> + Instructor of singing in the schools of Exeter. + </p> + <p> + 50. "Old Kize": PHILANDER KEYES. + </p> + <p> + A policeman of thirty years ago. Deceased. + </p> + <p> + 51. "Bill" Hartnett. + </p> + <p> + Who used to make it lively for the last mentioned. A man of many good + qualities notwithstanding. Deceased. + </p> + <p> + 52. "Old" Swain. + </p> + <p> + A contemporary of "Old Kize," and a co-laborer in the same vineyard. + </p> + <p> + 53. "Mister" Gordon: HON. NATHANIEL GORDON. + </p> + <p> + A retired lawyer of Exeter. + </p> + <p> + 54. Dora Moses. + </p> + <p> + 55. Mary "Loverin": MRS. MARY LETHBEIDGE. + </p> + <p> + Two beautiful girls and inseparable companions, whose deaths were untimely + and irreparable. + </p> + <p> + 56. "Cele": My sister, CELIA E. SHUTE. + </p> + <p> + Exeter. A stenographer, and a writer of short stories for magazines. + </p> + <p> + 57. "Caxcaw" Harding: PROF. B. F. HARDING. + </p> + <p> + Boston. An early advocate of those methods of instruction that result in + "mens sana in corpore sano." + </p> + <p> + 58. "Doctor" Dearborn. + </p> + <p> + A most eccentric old apothecary. Died in Exeter a few years ago. + </p> + <p> + 59. "Aunt Sarah": Miss SARAH F. SHUTE. + </p> + <p> + Exeter. The favorite aunt of a large family, all of whose geese are swans. + </p> + <p> + 60. "Fatty" Melcher: F. A. MELCHER. + </p> + <p> + Boston. So named because he was not fat. + </p> + <p> + 61. "Genny" Morrison: MRS. JOHN J. JOYCE. + </p> + <p> + Andover, Mass. By not appearing at our Grammar School Reunion "Genny" + disappointed five hundred people. + </p> + <p> + 62. J. Albert Clark. + </p> + <p> + Exeter. One of the proprietors of the Exeter Machine Works. He has always + had a very kindly interest in "Beany" and "Plupy," in spite of the many + annoyances he suffered at their boyish hands. + </p> + <p> + 63. "Bill" Morrill: MR. WM. B. MORRILL. + </p> + <p> + For many years selectman of Exeter. Died in 1878. + </p> + <p> + 64. "Dave" Quimby. + </p> + <p> + Every student will recollect him. Died at Exeter recently. + </p> + <p> + 65. "Chitter"': JAMES ROBINSON. + </p> + <p> + A truckman in Boston. + </p> + <p> + 66. "Boog" Chadwick. + </p> + <p> + A New York broker, whose "heart's in the highlands;" to wit, Exeter. + </p> + <p> + 67. "Pop" Clark: WILL CLARK. + </p> + <p> + Roxbury, Mass. A born comedian and a delightfully entertaining man. + </p> + <p> + 68. "Shinny" Thyng. + </p> + <p> + One of the few Exeter boys who continues his father's business at the old + stand. If more did the same, the prosperity of country towns would be + assured. + </p> + <p> + 69. "Gim" Erly. + </p> + <p> + Lives somewhere in the West. + </p> + <p> + 70. "Honey" Donovan: WILLIAM DONOVAN. + </p> + <p> + Providence. + </p> + <p> + 71. "Mose" Gordon. + </p> + <p> + A Texas cattle-man. + </p> + <p> + 72. Mr. Lamed. + </p> + <p> + Unitarian clergyman. Deceased. + </p> + <p> + 73. "Gil" Steels. + </p> + <p> + A merchant in Denver. + </p> + <p> + 74. "Mis Packer A": MRS. MARY PACKARD. + </p> + <p> + A famous local singer, now living in California. + </p> + <p> + 75. "Gim Loverin": JAMES M. LOVERING. + </p> + <p> + A very shrewd politician. Deceased. + </p> + <p> + 76. "Old Mister Stickney": JUDGE W. W. STICKNEY. + </p> + <p> + With whom I studied law. Deceased; not, however, because of that fact. + Judge Stickney was a sound lawyer and an upright, kind-hearted man. + </p> + <p> + 77. "Ed" Dearborn. + </p> + <p> + The old bell-ringer. Deceased. + </p> + <p> + 78. John Quincy "Ann" Pollard: J. Q. A. POLLARD. + </p> + <p> + A very old man, upon whom the boys were wont to play tricks, but who had + developed wonderful precision of aim with a knotted cane. Deceased. + </p> + <p> + 79. Dan Ranlet; D. W. RANLET. + </p> + <p> + Boston Produce Exchange. + </p> + <p> + 80. George M. Perkins + </p> + <p> + For many years an expressman between Boston and Exeter. + </p> + <p> + 81. John E. Gibson. + </p> + <p> + Master of the Agassiz School, Boston. Residence, Jamaica Plain. I take the + opportunity to notify him that the Exeter High School holds its + quinquennial reunion June, 1903. + </p> + <p> + 82. Isaac Shute. + </p> + <p> + A retired merchant of Exeter. Deceased. + </p> + <p> + 83. Major Blake. + </p> + <p> + A famous Boniface, and for many years proprietor of the Squamscott. + Deceased. + </p> + <p> + 84. Charles D. Towle. + </p> + <p> + An equally famous livery-stable keeper, who periodically fought to a + finish with Major Blake for passengers to Hampton Beach. Deceased. + </p> + <p> + 85. Frank Haines. + </p> + <p> + A farmer. Residence, Exeter. + </p> + <p> + 86. "The Baby": EDWARD A. SHUTE. + </p> + <p> + Exeter. Who can now handle his elder brother with ease. + </p> + <p> + 87. "Frankie": FRANK F. SHUTE. + </p> + <p> + Who thinks he can do likewise, but cannot. A hotel-keeper at Lakewood, New + Jersey. + </p> + <p> + 88. "Annie": Miss ANNIE P. SHUTE. + </p> + <p> + Who, by virtue of a clerkship in my office, owns the entire establishment. + </p> + <p> + 89. "Georgie" + </p> + <p> + Instructor in Latin and French in the Albany Academy, Albany, N. Y. + </p> + <p> + 90. "Nibby." + </p> + <p> + A summer visitor named Hartwell. Deceased. + </p> + <p> + 91. Hiram Mingo. + </p> + <p> + A colored boy. Address not known. + </p> + <p> + 92. Joe Palmer. + </p> + <p> + A hackman with whom the boys used to ride. Address not known. + </p> + <p> + 93. John E. Gardner. + </p> + <p> + A member of an old family of merchants in Exeter. Deceased. Brother of + Elizabeth Gardner Bouguereau, the artist. + </p> + <p> + 94. General Marston. + </p> + <p> + A famous New Hampshire lawyer and veteran of the Civil War. Deceased. + </p> + <p> + 95. Amos Tuck. + </p> + <p> + A famous lawyer, politician, financier, and Member of Congress. Deceased. + </p> + <p> + 96. Mr. Gravel. + </p> + <p> + Address not known. + </p> + <p> + 97. Elkins and Graves. + </p> + <p> + Famous auctioneers at that period. Deceased. + </p> + <p> + 98. Scott "Briggam." + </p> + <p> + One of the boys then, one of the boys now. Exeter. + </p> + <p> + 99. Charlie Woodbury. + </p> + <p> + Deceased. + </p> + <p> + 100. "Potter" Gorham: ARTHUR GORHAM. + </p> + <p> + Killed by an accidental discharge of his gun nearly thirty years ago. A + born naturalist. + </p> + <p> + 101. "Old Francis." + </p> + <p> + For thirty-three years principal at the Grammar School at Exeter. On his + resignation, a few years ago, a reunion was held which was attended by old + pupils from every State in the Union, to do him honor. Still hale and + hearty, and living in Exeter. + </p> + <p> + 102. Doctor Perry. + </p> + <p> + An old family physician, who has ushered more children and children's + children into the world than any man in the county, and who is beloved and + revered by every one of them. Miss Jewett, in her "Country Doctor," based + her delightful description upon Dr. William G. Perry, her uncle. Living in + Exeter. + </p> + <p> + 103. John Adams. + </p> + <p> + Who his trimmed enough carriages to set all New Hampshire awheel, and who + still practises his trade in Exeter. + </p> + <p> + 104. Nell Towle: MBS. GEORGE W. HOOPER. + </p> + <p> + Exeter. As rosy, good-natured, and musically inclined as she was in the + good old days. + </p> + <p> + 105. William Perry Moulton. + </p> + <p> + A prosperous real-estate and insurance man, who unfortunately for his + peace of mind tried to raise Bartlett pears, Concord grapes, and Astrachan + apples in the neighborhood that was infested by "Plupy" and his + associates; who frequently tracked, chased, and caught them red-handed, + but who was too kind-hearted even then to deprive them of their ill-gotten + gains. + </p> + <p> + 106. "Chris" Staples. + </p> + <p> + Who remembers the fight with Charlie Clark. + </p> + <p> + 107. Charlie Clark. + </p> + <p> + Deceased. Just before he died he read the "Diary" and sent word to the + author that he remembered the scene in which he figured and much enjoyed + the book. + </p> + <p> + 108. Mr. Ashman. + </p> + <p> + A veteran band-leader of Boston. + </p> + <p> + 109. Frank Hervey. + </p> + <p> + A veteran restaurant-keeper in Exeter. New living in Concord, N. H. + </p> + <p> + 110. "Rashe Belnap": WILLIAM H. BELKNAP. + </p> + <p> + A retired banker and real-estate man of Exeter. Town clerk of Exeter for + twenty-five years. + </p> + <p> + 111. Henry Simpson. + </p> + <p> + Periodical dealer in the late sixties. Living in Maine. + </p> + <p> + 112. Luke Maniac. + </p> + <p> + Now living in Texas. As a boy he could curve a snowball round the corner, + like T. B. Aldrich's "Binny Wallace." + </p> + <p> + 113. "Bob Ridley": GEORGE ELLIOTT. + </p> + <p> + Exeter. A right good fellow. + </p> + <p> + 114. Sam Dyer. + </p> + <p> + A rather eccentric blacksmith. Died in the West. + </p> + <p> + 115. Horace Cobb. + </p> + <p> + A good-natured, short, and extremely fat man. A native of Exeter, and last + of a very prominent family. Died several years ago. + </p> + <p> + 116. Dennis Cokely. + </p> + <p> + Address not known. I have always felt badly "to think the fight was + throwed away, and neither of them licked." + </p> + <p> + 117. Johnnie Rogers. + </p> + <p> + A cousin of the Chadwicks. Deceased. + </p> + <p> + 118. Cap. John W. Chadwick. + </p> + <p> + A retired sea-captain. Father of "Poz," "Boog," "Whack," and "Willie," + "Whack's little brother." A most cultivated gentleman, whose heart was + kind, but whose word was law. Deceased. + </p> + <p> + 119. "Zee" Smith: FRANK SMITH. + </p> + <p> + Deceased in Lowell. + </p> + <p> + 120. Miss Pratt. + </p> + <p> + A laundress much patronized by students. She accumulated much property by + practising the gentle art of polishing shirts. + </p> + <p> + 121. "Old Durgin": ME. EZRA DURGIN. + </p> + <p> + A rather quick-tempered but worthy policeman, contemporary with "Old + Swain" and "Old Kize." + </p> + <p> + 122. Various "stewdcats." + </p> + <p> + Who have played their parts and gone. + </p> + <p> + 123. "Plupy," "Skinny," "Polelegs": THE AUTHOR. + </p> + <p> + De minimis non curat lex. + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Real Diary of a Real Boy, by Henry A. Shute + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE REAL DIARY OF A REAL BOY *** + +***** This file should be named 5111-h.htm or 5111-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/5/1/1/5111/ + +Produced by Kent Fielden, and David Widger + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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Shute + +Release Date: February, 2004 [EBook #5111] +Posting Date: June 12, 2009 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE REAL DIARY OF A REAL BOY *** + + + + +Produced by Kent Fielden + + + + + + + + + +THE REAL DIARY OF A REAL BOY + +By Henry A. Shute + + + + +INTRODUCTION + +In the winter of 1901-02, while rummaging an old closet in the +shed-chamber of my father's house, I unearthed a salt-box which had been +equipped with leather hinges at the expense of considerable ingenuity, +and at a very remote period. In addition to this, a hasp of the same +material, firmly fastened by carpet-tacks and a catch of bent wire, bade +defiance to burglars, midnight marauders, and safe-breakers. + +With the aid of a tack-hammer the combination was readily solved, and an +eager examination of the contents of the box disclosed:-- + + 1. Fish-line of braided shoemaker's thread, with perch hook, to + which adhered the mummied remains of a worm that lived and + flourished many, many years ago. + + 2. Popgun of pith elder and hoop-skirt wire. + + 3. Horse-chestnut bolas, calculated to revolve in opposite + directions with great velocity, by an up-and-down motion of the + holder's wrist; also extensively used for the adornment of + telegraph-wires,--there were no telephones in those days,--and + the cause of great profanity amongst linemen. + + 4. More fish-hooks of the ring variety, now obsolete. + + 5. One blood alley, two chinees, a parti-colored glass agate, + three pewees, and unnumbered drab-colored marbles. + + 6. Small bow of whalebone, with two arrows. + + 7. Six-inch bean-blower, for school use--a weapon of considerable + range and great precision when used with judgment behind a + Guyot's Common School Geography. + + 8. Unexpended ammunition for same, consisting of putty pellets. + + 9. Frog's hind leg, extra dry. + + 10. Wing of bluejay, very ditto. + + 11. Letter from "Beany," postmarked "Biddeford, Me." and expressing + great indignation because "Pewt" "hasent wrote." + + 12. Copy-book inscribed "Diry." + + The examination of this copy-book lasted the rest of the day, and it was + read with the peculiar pleasure one experiences in reviewing some of the + events of a happy boyhood. + + With the earnest hope that others may experience a little of the + pleasure I gained from the reading, I submit the "Diry" to the public. + + HENRY A. SHUTE. + + EXETER, N. H. Sept. 23, 1902. + + + + +DIRY + +Father thot i aught to keep a diry, but i sed i dident want to, because +i coodent wright well enuf, but he sed he wood give $1000 dolars if he +had kept a diry when he was a boy. + +Mother said she gessed nobody wood dass to read it, but father said +everybody would tumble over each other to read it, anyhow he wood give +$1000 dolars if he had kept it. i told him i wood keep one regular if he +wood give me a quarter of a dolar a week, but he said i had got to keep +it anyhow and i woodent get no quarter for it neither, but he woodent +ask to read it for a year, and i know he will forget it before that, so +i am going to wright just what i want to in it. Father always forgets +everything but my lickins. he remembers them every time you bet. + +So i have got to keep it, but it seems to me that my diry is worth a +quarter of a dolar a week if fathers is worth $1000 dolars, everybody +says father was a buster when he was a boy and went round with Gim +Melcher and Charles Talor. my grandmother says i am the best boy she +ever see, if i dident go with Beany Watson and Pewter Purinton, it was +Beany and Pewt made me tuf. + +there dos'nt seem to be much to put into a diry only fites and who got +licked at school and if it ranes or snows, so i will begin today. + +December 1, 186- brite and fair, late to brekfast, but mother dident say +nothing. father goes to boston and works in the custum house so i can +get up as late as i want to. father says he works like time, but i went +to boston once and father dident do anything but tell stories about what +he and Gim Melcher usted to do when he was a boy. once or twice when a +man came in they would all be wrighting fast, when the man came in again +i sed why do you all wright so fast when he comes in and stop when he +goes out, and the man sort of laffed and went out laffing, and the men +were mad and told father not to bring that dam little fool again. + +December 2. Skinny Bruce got licked in school today. I told my +granmother about it and she said she was glad i dident do enything to +get punnished for and she felt sure i never wood. i dident tell her +i had to stay in the wood box all the morning with the cover down, i +dident tell father either you bet. + +December 2. rany. i forgot to say it raned yesterday too. i got cold and +have a red rag round my gozzle. + +December 2. pretty near had a fite in schol today. Skinny Bruce and +Frank Elliot got rite up with there fists up when the bell rung. it was +two bad, it wood have been a buly fite. i bet on Skinny. + +December 3, 186- brite and fair. went to church today. Me and Pewt and +Beany go to the Unitarial church. we all joined sunday school to get +into the Crismas festerval. they have it in the town hall and have two +trees and supper and presents for the scholars. so we are going to stay +til after crismas anyway the unitarials have jest built a new church. +Pewt and Beany's fathers painted it and so they go there. i don't +know why we go there xcept because they don't have any church in the +afternoon. Nipper Brown and Micky Gould go there. we all went into +the same class. our teacher is Mister Winsor a student. we call them +stewdcats. after we had said our lesson we all skinned out with Mr. +Winsor. when we went down Maple street we saw 2 roosters fiting in +Dany Wingates yard, and we stoped to see it. i knew more about fiting +roosters than any of the fellers, because me and Ed Towle had fit +roosters lots. Mr. Winsor said i was a sport, well while the roosters +were fiting, sunday school let out and he skipped acros the street and +walked off with one of the girls and we hollered for him to come and see +the fite out, and he turned red and looked mad. the leghorn squorked and +stuck his head into a corner. when a rooster squorks he wont fite any +more. + +December 5. snowed today and school let out at noon. this afternoon went +down to the library to plug stewdcats. there was me and Beany and Pewt, +and Whacker and Pozzy Chadwick and Pricilla Hobbs. Pricilla is a feller +you know, and Pheby Talor, Pheby is a feller too, and Lubbin Smith +and Nigger Bell, he is'nt a nigger only we call him Nigger, and Tommy +Tompson and Dutchey Seamans and Chick Chickering, and Tady Finton and +Chitter Robinson. + +December 6. Gim Wingate has got a new bobtail coat. + +December 7, 186- Got sent to bed last nite for smoking hayseed cigars +and can't go with Beany enny more. It is funny, my father wont let me go +with Beany becaus he is tuf, and Pewts father wont let Pewt go with me +becaus im tuf, and Beanys father says if he catches me or Pewt in his +yard he will lick time out of us. Rany today. + +December 8. Skinny Bruce got licked in school today. Skipy Moses was in +the wood box all the morning. + +December 9. brite and fair, speakin day today. missed in Horatius at the +brige. + +December 10. Clowdy but no rane. went to church. lots of new fellers in +sunday school. me and Beany and Pewt and Pile Woods and Billy Folsom +and Jimmy Gad and lots of others. Mister Winsor dident teach today, gess +they woodent let him on account of the rooster fite. + +December 11. My new boots from Tommy Gads came today. i tell you they +are clumpers. no snow yet. + +December 12. Crismas is pretty near, dont know wether i shall get +ennything. father says i dont desirve ennything. you can get goozeberrys +down to Si Smiths 1 dozen for 5 cents. He has a funny sine it is + + flour + meal + molasses + sugar + coffe + tea + spises + pork & + lard + salt + butter + ham + eggs + &so + +December 15. Fite at resess today, Gran Miller and Ben Rundlet. Ben +licked him easy. the fellers got to stumping each other to fite. Micky +Gould said he cood lick me and i said he want man enuf and he said if i +wood come out behind the school house after school he wood show me and +i said i wood and all the fellers hollered and said they wood be there. +But after school i thaught i aught to go home and split my kindlings and +so i went home. a feller aught to do something for his family ennyway. i +cood have licked him if i had wanted to. + +December 16. Tady Finton got licked in school today. snowed today a +little. + +December 17. rained in the nite and then snowed a little. it was auful +slipery and coming out of church Squire Lane fell down whak and Mr +Burley cought hold of the fence and his feet went so fast that they +seemed all fuzzy, i tell you if he cood run as fast as that he cood run +a mile a minite. + +December 18. brite and fair. nothing particilar. o yes, Skinny Bruce got +licked in school. + +December 19. Cold as time. Went to a sosiable tonite at the Unitarial +vestry. cant go again because Keene told mother i was impident to the +people. i want impident. you see they was making poetry and all sitting +around the vestry. they wanted to play copenhagin and post office and +clap in and clap out, but Mister Erl woodent let them because it was in +church. so they had to play poetry. one person wood give a word and then +the oppisite person wood give a word that rimed with it. it was auful +silly. a girl wood give the word direxion and then a stewdcat wood say +affexion and waul his eyes towards the girl. and then another wood say +miss, and another stewdcat wood say kiss and then he wood waul his eyes, +and when it came my turn i said what rimes with jellycake, and the girls +turned red and the stewdcats looked funny, and Mister Burley said if +i coodent behave i had better go home. Keene needent have told mother +anyway. You jest wait Keene, and see what will happen some day. + +December 20. Bully skating. went after school and skated way up to the +eddy, was going to skate with Lucy Watson but Pewt and Beany hollered so +that i dident dass to. John Toomey got hit with a hockey block rite in +the snoot and broke his nose. + +December 21. Brite and fair. nothing particular to-day. nobody got +licked. old Francis had his hand done up in a sling. he said he had a +bile on it. i tell you the fellers were glad. + +December 22. Warm and rany and spoiled the skating. coodent do anything +but think of Crismas. + +December 23. Saturday and no skating. went down to the library to get +a book for Sunday. me and Beany were sticking pins into the fellers +and making them holler and Jo Parsons the libarian jumped rite over the +counter and chased us way down to Mr. Hams coffin shop. he dident catch +us either. then we went down town and Billy Swett lent me a dime novel +to read sunday. it was named Billy Bolegs a sequil to Nat Tod the +traper. sequil means the things in Nat Tod that was not finished. + +December 24. Brite and fair. Crismas tomorrow. went to sunday school. +Mr. Lovel is our teacher now. + +December 25. Crismas. got a new nife, a red and white scarf and a bag of +Si Smiths goozeberies. pretty good for me. + +December 26. Crismas tree at the town hall. had supper and got a bag of +candy and a long string of pop corn. Mr. Lovel took off the presents +and his whiskers caught fire, and he hollered o hell right out. that +was pretty good for a sunday school teacher, wasent it. Jimmy Gad et too +much and was sick. + +December 27. Beany has got a new striped shirt not a false bosom but a +whole shirt. Beany wont speak to me now. Lucy Watson has got a new blew +hat with a fether. she wont speak to Keene and Cele eether. you jest +wait Beany and Lucy and see. + +Jan. 1, 186-Had an awful time in school today. me and Cawcaw Harding set +together. when we came in from resess Cawcaw reached over and hit me a +bat, and i lent him one in the snoot, and he hit me back. we was jest +fooling, but old Francis called Cawcaw up front to lick him. i thought +if i went up and told him he wood say, noble boy go to your seat, i wont +lick neether of you. anyway i knew that Cawcaw wood tell on me, and so +i told old Francis i hit Cawcaw first, and old Francis said Harry i have +had my eye on you for a long time, and he jest took us up and slammed us +together, and then he wood put me down and shake Cawcaw and then he +wood put Cawcaw down and shake me till my head wabbled and he turned me +upside down and all the fellers looked upside down and went round and +round and somehow i felt silly like and kind of like laffin. i dident +want to laff but coodent help it. and then he talked to us and sent us +to our seats and told us to study, and i tried to but all the words in +the book went round and round and i felt awful funny and kind of wabbly, +and when i went home mother said something was the matter and i told +her and then i cried, i don't know what i cried for, becaus i dident ake +any. father said he wood lick me at home when i got licked at school and +perhaps that was why i cried. ennyway when father come home i asked him +if he was a going to lick me and he said not by a dam sight, and he gave +me ten cents and when i went to bed i got laffin and crying all to once, +and coodent stop, and mother set in my room and kept her hand on my +forred until i went to sleep. i drempt i was fiting all the time. when i +get big enuf there is going to be a fite between me and old Francis, you +see if there aint. + +Jan. 2, Me and Beany has made up. i told him i had ten cents and then +he dident feel so big about his new shirt. ennyway we went down to +Si Smiths and got a dozen goozeberries and then went down to doctor +Derborns and got a glass of sody water and took turns drinking it and +seeing which cood gulp the loudest. Beany beat. + +Jan. 3. brite and fair. Went down to Pewts tonite to make hayseed +cigars. We made 5 kinds, hayseed, sweet firn, cornsilk, mullin leeves, +and grape vine. my mouth taisted aufuly all nite. + +Jan. 4. brite and fair. Pewt dident come to school today. i gess he was +sick. my mouth taisted aufuly all day. + +Jan. 5. clowdy and aufuly cold. Pewt came to school today and got a +licking for puting gum on Nigger Bells seat. Nig set in it til it dride +and then tride to get up and coodent. then old Francis come down the ile +and snaiked Nigger out and when he see the gum he asked us who put it +there. we all said we dident, but he licked Pewt becaus he had seen Pewt +chooing gum. + +Jan. 6. it snowed last nite and today. Speaking in school today. i spoke +the berrial of sir John More. old Francis said he never heard ennything +wirse in his life. i hope he wont tell father. this afternoon we pluged +stewdcats. + +Jan. 7. Ed Towle has got a gote. the fellers stumped me to hold him +by the horns and he buted me over in the slosh. mother said i had no +bisiness to be playing on sunday. + +Jan. 8. brite and fair. there is going to be a nigger show in the town +hall tonite. father says i cant go becaus i sassed aunt Sarah. it is +uncle Toms cabbin. + +Jan. 9. brite and fair. Beany went to the nigger show. he led one of the +bludhouns in the prosession and got a ticket. Beany had on a red coat +jest like the dogs. he said it was buly. + +Jan. 10. rany. Nipper Brown is the best scolar in my class. i am the +wirst. i can lick Nipper easy. + +Jan. 11. brite and fair. After school me and Beany and Pewt and Fatty +Melcher and Pozzy Chadwick and lots of fellers went skating on fresh +river. i was skating backwerd and i got one leg in a eal hole, gosh the +water was cold and before i got home my britches leg was all froze. + +Jan. 12. nobody got licked in school today, gess why, becaus there +wassent enny school. old Francis was sick, i went skating. + +Jan. 13. brite and--no it was rany. had a speling mach today in school. +Cele and Genny Morrison staid up til the last and then Cele missed and +set down balling, and Genny beat. i cant stop to wright enny more becaus +i am going to the levee with father. + +Jan. 14, 186- Went to a big levee last nite at the town hall. Bill +Morrill and Nuel Head and Dave Quimby and Frank Hervey got it up. they +had Hook and Pasons quadril band of Haverhil. father bought a ticket +becaus he was in the custum house and has to be frends with people. it +was splendid. most everybody went all dressed up in blue silk and red +and crokay slippers. Ham Perkins and Charlie Lane and Charley Piper and +Chick Randall and Dan Ranlet and Grace Morril and the Head girls and +Sweat girls and Carrie Towle and Sarah Clark, J. Albert Clarks sister +and the Melcher boys and they all hopped round pretty lively, i tell +you. i staid until 12 o'clock and listened to the band. i never had so +good time in my life. + +Jan. 15. i am all spekled over. mother says she is afrade i have got +chicken pocks. i gess i have been in the hen koop to mutch. + +Jan. 16. the speckles have all gone of. doctor Perry says i et to many +donuts. + +Jan. 18. brite and fair. yesterday to and day before yesterday i have +forgot. + +Jan. 19. snowed all day. Me and Beany is mad. + +Jan. 20. father is sick becaus he et to mutch salt fish and potato and +pork. he is auful cross and hit me a bat today becaus i left the door +open. i gess he will be sorry when i am ded. + +Jan. 21. brite and fair. went to church in the morning and in the +afternoon greeced some paper and trased some pictures. + +Jan. 22. i had to stay in the wood-box today for whispering to Whacker +with the cover down. i like it becaus they is a peep hole in the box +and you can see the fellers and they cant see you. by and by Gimmy +Fitsgerald whispered and old Francis put him in to and we took turns +peeping. + +Jan. 23. it raned hard all day and we had one sesion. Beany came over +and we made up and plaid in the barn making fly boxes. + +Jan. 24. nothing much today, rany in the morning and froze at night. + +Jan. 25. brite and fair. everything was covered with ice and when father +started for the depot he tumbled down the front steps from the top to +the botom. mother says he went bumpity bump and his hat went one way and +his dinner box went the other. i herd him swaring aufuly about that dam +boy, and i gess he wood have come up and licked time out of me, but he +had to hurry to get the train. + +Jan. 26. jest as soon as the skating comes it has to snow and spoil it. + +Jan. 27. i coodent go out of the yard this afternoon becaus i dident put +ashes on the front steps before father fell down and so Pewt and Beany +and Whacker and Nibby Hartwell and Diddly Colket and Nipper and Prisilla +and Gim Wingit and lots of the fellers came over and we had a snowball +fite. mother says she hops father wont keep me at home anuther +afternoon. + +Jan. 28. brite and fair. it never ranes Sundays so a feller cant go to +church. + +Jan. 29. Nothing puticular today. it always seams harder to go to school +mundays, more fellers gets licked mundays than enny day in the weak. i +got stood on the platform with my head in the corner for looking of my +book today. + +Jan. 30. brite and fair. i have got a auful chilblane on my heel. + +Jan. 31. brite and fair. i was glad today was wensday in the afternoon i +went skating. the students played baseball on the ice. + +Feb. 1. brite and fair. pretty soon it will be Washintons berthday, and +then all the boys can ring the town bell at noon and at nite. + +Feb. 2. clowdy but no snow. tomorror will be saterday they is only +2 days in the weak that is wirth ennything and that is wensday and +saterday except in vacation. + +Feb. 3. Snowed like time all the forenoon. in the afternoon me and Pewt +and Beany rolled up some big snowballs. then tonite we put all the balls +together and made a big snowman rite in front of Mrs. Lewises front +door. then we put a old hat on it and hung a peace of paper on it and +wrote man wanted on the paper. tomorrow all the people who go to church +will see it and laff becaus Mister Lewis got a devorse. they will be +some fun tomorrow. + +Feb. 5. i coodent wright ennything last nite becaus i got sent to bed +and got a licking. i tell you we got in a auful scrape. Sunday morning +me and Pewt and Beany went out erly to see our snowman. he was there and +when people began to go by they began to laff, and most of the people +said it was the funniest thing they ever see and who ever put it there +was a pretty smart feller. so we said we did it and Pewt said he thought +of it ferst and Beany said he did, and i said i did most of the werk. + +Well, pretty soon some people came along and looked at it and said it +was a shame and they went over to pull of the paper and she came out and +see it, and she took a broom and nocked it over and broke it all up. and +then she went rite down to my house to tell father. then she went over +to Beanys house and then up to Pewts. well after church father took me +over to her house. and Beany was there with his father and Pewt with his +father. she said she wood have us arested for it. but they talked a long +time and after a while she said if our fathers wood lick us and make us +saw and split a cord of wood she woodent say no more about it. when we +went out father said, i never see such dam boys did you Brad, did you +Wats, and they said they never did. so we have got to saw and split that +wood and we got licked two. + +Feb. 6. brite and fair. me and Pewt and Beany sawed and split some wood +for Misses Lewis. + +Feb. 7. brite and fair. sawed some more wood, me and Pewt and Beany. + +Feb. 8. brite and fair. split some more wood, me and Pewt and Beany. + +Feb. 9. Fatty Melcher and Caw-caw Harding, Chitter Robinson and Medo +Thurston helped saw some more wood. + +Feb. 10. Brite and fair. this afternoon Whack Pozzy and Boog Chadwick, +Dutchy Semans, Nigger Bell Pop Clark, Shinny Thing and Pile Wood all +come down with saws and axes and helped us saw that wood, we worked +all the afternoon and got it done and piled up before dark. then Misses +Lewis asked us in and gave us some buly donuts and some sweatened water +and we sung and told stories and before we went we told her we was sorry +we bilt the snowman and she said she was sorry two. then when we went +away we give 3 cheers for her. + +Feb. 11. brite and fair. i shant forget last Sunday very soon. + +Feb. 12. rany today. i dont care becaus i havent got to saw enny more +wood. + +Feb. 13. still rany. i dont care. + +Feb. 14. pretty cold today. going to have a new kind of speling mach +tomorrow. + +Feb. 15. Got to the head in spelling today. old Francis makes us all +stand up in the ile and gives us a lot of words to spell and then we +wright them down on our slates and then the head feller or girl changes +slates with the foot feller or girl and so on and then old Francis +wrights the words on the blackboard and then we mark each others slates. +John Flanygin was the foot feller and had my slate. well most of Johns +words was wrong. but John marked mine all write. i gess John dident know +it, but ther was 4 or 5 of my words speled wrong. i set out to tell old +Francis but dident dass to becaus he licked me for teling that i paisted +Cawcaw Harding that time. so i kept still and kept at the head and John +kept at the foot. i hope John will do it again tomorrow. + +Feb. 16. Beat in speling today. + +Feb. 17. beat in speling today. + +Feb. 19. Beat in speling today. old Francis is a going to give a prise +tomorrow. i told father i was pretty sure to get it and he said it will +be the first one. Aunt Sarah asked him if he took many prises. and he +said he dident get much of a prise when he got me. i gess he wont say +that tomorrow when i bring my prise home. + +Feb. 20. i dident get the prise. you see yesterday John Flanygin spelt +more words write than Gimmy Fitsgerald and Gimmy went to the foot. when +we marked slates Gimmy marked 9 of my words wrong out of 20, and i had +to go down most to where John Flannygin was. old Francis said he dident +beleave i had aught to have staid at the head so long as i did and i was +afraid he wood lick me and John but he dident. he said he was ashamed +and disapointed in me but i gess he was not the only one who was +disapointed. i had told Pewt and Beany i wood treat on what father wood +give me for getting the prise. Pewt and Beany was both mad, and are +going to lay for Gimmy. + +Feb. 21, i forgot to say what the wether was most every day this weak. +it has been brite and fair most of the time, only it snowed two days and +raned most of one day. brite and fair today and cold as time. + +Feb. 23, Clowdy and cold. Pop Clark had to crawl through a chair today. +he went through so fast old Francis only hit him 2 bats. Tady Finton and +Nigger Bell both got licked. Tady dident cry or holler a bit, but Nigger +hollered just like a girl. i supposed Nigger was more of a man than +that. + +Feb. 24, Beany and Pewt got punching today in school and old Francis +made them stand on the platform with their arms round each others neck +all the forenoon, i bet they felt pretty cheep. Brite and fair. + +Feb. 25, i have got a new pair of britches at erl and Cutts. i gess +Beany aint the only one which has good clothes eather. + +Feb. 26. Nothing particular today. Went down to old Heads shop to see +the stewdcats ride velosipedes. There is going to be a race in the town +hall tomorrow night. + +Feb. 27. Father said i cood go to the velosipede race if i woodent miss +splitting my kindlings for a week. i did miss them twice but mother +dident tell him and if he dont ask her before tonight i am all right. + +Feb. 28. Last night went to the velosipede race. it was jest ripping. +i got down before the door opened. Bob Carter came pretty soon but he +woodent let us in until the ticket man came. Mr. Watson was the ticket +man and he let me and Beany and Shinny Thing in free. they had a lot +of seats in the center of the hall, and the rest round the edges, and +a open track around the hall. On the platform set Bill Morrill and Dave +Quimby and John Getchell and Eben Folsom. Most of the fellers in the +race were stewdcats and most of the stewdcats and the girls had the +seats in the center of the hall. The stewdcats who were to race were +Stone and Stuart and Lee and Clifford and August Belmont and Swift and +Nichols and George Kent and Cutler and Johnny Heald and Gear and Burly +and Bob Morison. the townies were Charlie Gerish and Doctor Prey. each +feller rode round the hall twice to get going like time, and then Dave +Quimby hollered go and he had to ride around the hall until he had rid a +quarter of a mile. + +When the stewdcats rode all the other stewdcats yelled and the girls +waved their handkerchiefs and the band played and the excitement was +dreadful. + +After a while Doctor Prey came out and all the townies got up and +cheered and the band played the star spangled banner, because Doctor +fit in the war, and Doctor took of his hat and bowed and then rode round +like time. he rode faster than most every one of them except Stone and +Stuart and Lee and Clifford and Belmont and Swift. i guess if Doc hadent +fit so hard in the war he wood have beat them all. and then Charlie +Gerish came out and all the townies hollered again and Charlie made his +legs go so fast that they coodent hardly see them, and jest before the +last time around his velosipede slipped and Charlie went fluking over +three settees. he jumped on his velosipede again and went around with +his britches all torn but he dident get around quite quick enuf to beat +Stone, then the townies yelled and said it was a cheat and the stewdcats +hissed, and some of the townies said they could lick the stewdcats, and +the stewdcats said they wasent man enuf and it looked as if there was a +going to be a row when Charlie Gerrish got up and said he was beat fair +and there wasent anything to get mad about, and that he would like to +shake hands with the stewdcat which beat him, and he wood like to race +him another time but he coodent then because he hurt his leg, and then +they shook hands and every one felt buly, and the stewdcats said hooray +for Charlie and the townies hollered hooray for Stone, and Bill Morrill +made a speech and give the prise to Stone and the band played and we +all went home. i bet Doc. Prey and Charlie Gerrish can lick any two +stewdcats in the hall. + +Mar. 2. i went to a show in the town hall tonight. it was a singing show +called the haymakers. it was splendid. Mr. Gale got it up. they have +been practising all winter. Alice Gewell was a dary maid and Charlie +Lane was a katydid, and lots of others sung. it was splendid. + +Mar. 3. Cloudy but no rane. went down to Langley's store for some juju +paste, saw a fite. Old Kize tried to arest Bill Hartnit and Bill lammed +time out of him and after a while old Swain came up and arrested him. + +Mar. 4. Brite and fair. Went to church to-day, the fernace smoked so the +people had to come home. They say they will have it fixed before next +Sunday. i hope not. + +Mar. 5. School closes tomorrow. i got kept after school tonight for +whispering to Cawcaw. + +Mar. 6. School closed today and we voted for prises. Mr. Gordon give 4 +prizes for the 2 best fellers and 2 best girls for the term. So we voted +for them. Most of the fellers wanted to vote for Jenny Morrison because +she was the prettiest girl there and can go the greeshun bend better +than enny girl in the school. and most of the girls dident like Jenny +Morrison and wanted to vote for Dora Moses and Mary Luverin, and the +girls wanted to vote for Lees Moses because he was polite to them and +rather go with the girls than the boys and we holler at him, but he can +fite for i saw him lick Gim Erly one day, and Gim Erly can rassle better +than enny one but Jack Melvil. well most of the fellows wanted to vote +for Tady Finton or Pop Clark or Skinny Bruce because they never get +mad or cry when they are licked and make lots of fun, but we knew they +coodent get the prize for they are all the time raising time and getting +licked and so we voted for Honey Donovan and Moses Gordon, and when the +votes was counted Dora Moses and Mary Luvering got the prizes for the +girls and Mose Gordon and Nigger Bell for the boys. That was all write +about Dora Moses and Mary Luverin because they was the best girls and +always went together, but we dident like it very well about Mose and +Nigger, only we thought that so long as Mose's father give the prizes +Mose ought to have one. i gess most of the girls must have voted for +Nig, because they was mad with Lees Moses. i know what they was mad at +too. + +Then the first class give old Francis a present of some books and +when he turned over the leaves there was twenty dollars there, and old +Francis was surprised and made a fine speech, and the people all clapped +becaus he made such a good speech. i heard him saying it over the night +before when i was kept after school. No school for 2 weeks. + +Mar. 7. When my father was a boy he was the best fiter in this town. + +Mar. 9. Went down to Fatty Melchers today to make a violin, we cut a +piece of wood the shape of a violin then take some horsehairs and strech +them over a brige and you can play a tune on them. in school i learnt to +play on a piece of india rubber. you pull a piece of elastic out of your +congres boot and hold it in your teeth and pull it tite and snap it with +your fingers and you can play tunes that you can hear but no one else +can. old Francis saw me snapping the elastic and came and took it away. +i have got plenty more in my boot. i am saving money to buy me a cornet. +when i get enuf i am a going to play in the band. +++ + +Mar. 10. plesent day. old Si Smiths big white dog and a bull dog had an +awful fite today. neether licked and they had to squert water on them +to seperate them. they dident make no noise, only jest hung write on to +each others gozzles. my aunt Sarah said it was dredful, and she staid to +the window to see how dredful it was. + +Mar. 11, 186- Went to church in the morning. the fernace was all write. +Mister Lennard preeched about loving our ennymies, and told every one +if he had any angry feelings toward ennyone to go to him and shake hands +and see how much better you wood feel. i know how it is becaus when me +and Beany are mad we dont have eny fun and when we make up the one who +is to blam always wants to treet. why when Beany was mad with me becaus +i went home from Gil Steels surprise party with Lizzie Towle, Ed Towles +sister, he woodent speak to me for 2 days, and when we made up he +treated me to ice cream with 2 spoons and he let me dip twice to his +once. he took pretty big dips to make up. Beany is mad if enny of the +fellers go with Lizzie Towle. she likes Beany better than she does enny +of the fellers and Beany ought to be satisfied, but sometimes he acks +mad when i go down there to fite roosters with Ed. i gess he needent +worry much, no feller isnt going to leave of fiting roosters to go with +no girls. well i most forgot what i was going to say, but after church i +went up to Micky Gould who was going to fite me behind the school house, +and said Micky lets be friends and Micky said. huh old Skinny, i can +lick you in 2 minits and i said you aint man enuf and he called me a +nockneed puke, and i called him a wall eyed lummix and he give me a +paist in the eye and i gave him a good one in the mouth, and then we +rassled and Micky threw me and i turned him, and he got hold of my new +false bosom and i got hold of his hair, and the fellers all hollered hit +him Micky, paist him Skinny, and Mister Purington, Pewts father pulled +us apart and i had Mickys paper collar and necktie and some of his hair +and he had my false bosom and when i got home father made me go to bed +and stay there all the afternoon for fiting, but i gess he dident like +my losing my false bosom. ennyway he asked me how many times i hit Micky +and which licked. he let me get up at supper time. next time i try to +love my ennymy i am a going to lick him first. + +Went to a Sunday school concert in the evening. Keene and Cele sung +now i lay me down to sleep. they was a lot of people sung together and +Mister Gale beat time. Charlie Gerish played the violin and Miss Packerd +sung. i was scart when Keene and Cele sung for i was afraid they would +break down, but they dident, and people said they sung like night horks. +i gess if they knowed how night horks sung they woodent say much. father +felt pretty big and to hear him talk you wood think he did the singing. +he give them ten cents apeace. i dident get none. you gest wait, old man +till i get my cornet. + +Went to a corcus last night. me and Beany were in the hall in the +afternoon helping Bob Carter sprinkle the floor and put on the sordust. +the floor was all shiny with wax and aufully slipery. so Bob got us to +put on some water to take off the shiny wax. well write in front of the +platform there is a low platform where they get up to put in their votes +and then step down and Beany said, dont put any water there only jest +dry sordust. so i dident. well that night we went erly to see the fun. +Gim Luverin got up and said there was one man which was the oldest voter +in town and he ought to vote the first, the name of this destinkuished +sitizen was John Quincy Ann Pollard. then old mister Pollard got up and +put in his vote and when he stepped down his heels flew up and he went +down whak on the back of his head and 2 men lifted him up and lugged him +to a seat, and then Ed Derborn, him that rings the town bell, stepped up +pretty lively and went flat and swore terrible, and me and Beany nearly +died we laffed so. well it kept on, people dident know what made them +fall, and Gim Odlin sat write down in his new umbrella and then they +sent me down stairs for a pail of wet sordust and when i was coming up +i heard an auful whang, and when i got up in the hall they were lugging +old mister Stickney off to die and they put water on his head and lugged +him home in a hack. they say Bob Carter will lose his place. me and +Beany dont know what to do. if we dont tell, Bob will lose his place and +if we do we will get licked. + +Mar. 12. Mister Stickney is all write today. gosh you bet me and Beany +are glad. + +Mar. 13, 186- brite and fair. Mr. Gravel has bought old Heads carrige +shop. he is a dandy and wears shiny riding boots and a stove pipe hat +and a velvet coat and goes with Dan Ranlet and George Perkins and Johny +Gibson and the other dandies. i went down today and watched Fatty Walker +stripe some wheels. + +Mar. 14. clowdy. Elkins and Graves had an oxion to-night. Beany got ten +cents for going round town ringing a bell and hollering oxion. i went +with Beany and it was lots of fun. Beany wouldent treet. he says he +is saving money for something. i know what it is it is a valintine for +Lizzie Tole. it was mean of Beany not to treet becaus i did as much +hollering as he did. + +Mar. 15. The funniest thing hapened to-day you ever saw. after brekfast +me and father took a walk and then went and set down on the big school +steps. father was telling me some of the things he and Gim Melcher used +to do. father must have been a ripper when he was young. well ennyway +while we was talking old Ike Shute came along through the school yard. +Ike wears specks and always carries a little basket on his arm. he cant +see very well, and father said to me, now you jest keep still and you +will see some fun and when Ike came along father changed his voice so +that it sounded awfully growly and said where in the devil are you going +with that basket, and Ike was scart most to deth and said only a little +way down here sir and father said, move on sir and move dam lively and +i nearly died laffing to see Ike hiper. well after a while i see Ike +coming back with old Swane and old Kize the policemen. i tell you i was +scart but father only laffed and said you keep still and i will fix it +all right. so when they came up he said to old Kize what is the trouble +Filander and he said Mr. Shute here has been thretened by some drunken +rascal, and father looked aufuly surprised and said that is an infernal +shame, when did it happen Isak, and Ike said about fifteen minits ago +and father said we have been here about as long as that and i dident see +the scoundrel. how did he look Isak, and Ike said i coodent see him very +well George but he was a big man and he had a awfu deep voice and father +said did he stagger enny and Ike said i coodent see wether he did or +not but i cood tell he was drunk by his voice. so old Swain and old Kize +went down behind the school house and off thru the carrige shop yard +to see if they cood find him, and me and father walked home with Ike to +protect him and father said now Isak if ennyone insults you again jest +come to me and if i can catch him i will break every bone in his body, +and father and Ike shook hands and Ike shook hands with me and then we +went home and father began to laff and laffed all the way home and then +he told mother and aunt Sarah and they said it was a shame to play such +a trick upon him and father laffed all the more and said Ike hadent +had so much exercise for a year and it wood do him good and give him +something to think about. ennyway they said it was a shame to teech me +such things, and father said he would rather i wood be tuf than be like +Ike, and Aunt Sarah said i never wood be half as good as Ike for he +never did a wrong thing in his life, and father laffed and said he +dident dass to for his mother wood shet him in the closet. it was +aufully funny, but i gess they was right. i shall never be half as good +as Ike. i wonder if old Swane and old Kize have caught that man yet. + +Mar. 16. Pewt dreened 18 marbles and 2 chinees out of me to-day. we was +playing first in a hole. school today. sailed boats in the brook in J. +Albert Clark's garden and got pretty wet. + +Mar. 17. Scott Briggam has got some little flying squirrels. he is going +to get me one for thirty-five cents. i am going to take it out of my +cornet money. + +Mar. 18. Father wont let me play marbles in ernest. it aint enny fun +dreening a feller and then giving them back. i bet father didnt when he +was a boy. + +Mar. 19. Scott Briggam brought my squirrel today and i paid him 35 +cents, 3 ten cents scrips and five cents. i have got it in a bird cage. + +Mar. 20. my squirrel got out of the cage last nite and father found him +in the water pail drownded. father got up in the night and got a dipper +and drank some water out of that pail, he dident eat any brekfast +because he was thinking that the squirrel might have been in the pail +then. i wonder if it was. ennyway 35 cents of my cornet money has gone +up. + +Mar. 23. school today. went down to Pewts to draw pictures. Charlie +Woodbury can draw the best, then Pewt, and then me. Beany dont like +to draw. we was talking about what we was going to be when we grew up. +Charlie Woodbury is going to be a picture painter, Pewt is going to be a +lawyer, Potter Gorham and Chick Chickering are going to stuff birds for +a living, Beany is going to be a hack driver, Gim Wingit is going to run +a newspaper, Cawcaw Harding is going to be a piscopal minister becaus he +says they only have to read their speaches out of a book, Nipper Brown +is going to be a professer, Priscilla Hobbs is going to play a organ in +the baptis church. Prisil can play 3 tunes now on a little organ. i am +going to be a cornet player like Bruce Briggam. cornet players can go to +all the dances and fairs and prosessions and are invited in and treated +when people are married and they serrinade them at night, and they don't +have to work either. + +Mar. 25. almost as warm as summer, went to church and Sunday school. +Beany has got a job blowing the organ for Kate Wells. he only let the +wind go out 2 times today. it was funny becaus when the organ stopped +Mister Wood who was singing let out an auful hoot before he knowed what +he was doing Beany will lose his job if he does it again. + +Mar. 29, 186- The toads has come out. fine warm day. me and Potter +Gorham have been ketching toads this afternoon. they sit in the pudles +and peep. folks think it is frogs but most of it is toads. Potter got +23 and i got 18. tonite i put my toads in a box in the kitchen after the +folks went to bed. in the night they all got out of the box and began to +hop round and peep mother heard it and waked father and they lissened. +when i waked up father was coming threw my room with a big cane and a +little tin lamp. he had put on his britches and was in his shirt tale, +and i said, what are you going to lick me for now i havent done nothing +and he said, keep still there is some one down stairs and mother said +dont go down George and father said, lissen i can hear him giving a +whistle for his confedrit, i will jump in and give him a whack on the +cokonut. i had forgot all about the toads and you bet i was scart. well +father he crep down easy and blowed out his lite and opened the door +quick and jest lammed round with his club. then i heard him say what in +hell have i stepped on, bring a lite here. then i though of the toads +and you bet i was scarter than before, mother went down with a lite and +then i heard him say, i will be cussed the whole place is ful of toads. +then mother said did you ever. and father said he never did, and it was +some more of that dam boys works and he yelled upstairs for me to come +down and ketch them. so i went down and caught them and put them out all +but 2 that father had stepped on and they had to be swep up. then all +the folks came down in their nitegounds and i went up stairs lively and +got into bed and pulled the clothes round me tite, but it dident do +enny good for father came up and licked me. he dident lick me very hard +becaus i gess he was glad it wasent a berglar and if it hadent been for +me it might have been berglars insted of toads. + +Mar. 30. brite and fair, went out with Potter Gorham. saw some toads 2 +robins and a blewbird. gosh it makes a feller feel good to see birds and +toads and live things. + +Mar. 31. April fool day tomorrow. i am laying for Beany. old Francis +licked 5 fellers today becaus they sung rong when we was singing speek +kindly it is better far to rule by luv than feer. + +April 1. auful cold and rainy. i was going to wright a love letter to +Beany and sine Lizzie Toles name to it but i told father about it for +fun and he said that it was fourgery and that i cood be prostecuted and +sent to jale. so i dident. tonite me and Beany rung five door bells for +april fool. + +April 2. been trying to get rid of some warts. Pewt says if you hook +a piece of pork after dark, rub it on the warts and say arum erum irum +orum urum and nurum 3 times turn round twice and throw the pork thru a +window, then the warts will all be gone the next day. me and Beany is +going to try it tomorrow. + +April 3. brite and fair. dident get a chance to hook the pork. + +April 4. The band played in the band room to-nite. it was warm enuf to +have the windows open and we cood hear it. i sat out in the school yard +til 10 oclock to hear it and father came out and walked me home. Beany +was mad becaus i cared more for the band than for getting rid of the +warts. + +April 6. dident wright anything last nite, was too scart. i never was +so scart in all my life before. me and Beany came awful near getting in +jale. we dident know where to hook the pork. i went to our cellar but +father was down there making vinigar all the evening, then we went to +Beanys cellar but Mister Watson was sitting on the cellar door. so Beany +told his father that a man was looking for him to see about a horse and +Mister Watson started down to the club stable. then Beany hooked the +pork and rubbed it over his warts and then i rubbed it over my warts and +we said arum erum irum orum urum and nururn 3 times jest as Pewt said, +turned round twice and i plugged the pork right threw a gaslite jest +then the gasman came along, he yelled at us and jumped out of his wagon +and went for us. we ran down threw the school yard as fast as we cood +hiper. there is a hollow in the corner of the school yard by Bill +Morrills back yard and there is a little hole in the bottom of the fence +where the fellers crawl threw when the football goes into his garden. +we skinned threw that hole jest in time. the gasman tried to crawl threw +but he coodent, then he clim the high fence but while he was doing that +we ran across the carrige factory yard and down by the old brewery up +Bow street and home. i went to bed pretty lively and so did Beany. gosh +but we was scart. + +April 7. One of Beanys warts has gone. + +April 8. brite and fair. my warts have not gone. + +April 9. brite and fair. my warts have not gone. + +April 10. Clowdy but no rane. my warts have not gone. + +April 11. rany. i have got 2 more warts. i gess i hadent ought to have +broke that gaslite. + +April 12. i have got another. + +April 13. bully day. me and Potter Gorharn and Chick Chickering went out +after toads today. i got 14 but i dident take them home you bet. + +April 15. Brite and fair. we all went to church today to see the Lanes. +they come from New York and when they go to church everybody goes to see +them. there was a boy with them named Willie. i bet i cood lick him. + +April 16. Nothing particular today. dont feel very well, kind of headaky +and backaky. + +April 20. have been sick for 4 days. went to school monday and had to +come home. when i got home i fell down on the steps and mother and aunt +Sarah came out and got me in the house and put water on my head and +rubbed my hands, and then the Doctor came and said, well Joanna, +children are a good deel of truble and then he felt of my rist and said +hum, and then he looked at my tung and said hum again, and then he pride +open my mouth and looked down my throte and said hum, and then he pulled +off my close and looked me over rite before mother and aunt Sarah and +said well he aint spekled eny. then he said what have you given him +Joanna and mother said, nothing, and the docter said, all right give him +some more, and mother said i havent given him enything docter, and then +he walked around the room and picked up some things and looked at them +and then he gave me some of the wirst tasting stuff i ever took. then he +said i gess he will be better tomorrow, and then he looked at some more +things and went home. i dident sleep very well that nite but was auful +hot and my head aked fearful. mother was in my room every time i waked +up, and Sarah too. next day i had the docter again he looked at some +pictures and things and told mother to give me some more. i always feel +better when the docter comes in. he dont scare a feller to deth. + +Well the next day i felt a little better and tried to sit up and have +my britches on, but i had to lay down again my head aked so, and after +awhile my head felt better and as i laid there i could look out of the +window and it seamed as if little chains that you could see through like +glass, were floating up and down they were about an inch long. well i +wached them till i almost went to sleep and jest as i was most asleep i +heard Beany out in the street holler, say Pewt, did you know that Plupy +is going to die, and Pewt said course i did, why dont you tell me some +news, and Beany said i heard he swalowed a peach stone and Pewt said it +was liver complaint, and then i heard some one say, you boys shet up. + +Gosh you bet i was scart. i hadent thought of dying. i began to howl and +holler for mother. she came running in and i told her i was going to die +and i told her about breaking the gaslite and a lot of other things +and she told me the docter said i was getting better and i wood sit up +tomorrow. well i better then and wished i hadent told mother about the +gaslite becaus i knew she wood make me tell father. well mother set +by my bed all the afternoon and read me some out of Billy Bolegs, jest +think of her doing that, so when supper time came i et a lettle tost and +had some current jelly. when father come home mother told him about the +gaslite and all he said was i wood have to pay for it out of my cornet +money. i thought he wood keep me in for a month. i gess mother must have +talked to him. + +That nite father slep on a lounge in my room. i went to sleep most as +soon as he come in. after awhile i dremp i was tied on a sawlog jest +going nearer and nearer to the saw and the saw was a going skratch-zoo, +skratch-zoo, skratch-zoo. well i tride to pull away but i coodent move +and i tride to holler and i coodent make a yip, and jest before the saw +sawed into me i woke up. gosh you bet i was glad, but the funny part was +that i could hear the saw going skratch-zoo, skratch-zoo, skratch-zoo, +and what do you think it was. it was father snoring. gosh you ought to +have heard him. well at first i laffed, but by and by i wanted to go to +sleep and father snoring so loud i coodent till mother came in and told +him to go to bed and she laid on the sofa all nite. the next day i set +up and had my britches on and set up to the window all day. i saw Beany +and Pewt and i nocked on the window and waved my claw at them. i am +going out tomorrow. + +April 22. i went out today. it was real warm. i dident go to church +becaus i had been sick. i let my rooster out to fite J. Albert Clark's. +they were fiting good when i looked up and there was father looking over +the fence. he made me stop the fite and shet my rooster up. i wonder if +he wood have stoped them if i hadent been there. i got 2 eggs today, +the old brama that i swaped for with Ed Tole and a bolten gray that John +Adams give me. + +April 23. i went to school today. i dident have to resite becaus i had +been sick. if i dont get wirse i can goto Mis Packerds concert tomorow. +hope it wont rane. + +April 24. brite and fair and it dident rane tonite, so i went to the +concert. all the girls was flowers. Keene was a crocuss and had to come +out and sing first becaus the crocuss is the first flower that comes +out. she sung i am the first of all the flowers to greet the eyes of +spring. + +Jenny Morison was a tuch me not and set in the top of a rock and +sung tuch me not, tuch me not let me alone. Nell Tole was a piny or a +sunflower i have forgot whitch. Jenny Morison and Keene and Nell Tole +are the best singers for their size in town. father thinks Keene can +sing the best. he feels pretty big about Keene. i told him so one day +and he said he had to becaus i dident amount to enything. i think Jenny +Morison can sing the best but dont tell him so for he wood give me a +bat. + +April 25, 186- Cant go down town for a week becaus i sassed J. Albert +Clark, that is J. Albert Clark says I sassed him but i dident. Beany had +been working for J. Albert raking up leaves in his garden. J. Albert +was a going to give him 10 cents for it and me and Beany was a going to +divide up on goozeberries and juju paist, but Beany dident dass to +ask J. Albert for his pay because he had raked all the leaves under J. +Alberts front steps and he was afraid J. Albert wood find out about it +and not pay him. Beany wanted me to ask him but i dident dass to because +i let my rooster out to fite J. Alberts last Sunday and J. Albert dont +believe in fiting roosters. last night he was setting on his steps with +some company and he had on his best lavender britches and his best blew +coat. + +So Beany said, tell you what Plupy, you set on your steps and i will set +on my steps and we will holler across the street about the money that J. +Albert owes me. So Beany he went across the street to his steps and he +hollered over, hi there Plupy have you got any chink, and i hollered +back, no Beany i havent got a cent, and Beany he hollered i shood have +10 cents if J. Albert Clark wood pay me what he owes me, and i hollered +why in time dont he pay you, and Beany hollered i gess he hasent got any +chink, and i hollered he has probably spent all his chink in buying them +lavender britches, and Beany he hollered, well if J. Albert Clark needs +the money more than I do he can have it. well while we was hollering +mister Head and the Head girls who was setting on their steps got up and +went into the house laffing, and the company at J. Alberts all laffed, +and J. Albert came down and beckoned to Beany and Beany he went running +over to get his 10 cents and J. Albert he said, Elbridge, that is Beanys +name, Elbridge you cood have your money enny time if you had asked me +for it decently, but now i shall not pay you for a week and i shall not +imploy you enny more. Tell you what, Beany came over to my steps feeling +pretty cheap and we was talking about it when mother called me in and +sent me up stairs, and said she wood tell father as soon as he came +home. So i went up stairs and looked out of the window jest in time to +see Beanys father lugging Beany in by the neck. Well that nite after +father got home he jawed me and said i coodent go down town for a +week and made me go to J. Alberts right before the company and ask his +forgiveness, and Beany had to to. J. Albert was a pretty good fellow and +said it was all right, and dident want our fathers not to let us go down +town, but father said i must learn to be respectable to my elders. Gosh +we dident know J. Albert was a elder. We knowed elder Stevens and elder +Stewart and deacon Gooch and we always was respectable to them, and if +we had knowed that J. Albert Clark was a elder we woodent have sassed +him for nothing. + +April 26. Yesterday and day before it was brite and fair, and yesterday +was as warm as summer. today, it was cold and it snowed a little. jest +enuf to make the ground look as if it was covered with salt. the birds +looked all humped up. i bet the frogs hind legs is about froze. it is +raining now. if i was a frog i woodent come out of the mud until summer. +perhaps they cant stay under more than six months. + +April 27. Warm again. 2 eggs today. i have got another hen. Willyam +Perry Molton gave it to me. it is a leghorn and his other hens licked +it and made its comb bludy and so he gave it to me. it was on the nest +today but did not lay. i went to church. Mr. Cram preeched. he talked +all about birds and flowers and i liked it. + +April 28. brite and fair. all 3 hens were on the nest but dident lay. + +April 29. no eggs today. mother said the hens cackled all the morning. +brite and fair. + +April 30. i dont see what the mater is with my hens. i havent got 1 egg +this week. father said there was a rat in the koop. i got a steel trap +of Sam Diar and tonite i set it in the koop. i put a peace of cheeze on +it. tomorrow morning i ges mister rat wont steal any more eggs. + +May 1. what do you think. this morning i got up to get my rat and i +found that my best hen, the bolton gray that John Adams gave me had +tried to pick the cheeze out of the trap and the trap had caught her by +the neck and killed her. i felt most bad enuf to cry. i thought i cood +get up before the hen did. i went to the may brekfast today. it was +may-fair day and they had a brekfast. me and Pewt, Beany, Whacker +and Pozzy Chadwick, Micky Gould, Pop Clark, Prisilla Hobbs, Chick +Chick-ering, Potter Gorham, Pile Wood, Curly Conner and all the fellers +were there. we had a good time and et till just before school time and +we had to hiper so as not to be late. + +May 2. no eggs today. both hens went on the nest. i am going to lay for +that rat with my bowgun. + +May 3. what do you think. this noon i set in the hen koop 1 hour. the +brama went on the nest and set a while and came off and cakled, then i +looked and she had lade an egg. i left the egg there and hid behind a +barrel and got my bowgun ready for the rat. well the leghorn hen went on +the nest and i suposed she was a going to lay, but she broke rite into +that egg and began to gobble it up. i was so mad that i let ding at her +with the bowgun and just then she stuck up her head and the arrow took +her rite in the back of the head. well i wish you cood have seen her. +she hollered one little pip and then went rite out of the nest backwards +and flapped round awful. i picked her up and she was dead. i dident mean +to kill her, i only wanted to make her jump and learn her not to eat +eggs. O dear, i dont know what father will say when he finds it out. + +May 5, 186- Saw a bully fite today. Cris Staples and Charlie Clark. +Charlie is visiting his uncle J. Albert Clark, the feller that we +sassed. that is he said we did but we dident. Charlie is a city feller, +he lives in Chelsy and think he knows a pile about things and gets mad +if we call him names. now every feller who amounts to anything has +a nickname, and some of them have 2 or 3. my nicknames are Plupy and +Skinny and Polelegs, and Beany is called Bullethead and sometimes Fatty. +i told Charlie that if i called him Charlie the fellers would call him +sissy or Mary and he better agree to let me call him bulldog or tomcat +or diddly or gobbler or some nickname whitch wood mean something. but +he said he would lam the head off of enny feller which called him names. +well you jest see what trouble he got into for not having a nickname. he +would have knowed better than that if he hadent lived in Chelsy. + +Well today me and Charlie was setting on his steps. Beany was mad +because i was going with Charlie and he had gone riding with his father +and he felt pretty big because his father let him drive. well while we +were setting there along came Cris Staples who carries papers for Lane +and Rollins store, and Cris hollered over, hullo Polelegs. Charlie +hadent heard enyone call me Polelegs. and i said, i woodent stand that +if i was you Charlie, now less see you lam the head off of him, and +Charlie he started across the road and walked up to Cris and said who +in time are you calling Polelegs and Cris wasent going to back down and +said, you, and Charlie said jest drop them papers and i will nock your +face rite off, and Cris dropped his papers and they went at it. it was +the best fite i have seen this year. they fit from Mr. Head's down to +Gim Ellisons corner, and Cris licked time out of Charlie, and Charlie +began to yell and give up and then Cris let go of his hair and told him +he was to smart, and that it was me he was calling Polelegs and not him, +and he better not be so smart another time, and Cris he picked up his +papers and went off with a great slit in his jacket and his necktie +way round on one side, and Charlie came home howling and Aunt Clark, +Charlie's grandmother came out and said, that is what you get Charlie +for quareling. see how much better Harry feels, and i said, yes mam. +Charlie is never going to speak to me again. + +May 7. Beany was pretty mad when I told him about the fite because he +dident see it. i gess he will find it don't pay to get mad with me. i +saw Charlie today but he dident speak. he has got a black eye. Cris has +got a funny looking nose on one side. + +May 8. Chitter Robinson went in swiming today. i bet it was cold. + +May 9. Went down to the high school yard tonite to hear the band play. +they have got a new leader a Mister Ashman of Boston. he can play the +cornet with 1 hand. i went down today to pay the gasman for the gaslite +i broke. it cost 1 dollar and i have only got 87 cents for my cornet. +sometimes i dont believe i shall ever get that cornet. Scott Brigam can +blow a bugle. a bugle is like a cornet only a cornet has 3 keys and a +bugle is all covered with flappers and curly things where you put your +fingers. Rashe Belnap can play a cornet splendid but he dont play very +often. Frank Hirvey plays one that goes over his shoulder way behind his +back. gosh i wish i cood get a cornet. + +May 10. father has found out about my killing that hen. he dident get +mad but said i ought to have cut her head off and she wood be good to +eat, but i supose it is to late now for it is almost a week ago and i +burried her the next day. + +May 11. me and Potter Gorham went mayflowering today. i got a bunch +and sold them to a student named Chizzum for 35 cents. i put it with my +cornet money. i have now got $1.22. i can get a cornet for 25 dollars a +second hand one. i am afraid i shall never get that cornet. + +May 12. Rany last nite and this morning. in the afternoon it cleared up. +gosh i wish you cood see the licking Beany got tonite. me and Beany went +out to go up to see Pewt and make some sweet fern sigars. Beany came +over for me and went up to Pewts. on the way Beany went up an rung his +doorbell and we hid behind the fence and Mister Watson, Beany's father, +came out holding a light and shading it with his hand. the wind blew the +lite out and in going in again he hit his head an awful bump against +the door. me and Beany nearly died laffing only we tride not to laff +too loud. well we went up to Pewts and Pewt had been sent to bed for +something and so we started back and met a man who said is this you +Elbridge, it was pretty dark and Beany said yes and Mister Watson +grabbed us both by the collar and said, so you are the boys who rung my +doorbell and then he give Beany a rap on the side of the head and began +to shake him round lively and while he was shaking Beany up i put for +home. i hid behind the fence and i cood hear him say i will learn you +to asosiate with that misable Shute boy and wast your time ringing +doorbells, and Beany was saying, o father i will never do it again. i +nearly died laffing to hear Beany a rattling round on the sidewalk. i +hope Mister Watson wont tell father. i gess he wont for he gets over his +mad pretty quick. every time i think of Beanys legs flying round in the +air i giggle rite out and when i think of Mister Watson bumping his head +i nearly die. sometimes i think it pays to be tuff. + +May 13, 186- Keene and Cele have got some new crokay slippers. you bet +they feel pretty big about it. + +May 14. nothing particular today. + +May 15. Went in swimming today. the water was pretty cold but i swum +acros the river twise. + +May 16. the suckers have come. Potter Gorham caught three yesterday. me +and Potter was going yesterday after school but father woodent let me +becaus i dident split my kindlings. + +May 17. the band played tonight. father made me go to bed at nine but i +cood hear it becaus my window is jest acros the road. they are playing a +new peace. it is the woodup quickstep, they say Ned Kendall cood play it +on a bugle better than ennybody. old Robinson cood and Mister Ashman can +play it splendid. it goes + + ta-ta tata, ta-ta tata, ta-ta tata + tatatatatatata. + ta-te-ta-te-tiddle iddle-a + ta-te-ta-te-tiddle iddle-a + ta-te-ta-te-tiddle-iddle-a + tiddle-iddle-iddle-iddle-ata + +it is the best peace they play except departed days. that always makes +me feel like crying it is kinder sad like. i hope i can get my cornet +some day. + +May 19. had a auful toothake today and had to go down to docter Pitman +and he pulled it out. i tell you it hurt. Docter Pitman said the roots +must have reached way to the back of my neck. Beany went with me and +then told all round that i hollered. you jest wait Beany. + +May 21. erly this afternoon me and Fatty Melcher got some real segars +at Henry Simsons store and went down behind old man Churchills store and +smoked them. we were both auful sick and laid there all the afternoon. +when i went home i walked wobbly and mother asked me if i was sick and +she put me to bed and was going to send for the docter, but father came +in and when he found out what aled me he laffed and said it served me +rite. then after supper he set out on the steps rite under my window and +smoked a old pipe and i cood smell it and i thought i shood die. then +mother asked him to go away and he laffed and said all rite, but he +gessed i had enuf for one day and she said she gessed so and i gess so +too. he said if it hadent made me sick he wood have licked me. + +i dont see why it is so, father swears sometimes when he hits his thum +with a hammer and once when he was in the dark he was walking towards +the door with his arms out to feel for the door, one arm went on one +side of the door and the other arm on the other side and he hit his nose +a fearful bump rite on the ege of the door, and i wish you cood have +heard him swear, well if i swear he licks me, and he smokes and if i +do he says he will lick me and he dont go to church and if i dont go he +says he will lick me. O dear i gess i wont smoke enny more. + +May 22. Went in swimming today twise, once down to the raceway and once +up to the gravel. + +May 23. Went butterflying with Chick Chickering today, it is a little +early for them, but we got two blew and black ones and three little red +ones. Me and Chick are making aquariams. Chick has got a splendid glass +one. i made mine out of a butter firkin. i sawed it off half way and +then washed it out with soft soap and rensed it 2 or 3 times and then i +put in some white sand and stones and i have got some little minnies and +kivies and a little pickerel. it looks splendid and i change the water +every 3 days. + +May 24. Nothing particular today. + +May 25. i can swim under water from the big tree on Moulton's side of +the river at the gravel to the tree on the bank on Gilman's side. i went +in 3 times today. + +May 26. My rooster is sick. he has et something. he sits all humped up. +i went in swimming 2 times today. + +May 27. My rooster is pretty sick. i tride to give him some kiann pepper +tonite. father said kiann pepper was good for sick hens, so i held his +mouth open and give him a spoonful. when i let him go he kept his mouth +open and sorter sneezed pip-craw pip-craw pip-craw, and then he went +to the water dish and began to drink. i think he is better because he +hadent drank any water for 2 days before. he was still drinking when i +went away. i gess he will be a lot better tomorrow. + +May 28. What do you think, this morning when i went out to feed my hens +i found my rooster dead. he had drank up all the water and he was all +puffed up. i felt pretty bad. father says i gave him enuf kiann pepper +for a horse. he aught to have told me. he was a pretty good rooster too. +i am having pretty tuff luck. + +May 29. i read over my diary today. i have forgot to tell whether it was +brite and fair or rany, i cant say now. + +May 30, 186- Nothing particular today. brite and fair. + +May 31. brite and fair. went up to Whacker Chadwicks today after school +to help him plant his garden. we had about a bushel of potatoes to plant +and it was fun to sit round a basket and cut up the potatoes. after a +while Gim Erly and Luke Mannux cume along and we began to plug potatoes +at them, they plugged them back and we had a splendid fite, me and Whack +and Pozzy and Boog Chadwick on one side and Gim Erly and Luke Mannux and +Bob Ridly on the other. Luke Mannux hit me twice rite in the back of the +head. i am going up tomorrow to help them some more. went in swimming +once to-day. + +May 32 no i mean June 1. i went up to Chadwicks after school. Captin +Chadwick was there and they wasent enny pluggin potatoes. went in +swimming. + +June 2. Rany. Beany is mad with me. i dont care. + +June 3. went to church today. + +June 4. clowdy but no rane. went up to Chadwicks today and sawed wood. +Boog and Pozzy fit while me and Whack sawed wood then we went in swiming +down to Sandy Bottom. some body tide some hard gnots in my shirt. i +forgot to split my kindlings tonite. + +June 5. brite and fair. Beany is still mad. + +June 6. brite and fair. i know what Beany is mad about. he thinks i told +about his getting a licking. i dident tell. he can stay mad if he wants +to. + +June 7. father has bought a horse of Dan Randlet. i rode up to Brentwood +with Sam Diar to get it. it is the prettiest horse i ever saw. i rode +it down from Brentwood and it goes jest as easy as sitting on a spring +board. when i got home Beany got over his mad and came over and i gave +him a ride. me and Beany never were mad so long before. + +June 9. Rany. this afternoon me and Beany and father went to ride with +the new horse. her name is Nellie. + +June 10. brite and fair. we keep Nellie down to Jo Hanes stable. Frank +Hanes is learning me how to clean her off. she nipped my arm today and +made a black and blew spot. went in swimming today. + +i have to get up every morning and harnes Nelly and drive father to the +depot. i like it because i always race with the men coming down front +street. there is George Dergin and Fred Sellivan and Gim Wingit and i +can beat them all. i dont tell father that i race. i rode Nellie this +afternoon with Frank Hanes and Ed Tole. i dident go in swimming today. + +June 11. brite and fair. Nellie kicked me today. i gess i scrached +her today to hard with the curycomb. it dident hurt me much. i went in +swimming twise. + +June 12. brite and fair. Me and Chick Chickering went bullfroging today, +we got 3 dozen hind legs and sold them to Mr. Hirvey for 30 cents and +took our pay in icecream. + +June 13. Rode Nellie this noon. i have to go to the half past five train +every nite for father. i like to drive but i dont like to go every nite. + +June 14. Rashe Belnap and Horris Cobbs go in swimming every morning at +six o'clock. i got a licking today that beat the one Beany got. last +summer me and Tomtit Tomson and Cawcaw Harding and Whack and Poz and +Boog Chadwick went in swimming in May and all thru the summer until +October. one day i went in 10 times. well i dident say anything about it +to father so as not to scare him. well today he did go to Boston and he +said i am going to teech you to swim. when i was as old as you i cood +swim said he, and you must lern, i said i have been wanting to lern to +swim, for all the other boys can swim. so we went down to the gravil and +i peeled off my close and got ready, now said he, you jest wade in up +to your waste and squat down and duck your head under. i said the water +will get in my nose. he said no it wont jest squat rite down. i cood see +him laffin when he thought i wood snort and sputter. so i waded out a +little ways and then div in and swam under water most across, and when i +came up i looked to see if father was supprised. gosh you aught to have +seen him. he had pulled off his coat and vest and there he stood up to +his waste in the water with his eyes jest bugging rite out as big as +hens eggs, and he was jest a going to dive for my dead body. then i +turned over on my back and waved my hand at him. he dident say anything +for a minute, only he drawed in a long breth. then he began to look +foolish, and then mad, and then he turned and started to slosh back to +the bank where he slipped and went in all over. When he got to the bank +he was pretty mad and yelled for me to come out. when i came out he cut +a stick and whaled me, and as soon as i got home he sent me to bed for +lying, but i gess he was mad becaus i about scart the life out of him. +but that nite i heard him telling mother about it and he said that he +div 3 times for me in about thirty feet of water. but he braged about my +swiming and said i cood swim like a striped frog. i shall never forget +how his boots went kerslosh kerslosh kerslosh when we were skinning home +thru cros-lots. i shall never forget how that old stick hurt either. +ennyhow he dident say ennything about not going in again, so i gess i am +all rite. + +June 15, 186- Johnny Heeld, a student, came to me and wanted me to carry +some tickets to a dance round to the girls in the town. there was about +1 hundred of them. he read the names over to me and i said i knew them +all. so after school me and Beany started out and walked all over town +and give out the tickets. i had a long string of names and every time +i wood leave one i wood mark out the name. i dident give the Head girls +any because they told father about some things that me and Beany and +Pewt did and the Farmer girls and the Cilley girls lived way up on +the plains and i dident want to walk up there, so when i went over to +Hemlock side to give one, i went over to the factory boarding house and +give some to them. they was auful glad to get them too and said they +would go to the dance. some people was not at home and so i gave their +tickets to the next house. it took me till 8 o'clock and i got 1 dollar +for it. i dont beleive those girls that dident get their tickets will +care much about going ennyway. i gess the Head girls wont want to tell +on me another time. + +June 16. Dennis Cokely and Tomtit Tomson had a fite behind Hirvey's +resterent today. Hirvey stopped them jest as they were having a good +one. Thats jest the way. i dont see why they always want to stop a fite. +All fellers fite for is to see which can lick, and how can they tell +unless they fite it out. + +June 17. Brite and fair. They is going to be a big cattle show here this +fall. They are going to have it in a field up by the depot. They are +going to have horse trots and shows and everything. We are going to have +no school. it dont come for an auful while yet. Charles Taylor is going +to have Nelly to ride. + +June 18. Me and Mickey Gould had a race horseback. he had one of Ben +Merril's little black horses, we raced way round Kensington ring. i cood +beat trotting and he cood beat running. when i got home Nelly was so +swetty that father told me not to ride her for a week. + +June 19. Went up to Chadwicks after school. Boog and Whack got Willie +fiting with Johnny Rogers. Willie licked him. Willie is Whack's little +brother. he is a auful cunning little feller. he can fite too. all the +Chadwick's can fite. + +June 20. Brite and fair. i am going fishing tonite with Potter Gorham. + +June 21. brite and fair. went fishing today with Potter Gorham. i cought +5 pirch and 4 pickeril. i cleaned them and we had them for supper. +father said they was the best fish he ever et. i also cought the biggest +roach i ever saw, almost as big as a sucker, and i cant tell what i +did with him. i thought Potter had hooked him for fun, but he said he +dident, and we hunted everywhere for him. i dont know where i put that +roach. + +June 22. the students had their dance last nite. they had a auful time. +some of the girls which dident get no tickets was mad, and the students +which wanted them to go was mad and they went to Johnny Heeld and give +him time. then he went round and told them how it was and give them +tickets. well the nite of the dance everything was all rite until lots +of people came which hadent been on the list, but which we had given +tickets. well the students dident want to let them in and they were mad, +and Chick Randal hit a student named Pendry rite in the nose and nocked +his glasses off and Nichols nocked Johnny Lord way acros the entry and +they was going to have a big fite when Bob Carter and 2 or 3 men stoped +it. today Johnny Heeld came down to the house and said i had got things +all mixed up and father made me give back the dollar. but he told Johnny +Heeld he hadent ought to have let me try such a hard job. Gosh, i am +glad father thinks it was a mistake, and dont know that i did it on +purpose. + +June 23. there is a dead rat in the wall in my room. it smells auful. + +June 24. Rany. most time for vacation. the smell in my room is fearful. + +June 25. more trouble today. it seems as if there wasent any use in +living. nothing but trouble all the time. mother said i coodent sleep in +that room until the rat was taken out. well father he came into my room +and sniffed once and said, whew, what a almity smell. then he held his +nose and went out and came back with mister Staples the father of the +feller that called me Polelegs. well he came in and put his nose up to +the wall and sniffed round until he came to where my old close hung. +then he said, thunder George, this is the place, rite behind this +jacket, it is the wirst smell i ever smelt. then he threw my close in a +corner and took out his tools and began to dig a hole in the wall, while +father and mother and aunt Sarah stood looking at him and holding their +nose. after he dug the hole he reached in but dident find ennything, +then he stuck in his nose and said, it dont smell enny in there. then +they all let go of their nose and took a sniff and said murder it is +wirse than ever it must be rite in the room somewhere. then father said +to me, look in those close and see if there is ennything there. so i +looked and found in the poket of my old jaket that big roach that i +lost, when i went fishing with Potter Gorham. it was all squashy and +smelt auful. father was mad and made me throw the jaket out of the +window and wont let me go fishing for a week. ennyway i know now what +became of my roach. + +June 26. Keene and Cele are going to sing in the Unitarial quire. father +says he will give them some bronze boots. mother got them some new nets +for their hair today. girls has lots more done for them than fellers. + +June 27, 186- Brite and fair. school closed today. we dont have enny +more school til September. snapcrackers have come. 8 cents a bunch at +old Langlys store. Lane and Rollins sell them for 10 cents. torpedos 8 +cents a bunch. pin wheels 1 cent each. Pewt is going to have a cannon. +father wont let me have a cannon. he says i dont know enny more than to +look into it and blow my head off. + +June 28. clowdy but no rane. 4th of July pretty soon. father says when +he was a boy all they had for fireworks was balls of wool soaked in +tirpentine whitch they lit and fired round. i am glad i did not live +then. + +June 30. clowdy but no rane. went in swimming 3 times today. i am going +bullfroging monday. + +June 31. no July 1. Went to church today. + +July 2. i went bullfroging today. thunder storm today. + +i have got 10 bunches of snapcrackers and some slowmatch. i spent a +dolar of my cornet money. i gess i shall never get that cornet. i hope +it wont rane the 4th. + +July 3. Nite before 4th. Pewt and Beany can stay out all nite. father +took my snapcrackers into his room and said if i get up before 5 i cant +have enny. + +July 4. i am to tired to wright ennything. i never had so much fun in my +life. i only got burned 5 times. 1 snapcracker went off rite in my face +and i coodent see ennything til mother washed my eyes out. Zee Smith +fired a torpedo and a peace of it flew rite in the corner of my eye and +made a blew spot there. i fired every one of my snapcrackers. it took me +all day. + +July 5. brite and fair. i dident wake up today til 10 o'clock. i was +pretty sore and my eyes felt as if they was sawdust in them. + +July 6. brite and fair. father staid home today. i wanted him to go +fishing but he woodent. + +July 7. father told me i cood go fishing and stay all day. i dont know +what had come over him becaus most always he raises time when i go +fishing and dont come home erly. so i went and cought 3 pickerels and 4 +pirch and 2 hogbacks and went in swiming 2 times. well as i was a coming +home 2 or 3 people met me and said they was company at my house, so when +i got home i skined in the back way so as not to see the company til i +got on my best britches, but i met father in the door and he told me to +go rite up to mothers room and see the company. so i skined up to her +room holding my hand behind me becaus i had tore my britches auful +getting over a fence and i dident want the company to see. well what +do you think the company was. it was the homliest baby you ever see, +it looked jest like a munky and made feerful faces and kinder squeaked +like. Mother was sick and they was a old fat woman who told me to go +out, but mother said she wanted to see me and she kissed me and asked me +to kiss the baby. i dident want to but i did it becaus mother was sick. +mother asked me how many fish i caught and what kind and i told her and +said she shood have some for her supper, but she said she gessed she +woodent have enny jest then. + +then i went down stairs and father did i like the baby and i said it was +homly, and he said it was 10 times as good looking as i was and he said +he was glad that when the baby grode up it woodent have Beany and Pewt +to play with and woodent be tuff like me, and then Aunt Sarah said she +gessed me and Beany and Pewt wasent enny tuffer than father and Gim +Melcher were when they was boys, and then father laffed and told me to +go to bed and i went. that was a auful homly baby ennyway. + +July 8. nothing particular today. you bet that baby can howl. went to +church. + +July 9. brite and fair. most every morning we go up in mothers room to +see the old fat woman wash the baby and hear it howl. it turns black in +the face. i bet it will be a fiter. + +July 10. i have got a new nickname. it is yallerlegs. that is becaus +father bought me a pair of kinder yellow britches, and made me wear +them. i bet he woodent like to be called yallerlegs. + +July 11. brite and fair. went in swiming today to a new place. we call +it the stump. it is up by the eddy. + +July 12. a thunder storm. in the afternoon went fishing but dident get a +bite. Pewts father says fish wont bite after a thunder storm. + +July 13. a auful hot day. tonite i went up to the depot to see Majer +Blake and Charles Tole fite over passengers to the beach. + +July 14. i am going to the beach to stop with Beany in his fathers tent. +it is called hotel de pig. + +July 15. i gess i will go tomorrow. + +July 16. me and Beany went to the beach and stopped all day and all +nite. we had a bully time. + +July 17. another hot day. went in swiming 4 times. my back is all +burned. + +July 18. me and Beany got in the newsleter today. the paper said the +Siamese twins was at the beach stoping at Watsons tent. Pewt was mad +becaus we got in the paper and he dident and told all round that it +dident mean me and Beany but Rashe Belnap and Horris Cobbs. + +July 19. Hot as time. nothing particular today. + +July 20. Hot as time. nothing particular today. + +July 21. Auful hot. big thunder shower and litening struck a tree in +front of Perry Moltons house. + +July 22. Went to church. Beany let the wind out of the organ and it +squeaked and made everybody laff. Keene and Cele sing in the quire. +father feels pretty big about it. + +July 23. i got stung by hornets today. i went in swiming at the eddy and +when i was drying my close i set rite down on a stump where there was a +nest of yellow bellied hornets. they all lit on me and i thought i was +afire for a minit. i ran and div rite off the bank and swam way out +under water. when i came up they were buzing round jest where i went +down. when i came out the fellers put mud on my bites and after a while +they stoped hurting. i tell you the fellers jest died laffing to see me +run and holler. + +July 24. Brite and fair. i was all sweled up with hornet bites but +they dident hurt enny, i looked jest like Beany when he had the mumps. +everyone laffed at me. + +July 25. i got a fishhook in my leg today. me and Fatty Melcher was +a fishing when we got our lines tangled, i hollered first cut, but i +dident have enny nife and Fatty woodent let me have his nife. So we got +jerking our lines kinder mad like and all of a suddin the hook got into +my leg. gosh you bet it hurt. me and Fatty got the hook out but it bled +some. the worst of it was there was a wirm on the hook and when we got +the hook out they wasent enny wirm there. Fatty says people sometimes +dies from having wirms in them. i bet this one has crawled way in. it +may grow inside of me. something is always hapening to me. when i got +home i went down to docter Derborns store and bought some wirm medicine +and swalowed sum. it was auful bitter. it cost 20 cents out of my cornet +money. + +July 26. brite and fair. i was all rite today except my leg was stiff +mother asked what made me lame and she put on a peace of pork. i told +her about the wirm and she said the pork wood draw him out if he was +there but she gessed he dident go in. when i told her about the wirm +medecine she jest set down and laffed. so i gess i needent wory about +having wirms. i went down to doctor Derborns and tride to get him to +take the medicine back but he said he woodent. i think he is pretty mean +not to. + +July 27. i coodent go in swiming today on account of my leg. all the +fellers went in and i had to set on the bank and see them. + +July 28. Coodent go in swiming today either. my leg is nearly well. +mother took off the pork today. it was all white where the pork was. i +can go in swiming Monday. i went down to the library tonite. it is the +first time i have been down since Joe Parsons chased me out. i gess he +has forgotten it. i got out Bush Boys to read. it is a splendid book +about shooting lions and zebras and gerafs and everything. + +July 29. i tried to have father let me stay away from church today +because my leg was sore but he said all rite you can stay, but i gess +that leg will be too sore to let you go in swiming this week. so i went +to church and dident limp enny. this afternoon i set under the apple +tree and read Bush Boys. father and mother went to ride with Nellie. it +is the first time mother has been out. Aunt Sarah took care of the baby. +they gess they will name it Edward Ashman Shute. i gess it is named +Ashman after the leader of the band. i am going to tell him tomorrow and +see if he wont sell me a cornet on trust. brite and fair. + +July 30. Brite and fair. i told father i was going down to see Mr. +Ashman, and he said if you ever do i will lick you. the babys name is +Edward Ashton Shute and not Ashman. i woodent name him for enny cornet +player. it is pretty tuff luck. if i cood have got that cornet i woodent +have minded a licking. went in swiming today. + +July 31. Franky had the croop last nite. i waked up and heard him cough +auful funny and kinder as if his throte was tite. i called mother and +she came in and hollered for Aunt Sarah and father and they rushed round +lively and gave him egg and sugar and put hot cloths on his throte til +he howled and after he cood howl he was all well. Aunt Sarah took him in +with her the rest of the nite. father said i was a brick to wake up and +call them. i dont know when he has called me a brick before. went in +swimming 3 times to-day. + +Aug. 1. brite and fair. Annie tumbled down the front steps from the top +to the bottom. she howled and mother thought she was about killed but +she was so fat that she dident hurt her. + +Aug. 2. father came home early to-day and took mother and Aunt Sarah and +Keene & Georgie to ride. Me and Cele staid to look after the house. Cele +went up stairs to look after the baby and when she was gone i got Annie +and Franky fiting. it was the funniest fite i ever saw. they jest pushed +each other round and tried to claw each other. while they was fiting +Cele came down stairs and pulled them apart and boxed their ears and +made them go in different rooms. She jawed me and said she wood tell +father. when father came home she told on me and father sent me to bed +at six o'clock. You jest wait Cele and you will find out. + +Aug. 3, 186- brite and fair. the fellers played a pretty mean trick on +me tonite. they played it on Nibby Hartwel last nite. Nibby is visiting +his aunt and comes from the city and is pretty green like most folks +from the city. you see if i hadent got sent to bed becaus Cele told on +me i wood have been there and seen them play it on Nibby. well last nite +all the fellers was out. Whack and Boog and Pozzy and Pewt and Beany and +Nipper and Cawcaw and Pile and Chick and Micky and Pricilla and Fatty. +Nibby he was there too. they wanted to play lead the old blind horse +to water and i was to be the blind horse. they said they had some fun +playing it the nite before, that was when they played it on Nibby but i +dident know that. Well you blindfole a feller and give him a rope and +a swich and the other fellers get on the other end of the rope and the +feller nearest you has a bell and rings it and you pull and if you can +pull him up to you, you can paist time out of him with your swich, only +if you pull off your blindfole all the fellers can paist time out of +you. Well they blindfoled me and hollered ready and i began to yank and +pull and the feller rung his bell and he came pretty hard at first but +i kept yanking and bimeby he come so quick that i nearly fell over back +wards and i felt him and grabed him and began to paist time out of him +when he grabed away my swich and began to paist me, and that wasent fair +and i pulled off my blindfole and who do you suppose it was, well it was +Wiliam Perry Molton and he was mad. they had tied me to his door bell +and i had yanked out almost ten feet of wire. when i saw who it was +gosh i began to holler and he stoped licking me. i gess he never licked +anyone before because he dident know just how to lay it on. well when +he found out how it was he let me go but he said he shood have to do +something about the boys distirbing him so. it was a pretty mean trick +to play on a feller. we are going to try and play it on Pop Clark +tomorrow nite. + +Aug. 4. brite and fair. me and Hiram Mingo had a race today to see +whitch cood swim the furtherest under water. i beat him easy. he can +lick me but i can beat him swiming. + +Aug. 5. Nothing particular today. only church. + +Aug. 6. the baby was sick today had the doctor. + +Aug. 7. the baby was sicker. i dident go in swiming. + +Aug. 8. the baby is better today. i went in swiming 5 times. + +Aug. 9. Raned all day. The baby is all rite. i went bullfroging with +Chick Chickering. + +Aug. 10. Nellie is sick. Joe Hanes cut a hole in her and put in a onion +and some braded hair and then father took her out to pastur. i cant ride +her for a month. + +Aug. 11. brite and fair. mister Watson, Beanys father got throwed off of +his horse today and renched his rist. the horse coodent have throwed him +but the gert broke. Mister Watson can ride splendid. + +Aug. 12. brite and fair. No more church this month. bully. + +Aug. 13. brite and fair. i went down to Ed Toles and me and Ed rode on +the hack with Joe Parmer. + +Aug. 14. Ed Tole and Frank Hanes are mad. Frank hollered over to Ed, +Ed Tole fell in a hole and coodent get out to save his sole, and Ed +hollered back Frank Hanes aint got no branes. and then they was mad. + +Aug. 15. Wiliam Perry Molton has got some ripe apples in his back yard. +me and Pewt helped him ketch some hens today and he said we cood have +some apples if they was any on the ground. they was only 2 wirmy ones +but before we left 5 or 6 fell off i gess it was because Pewt pushed me +agenst the tree. they was pretty good apples too. + +Aug. 16. Rany. i went fishing with Potter Gorham. caught 3 roach and 5 +hornpowt. we et them for supper. father said i can clean fish most +as well as he can. he says he will come home some day erly and go a +fishing. + +Aug. 17. John Gardner has hung up a Grant and Colfax flag. they will be +some fun this fall. + +Aug. 18. brite and fair. Today i went fishing with Fatty Melcher. we +caught some ells and some hornpowt. ells and hornpowt can live a long +time out of water and so when i got home i put 5 that were alive in the +rane water barril. + +Aug. 19. brite and fair. it is fun to sit round all day Sunday and not +have to go to church. + +Aug. 20. brite and fair. i had to spend the whole morning in going to +the river for water for washing. it was wash day and when mother went to +the rane water barril there was 5 dead hornpowt floting on the top. she +made me tip the barrel over and get water from the river. they was some +fun for Beany helped me and he stood in the hand cart and filled the +tubs and all of a sudden i let go and the old cart flew up and Beany and +the tub and the pail and everything went rite in. Beany isent going to +speak to me ever again. + +Aug. 21, 186- Gosh, we are having fun now. what do you think. they is +going to be a big mass meeting this fall. Ben Butler and Jake Ely and +lots of old pelters are going to be here, and they is going to be 4 or +5 bands and lots of fun. well before that comes they is going to be lots +of political meetings and the first one is to be next week, and father +is going to make a speach. Gim Luverin and Bil Morrill and General +Marsten and Tom Levitt, and he is a ripper to holler. and they want +father to make a speach. father says he must work for the party and +perhaps he can get his salery rased. so he has been a riting every nite +and mumbling it over to hisself and last nite he said he had got it. +tonite he is a going to speak it to us. + +Aug. 22. last nite father studed his speach over and let us stay up +to hear it. he stood up and looked auful stirn and put one hand in the +buzum of his shert. i coodent help laffin, but he told me to shet up +or i cood go to bed and so i shet up. i tell you it was fine. It begun +Mister Moddirator had i supposed, or for 1 moment dremp that i a humble +offis holder under this glorious government, wood have been called upon +to speak, i shood have remained at home with my wife and my children. + +i said, if you dont want to make a speach why dont you stay at home +that nite, and he said 1 more word from you sir and you go to bed. so i +dident yip again. + +then he went on like this, were it not that a crool axident in my erly +youth, in my far away boyhood days prevented me from voluntearing and +desecrating my life to my countrys welfare, in the strugle jest ended +i wood have poared out evry drop of my blud to have maintaned her owner +and the owner of her flag. mother began to laff and said George how +can you tell such feerful stories, you know you were scart most to deth +becaus you was afraid you wood be drafted. + +father said they was a lot of old fellows traveling round the country +and talking that way who coodent have been drug into the war with a ox +chane. then he stood on the other leg a while and said, it is peculiarly +aproprate that Exeter, the berth place of Lewis Cas, the educater of +Webster, the home of Amos Tuck, of General Marston shood be fourmost +in the party strife, and as for me i wirk only for my partys good, my +countrys good, without feer or hope of reward. they was a lot more to +it, and some of it you cood hear about a mile he hollered so. + +Aug. 23. We are all going the nite of the rally. mother says she wont go +for she wood be ashamed to hear father tell such dredful stories. Aunt +Sarah dont want to go because she is afraid father will brake down. but +she has got to go with me and Keene and Cele and Georgie. + +Aug. 24. father practised his speach tonite and we all hollered and +claped at the fine parts. he has got a new pair of boots. they hurt like +time and he only wears them nites when he is practising his speach. + +Aug. 25. father licked me tonite becaus i spoke some of his speach to +Beany. he was auful mad and said i was the bigest fool he ever see. the +fellers have got up a Grant Club. Pricilla cant belong because he is a +demicrat. + +Aug. 26. father called me and Beany out behind the barn tonite and gave +us 10 cents apeace if we woodent say anything about his speach. after +supper father practised again but he dident holler so loud becaus he was +afraid some body wood hear him and mother dident want him to wake up the +baby, and it was sunday too. + +Aug. 27. it has been brite and fair all the week and hot as time. i have +to go to the river for soft water because it hasent raned eny since i +had to tip over the rane water barril. i have got a little tirtle as big +as a cent. father went down to General Marstons office tonite to arrange +about the rally. he came home and practised about an hour. i gess he +wood have practised all nite if the baby hadent waked up an hollered. + +Aug. 28. we are all getting ready for the rally. Keene and Cele and +Georgie have got some new plad dresses. father has got a pair of gray +britches and a black coat. mother said the rally was a good thing +becaus it was the first time she had seen father dressed up since he was +married. + +Aug. 29. they was a big thunder shower last nite. we all got up in the +nite and went into mothers room. mother sat on the fether bed and all +them that was scart cood set there. i wasent scart. father said it would +be jest the cussid luck to have it rane the nite of the rally. + +Aug. 30. we had the last practise tonite, father put on his best close +and new boots and the girls had on their plad dresses and i had on a new +paper coller. we all set down and father came in and stood up. i tell +you he looked fine. well he begun, mister modderater had i suposed or +for 1 moment dremp, and then he forgot the rest. i tell you he was mad. +i wanted to laff but dident dass to. well after a while he remembered +and went through it all rite, and then he went over it 2 times more. +gosh what if he shood forget it tomorrow nite. he is going to wright +some of it on his cufs and he practised tonite making jestures so as to +bring his cufs up so that he cood read it. + +Aug. 31. the rally is tonite. father woke us all up last nite hollering +in his sleep. he dremp about the speach. this morning he went to Boston +without eating his brekfast. i gess he is begining to be scart. i am a +going to make his boots shine today. gosh what if he shood brake down. i +gess i am getting a little scart too. brite and fair. + +Sept. 1. Last nite father came home and the first thing he did was to +send me down to miss Pratts for his shert. it was all pollished and +shone like glass. then he asked if i had blacked his boots and then he +et supper. he dident eat much though. he said Mr. Tuck came down from +Boston with him. Mr. Tuck was a going to make a speach first and then he +was going to introduce Gim Loverin as chairman and then Gim Loverin was +a going to call on father. father said he bet 5 dollars he wood call him +Gim instead of mister modderator. father was pretty cross at supper. i +gess he was getting scart. the baby began to cry and father asked mother +why she dident choak the squawling brat and mother sorter laffed and +put the baby into fathers lap and said i gess you had better choak him. +father laffed and began to toss the baby up and down. he likes the baby +and while he was playing with it he was all rite. but after supper he +was cross and said he hed an auful headake. then he went practising his +speach again so as not to call the modderator Gim. well we got ready and +went down erly to get some good seats so as to hear father and see him +come in with them that was to set on the platform. we wanted to go down +with father but he said he coodent bother with us. but before we went he +came down stairs with his new close on and he looked fine but his face +looked auful white. he said he had a headake but as soon as he got +started to speak it wood all go off. so we went down. Cele had her hair +curled and Keene had a new red silk ribbon on her hair becaus her hair +wont curl and Aunt Sarah had on a new dolman with beeds on it and some +long coral earrings and they all looked fine. Aunt Sarah took Georgie by +the hand becaus she was the littlest and me and Keene and Cele followed +on. + +When we got there the band was playing in front of the town hall and +aunt Sarah said i cood stay out and hear it and then said i cood sit +with Gim Wingit and Willy Swet if i wood behave. i said i wood and we +lissened and after the band went in we went too. most all the seats were +taken and we got some bully seats way up in front. i looked for father +but coodent see him becaus the speakers hadent come in. well jest as +soon as we got in the policeman was up in front and he said they has +been to much whisling and stamping and the next one that whisles or +stamps will get put out. well they was old Swane and Brown and Kize and +Dirgin and every body kept quiet. after a few minits the band began to +play hale to the chief and the speakers came marching up the middle ile. +i looked for father but he wasnt there. evrybody began to clap and stamp +and Gim and Willy asked me where my old man was. i stood up to see if he +was there and jest then i saw the policeman a rushing at me. he grabed +me by the collar and shook me round till i dident know which end my head +was on and he draged me down the ile and threw me out. as we were going +down the ile i saw Aunt Sarah running down the other ile as fast as she +cood go with her bonnet on the back of her head and Keene and Cele and +Georgie following along all bawling. she got out in the entry jest as +he was going to put me out of the front door and she grabed me away from +him and said you misable cowardly retch to treat a boy that way. he said +i whisled and she said he dident and you knew it only you dident dass +take ennyone else. + +Then she told us to come home and we went home as fast as we cood all +bawling. when we got home mother was sitting up alone and aunt Sarah +started to tell her and Keene and Cele and Georgie all bawled and you +never heard such a noise, and father was in bed with a headake and +hollered out what in time is the matter. and she told him and i +heard him jump out of bed and in a minit he came out buttoning up his +suspenders. Mother said where in the world are you going George, and +he said things is come to a pretty pass if a boy cant go and hear his +father make a speach without being banged round by a policeman. i am +going down to knock the heads off every policeman there. and he reeched +for his vest. mother said George, dont you go near the hall, and father +said he cood lick anny 2 men on the police force easy and he would show +them how to slam people round and he reeched for his coat, and Keene and +Cele and Georgia began to bawl again to think he wood get hurt and aunt +Sarah and mother said you had better not go George, and father said he +wood give them more fun in 5 minits than they had seen in a political +rally in 5 years and he reeched for his boots and mother said what will +they think of you after you have sent word that you are too sick to +make a speach, to see you come rushing into the hall and go punching the +policemen and father had got on 1 boot and when she said that he began +to look kinder sick and said, thunder that is so. and then his headake +got wirse and he gave me a twenty five cent scrip and Keene and Cele and +Georgie ten cents each and he went to bed and so did we. + +i wonder if his head aked really so he coodent make a speach or if he +was scart. i bet he was scart. + +school commences monday. father hasent asked once about my diry, so i +aint going to wright enny more. + + + + +THIRTY YEARS (OR MORE) AFTER + +On looking back over the pages of the "Diary" it appears to me that some +sort of an amende honorable is due to those citizens now living, and the +relatives and friends of those now dead, whose names have appeared in +the "Diary" and who have, so to speak, been handled without gloves. That +I have been neither mobbed, nor horsewhipped, nor sued, nor prosecuted, +but that I have enjoyed many a good laugh with--and have received many +pleasant words from--the victims, and their friends, is good evidence +that they, and their more fortunate brothers who have not been therein +mentioned, have taken the "Diary" in the very spirit in which it was +published, that of affectionate and amusing retrospect. And it is indeed +with affection that I recall those men, at that time in their prime. +That I could not then understand the reason why they did not fully enter +into and appreciate the spirit that prompted me and my boon companions +to transgress so many rules, laws, and statutes is not surprising. Boys +seldom can understand it. But, although I now fully appreciate it, I +often wonder at the spirit that prompted so many of those men in after +years to show me so many kindnesses, so much encouragement, and such +great forbearance. + +So many inquiries have been made of me about that cornet, the +soul-filling ambition of my early years, that I feel that the +uncertainty in regard to that delightful instrument ought to be cleared +up. I never did save up enough money to buy a cornet. I haven't to this +day. But many years afterwards, when my ambition had been turned into +other and equally profitless channels, upon the death of a dear friend +his beautiful cornet was sent me. I have it now, as the neighbors and +the members of my family can testify fully and with deep feeling, if +called upon. + +H. A. S. + + + + +DRAMATIS PERSONAE + +A good many years ago, during my college days, it was my custom and that +of my room-mate, Brown of Exeter, to make our room the gathering-place +for Exeter boys, both "stewdcats" and homesick Exeter youths then +filling positions in Boston. It happened that frequently undergraduates +from other towns and cities came in at these Saturday evening gatherings +and it was a matter of wonder to them that we had so much to talk about +in relation to our native town; and it was their frequent remark that +"either Exeter is a remarkable place, or you are a remarkably loyal set +of fellows." + +That Exeter is a remarkable place is an axiom, and no better evidence of +the fact can be found (were evidence necessary to sustain an axiom) than +in the loyalty that every citizen displays, and the sincere love that +prompts every one who has ever come under the spell of our dear old town +to revisit her at every opportunity. + +Where else could a diary of this nature, dealing with actual persons +and actual events, be published and be received with such absolute +goodnature and even enthusiasm by the persons now living who are +mentioned therein? + +It is therefore with affection as well as amusement that I append +the following brief biographical sketches of persons mentioned in the +"Diary," preserving as nearly as possible the order of their appearance +in the book. As many readers of the "Diary" have expressed a desire to +know more of the subsequent histories and achievements of those therein +mentioned, it is hoped this information will satisfy a curiosity and +interest which, to a loyal son of Exeter, appear quite natural:-- + + +1. Father. GEORGE S. SHUTE. + +A native of Exeter. For twenty-six years a clerk in the Boston Naval +Office. Still living in Exeter, an old man with a young tongue; in fact, +the quickest man at repartee in Exeter. + +2. Mother. + +My mother died in the winter of 1896. No words can do justice to her +qualities. "A sweeter woman ne'er drew breath." + +3. "Gim" Melcher. + +An old friend of my father's. Died in Maiden a few years ago. + +4. Some of the men who were "wrighting fast" in the Custom House +were the following:-- + +GEORGE DAVIS, of Lexington, who a year ago celebrated his fiftieth +consecutive year of service in the Naval Office; COLONEL IVORY POPE, +of Cambridge; BENJAMIN A. SIDWELL, of East Boston; JACOB A. HOWE, of +Maiden; FRANK HARRIMAN, a brother of the late Governor Harriman +of Concord, N. H. HIRAM BARRUS, of Reading, Mass. deceased; C. C. +WHITTEMORE, of Portsmouth, N. H.; CHARLES MUDGE, of Maiden; MATTHEW +F. WHITTIER, of Medford, a brother of the poet Whittier, and a +newspaper-writer of considerable prominence, writing under the pen-name +of "Ethan Spike"; and TRISTRAM TALBOT, of Newburyport, with others +whom the writer does not now recall. A few years later the writer spent +several of his college vacations as deputy clerk in the same Naval +Office, and made pleasant acquaintances with all of the above-named men. +He found them very competent clerks, courteous gentlemen, and the best +story-tellers that he ever knew, and recollects those vacations as very +pleasant periods in his school life. Some of them still hold positions +in the Custom House. + +5. Charles "Talor": CHARLES TAYLOR. + +A great friend of the family. Died in Exeter about ten years ago. + +6. "Beany": E. L. WATSON. + +In business at Williamstown, Mass. Attained his boyhood ambition and +married Lizzie "Tole," Ed's sister. + +7. "Pewter": C. E. PURINGTON. + +My near neighbor, a decorative painter, who early displayed talent in +this direction. + +8. "Skinny Bruce": WM. J. BRUCE. + +A tinsmith of Exeter who still thinks he could have licked Frank +Elliott. + +9. Frank Elliott. + +A successful mechanic in Boston, who is confident that he could have +licked "Skinny" Bruce. + +10. "Nipper": JOHN A. BROWN. + +Exeter. Chairman of the School Board. Trustee of the Seminary. Trustee +of the Library. My room-mate at Harvard. + +11. "Micky" Gould. + +I do not know what became of "Mickey." Wherever he is, there is a +good-natured, jolly man. + +12. Mr. Winsor. + +Address not known. How he could throw a snowball. + +18. "Ed" Towle. + +Exeter, N. H. With a keen memory for old days. + +14. "Dany" Wingate. + +A very prominent man. The father of J. D. P. and C. E. L. Wingate of the +Boston Journal. Died at Exeter many years ago. + +15. "Whacker": COL. A. M. CHADWICK. + +Lowell, Mass. + +16. "Pozzy": AUSTIN K. CHADWICK. + +Lowell, Mass. + +Two of the best known and most respected citizens of Lowell. Dignified +and sedate, but just touch on old Exeter days and watch their eyes +twinkle and their tongues loosen. + +17. "Pricilla": PROF. CHARLES A. HOBBS. + +Boston. Has written some dreadful mathematical works, and revisits +Exeter often, but not often enough. + +18. "Pheby": CHARLES A. TAYLOR. + +Has inherited the very qualities that made his father so good a friend. + +19. "Lublin." + +Address not known. + +20. "Nigger" Bell. + +So called because his hair was so very white. Professor of Chemistry in +a Western University. Died recently in Maiden. + +21. Tommy Thompson: R. G. THOMPSON. + +New London, Conn. + +22. "Dutchy": DR. WILLIAM A. SEAMANS. + +New York City. Fullback on the Harvard '77 eleven. There are several +ex-principals of the Exeter High School who will remember Thompson and +Seamans in very clear and vivid colors. + +28. "Chick" Chickering: PROF. JOHN J. CHECKERING. + +Flushing, L. I. Commissioner of Public Education of New York State. + +24. "Tody": TIMOTHY FINTON. + +Exeter. An expert wood-worker with a leaning for politics. + +25. "Gim" Wingate: JAMES D. P. WINGATE. + +Winchester, Mass. The business manager of the Boston Journal. + +26. "Skipy": H. C. MOSES. + +Exeter. For many years in the wholesale wool business in Boston. One of +the keenest sportsmen and best wing shots in New Hampshire. + +27. "Pile": JOHN G. WOOD. + +Chicago. Manager of the McKay Cordage Factory in Chicago. Promises to +return to Exeter when he has made his "pile" ($100,000). From present +indications, the prospect is favorable. + +28. Billy Folsom: WM. H. FOLSOM. + +Exeter. Member of the firm of E. Folsom & Co. Brass Works. One of +Harvard's greatest pitchers. + +29. "Hoppy" Gadd. + +A very eccentric but sterling citizen, who could make cowhide boots +which, like the panels in the "one-horse shay," "would last like iron +for things like these." Died in Exeter a few years ago. + +30. "Si" Smith. + +The man with the "funny sine." Died in Exeter nearly thirty years ago. + +31. "Gran" Miller and "Ben" Rundlet. Addresses not known. + +32. Squire Lane. + +Died in Lynn. + +33. Charles Burley. + +Died in Exeter. For many years Treasurer of Phillips Exeter Academy, and +Superintendent of the "Unitarial" Sunday School. + +34. "Keene": MY SISTER, MRS. C. E. BYINGTON. + +Exeter. A very able and accomplished woman. The one to whom all members +of the family go when in trouble. + +35. Lucy Watson. + +Mrs. Frank Conner of Lynn. + +36. "Curley" Conner: MR. FRANK CONNER. + +Lynn. Husband of the aforesaid. + +37, "Jo" Parsons: MR. JOSEPH S. PARSONS. + +Boston. An expert bookkeeper. + +38. "Billy" Swett: MR. WM. SWETT. + +Jamaica Plain. I remember him as one of the most polite and affable boys +I ever met. + +39. Mr. "Lovel," who said, "o hell": C. LOVELL, 2d. + +One of the best amateur actors and jolliest men I ever knew. Died +recently. + +40. John Flanagan. + +Exeter. A tinsmith and co-laborer with "Skinny" Bruce. + +41. "Gimmy" Fitzgerald. + +Died at Exeter thirty years ago. + +42. "Old" Head: OREN HEAD. + +Many students will affectionately remember him. Deceased. + +43. "Bob" Carter. + +The old janitor of the Town Hall. Gruff, but very kind-hearted. +Deceased. + +44. "Wats": IRVING M. WATSON. + +Father of "Beany," and pleasantly like him. + +45. John Getchell. + +A liberal, free, and kind-hearted Exeter merchant. Deceased. + +46. Eben Folsom. + +Uncle of "Billy," and head of the firm of which Billy is a member. + +47. "Charlie": DR. C. H. GERRISH. + +48. "Doc" Prey: DR. J. E. S. PRAY. + +Gentlemen both, of whom the writer can say everything good. + +49. Alice "Gewett," who was "a dairy maid": Miss ALICE JEWELL + +Instructor of singing in the schools of Exeter. + +50. "Old Kize": PHILANDER KEYES. + +A policeman of thirty years ago. Deceased. + +51. "Bill" Hartnett. + +Who used to make it lively for the last mentioned. A man of many good +qualities notwithstanding. Deceased. + +52. "Old" Swain. + +A contemporary of "Old Kize," and a co-laborer in the same vineyard. + +53. "Mister" Gordon: HON. NATHANIEL GORDON. + +A retired lawyer of Exeter. + +54. Dora Moses. + +55. Mary "Loverin": MRS. MARY LETHBEIDGE. + +Two beautiful girls and inseparable companions, whose deaths were +untimely and irreparable. + +56. "Cele": My sister, CELIA E. SHUTE. + +Exeter. A stenographer, and a writer of short stories for magazines. + +57. "Caxcaw" Harding: PROF. B. F. HARDING. + +Boston. An early advocate of those methods of instruction that result in +"mens sana in corpore sano." + +58. "Doctor" Dearborn. + +A most eccentric old apothecary. Died in Exeter a few years ago. + +59. "Aunt Sarah": Miss SARAH F. SHUTE. + +Exeter. The favorite aunt of a large family, all of whose geese are +swans. + +60. "Fatty" Melcher: F. A. MELCHER. + +Boston. So named because he was not fat. + +61. "Genny" Morrison: MRS. JOHN J. JOYCE. + +Andover, Mass. By not appearing at our Grammar School Reunion "Genny" +disappointed five hundred people. + +62. J. Albert Clark. + +Exeter. One of the proprietors of the Exeter Machine Works. He has +always had a very kindly interest in "Beany" and "Plupy," in spite of +the many annoyances he suffered at their boyish hands. + +63. "Bill" Morrill: MR. WM. B. MORRILL. + +For many years selectman of Exeter. Died in 1878. + +64. "Dave" Quimby. + +Every student will recollect him. Died at Exeter recently. + +65. "Chitter"': JAMES ROBINSON. + +A truckman in Boston. + +66. "Boog" Chadwick. + +A New York broker, whose "heart's in the highlands;" to wit, Exeter. + +67. "Pop" Clark: WILL CLARK. + +Roxbury, Mass. A born comedian and a delightfully entertaining man. + +68. "Shinny" Thyng. + +One of the few Exeter boys who continues his father's business at the +old stand. If more did the same, the prosperity of country towns would +be assured. + +69. "Gim" Erly. + +Lives somewhere in the West. + +70. "Honey" Donovan: WILLIAM DONOVAN. + +Providence. + +71. "Mose" Gordon. + +A Texas cattle-man. + +72. Mr. Lamed. + +Unitarian clergyman. Deceased. + +73. "Gil" Steels. + +A merchant in Denver. + +74. "Mis Packer A": MRS. MARY PACKARD. + +A famous local singer, now living in California. + +75. "Gim Loverin": JAMES M. LOVERING. + +A very shrewd politician. Deceased. + +76. "Old Mister Stickney": JUDGE W. W. STICKNEY. + +With whom I studied law. Deceased; not, however, because of that fact. +Judge Stickney was a sound lawyer and an upright, kind-hearted man. + +77. "Ed" Dearborn. + +The old bell-ringer. Deceased. + +78. John Quincy "Ann" Pollard: J. Q. A. POLLARD. + +A very old man, upon whom the boys were wont to play tricks, but who had +developed wonderful precision of aim with a knotted cane. Deceased. + +79. Dan Ranlet; D. W. RANLET. + +Boston Produce Exchange. + +80. George M. Perkins + +For many years an expressman between Boston and Exeter. + +81. John E. Gibson. + +Master of the Agassiz School, Boston. Residence, Jamaica Plain. I take +the opportunity to notify him that the Exeter High School holds its +quinquennial reunion June, 1903. + +82. Isaac Shute. + +A retired merchant of Exeter. Deceased. + +83. Major Blake. + +A famous Boniface, and for many years proprietor of the Squamscott. +Deceased. + +84. Charles D. Towle. + +An equally famous livery-stable keeper, who periodically fought to a +finish with Major Blake for passengers to Hampton Beach. Deceased. + +85. Frank Haines. + +A farmer. Residence, Exeter. + +86. "The Baby": EDWARD A. SHUTE. + +Exeter. Who can now handle his elder brother with ease. + +87. "Frankie": FRANK F. SHUTE. + +Who thinks he can do likewise, but cannot. A hotel-keeper at Lakewood, +New Jersey. + +88. "Annie": Miss ANNIE P. SHUTE. + +Who, by virtue of a clerkship in my office, owns the entire +establishment. + +89. "Georgie" + +Instructor in Latin and French in the Albany Academy, Albany, N. Y. + +90. "Nibby." + +A summer visitor named Hartwell. Deceased. + +91. Hiram Mingo. + +A colored boy. Address not known. + +92. Joe Palmer. + +A hackman with whom the boys used to ride. Address not known. + +93. John E. Gardner. + +A member of an old family of merchants in Exeter. Deceased. Brother of +Elizabeth Gardner Bouguereau, the artist. + +94. General Marston. + +A famous New Hampshire lawyer and veteran of the Civil War. Deceased. + +95. Amos Tuck. + +A famous lawyer, politician, financier, and Member of Congress. +Deceased. + +96. Mr. Gravel. + +Address not known. + +97. Elkins and Graves. + +Famous auctioneers at that period. Deceased. + +98. Scott "Briggam." + +One of the boys then, one of the boys now. Exeter. + +99. Charlie Woodbury. + +Deceased. + +100. "Potter" Gorham: ARTHUR GORHAM. + +Killed by an accidental discharge of his gun nearly thirty years ago. A +born naturalist. + +101. "Old Francis." + +For thirty-three years principal at the Grammar School at Exeter. On his +resignation, a few years ago, a reunion was held which was attended by +old pupils from every State in the Union, to do him honor. Still hale +and hearty, and living in Exeter. + +102. Doctor Perry. + +An old family physician, who has ushered more children and children's +children into the world than any man in the county, and who is beloved +and revered by every one of them. Miss Jewett, in her "Country Doctor," +based her delightful description upon Dr. William G. Perry, her uncle. +Living in Exeter. + +103. John Adams. + +Who his trimmed enough carriages to set all New Hampshire awheel, and +who still practises his trade in Exeter. + +104. Nell Towle: MBS. GEORGE W. HOOPER. + +Exeter. As rosy, good-natured, and musically inclined as she was in the +good old days. + +105. William Perry Moulton. + +A prosperous real-estate and insurance man, who unfortunately for +his peace of mind tried to raise Bartlett pears, Concord grapes, and +Astrachan apples in the neighborhood that was infested by "Plupy" +and his associates; who frequently tracked, chased, and caught them +red-handed, but who was too kind-hearted even then to deprive them of +their ill-gotten gains. + +106. "Chris" Staples. + +Who remembers the fight with Charlie Clark. + +107. Charlie Clark. + +Deceased. Just before he died he read the "Diary" and sent word to the +author that he remembered the scene in which he figured and much enjoyed +the book. + +108. Mr. Ashman. + +A veteran band-leader of Boston. + +109. Frank Hervey. + +A veteran restaurant-keeper in Exeter. New living in Concord, N. H. + +110. "Rashe Belnap": WILLIAM H. BELKNAP. + +A retired banker and real-estate man of Exeter. Town clerk of Exeter for +twenty-five years. + +111. Henry Simpson. + +Periodical dealer in the late sixties. Living in Maine. + +112. Luke Maniac. + +Now living in Texas. As a boy he could curve a snowball round the +corner, like T. B. Aldrich's "Binny Wallace." + +113. "Bob Ridley": GEORGE ELLIOTT. + +Exeter. A right good fellow. + +114. Sam Dyer. + +A rather eccentric blacksmith. Died in the West. + +115. Horace Cobb. + +A good-natured, short, and extremely fat man. A native of Exeter, and +last of a very prominent family. Died several years ago. + +116. Dennis Cokely. + +Address not known. I have always felt badly "to think the fight was +throwed away, and neither of them licked." + +117. Johnnie Rogers. + +A cousin of the Chadwicks. Deceased. + +118. Cap. John W. Chadwick. + +A retired sea-captain. Father of "Poz," "Boog," "Whack," and "Willie," +"Whack's little brother." A most cultivated gentleman, whose heart was +kind, but whose word was law. Deceased. + +119. "Zee" Smith: FRANK SMITH. + +Deceased in Lowell. + +120. Miss Pratt. + +A laundress much patronized by students. She accumulated much property +by practising the gentle art of polishing shirts. + +121. "Old Durgin": ME. EZRA DURGIN. + +A rather quick-tempered but worthy policeman, contemporary with "Old +Swain" and "Old Kize." + +122. Various "stewdcats." + +Who have played their parts and gone. + +123. "Plupy," "Skinny," "Polelegs": THE AUTHOR. + +De minimis non curat lex. + + + + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Real Diary of a Real Boy, by Henry A. 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Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: The Real Diary of a Real Boy + +Author: Henry A. Shute + +Release Date: February, 2004 [EBook #5111] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on April 29, 2002] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, THE REAL DIARY OF A REAL BOY *** + + + + +This eBook was produced by Kent Fielden (fielden3@aol.com). + +THE REAL DIARY OF A REAL BOY + +BY HENRY A. SHUTE + + + +INTRODUCTION + +In the winter of 1901-02, while rummaging an old closet in the +shed-chamber of my father's house, I unearthed a salt-box which had +been equipped with leather hinges at the expense of considerable +ingenuity, and at a very remote period. In addition to this, a hasp +of the same material, firmly fastened by carpet-tacks and a catch of +bent wire, bade defiance to burglars, midnight marauders, and +safe-breakers. + +With the aid of a tack-hammer the combination was readily solved, +and an eager examination of the contents of the box disclosed: -- + +1. Fish-line of braided shoemaker's thread, with perch hook, to + which adhered the mummied remains of a worm that lived and + flourished many, many years ago. + +2. Popgun of pith elder and hoop-skirt wire. + +3. Horse-chestnut bolas, calculated to revolve in opposite + directions with great velocity, by an up-and-down motion of the + holder's wrist; also extensively used for the adornment of + telegraph-wires, --there were no telephones in those days, --and + the cause of great profanity amongst linemen. + +4. More fish-hooks of the ring variety, now obsolete. + +5. One blood alley, two chinees, a parti-colored glass agate, + three pewees, and unnumbered drab-colored marbles. + +6. Small bow of whalebone, with two arrows. + +7. Six-inch bean-blower, for school use--a weapon of considerable + range and great precision when used with judgment behind a + Guyot's Common School Geography. + +8. Unexpended ammunition for same, consisting of putty pellets. + +9. Frog's hind leg, extra dry. + +10. Wing of bluejay, very ditto. + +11. Letter from "Beany," postmarked "Biddeford, Me." and expressing + great indignation because "Pewt" "hasent wrote." + +12. Copy-book inscribed "Diry." + +The examination of this copy-book lasted the rest of the day, and it +was read with the peculiar pleasure one experiences in reviewing +some of the events of a happy boyhood. + +With the earnest hope that others may experience a little of the +pleasure I gained from the reading, I submit the "Diry" to the +public. + +HENRY A. SHUTE. + +EXETER, N. H. Sept. 23, 1902. + + + +DIRY + +Father thot i aught to keep a diry, but i sed i dident want to, +because i coodent wright well enuf, but he sed he wood give $1000 +dolars if he had kept a diry when he was a boy. + +Mother said she gessed nobody wood dass to read it, but father said +everybody would tumble over each other to read it, anyhow he wood +give $1000 dolars if he had kept it. i told him i wood keep one +regular if he wood give me a quarter of a dolar a week, but he said +i had got to keep it anyhow and i woodent get no quarter for it +neither, but he woodent ask to read it for a year, and i know he +will forget it before that, so i am going to wright just what i +want to in it. Father always forgets everything but my lickins. +he remembers them every time you bet. + +So i have got to keep it, but it seems to me that my diry is worth a +quarter of a dolar a week if fathers is worth $1000 dolars, +everybody says father was a buster when he was a boy and went round +with Gim Melcher and Charles Talor. my grandmother says i am the +best boy she ever see, if i dident go with Beany Watson and Pewter +Purinton, it was Beany and Pewt made me tuf. + +there dos'nt seem to be much to put into a diry only fites and who +got licked at school and if it ranes or snows, so i will begin +today. + +December 1, 186- brite and fair, late to brekfast, but mother dident +say nothing. father goes to boston and works in the custum house so +i can get up as late as i want to. father says he works like time, +but i went to boston once and father dident do anything but tell +stories about what he and Gim Melcher usted to do when he was a +boy. once or twice when a man came in they would all be wrighting +fast, when the man came in again i sed why do you all wright so fast +when he comes in and stop when he goes out, and the man sort of +laffed and went out laffing, and the men were mad and told father +not to bring that dam little fool again. + +December 2. Skinny Bruce got licked in school today. I told my +granmother about it and she said she was glad i dident do enything +to get punnished for and she felt sure i never wood. i dident tell +her i had to stay in the wood box all the morning with the cover down, +i dident tell father either you bet. + +December 2. rany. i forgot to say it raned yesterday too. i got cold +and have a red rag round my gozzle. + +December 2. pretty near had a fite in schol today. Skinny Bruce +and Frank Elliot got rite up with there fists up when the bell rung. +it was two bad, it wood have been a buly fite. i bet on Skinny. + +December 3, 186- brite and fair. went to church today. Me and Pewt +and Beany go to the Unitarial church. we all joined sunday school to +get into the Crismas festerval. they have it in the town hall and +have two trees and supper and presents for the scholars. so we are +going to stay til after crismas anyway the unitarials have jest +built a new church. Pewt and Beany's fathers painted it and so they +go there. i don't know why we go there xcept because they don't have +any church in the afternoon. Nipper Brown and Micky Gould go there. +we all went into the same class. our teacher is Mister Winsor a student. +we call them stewdcats. after we had said our lesson we all skinned +out with Mr. Winsor. when we went down Maple street we saw 2 roosters +fiting in Dany Wingates yard, and we stoped to see it. i knew more +about fiting roosters than any of the fellers, because me and Ed +Towle had fit roosters lots. Mr. Winsor said i was a sport, well +while the roosters were fiting, sunday school let out and he skipped +acros the street and walked off with one of the girls and we +hollered for him to come and see the fite out, and he turned red and +looked mad. the leghorn squorked and stuck his head into a corner. +when a rooster squorks he wont fite any more. + +December 5. snowed today and school let out at noon. this afternoon +went down to the library to plug stewdcats. there was me and Beany +and Pewt, and Whacker and Pozzy Chadwick and Pricilla Hobbs. +Pricilla is a feller you know, and Pheby Talor, Pheby is a feller +too, and Lubbin Smith and Nigger Bell, he is'nt a nigger only we +call him Nigger, and Tommy Tompson and Dutchey Seamans and Chick +Chickering, and Tady Finton and Chitter Robinson. + +December 6. Gim Wingate has got a new bobtail coat. + +December 7, 186- Got sent to bed last nite for smoking hayseed +cigars and can't go with Beany enny more. It is funny, my father +wont let me go with Beany becaus he is tuf, and Pewts father wont +let Pewt go with me becaus im tuf, and Beanys father says if he +catches me or Pewt in his yard he will lick time out of us. +Rany today. + +December 8. Skinny Bruce got licked in school today. Skipy Moses was +in the wood box all the morning. + +December 9. brite and fair, speakin day today. missed in Horatius +at the brige. + +December 10. Clowdy but no rane. went to church. lots of new fellers +in sunday school. me and Beany and Pewt and Pile Woods and Billy +Folsom and Jimmy Gad and lots of others. Mister Winsor dident teach +today, gess they woodent let him on account of the rooster fite. + +December 11. My new boots from Tommy Gads came today. i tell you +they are clumpers. no snow yet. + +December 12. Crismas is pretty near, dont know wether i shall get +ennything. father says i dont desirve ennything. you can get +goozeberrys down to Si Smiths 1 dozen for 5 cents. He has a funny +sine it is + + flour + meal + molasses + sugar + coffe + tea + spises + pork & + lard + salt + butter + ham + eggs + &so + +December 15. Fite at resess today, Gran Miller and Ben Rundlet. +Ben licked him easy. the fellers got to stumping each other to +fite. Micky Gould said he cood lick me and i said he want man enuf +and he said if i wood come out behind the school house after school +he wood show me and i said i wood and all the fellers hollered and +said they wood be there. But after school i thaught i aught to go +home and split my kindlings and so i went home. a feller aught to +do something for his family ennyway. i cood have licked him if i +had wanted to. + +December 16. Tady Finton got licked in school today. snowed today +a little. + +December 17. rained in the nite and then snowed a little. it was +auful slipery and coming out of church Squire Lane fell down whak +and Mr Burley cought hold of the fence and his feet went so fast +that they seemed all fuzzy, i tell you if he cood run as fast as +that he cood run a mile a minite. + +December 18. brite and fair. nothing particilar. o yes, Skinny Bruce +got licked in school. + +December 19. Cold as time. Went to a sosiable tonite at the +Unitarial vestry. cant go again because Keene told mother i was +impident to the people. i want impident. you see they was making +poetry and all sitting around the vestry. they wanted to play +copenhagin and post office and clap in and clap out, but Mister Erl +woodent let them because it was in church. so they had to play +poetry. one person wood give a word and then the oppisite person +wood give a word that rimed with it. it was auful silly. a girl wood +give the word direxion and then a stewdcat wood say affexion and +waul his eyes towards the girl. and then another wood say miss, and +another stewdcat wood say kiss and then he wood waul his eyes, and +when it came my turn i said what rimes with jellycake, and the girls +turned red and the stewdcats looked funny, and Mister Burley said +if i coodent behave i had better go home. Keene needent have told +mother anyway. You jest wait Keene, and see what will happen +some day. + +December 20. Bully skating. went after school and skated way up to +the eddy, was going to skate with Lucy Watson but Pewt and Beany +hollered so that i dident dass to. John Toomey got hit with a hockey +block rite in the snoot and broke his nose. + +December 21. Brite and fair. nothing particular to-day. nobody got +licked. old Francis had his hand done up in a sling. he said he had +a bile on it. i tell you the fellers were glad. + +December 22. Warm and rany and spoiled the skating. coodent do +anything but think of Crismas. + +December 23. Saturday and no skating. went down to the library to +get a book for Sunday. me and Beany were sticking pins into the +fellers and making them holler and Jo Parsons the libarian jumped +rite over the counter and chased us way down to Mr. Hams coffin +shop. he dident catch us either. then we went down town and Billy +Swett lent me a dime novel to read sunday. it was named Billy +Bolegs a sequil to Nat Tod the traper. sequil means the things in +Nat Tod that was not finished. + +December 24. Brite and fair. Crismas tomorrow. went to sunday school. +Mr. Lovel is our teacher now. + +December 25. Crismas. got a new nife, a red and white scarf and a +bag of Si Smiths goozeberies. pretty good for me. + +December 26. Crismas tree at the town hall. had supper and got a bag +of candy and a long string of pop corn. Mr. Lovel took off the presents +and his whiskers caught fire, and he hollered o hell right out. +that was pretty good for a sunday school teacher, wasent it. +Jimmy Gad et too much and was sick. + +December 27. Beany has got a new striped shirt not a false bosom but +a whole shirt. Beany wont speak to me now. Lucy Watson has got a new +blew hat with a fether. she wont speak to Keene and Cele eether. you +jest wait Beany and Lucy and see. + +Jan. 1, 186-Had an awful time in school today. me and Cawcaw Harding +set together. when we came in from resess Cawcaw reached over and hit +me a bat, and i lent him one in the snoot, and he hit me back. we was +jest fooling, but old Francis called Cawcaw up front to lick him. +i thought if i went up and told him he wood say, noble boy go to +your seat, i wont lick neether of you. anyway i knew that Cawcaw +wood tell on me, and so i told old Francis i hit Cawcaw first, and +old Francis said Harry i have had my eye on you for a long time, and +he jest took us up and slammed us together, and then he wood put me +down and shake Cawcaw and then he wood put Cawcaw down and shake me +till my head wabbled and he turned me upside down and all the +fellers looked upside down and went round and round and somehow i +felt silly like and kind of like laffin. i dident want to laff but +coodent help it. and then he talked to us and sent us to our seats +and told us to study, and i tried to but all the words in the book +went round and round and i felt awful funny and kind of wabbly, and +when i went home mother said something was the matter and i told her +and then i cried, i don't know what i cried for, becaus i dident +ake any. father said he wood lick me at home when i got licked at +school and perhaps that was why i cried. ennyway when father come +home i asked him if he was a going to lick me and he said not by a +dam sight, and he gave me ten cents and when i went to bed i got +laffin and crying all to once, and coodent stop, and mother set +in my room and kept her hand on my forred until i went to sleep. +i drempt i was fiting all the time. when i get big enuf there is +going to be a fite between me and old Francis, you see if there aint. + +Jan. 2, Me and Beany has made up. i told him i had ten cents and +then he dident feel so big about his new shirt. ennyway we went down +to Si Smiths and got a dozen goozeberries and then went down to +doctor Derborns and got a glass of sody water and took turns +drinking it and seeing which cood gulp the loudest. Beany beat. + +Jan. 3. brite and fair. Went down to Pewts tonite to make hayseed +cigars. We made 5 kinds, hayseed, sweet firn, cornsilk, mullin +leeves, and grape vine. my mouth taisted aufuly all nite. + +Jan. 4. brite and fair. Pewt dident come to school today. i gess he +was sick. my mouth taisted aufuly all day. + +Jan. 5. clowdy and aufuly cold. Pewt came to school today and got a +licking for puting gum on Nigger Bells seat. Nig set in it til it +dride and then tride to get up and coodent. then old Francis come +down the ile and snaiked Nigger out and when he see the gum he asked +us who put it there. we all said we dident, but he licked Pewt +becaus he had seen Pewt chooing gum. + +Jan. 6. it snowed last nite and today. Speaking in school today. +i spoke the berrial of sir John More. old Francis said he never +heard ennything wirse in his life. i hope he wont tell father. +this afternoon we pluged stewdcats. + +Jan. 7. Ed Towle has got a gote. the fellers stumped me to hold him +by the horns and he buted me over in the slosh. mother said i had no +bisiness to be playing on sunday. + +Jan. 8. brite and fair. there is going to be a nigger show in the +town hall tonite. father says i cant go becaus i sassed aunt Sarah. +it is uncle Toms cabbin. + +Jan. 9. brite and fair. Beany went to the nigger show. he led one of +the bludhouns in the prosession and got a ticket. Beany had on a red +coat jest like the dogs. he said it was buly. + +Jan. 10. rany. Nipper Brown is the best scolar in my class. i am the +wirst. i can lick Nipper easy. + +Jan. 11. brite and fair. After school me and Beany and Pewt and +Fatty Melcher and Pozzy Chadwick and lots of fellers went skating on +fresh river. i was skating backwerd and i got one leg in a eal hole, +gosh the water was cold and before i got home my britches leg was +all froze. + +Jan. 12. nobody got licked in school today, gess why, becaus there +wassent enny school. old Francis was sick, i went skating. + +Jan. 13. brite and -- no it was rany. had a speling mach today in +school. Cele and Genny Morrison staid up til the last and then Cele +missed and set down balling, and Genny beat. i cant stop to wright +enny more becaus i am going to the levee with father. + +Jan. 14, 186- Went to a big levee last nite at the town hall. Bill +Morrill and Nuel Head and Dave Quimby and Frank Hervey got it up. +they had Hook and Pasons quadril band of Haverhil. father bought a +ticket becaus he was in the custum house and has to be frends with +people. it was splendid. most everybody went all dressed up in +blue silk and red and crokay slippers. Ham Perkins and Charlie Lane +and Charley Piper and Chick Randall and Dan Ranlet and Grace Morril +and the Head girls and Sweat girls and Carrie Towle and Sarah Clark, +J. Albert Clarks sister and the Melcher boys and they all hopped +round pretty lively, i tell you. i staid until 12 o'clock and +listened to the band. i never had so good time in my life. + +Jan. 15. i am all spekled over. mother says she is afrade i have +got chicken pocks. i gess i have been in the hen koop to mutch. + +Jan. 16. the speckles have all gone of. doctor Perry says i et to +many donuts. + +Jan. 18. brite and fair. yesterday to and day before yesterday i +have forgot. + +Jan. 19. snowed all day. Me and Beany is mad. + +Jan. 20. father is sick becaus he et to mutch salt fish and potato +and pork. he is auful cross and hit me a bat today becaus i left the +door open. i gess he will be sorry when i am ded. + +Jan. 21. brite and fair. went to church in the morning and in the +afternoon greeced some paper and trased some pictures. + +Jan. 22. i had to stay in the wood-box today for whispering to +Whacker with the cover down. i like it becaus they is a peep hole in +the box and you can see the fellers and they cant see you. by and by +Gimmy Fitsgerald whispered and old Francis put him in to and we +took turns peeping. + +Jan. 23. it raned hard all day and we had one sesion. Beany came +over and we made up and plaid in the barn making fly boxes. + +Jan. 24. nothing much today, rany in the morning and froze at night. + +Jan. 25. brite and fair. everything was covered with ice and when +father started for the depot he tumbled down the front steps from +the top to the botom. mother says he went bumpity bump and his hat +went one way and his dinner box went the other. i herd him swaring +aufuly about that dam boy, and i gess he wood have come up and +licked time out of me, but he had to hurry to get the train. + +Jan. 26. jest as soon as the skating comes it has to snow and spoil it. + +Jan. 27. i coodent go out of the yard this afternoon becaus i dident +put ashes on the front steps before father fell down and so Pewt and +Beany and Whacker and Nibby Hartwell and Diddly Colket and Nipper +and Prisilla and Gim Wingit and lots of the fellers came over and we +had a snowball fite. mother says she hops father wont keep me at +home anuther afternoon. + +Jan. 28. brite and fair. it never ranes Sundays so a feller cant go +to church. + +Jan. 29. Nothing puticular today. it always seams harder to go to +school mundays, more fellers gets licked mundays than enny day in +the weak. i got stood on the platform with my head in the corner for +looking of my book today. + +Jan. 30. brite and fair. i have got a auful chilblane on my heel. + +Jan. 31. brite and fair. i was glad today was wensday in the +afternoon i went skating. the students played baseball on the ice. + +Feb. 1. brite and fair. pretty soon it will be Washintons berthday, +and then all the boys can ring the town bell at noon and at nite. + +Feb. 2. clowdy but no snow. tomorror will be saterday they is only +2 days in the weak that is wirth ennything and that is wensday and +saterday except in vacation. + +Feb. 3. Snowed like time all the forenoon. in the afternoon me and +Pewt and Beany rolled up some big snowballs. then tonite we put all +the balls together and made a big snowman rite in front of +Mrs. Lewises front door. then we put a old hat on it and hung a +peace of paper on it and wrote man wanted on the paper. tomorrow all +the people who go to church will see it and laff becaus Mister Lewis +got a devorse. they will be some fun tomorrow. + +Feb. 5. i coodent wright ennything last nite becaus i got sent to +bed and got a licking. i tell you we got in a auful scrape. Sunday +morning me and Pewt and Beany went out erly to see our snowman. he +was there and when people began to go by they began to laff, and +most of the people said it was the funniest thing they ever see and +who ever put it there was a pretty smart feller. so we said we did +it and Pewt said he thought of it ferst and Beany said he did, and i +said i did most of the werk. + +Well, pretty soon some people came along and looked at it and said +it was a shame and they went over to pull of the paper and she came +out and see it, and she took a broom and nocked it over and broke it +all up. and then she went rite down to my house to tell father. +then she went over to Beanys house and then up to Pewts. well after +church father took me over to her house. and Beany was there with +his father and Pewt with his father. she said she wood have us +arested for it. but they talked a long time and after a while she +said if our fathers wood lick us and make us saw and split a cord of +wood she woodent say no more about it. when we went out father +said, i never see such dam boys did you Brad, did you Wats, and they +said they never did. so we have got to saw and split that wood and +we got licked two. + +Feb. 6. brite and fair. me and Pewt and Beany sawed and split some +wood for Misses Lewis. + +Feb. 7. brite and fair. sawed some more wood, me and Pewt and Beany. + +Feb. 8. brite and fair. split some more wood, me and Pewt and Beany. + +Feb. 9. Fatty Melcher and Caw-caw Harding, Chitter Robinson and Medo +Thurston helped saw some more wood. + +Feb. 10. Brite and fair. this afternoon Whack Pozzy and Boog +Chadwick, Dutchy Semans, Nigger Bell Pop Clark, Shinny Thing and +Pile Wood all come down with saws and axes and helped us saw that +wood, we worked all the afternoon and got it done and piled up +before dark. then Misses Lewis asked us in and gave us some buly +donuts and some sweatened water and we sung and told stories and before +we went we told her we was sorry we bilt the snowman and she said +she was sorry two. then when we went away we give 3 cheers for her. + +Feb. 11. brite and fair. i shant forget last Sunday very soon. + +Feb. 12. rany today. i dont care becaus i havent got to saw enny +more wood. + +Feb. 13. still rany. i dont care. + +Feb. 14. pretty cold today. going to have a new kind of speling mach +tomorrow. + +Feb. 15. Got to the head in spelling today. old Francis makes us all +stand up in the ile and gives us a lot of words to spell and then we +wright them down on our slates and then the head feller or girl +changes slates with the foot feller or girl and so on and then old +Francis wrights the words on the blackboard and then we mark each +others slates. John Flanygin was the foot feller and had my slate. +well most of Johns words was wrong. but John marked mine all write. +i gess John dident know it, but ther was 4 or 5 of my words speled +wrong. i set out to tell old Francis but dident dass to becaus he +licked me for teling that i paisted Cawcaw Harding that time. so i +kept still and kept at the head and John kept at the foot. i hope +John will do it again tomorrow. + +Feb. 16. Beat in speling today. + +Feb. 17. beat in speling today. + +Feb. 19. Beat in speling today. old Francis is a going to give a +prise tomorrow. i told father i was pretty sure to get it and he +said it will be the first one. Aunt Sarah asked him if he took many +prises. and he said he dident get much of a prise when he got me. i +gess he wont say that tomorrow when i bring my prise home. + +Feb. 20. i dident get the prise. you see yesterday John Flanygin +spelt more words write than Gimmy Fitsgerald and Gimmy went to the +foot. when we marked slates Gimmy marked 9 of my words wrong out +of 20, and i had to go down most to where John Flannygin was. +old Francis said he dident beleave i had aught to have staid at the +head so long as i did and i was afraid he wood lick me and John but +he dident. he said he was ashamed and disapointed in me but i gess +he was not the only one who was disapointed. i had told Pewt and +Beany i wood treat on what father wood give me for getting the prise. +Pewt and Beany was both mad, and are going to lay for Gimmy. + +Feb. 21, i forgot to say what the wether was most every day this weak. +it has been brite and fair most of the time, only it snowed two days +and raned most of one day. brite and fair today and cold as time. + +Feb. 23, Clowdy and cold. Pop Clark had to crawl through a chair today. +he went through so fast old Francis only hit him 2 bats. Tady Finton +and Nigger Bell both got licked. Tady dident cry or holler a bit, +but Nigger hollered just like a girl. i supposed Nigger was more of +a man than that. + +Feb. 24, Beany and Pewt got punching today in school and old Francis +made them stand on the platform with their arms round each others +neck all the forenoon, i bet they felt pretty cheep. Brite and fair. + +Feb. 25, i have got a new pair of britches at erl and Cutts. i gess +Beany aint the only one which has good clothes eather. + +Feb. 26. Nothing particular today. Went down to old Heads shop to +see the stewdcats ride velosipedes. There is going to be a race in +the town hall tomorrow night. + +Feb. 27. Father said i cood go to the velosipede race if i woodent +miss splitting my kindlings for a week. i did miss them twice but +mother dident tell him and if he dont ask her before tonight i am +all right. + +Feb. 28. Last night went to the velosipede race. it was jest ripping. +i got down before the door opened. Bob Carter came pretty soon but +he woodent let us in until the ticket man came. Mr. Watson was the +ticket man and he let me and Beany and Shinny Thing in free. +they had a lot of seats in the center of the hall, and the rest +round the edges, and a open track around the hall. On the platform +set Bill Morrill and Dave Quimby and John Getchell and Eben Folsom. +Most of the fellers in the race were stewdcats and most of the +stewdcats and the girls had the seats in the center of the hall. +The stewdcats who were to race were Stone and Stuart and Lee and +Clifford and August Belmont and Swift and Nichols and George Kent +and Cutler and Johnny Heald and Gear and Burly and Bob Morison. +the townies were Charlie Gerish and Doctor Prey. each feller rode +round the hall twice to get going like time, and then Dave Quimby +hollered go and he had to ride around the hall until he had rid a +quarter of a mile. + +When the stewdcats rode all the other stewdcats yelled and the girls +waved their handkerchiefs and the band played and the excitement was +dreadful. + +After a while Doctor Prey came out and all the townies got up and +cheered and the band played the star spangled banner, because Doctor +fit in the war, and Doctor took of his hat and bowed and then rode +round like time. he rode faster than most every one of them except +Stone and Stuart and Lee and Clifford and Belmont and Swift. i guess +if Doc hadent fit so hard in the war he wood have beat them all. and +then Charlie Gerish came out and all the townies hollered again and +Charlie made his legs go so fast that they coodent hardly see them, +and jest before the last time around his velosipede slipped and +Charlie went fluking over three settees. he jumped on his velosipede +again and went around with his britches all torn but he dident get +around quite quick enuf to beat Stone, then the townies yelled and +said it was a cheat and the stewdcats hissed, and some of the +townies said they could lick the stewdcats, and the stewdcats said +they wasent man enuf and it looked as if there was a going to be a +row when Charlie Gerrish got up and said he was beat fair and there +wasent anything to get mad about, and that he would like to shake +hands with the stewdcat which beat him, and he wood like to race him +another time but he coodent then because he hurt his leg, and then +they shook hands and every one felt buly, and the stewdcats said +hooray for Charlie and the townies hollered hooray for Stone, and +Bill Morrill made a speech and give the prise to Stone and the band +played and we all went home. i bet Doc. Prey and Charlie Gerrish can +lick any two stewdcats in the hall. + +Mar. 2. i went to a show in the town hall tonight. it was a singing +show called the haymakers. it was splendid. Mr. Gale got it up. +they have been practising all winter. Alice Gewell was a dary maid +and Charlie Lane was a katydid, and lots of others sung. it was splendid. + +Mar. 3. Cloudy but no rane. went down to Langley's store for some +juju paste, saw a fite. Old Kize tried to arest Bill Hartnit and +Bill lammed time out of him and after a while old Swain came up and +arrested him. + +Mar. 4. Brite and fair. Went to church to-day, the fernace smoked so +the people had to come home. They say they will have it fixed before +next Sunday. i hope not. + +Mar. 5. School closes tomorrow. i got kept after school tonight for +whispering to Cawcaw. + +Mar. 6. School closed today and we voted for prises. Mr. Gordon give +4 prizes for the 2 best fellers and 2 best girls for the term. So we +voted for them. Most of the fellers wanted to vote for Jenny +Morrison because she was the prettiest girl there and can go the +greeshun bend better than enny girl in the school. and most of the +girls dident like Jenny Morrison and wanted to vote for Dora Moses +and Mary Luverin, and the girls wanted to vote for Lees Moses +because he was polite to them and rather go with the girls than the +boys and we holler at him, but he can fite for i saw him lick Gim +Erly one day, and Gim Erly can rassle better than enny one but Jack +Melvil. well most of the fellows wanted to vote for Tady Finton or +Pop Clark or Skinny Bruce because they never get mad or cry when +they are licked and make lots of fun, but we knew they coodent get +the prize for they are all the time raising time and getting licked +and so we voted for Honey Donovan and Moses Gordon, and when the +votes was counted Dora Moses and Mary Luvering got the prizes for +the girls and Mose Gordon and Nigger Bell for the boys. That was all +write about Dora Moses and Mary Luverin because they was the best +girls and always went together, but we dident like it very well +about Mose and Nigger, only we thought that so long as Mose's father +give the prizes Mose ought to have one. i gess most of the girls +must have voted for Nig, because they was mad with Lees Moses. i +know what they was mad at too. + +Then the first class give old Francis a present of some books and +when he turned over the leaves there was twenty dollars there, and +old Francis was surprised and made a fine speech, and the people all +clapped becaus he made such a good speech. i heard him saying it +over the night before when i was kept after school. No school for 2 +weeks. + +Mar. 7. When my father was a boy he was the best fiter in this town. + +Mar. 9. Went down to Fatty Melchers today to make a violin, we cut a +piece of wood the shape of a violin then take some horsehairs and +strech them over a brige and you can play a tune on them. in school +i learnt to play on a piece of india rubber. you pull a piece of +elastic out of your congres boot and hold it in your teeth and pull +it tite and snap it with your fingers and you can play tunes that +you can hear but no one else can. old Francis saw me snapping the +elastic and came and took it away. i have got plenty more in my +boot. i am saving money to buy me a cornet. when i get enuf i am a +going to play in the band. ++++- +Mar. 10. plesent day. old Si Smiths big white dog and a bull dog had +an awful fite today. neether licked and they had to squert water on +them to seperate them. they dident make no noise, only jest hung +write on to each others gozzles. my aunt Sarah said it was dredful, +and she staid to the window to see how dredful it was. + +Mar. 11, 186- Went to church in the morning. the fernace was all +write. Mister Lennard preeched about loving our ennymies, and told +every one if he had any angry feelings toward ennyone to go to him +and shake hands and see how much better you wood feel. i know how it +is becaus when me and Beany are mad we dont have eny fun and when we +make up the one who is to blam always wants to treet. why when Beany +was mad with me becaus i went home from Gil Steels surprise party +with Lizzie Towle, Ed Towles sister, he woodent speak to me for 2 +days, and when we made up he treated me to ice cream with 2 spoons +and he let me dip twice to his once. he took pretty big dips to make +up. Beany is mad if enny of the fellers go with Lizzie Towle. she +likes Beany better than she does enny of the fellers and Beany ought +to be satisfied, but sometimes he acks mad when i go down there to +fite roosters with Ed. i gess he needent worry much, no feller isnt +going to leave of fiting roosters to go with no girls. well i most +forgot what i was going to say, but after church i went up to Micky +Gould who was going to fite me behind the school house, and said +Micky lets be friends and Micky said. huh old Skinny, i can lick +you in 2 minits and i said you aint man enuf and he called me a +nockneed puke, and i called him a wall eyed lummix and he give me a +paist in the eye and i gave him a good one in the mouth, and then we +rassled and Micky threw me and i turned him, and he got hold of my +new false bosom and i got hold of his hair, and the fellers all +hollered hit him Micky, paist him Skinny, and Mister Purington, +Pewts father pulled us apart and i had Mickys paper collar and +necktie and some of his hair and he had my false bosom and when i +got home father made me go to bed and stay there all the afternoon +for fiting, but i gess he dident like my losing my false +bosom. ennyway he asked me how many times i hit Micky and which +licked. he let me get up at supper time. next time i try to love my +ennymy i am a going to lick him first. + +Went to a Sunday school concert in the evening. Keene and Cele sung +now i lay me down to sleep. they was a lot of people sung together +and Mister Gale beat time. Charlie Gerish played the violin and Miss +Packerd sung. i was scart when Keene and Cele sung for i was afraid +they would break down, but they dident, and people said they sung +like night horks. i gess if they knowed how night horks sung they +woodent say much. father felt pretty big and to hear him talk you +wood think he did the singing. he give them ten cents +apeace. i dident get none. you gest wait, old man till i get my +cornet. + +Went to a corcus last night. me and Beany were in the hall in the +afternoon helping Bob Carter sprinkle the floor and put on the +sordust. the floor was all shiny with wax and aufully slipery. so +Bob got us to put on some water to take off the shiny wax. well +write in front of the platform there is a low platform where they +get up to put in their votes and then step down and Beany said, dont +put any water there only jest dry sordust. so i dident. well that +night we went erly to see the fun. Gim Luverin got up and said there +was one man which was the oldest voter in town and he ought to vote +the first, the name of this destinkuished sitizen was John Quincy +Ann Pollard. then old mister Pollard got up and put in his vote and +when he stepped down his heels flew up and he went down whak on the +back of his head and 2 men lifted him up and lugged him to a seat, +and then Ed Derborn, him that rings the town bell, stepped up pretty +lively and went flat and swore terrible, and me and Beany nearly +died we laffed so. well it kept on, people dident know what made +them fall, and Gim Odlin sat write down in his new umbrella and then +they sent me down stairs for a pail of wet sordust and when i was +coming up i heard an auful whang, and when i got up in the hall they +were lugging old mister Stickney off to die and they put water on +his head and lugged him home in a hack. they say Bob Carter will +lose his place. me and Beany dont know what to do. if we dont tell, +Bob will lose his place and if we do we will get licked. + +Mar. 12. Mister Stickney is all write today. gosh you bet me and +Beany are glad. + +Mar. 13, 186- brite and fair. Mr. Gravel has bought old Heads +carrige shop. he is a dandy and wears shiny riding boots and a stove +pipe hat and a velvet coat and goes with Dan Ranlet and George +Perkins and Johny Gibson and the other dandies. i went down today +and watched Fatty Walker stripe some wheels. + +Mar. 14. clowdy. Elkins and Graves had an oxion to-night. Beany got +ten cents for going round town ringing a bell and hollering oxion. i +went with Beany and it was lots of fun. Beany wouldent treet. he +says he is saving money for something. i know what it is it is a +valintine for Lizzie Tole. it was mean of Beany not to treet becaus +i did as much hollering as he did. + +Mar. 15. The funniest thing hapened to-day you ever saw. after +brekfast me and father took a walk and then went and set down on the +hig school steps. father was telling me some of the things he and +Gim Melcher used to do. father must have been a ripper when he was +young. well ennyway while we was talking old Ike Shute came along +through the school yard. Ike wears specks and always carries a +little basket on his arm. he cant see very well, and father said to +me, now you jest keep still and you will see some fun and when Ike +came along father changed his voice so that it sounded awfully +growly and said where in the devil are you going with that basket, +and Ike was scart most to deth and said only a little way down here +sir and father said, move on sir and move dam lively and i nearly +died laffing to see Ike hiper. well after a while i see Ike coming +back with old Swane and old Kize the policemen. i tell you i was +scart but father only laffed and said you keep still and i will fix +it all right. so when they came up he said to old Kize what is the +trouble Filander and he said Mr. Shute here has been thretened by +some drunken rascal, and father looked aufuly surprised and said +that is an infernal shame, when did it happen Isak, and Ike said +about fifteen minits ago and father said we have been here about as +long as that and i dident see the scoundrel. how did he look Isak, +and Ike said i coodent see him very well George but he was a big man +and he had a awfu deep voice and father said did he stagger enny and +Ike said i coodent see wether he did or not but i cood tell he was +drunk by his voice. so old Swain and old Kize went down behind the +school house and off thru the carrige shop yard to see if they cood +find him, and me and father walked home with Ike to protect him and +father said now Isak if ennyone insults you again jest come to me +and if i can catch him i will break every bone in his body, and +father and Ike shook hands and Ike shook hands with me and then we +went home and father began to laff and laffed all the way home and +then he told mother and aunt Sarah and they said it was a shame to +play such a trick upon him and father laffed all the more and said +Ike hadent had so much exercise for a year and it wood do him good +and give him something to think about. ennyway they said it was a +shame to teech me such things, and father said he would rather i +wood be tuf than be like Ike, and Aunt Sarah said i never wood be +half as good as Ike for he never did a wrong thing in his life, and +father laffed and said he dident dass to for his mother wood shet +him in the closet. it was aufully funny, but i gess they was +right. i shall never be half as good as Ike. i wonder if old Swane +and old Kize have caught that man yet. + +Mar. 16. Pewt dreened 18 marbles and 2 chinees out of me to-day. we +was playing first in a hole. school today. sailed boats in the brook +in J. Albert Clark's garden and got pretty wet. + +Mar. 17. Scott Briggam has got some little flying squirrels. he is +going to get me one for thirty-five cents. i am going to take it out +of my cornet money. + +Mar. 18. Father wont let me play marbles in ernest. it aint enny fun +dreening a feller and then giving them back. i bet father didnt when +he was a boy. + +Mar. 19. Scott Briggam brought my squirrel today and i paid him 35 +cents, 3 ten cents scrips and five cents. i have got it in a bird +cage. + +Mar. 20. my squirrel got out of the cage last nite and father found +him in the water pail drownded. father got up in the night and got a +dipper and drank some water out of that pail, he dident eat any +brekfast because he was thinking that the squirrel might have been +in the pail then. i wonder if it was. ennyway 35 cents of my cornet +money has gone up. + +Mar. 23. school today. went down to Pewts to draw pictures. Charlie +Woodbury can draw the best, then Pewt, and then me. Beany dont like +to draw. we was talking about what we was going to be when we grew +up. Charlie Woodbury is going to be a picture painter, Pewt is +going to be a lawyer, Potter Gorham and Chick Chickering are going +to stuff birds for a living, Beany is going to be a hack driver, Gim +Wingit is going to run a newspaper, Cawcaw Harding is going to be a +piscopal minister becaus he says they only have to read their +speaches out of a book, Nipper Brown is going to be a professer, +Priscilla Hobbs is going to play a organ in the baptis +church. Prisil can play 3 tunes now on a little organ. i am going to +be a cornet player like Bruce Briggam. cornet players can go to all +the dances and fairs and prosessions and are invited in and treated +when people are married and they serrinade them at night, and they +don't have to work either. + +Mar. 25. almost as warm as summer, went to church and Sunday +school. Beany has got a job blowing the organ for Kate Wells. he +only let the wind go out 2 times today. it was funny becaus when the +organ stopped Mister Wood who was singing let out an auful hoot +before he knowed what he was doing Beany will lose his job if he +does it again. + +Mar. 29, 186- The toads has come out. fine warm day. me and +Potter Gorham have been ketching toads this afternoon. they sit in +the pudles and peep. folks think it is frogs but most of it is +toads. Potter got 23 and i got 18. tonite i put my toads in a box +in the kitchen after the folks went to bed. in the night they all +got out of the box and began to hop round and peep mother heard it +and waked father and they lissened. when i waked up father was +coming threw my room with a big cane and a little tin lamp. he had +put on his britches and was in his shirt tale, and i said, what are +you going to lick me for now i havent done nothing and he said, keep +still there is some one down stairs and mother said dont go down +George and father said, lissen i can hear him giving a whistle for +his confedrit, i will jump in and give him a whack on the cokonut. +i had forgot all about the toads and you bet i was scart. well +father he crep down easy and blowed out his lite and opened the door +quick and jest lammed round with his club. then i heard him say +what in hell have i stepped on, bring a lite here. then i though of +the toads and you bet i was scarter than before, mother went down +with a lite and then i heard him say, i will be cussed the whole +place is ful of toads. then mother said did you ever. and father +said he never did, and it was some more of that dam boys works and +he yelled upstairs for me to come down and ketch them. so i went +down and caught them and put them out all but 2 that father had +stepped on and they had to be swep up. then all the folks came down +in their nitegounds and i went up stairs lively and got into bed and +pulled the clothes round me tite, but it dident do enny good for +father came up and licked me. he dident lick me very hard becaus i +gess he was glad it wasent a berglar and if it hadent been for me it +might have been berglars insted of toads. + +Mar. 30. brite and fair, went out with Potter Gorham. saw some toads +2 robins and a blewbird. gosh it makes a feller feel good to see +birds and toads and live things. + +Mar. 31. April fool day tomorrow. i am laying for Beany. old Francis +licked 5 fellers today becaus they sung rong when we was singing +speek kindly it is better far to rule by luv than feer. + +April 1. auful cold and rainy. i was going to wright a love letter +to Beany and sine Lizzie Toles name to it but i told father about it +for fun and he said that it was fourgery and that i cood be +prostecuted and sent to jale. so i dident. tonite me and Beany rung +five door bells for april fool. + +April 2. been trying to get rid of some warts. Pewt says if you hook +a piece of pork after dark, rub it on the warts and say arum erum +irum orum urum and nurum 3 times turn round twice and throw the pork +thru a window, then the warts will all be gone the next day. me and +Beany is going to try it tomorrow. + +April 3. brite and fair. dident get a chance to hook the pork. + +April 4. The band played in the band room to-nite. it was warm enuf +to have the windows open and we cood hear it. i sat out in the +school yard til 10 oclock to hear it and father came out and walked +me home. Beany was mad becaus i cared more for the band than for +getting rid of the warts. + +April 6. dident wright anything last nite, was too scart. i never +was so scart in all my life before. me and Beany came awful near +getting in jale. we dident know where to hook the pork. i went to +our cellar but father was down there making vinigar all the evening, +then we went to Beanys cellar but Mister Watson was sitting on the +cellar door. so Beany told his father that a man was looking for him +to see about a horse and Mister Watson started down to the club +stable. then Beany hooked the pork and rubbed it over his warts and +then i rubbed it over my warts and we said arum erum irum orum urum +and nururn 3 times jest as Pewt said, turned round twice and i +plugged the pork right threw a gaslite jest then the gasman came +along, he yelled at us and jumped out of his wagon and went for +us. we ran down threw the school yard as fast as we cood +hiper. there is a hollow in the corner of the school yard by Bill +Morrills back yard and there is a little hole in the bottom of the +fence where the fellers crawl threw when the football goes into his +garden. we skinned threw that hole jest in time. the gasman tried to +crawl threw but he coodent, then he clim the high fence but while he +was doing that we ran across the carrige factory yard and down by +the old brewery up Bow street and home. i went to bed pretty lively +and so did Beany. gosh but we was scart. + +April 7. One of Beanys warts has gone. + +April 8. brite and fair. my warts have not gone. + +April 9. brite and fair. my warts have not gone. + +April 10. Clowdy but no rane. my warts have not gone. + +April 11. rany. i have got 2 more warts. i gess i hadent ought to +have broke that gaslite. + +April 12. i have got another. + +April 13. bully day. me and Potter Gorharn and Chick Chickering went +out after toads today. i got 14 but i dident take them home you bet. + +April 15. Brite and fair. we all went to church today to see the +Lanes. they come from New York and when they go to church everybody +goes to see them. there was a boy with them named Willie. i bet i +cood lick him. + +April 16. Nothing particular today. dont feel very well, kind of +headaky and backaky. + +April 20. have been sick for 4 days. went to school monday and had +to come home. when i got home i fell down on the steps and mother +and aunt Sarah came out and got me in the house and put water on my +head and rubbed my hands, and then the Doctor came and said, well +Joanna, children are a good deel of truble and then he felt of my +rist and said hum, and then he looked at my tung and said hum again, +and then he pride open my mouth and looked down my throte and said +hum, and then he pulled off my close and looked me over rite before +mother and aunt Sarah and said well he aint spekled eny. then he +said what have you given him Joanna and mother said, nothing, and +the docter said, all right give him some more, and mother said i +havent given him enything docter, and then he walked around the room +and picked up some things and looked at them and then he gave me +some of the wirst tasting stuff i ever took. then he said i gess he +will be better tomorrow, and then he looked at some more things and +went home. i dident sleep very well that nite but was auful hot and +my head aked fearful. mother was in my room every time i waked up, +and Sarah too. next day i had the docter again he looked at some +pictures and things and told mother to give me some more. i always +feel better when the docter comes in. he dont scare a feller to +deth. + +Well the next day i felt a little better and tried to sit up and +have my britches on, but i had to lay down again my head aked so, +and after awhile my head felt better and as i laid there i could +look out of the window and it seamed as if little chains that you +could see through like glass, were floating up and down they were +about an inch long. well i wached them till i almost went to sleep +and jest as i was most asleep i heard Beany out in the street +holler, say Pewt, did you know that Plupy is going to die, and Pewt +said course i did, why dont you tell me some news, and Beany said i +heard he swalowed a peach stone and Pewt said it was liver +complaint, and then i heard some one say, you boys shet up. + +Gosh you bet i was scart. i hadent thought of dying. i began to howl +and holler for mother. she came running in and i told her i was +going to die and i told her about breaking the gaslite and a lot of +other things and she told me the docter said i was getting better +and i wood sit up tomorrow. well i better then and wished i hadent +told mother about the gaslite becaus i knew she wood make me tell +father. well mother set by my bed all the afternoon and read me some +out of Billy Bolegs, jest think of her doing that, so when supper +time came i et a lettle tost and had some current jelly. when father +come home mother told him about the gaslite and all he said was i +wood have to pay for it out of my cornet money. i thought he wood +keep me in for a month. i gess mother must have talked to him. + +that nite father slep on a lounge in my room. i went to sleep most +as soon as he come in. after awhile i dremp i was tied on a sawlog +jest going nearer and nearer to the saw and the saw was a going +skratch-zoo, skratch-zoo, skratch-zoo. well i tride to pull away but +i coodent move and i tride to holler and i coodent make a yip, and +jest before the saw sawed into me i woke up. gosh you bet i was +glad, but the funny part was that i could hear the saw going +skratch-zoo, skratch-zoo, skratch-zoo, and what do you think it +was. it was father snoring. gosh you ought to have heard him. well +at first i laffed, but by and by i wanted to go to sleep and father +snoring so loud i coodent till mother came in and told him to go to +bed and she laid on the sofa all nite. the next day i set up and had +my britches on and set up to the window all day. i saw Beany and +Pewt and i nocked on the window and waved my claw at them. i am +going out tomorrow. + +April 22. i went out today. it was real warm. i dident go to church +becaus i had been sick. i let my rooster out to fite J. Albert +Clark's. they were fiting good when i looked up and there was father +looking over the fence. he made me stop the fite and shet my rooster +up. i wonder if he wood have stoped them if i hadent been there. i +got 2 eggs today, the old brama that i swaped for with Ed Tole and a +bolten gray that John Adams give me. + +April 23. i went to school today. i dident have to resite becaus i +had been sick. if i dont get wirse i can goto Mis Packerds concert +tomorow. hope it wont rane. + +April 24. brite and fair and it dident rane tonite, so i went to the +concert. all the girls was flowers. Keene was a crocuss and had to +come out and sing first becaus the crocuss is the first flower that +comes out. she sung i am the first of all the flowers to greet the +eyes of spring. + +Jenny Morison was a tuch me not and set in the top of a rock and +sung tuch me not, tuch me not let me alone. Nell Tole was a piny or +a sunflower i have forgot whitch. Jenny Morison and Keene and Nell +Tole are the best singers for their size in town. father thinks +Keene can sing the best. he feels pretty big about Keene. i told him +so one day and he said he had to becaus i dident amount to +enything. i think Jenny Morison can sing the best but dont tell him +so for he wood give me a bat. + +April 25, 186- Cant go down town for a week becaus i sassed +J. Albert Clark, that is J. Albert Clark says I sassed him but i +dident. Beany had been working for J. Albert raking up leaves in his +garden. J. Albert was a going to give him 10 cents for it and me and +Beany was a going to divide up on goozeberries and juju paist, but +Beany dident dass to ask J. Albert for his pay because he had raked +all the leaves under J. Alberts front steps and he was afraid +J. Albert wood find out about it and not pay him. Beany wanted me to +ask him but i dident dass to because i let my rooster out to fite +J. Alberts last Sunday and J. Albert dont believe in fiting +roosters. last night he was setting on his steps with some company +and he had on his best lavender britches and his best blew coat. + +So Beany said, tell you what Plupy, you set on your steps and i will +set on my steps and we will holler across the street about the money +that J. Albert owes me. So Beany he went across the street to his +steps and he hollered over, hi there Plupy have you got any chink, +and i hollered back, no Beany i havent got a cent, and Beany he +hollered i shood have 10 cents if J. Albert Clark wood pay me what +he owes me, and i hollered why in time dont he pay you, and Beany +hollered i gess he hasent got any chink, and i hollered he has +probably spent all his chink in buying them lavender britches, and +Beany he hollered, well if J. Albert Clark needs the money more +than I do he can have it. well while we was hollering mister Head +and the Head girls who was setting on their steps got up and went +into the house laffing, and the company at J. Alberts all laffed, +and J. Albert came down and beckoned to Beany and Beany he went +running over to get his 10 cents and J. Albert he said, Elbridge, +that is Beanys name, Elbridge you cood have your money enny time if +you had asked me for it decently, but now i shall not pay you for a +week and i shall not imploy you enny more. Tell you what, Beany came +over to my steps feeling pretty cheap and we was talking about it +when mother called me in and sent me up stairs, and said she wood +tell father as soon as he came home. So i went up stairs and looked +out of the window jest in time to see Beanys father lugging Beany in +by the neck. Well that nite after father got home he jawed me and +said i coodent go down town for a week and made me go to J. Alberts +right before the company and ask his forgiveness, and Beany had to +to. J. Albert was a pretty good fellow and said it was all right, +and dident want our fathers not to let us go down town, but father +said i must learn to be respectable to my elders. Gosh we dident +know J. Albert was a elder. We knowed elder Stevens and elder +Stewart and deacon Gooch and we always was respectable to them, and +if we had knowed that J. Albert Clark was a elder we woodent have +sassed him for nothing. + +April 26. Yesterday and day before it was brite and fair, and +yesterday was as warm as summer. today, it was cold and it snowed a +little. jest enuf to make the ground look as if it was covered with +salt. the birds looked all humped up. i bet the frogs hind legs is +about froze. it is raining now. if i was a frog i woodent come out +of the mud until summer. perhaps they cant stay under more than six +months. + +April 27. Warm again. 2 eggs today. i have got another hen. Willyam +Perry Molton gave it to me. it is a leghorn and his other hens +licked it and made its comb bludy and so he gave it to me. it was on +the nest today but did not lay. i went to church. Mr. Cram +preeched. he talked all about birds and flowers and i liked it. + +April 28. brite and fair. all 3 hens were on the nest but dident +lay. + +April 29. no eggs today. mother said the hens cackled all the +morning. brite and fair. + +April 30. i dont see what the mater is with my hens. i havent got 1 +egg this week. father said there was a rat in the koop. i got a +steel trap of Sam Diar and tonite i set it in the koop. i put a +peace of cheeze on it. tomorrow morning i ges mister rat wont steal +any more eggs. + +May 1. what do you think. this morning i got up to get my rat and i +found that my best hen, the bolton gray that John Adams gave me had +tried to pick the cheeze out of the trap and the trap had caught her +by the neck and killed her. i felt most bad enuf to cry. i thought i +cood get up before the hen did. i went to the may brekfast today. it +was may-fair day and they had a brekfast. me and Pewt, Beany, +Whacker and Pozzy Chadwick, Micky Gould, Pop Clark, Prisilla Hobbs, +Chick Chick-ering, Potter Gorham, Pile Wood, Curly Conner and all +the fellers were there. we had a good time and et till just before +school time and we had to hiper so as not to be late. + +May 2. no eggs today. both hens went on the nest. i am going to lay +for that rat with my bowgun. + +May 3. what do you think. this noon i set in the hen koop 1 +hour. the brama went on the nest and set a while and came off and +cakled, then i looked and she had lade an egg. i left the egg there +and hid behind a barrel and got my bowgun ready for the rat. well +the leghorn hen went on the nest and i suposed she was a going to +lay, but she broke rite into that egg and began to gobble it up. i +was so mad that i let ding at her with the bowgun and just then she +stuck up her head and the arrow took her rite in the back of the +head. well i wish you cood have seen her. she hollered one little +pip and then went rite out of the nest backwards and flapped round +awful. i picked her up and she was dead. i dident mean to kill her, +i only wanted to make her jump and learn her not to eat eggs. O +dear, i dont know what father will say when he finds it out. + +May 5, 186- Saw a bully fite today. Cris Staples and Charlie +Clark. Charlie is visiting his uncle J. Albert Clark, the feller +that we sassed. that is he said we did but we dident. Charlie is a +city feller, he lives in Chelsy and think he knows a pile about +things and gets mad if we call him names. now every feller who +amounts to anything has a nickname, and some of them have 2 or 3. my +nicknames are Plupy and Skinny and Polelegs, and Beany is called +Bullethead and sometimes Fatty. i told Charlie that if i called him +Charlie the fellers would call him sissy or Mary and he better agree +to let me call him bulldog or tomcat or diddly or gobbler or some +nickname whitch wood mean something. but he said he would lam the +head off of enny feller which called him names. well you jest see +what trouble he got into for not having a nickname. he would have +knowed better than that if he hadent lived in Chelsy. + +Well today me and Charlie was setting on his steps. Beany was mad +because i was going with Charlie and he had gone riding with his +father and he felt pretty big because his father let him drive. well +while we were setting there along came Cris Staples who carries +papers for Lane and Rollins store, and Cris hollered over, hullo +Polelegs. Charlie hadent heard enyone call me Polelegs. and i said, +i woodent stand that if i was you Charlie, now less see you lam the +head off of him, and Charlie he started across the road and walked +up to Cris and said who in time are you calling Polelegs and Cris +wasent going to back down and said, you, and Charlie said jest drop +them papers and i will nock your face rite off, and Cris dropped his +papers and they went at it. it was the best fite i have seen this +year. they fit from Mr. Head's down to Gim Ellisons corner, and Cris +licked time out of Charlie, and Charlie began to yell and give up +and then Cris let go of his hair and told him he was to smart, and +that it was me he was calling Polelegs and not him, and he better +not be so smart another time, and Cris he picked up his papers and +went off with a great slit in his jacket and his necktie way round +on one side, and Charlie came home howling and Aunt Clark, Charlie's +grandmother came out and said, that is what you get Charlie for +quareling. see how much better Harry feels, and i said, yes +mam. Charlie is never going to speak to me again. + +May 7. Beany was pretty mad when I told him about the fite because +he dident see it. i gess he will find it don't pay to get mad with +me. i saw Charlie today but he dident speak. he has got a black +eye. Cris has got a funny looking nose on one side. + +May 8. Chitter Robinson went in swiming today. i bet it was cold. + +May 9. Went down to the high school yard tonite to hear the band +play. they have got a new leader a Mister Ashman of Boston. he can +play the cornet with 1 hand. i went down today to pay the gasman for +the gaslite i broke. it cost 1 dollar and i have only got 87 cents +for my cornet. sometimes i dont believe i shall ever get that +cornet. Scott Brigam can blow a bugle. a bugle is like a cornet only +a cornet has 3 keys and a bugle is all covered with flappers and +curly things where you put your fingers. Rashe Belnap can play a +cornet splendid but he dont play very often. Frank Hirvey plays one +that goes over his shoulder way behind his back. gosh i wish i cood +get a cornet. + +May 10. father has found out about my killing that hen. he dident +get mad but said i ought to have cut her head off and she wood be +good to eat, but i supose it is to late now for it is almost a week +ago and i burried her the next day. + +May 11. me and Potter Gorham went mayflowering today. i got a bunch +and sold them to a student named Chizzum for 35 cents. i put it with +my cornet money. i have now got $1.22. i can get a cornet for 25 +dollars a second hand one. i am afraid i shall never get that +cornet. + +May 12. Rany last nite and this morning. in the afternoon it cleared +up. gosh i wish you cood see the licking Beany got tonite. me and +Beany went out to go up to see Pewt and make some sweet fern +sigars. Beany came over for me and went up to Pewts. on the way +Beany went up an rung his doorbell and we hid behind the fence and +Mister Watson, Beany's father, came out holding a light and shading +it with his hand. the wind blew the lite out and in going in again +he hit his head an awful bump against the door. me and Beany nearly +died laffing only we tride not to laff too loud. well we went up to +Pewts and Pewt had been sent to bed for something and so we started +back and met a man who said is this you Elbridge, it was pretty dark +and Beany said yes and Mister Watson grabbed us both by the collar +and said, so you are the boys who rung my doorbell and then he give +Beany a rap on the side of the head and began to shake him round +lively and while he was shaking Beany up i put for home. i hid +behind the fence and i cood hear him say i will learn you to +asosiate with that misable Shute boy and wast your time ringing +doorbells, and Beany was saying, o father i will never do it +again. i nearly died laffing to hear Beany a rattling round on the +sidewalk. i hope Mister Watson wont tell father. i gess he wont for +he gets over his mad pretty quick. every time i think of Beanys legs +flying round in the air i giggle rite out and when i think of Mister +Watson bumping his head i nearly die. sometimes i think it pays to +be tuff. + +May 13, 186- Keene and Cele have got some new crokay slippers. you +bet they feel pretty big about it. + +May 14. nothing particular today. + +May 15. Went in swimming today. the water was pretty cold but i swum +acros the river twise. + +May 16. the suckers have come. Potter Gorham caught three +yesterday. me and Potter was going yesterday after school but father +woodent let me becaus i dident split my kindlings. + +May 17. the band played tonight. father made me go to bed at nine +but i cood hear it becaus my window is jest acros the road. they are +playing a new peace. it is the woodup quickstep, they say Ned +Kendall cood play it on a bugle better than ennybody. old Robinson +cood and Mister Ashman can play it splendid. it goes + + ta-ta tata, ta-ta tata, ta-ta tata + tatatatatatata. + ta-te-ta-te-tiddle iddle-a + ta-te-ta-te-tiddle iddle-a + ta-te-ta-te-tiddle-iddle-a + tiddle-iddle-iddle-iddle-ata + +it is the best peace they play except departed days. that always +makes me feel like crying it is kinder sad like. i hope i can get my +cornet some day. + +May 19. had a auful toothake today and had to go down to docter +Pitman and he pulled it out. i tell you it hurt. Docter Pitman said +the roots must have reached way to the back of my neck. Beany went +with me and then told all round that i hollered. you jest wait +Beany. + +May 21. erly this afternoon me and Fatty Melcher got some real +segars at Henry Simsons store and went down behind old man +Churchills store and smoked them. we were both auful sick and laid +there all the afternoon. when i went home i walked wobbly and mother +asked me if i was sick and she put me to bed and was going to send +for the docter, but father came in and when he found out what aled +me he laffed and said it served me rite. then after supper he set +out on the steps rite under my window and smoked a old pipe and i +cood smell it and i thought i shood die. then mother asked him to go +away and he laffed and said all rite, but he gessed i had enuf for +one day and she said she gessed so and i gess so too. he said if it +hadent made me sick he wood have licked me. + +i dont see why it is so, father swears sometimes when he hits his +thum with a hammer and once when he was in the dark he was walking +towards the door with his arms out to feel for the door, one arm +went on one side of the door and the other arm on the other side and +he hit his nose a fearful bump rite on the ege of the door, and i +wish you cood have heard him swear, well if i swear he licks me, and +he smokes and if i do he says he will lick me and he dont go to +church and if i dont go he says he will lick me. O dear i gess i +wont smoke enny more. + +May 22. Went in swimming today twise, once down to the raceway and +once up to the gravel. + +May 23. Went butterflying with Chick Chickering today, it is a +little early for them, but we got two blew and black ones and three +little red ones. Me and Chick are making aquariams. Chick has got a +splendid glass one. i made mine out of a butter firkin. i sawed it +off half way and then washed it out with soft soap and rensed it 2 +or 3 times and then i put in some white sand and stones and i have +got some little minnies and kivies and a little pickerel. it looks +splendid and i change the water every 3 days. + +May 24. Nothing particular today. + +May 25. i can swim under water from the big tree on Moulton's side +of the river at the gravel to the tree on the bank on Gilman's +side. i went in 3 times today. + +May 26. My rooster is sick. he has et something. he sits all humped +up. i went in swimming 2 times today. + +May 27. My rooster is pretty sick. i tride to give him some kiann +pepper tonite. father said kiann pepper was good for sick hens, so i +held his mouth open and give him a spoonful. when i let him go he +kept his mouth open and sorter sneezed pip-craw pip-craw pip-craw, +and then he went to the water dish and began to drink. i think he is +better because he hadent drank any water for 2 days before. he was +still drinking when i went away. i gess he will be a lot better +tomorrow. + +May 28. What do you think, this morning when i went out to feed my +hens i found my rooster dead. he had drank up all the water and he +was all puffed up. i felt pretty bad. father says i gave him enuf +kiann pepper for a horse. he aught to have told me. he was a pretty +good rooster too. i am having pretty tuff luck. + +May 29. i read over my diary today. i have forgot to tell whether it +was brite and fair or rany, i cant say now. + +May 30, 186- Nothing particular today. brite and fair. + +May 31. brite and fair. went up to Whacker Chadwicks today after +school to help him plant his garden. we had about a bushel of +potatoes to plant and it was fun to sit round a basket and cut up +the potatoes. after a while Gim Erly and Luke Mannux cume along and +we began to plug potatoes at them, they plugged them back and we had +a splendid fite, me and Whack and Pozzy and Boog Chadwick on one +side and Gim Erly and Luke Mannux and Bob Ridly on the other. Luke +Mannux hit me twice rite in the back of the head. i am going up +tomorrow to help them some more. went in swimming once to-day. + +May 32 no i mean June 1. i went up to Chadwicks after +school. Captin Chadwick was there and they wasent enny pluggin +potatoes. went in swimming. + +June 2. Rany. Beany is mad with me. i dont care. + +June 3. went to church today. + +June 4. clowdy but no rane. went up to Chadwicks today and sawed +wood. Boog and Pozzy fit while me and Whack sawed wood then we went +in swiming down to Sandy Bottom. some body tide some hard gnots in +my shirt. i forgot to split my kindlings tonite. + +June 5. brite and fair. Beany is still mad. + +June 6. brite and fair. i know what Beany is mad about. he thinks i +told about his getting a licking. i dident tell. he can stay mad if +he wants to. + +June 7. father has bought a horse of Dan Randlet. i rode up to +Brentwood with Sam Diar to get it. it is the prettiest horse i ever +saw. i rode it down from Brentwood and it goes jest as easy as +sitting on a spring board. when i got home Beany got over his mad +and came over and i gave him a ride. me and Beany never were mad so +long before. + +June 9. Rany. this afternoon me and Beany and father went to ride +with the new horse. her name is Nellie. + +June 10. brite and fair. we keep Nellie down to Jo Hanes +stable. Frank Hanes is learning me how to clean her off. she nipped +my arm today and made a black and blew spot. went in swimming today. + +i have to get up every morning and harnes Nelly and drive father to +the depot. i like it because i always race with the men coming down +front street. there is George Dergin and Fred Sellivan and Gim +Wingit and i can beat them all. i dont tell father that i race. i +rode Nellie this afternoon with Frank Hanes and Ed Tole. i dident go +in swimming today. + +June 11. brite and fair. Nellie kicked me today. i gess i scrached +her today to hard with the curycomb. it dident hurt me much. i went +in swimming twise. + +June 12. brite and fair. Me and Chick Chickering went bullfroging +today, we got 3 dozen hind legs and sold them to Mr. Hirvey for 30 +cents and took our pay in icecream. + +June 13. Rode Nellie this noon. i have to go to the half past five +train every nite for father. i like to drive but i dont like to go +every nite. + +June 14. Rashe Belnap and Horris Cobbs go in swimming every morning +at six o'clock. i got a licking today that beat the one Beany +got. last summer me and Tomtit Tomson and Cawcaw Harding and Whack +and Poz and Boog Chadwick went in swimming in May and all thru the +summer until October. one day i went in 10 times. well i dident say +anything about it to father so as not to scare him. well today he +did go to Boston and he said i am going to teech you to swim. when i +was as old as you i cood swim said he, and you must lern, i said i +have been wanting to lern to swim, for all the other boys can +swim. so we went down to the gravil and i peeled off my close and +got ready, now said he, you jest wade in up to your waste and squat +down and duck your head under. i said the water will get in my +nose. he said no it wont jest squat rite down. i cood see him laffin +when he thought i wood snort and sputter. so i waded out a little +ways and then div in and swam under water most across, and when i +came up i looked to see if father was supprised. gosh you aught to +have seen him. he had pulled off his coat and vest and there he +stood up to his waste in the water with his eyes jest bugging rite +out as big as hens eggs, and he was jest a going to dive for my dead +body. then i turned over on my back and waved my hand at him. he +dident say anything for a minute, only he drawed in a long +breth. then he began to look foolish, and then mad, and then he +turned and started to slosh back to the bank where he slipped and +went in all over. When he got to the bank he was pretty mad and +yelled for me to come out. when i came out he cut a stick and whaled +me, and as soon as i got home he sent me to bed for lying, but i +gess he was mad becaus i about scart the life out of him. but that +nite i heard him telling mother about it and he said that he div 3 +times for me in about thirty feet of water. but he braged about my +swiming and said i cood swim like a striped frog. i shall never +forget how his boots went kerslosh kerslosh kerslosh when we were +skinning home thru cros-lots. i shall never forget how that old stick +hurt either. ennyhow he dident say ennything about not going in +again, so i gess i am all rite. + +June 15, 186- Johnny Heeld, a student, came to me and wanted me to +carry some tickets to a dance round to the girls in the town. there +was about 1 hundred of them. he read the names over to me and i said +i knew them all. so after school me and Beany started out and walked +all over town and give out the tickets. i had a long string of names +and every time i wood leave one i wood mark out the name. i dident +give the Head girls any because they told father about some things +that me and Beany and Pewt did and the Farmer girls and the Cilley +girls lived way up on the plains and i dident want to walk up there, +so when i went over to Hemlock side to give one, i went over to the +factory boarding house and give some to them. they was auful glad to +get them too and said they would go to the dance. some people was +not at home and so i gave their tickets to the next house. it took +me till 8 o'clock and i got 1 dollar for it. i dont beleive those +girls that dident get their tickets will care much about going +ennyway. i gess the Head girls wont want to tell on me another time. + +June 16. Dennis Cokely and Tomtit Tomson had a fite behind Hirvey's +resterent today. Hirvey stopped them jest as they were having a good +one. Thats jest the way. i dont see why they always want to stop a +fite. All fellers fite for is to see which can lick, and how can +they tell unless they fite it out. + +June 17. Brite and fair. They is going to be a big cattle show here +this fall. They are going to have it in a field up by the +depot. They are going to have horse trots and shows and +everything. We are going to have no school. it dont come for an +auful while yet. Charles Taylor is going to have Nelly to ride. + +June 18. Me and Mickey Gould had a race horseback. he had one of Ben +Merril's little black horses, we raced way round Kensington ring. i +cood beat trotting and he cood beat running. when i got home Nelly +was so swetty that father told me not to ride her for a week. + +June 19. Went up to Chadwicks after school. Boog and Whack got +Willie fiting with Johnny Rogers. Willie licked him. Willie is +Whack's little brother. he is a auful cunning little feller. he can +fite too. all the Chadwick's can fite. + +June 20. Brite and fair. i am going fishing tonite with Potter +Gorham. + +June 21. brite and fair. went fishing today with Potter Gorham. i +cought 5 pirch and 4 pickeril. i cleaned them and we had them for +supper. father said they was the best fish he ever et. i also cought +the biggest roach i ever saw, almost as big as a sucker, and i cant +tell what i did with him. i thought Potter had hooked him for fun, +but he said he dident, and we hunted everywhere for him. i dont know +where i put that roach. + +June 22. the students had their dance last nite. they had a auful +time. some of the girls which dident get no tickets was mad, and the +students which wanted them to go was mad and they went to Johnny +Heeld and give him time. then he went round and told them how it was +and give them tickets. well the nite of the dance everything was all +rite until lots of people came which hadent been on the list, but +which we had given tickets. well the students dident want to let +them in and they were mad, and Chick Randal hit a student named +Pendry rite in the nose and nocked his glasses off and Nichols +nocked Johnny Lord way acros the entry and they was going to have a +big fite when Bob Carter and 2 or 3 men stoped it. today Johnny +Heeld came down to the house and said i had got things all mixed up +and father made me give back the dollar. but he told Johnny Heeld he +hadent ought to have let me try such a hard job. Gosh, i am glad +father thinks it was a mistake, and dont know that i did it on +purpose. + +June 23. there is a dead rat in the wall in my room. it smells +auful. + +June 24. Rany. most time for vacation. the smell in my room is +fearful. + +June 25. more trouble today. it seems as if there wasent any use in +living. nothing but trouble all the time. mother said i coodent +sleep in that room until the rat was taken out. well father he came +into my room and sniffed once and said, whew, what a almity +smell. then he held his nose and went out and came back with mister +Staples the father of the feller that called me Polelegs. well he +came in and put his nose up to the wall and sniffed round until he +came to where my old close hung. then he said, thunder George, this +is the place, rite behind this jacket, it is the wirst smell i ever +smelt. then he threw my close in a corner and took out his tools and +began to dig a hole in the wall, while father and mother and aunt +Sarah stood looking at him and holding their nose. after he dug the +hole he reached in but dident find ennything, then he stuck in his +nose and said, it dont smell enny in there. then they all let go of +their nose and took a sniff and said murder it is wirse than ever it +must be rite in the room somewhere. then father said to me, look in +those close and see if there is ennything there. so i looked and +found in the poket of my old jaket that big roach that i lost, when +i went fishing with Potter Gorham. it was all squashy and smelt +auful. father was mad and made me throw the jaket out of the window +and wont let me go fishing for a week. ennyway i know now what +became of my roach. + +June 26. Keene and Cele are going to sing in the Unitarial +quire. father says he will give them some bronze boots. mother got +them some new nets for their hair today. girls has lots more done +for them than fellers. + +June 27, 186- Brite and fair. school closed today. we dont have enny +more school til September. snapcrackers have come. 8 cents a bunch +at old Langlys store. Lane and Rollins sell them for 10 +cents. torpedos 8 cents a bunch. pin wheels 1 cent each. Pewt is +going to have a cannon. father wont let me have a cannon. he says i +dont know enny more than to look into it and blow my head off. + +June 28. clowdy but no rane. 4th of July pretty soon. father says +when he was a boy all they had for fireworks was balls of wool +soaked in tirpentine whitch they lit and fired round. i am glad i +did not live then. + +June 30. clowdy but no rane. went in swimming 3 times today. i am +going bullfroging monday. + +June 31. no July 1. Went to church today. + +July 2. i went bullfroging today. thunder storm today. + +i have got 10 bunches of snapcrackers and some slowmatch. i spent a +dolar of my cornet money. i gess i shall never get that cornet. i +hope it wont rane the 4th. + +July 3. Nite before 4th. Pewt and Beany can stay out all +nite. father took my snapcrackers into his room and said if i get up +before 5 i cant have enny. + +July 4. i am to tired to wright ennything. i never had so much fun +in my life. i only got burned 5 times. 1 snapcracker went off rite +in my face and i coodent see ennything til mother washed my eyes +out. Zee Smith fired a torpedo and a peace of it flew rite in the +corner of my eye and made a blew spot there. i fired every one of my +snapcrackers. it took me all day. + +July 5. brite and fair. i dident wake up today til 10 o'clock. i was +pretty sore and my eyes felt as if they was sawdust in them. + +July 6. brite and fair. father staid home today. i wanted him to go +fishing but he woodent. + +July 7. father told me i cood go fishing and stay all day. i dont +know what had come over him becaus most always he raises time when i +go fishing and dont come home erly. so i went and cought 3 pickerels +and 4 pirch and 2 hogbacks and went in swiming 2 times. well as i +was a coming home 2 or 3 people met me and said they was company at +my house, so when i got home i skined in the back way so as not to +see the company til i got on my best britches, but i met father in +the door and he told me to go rite up to mothers room and see the +company. so i skined up to her room holding my hand behind me becaus +i had tore my britches auful getting over a fence and i dident want +the company to see. well what do you think the company was. it was +the homliest baby you ever see, it looked jest like a munky and made +feerful faces and kinder squeaked like. Mother was sick and they was +a old fat woman who told me to go out, but mother said she wanted to +see me and she kissed me and asked me to kiss the baby. i dident +want to but i did it becaus mother was sick. mother asked me how +many fish i caught and what kind and i told her and said she shood +have some for her supper, but she said she gessed she woodent have +enny jest then. + +then i went down stairs and father did i like the baby and i said it +was homly, and he said it was 10 times as good looking as i was and +he said he was glad that when the baby grode up it woodent have +Beany and Pewt to play with and woodent be tuff like me, and then +Aunt Sarah said she gessed me and Beany and Pewt wasent enny tuffer +than father and Gim Melcher were when they was boys, and then father +laffed and told me to go to bed and i went. that was a auful homly +baby ennyway. + +July 8. nothing particular today. you bet that baby can howl. went +to church. + +July 9. brite and fair. most every morning we go up in mothers room +to see the old fat woman wash the baby and hear it howl. it turns +black in the face. i bet it will be a fiter. + +July 10. i have got a new nickname. it is yallerlegs. that is becaus +father bought me a pair of kinder yellow britches, and made me wear +them. i bet he woodent like to be called yallerlegs. + +July 11. brite and fair. went in swiming today to a new place. we +call it the stump. it is up by the eddy. + +July 12. a thunder storm. in the afternoon went fishing but dident +get a bite. Pewts father says fish wont bite after a thunder storm. + +July 13. a auful hot day. tonite i went up to the depot to see Majer +Blake and Charles Tole fite over passengers to the beach. + +July 14. i am going to the beach to stop with Beany in his fathers +tent. it is called hotel de pig. + +July 15. i gess i will go tomorrow. + +July 16. me and Beany went to the beach and stopped all day and all +nite. we had a bully time. + +July 17. another hot day. went in swiming 4 times. my back is all +burned. + +July 18. me and Beany got in the newsleter today. the paper said the +Siamese twins was at the beach stoping at Watsons tent. Pewt was +mad becaus we got in the paper and he dident and told all round that +it dident mean me and Beany but Rashe Belnap and Horris Cobbs. + +July 19. Hot as time. nothing particular today. + +July 20. Hot as time. nothing particular today. + +July 21. Auful hot. big thunder shower and litening struck a tree in +front of Perry Moltons house. + +July 22. Went to church. Beany let the wind out of the organ and it +squeaked and made everybody laff. Keene and Cele sing in the +quire. father feels pretty big about it. + +July 23. i got stung by hornets today. i went in swiming at the eddy +and when i was drying my close i set rite down on a stump where +there was a nest of yellow bellied hornets. they all lit on me and i +thought i was afire for a minit. i ran and div rite off the bank and +swam way out under water. when i came up they were buzing round jest +where i went down. when i came out the fellers put mud on my bites +and after a while they stoped hurting. i tell you the fellers jest +died laffing to see me run and holler. + +July 24. Brite and fair. i was all sweled up with hornet bites but +they dident hurt enny, i looked jest like Beany when he had the +mumps. everyone laffed at me. + +July 25. i got a fishhook in my leg today. me and Fatty Melcher was +a fishing when we got our lines tangled, i hollered first cut, but i +dident have enny nife and Fatty woodent let me have his nife. So we +got jerking our lines kinder mad like and all of a suddin the hook +got into my leg. gosh you bet it hurt. me and Fatty got the hook out +but it bled some. the worst of it was there was a wirm on the hook +and when we got the hook out they wasent enny wirm there. Fatty says +people sometimes dies from having wirms in them. i bet this one has +crawled way in. it may grow inside of me. something is always +hapening to me. when i got home i went down to docter Derborns store +and bought some wirm medicine and swalowed sum. it was auful +bitter. it cost 20 cents out of my cornet money. + +July 26. brite and fair. i was all rite today except my leg was +stiff mother asked what made me lame and she put on a peace of +pork. i told her about the wirm and she said the pork wood draw him +out if he was there but she gessed he dident go in. when i told her +about the wirm medecine she jest set down and laffed. so i gess i +needent wory about having wirms. i went down to doctor Derborns and +tride to get him to take the medicine back but he said he woodent. i +think he is pretty mean not to. + +July 27. i coodent go in swiming today on account of my leg. all the +fellers went in and i had to set on the bank and see them. + +July 28. Coodent go in swiming today either. my leg is nearly +well. mother took off the pork today. it was all white where the +pork was. i can go in swiming Monday. i went down to the library +tonite. it is the first time i have been down since Joe Parsons +chased me out. i gess he has forgotten it. i got out Bush Boys to +read. it is a splendid book about shooting lions and zebras and +gerafs and everything. + +July 29. i tried to have father let me stay away from church today +because my leg was sore but he said all rite you can stay, but i +gess that leg will be too sore to let you go in swiming this +week. so i went to church and dident limp enny. this afternoon i set +under the apple tree and read Bush Boys. father and mother went to +ride with Nellie. it is the first time mother has been out. Aunt +Sarah took care of the baby. they gess they will name it Edward +Ashman Shute. i gess it is named Ashman after the leader of the +band. i am going to tell him tomorrow and see if he wont sell me a +cornet on trust. brite and fair. + +July 30. Brite and fair. i told father i was going down to see +Mr. Ashman, and he said if you ever do i will lick you. the babys +name is Edward Ashton Shute and not Ashman. i woodent name him for +enny cornet player. it is pretty tuff luck. if i cood have got that +cornet i woodent have minded a licking. went in swiming today. + +July 31. Franky had the croop last nite. i waked up and heard him +cough auful funny and kinder as if his throte was tite. i called +mother and she came in and hollered for Aunt Sarah and father and +they rushed round lively and gave him egg and sugar and put hot +cloths on his throte til he howled and after he cood howl he was all +well. Aunt Sarah took him in with her the rest of the nite. father +said i was a brick to wake up and call them. i dont know when he has +called me a brick before. went in swimming 3 times to-day. + +Aug. 1. brite and fair. Annie tumbled down the front steps from the +top to the bottom. she howled and mother thought she was about +killed but she was so fat that she dident hurt her. + +Aug. 2. father came home early to-day and took mother and Aunt Sarah +and Keene & Georgie to ride. Me and Cele staid to look after the +house. Cele went up stairs to look after the baby and when she was +gone i got Annie and Franky fiting. it was the funniest fite i ever +saw. they jest pushed each other round and tried to claw each +other. while they was fiting Cele came down stairs and pulled them +apart and boxed their ears and made them go in different rooms. She +jawed me and said she wood tell father. when father came home she +told on me and father sent me to bed at six o'clock. You jest wait +Cele and you will find out. + +Aug. 3, 186- brite and fair. the fellers played a pretty mean trick +on me tonite. they played it on Nibby Hartwel last nite. Nibby is +visiting his aunt and comes from the city and is pretty green like +most folks from the city. you see if i hadent got sent to bed becaus +Cele told on me i wood have been there and seen them play it on +Nibby. well last nite all the fellers was out. Whack and Boog and +Pozzy and Pewt and Beany and Nipper and Cawcaw and Pile and Chick +and Micky and Pricilla and Fatty. Nibby he was there too. they +wanted to play lead the old blind horse to water and i was to be the +blind horse. they said they had some fun playing it the nite before, +that was when they played it on Nibby but i dident know that. Well +you blindfole a feller and give him a rope and a swich and the other +fellers get on the other end of the rope and the feller nearest you +has a bell and rings it and you pull and if you can pull him up to +you, you can paist time out of him with your swich, only if you pull +off your blindfole all the fellers can paist time out of you. Well +they blindfoled me and hollered ready and i began to yank and pull +and the feller rung his bell and he came pretty hard at first but i +kept yanking and bimeby he come so quick that i nearly fell over +back wards and i felt him and grabed him and began to paist time out +of him when he grabed away my swich and began to paist me, and that +wasent fair and i pulled off my blindfole and who do you suppose it +was, well it was Wiliam Perry Molton and he was mad. they had tied +me to his door bell and i had yanked out almost ten feet of +wire. when i saw who it was gosh i began to holler and he stoped +licking me. i gess he never licked anyone before because he dident +know just how to lay it on. well when he found out how it was he let +me go but he said he shood have to do something about the boys +distirbing him so. it was a pretty mean trick to play on a +feller. we are going to try and play it on Pop Clark tomorrow nite. + +Aug. 4. brite and fair. me and Hiram Mingo had a race today to see +whitch cood swim the furtherest under water. i beat him easy. he can +lick me but i can beat him swiming. + +Aug. 5. Nothing particular today. only church. + +Aug. 6. the baby was sick today had the doctor. + +Aug. 7. the baby was sicker. i dident go in swiming. + +Aug. 8. the baby is better today. i went in swiming 5 times. + +Aug. 9. Raned all day. The baby is all rite. i went bullfroging with +Chick Chickering. + +Aug. 10. Nellie is sick. Joe Hanes cut a hole in her and put in a +onion and some braded hair and then father took her out to pastur. i +cant ride her for a month. + +Aug. 11. brite and fair. mister Watson, Beanys father got throwed +off of his horse today and renched his rist. the horse coodent have +throwed him but the gert broke. Mister Watson can ride splendid. + +Aug. 12. brite and fair. No more church this month. bully. + +Aug. 13. brite and fair. i went down to Ed Toles and me and Ed rode +on the hack with Joe Parmer. + +Aug. 14. Ed Tole and Frank Hanes are mad. Frank hollered over to Ed, +Ed Tole fell in a hole and coodent get out to save his sole, and Ed +hollered back Frank Hanes aint got no branes. and then they was mad. + +Aug. 15. Wiliam Perry Molton has got some ripe apples in his back +yard. me and Pewt helped him ketch some hens today and he said we +cood have some apples if they was any on the ground. they was only 2 +wirmy ones but before we left 5 or 6 fell off i gess it was because +Pewt pushed me agenst the tree. they was pretty good apples too. + +Aug. 16. Rany. i went fishing with Potter Gorham. caught 3 roach and +5 hornpowt. we et them for supper. father said i can clean fish most +as well as he can. he says he will come home some day erly and go a +fishing. + +Aug. 17. John Gardner has hung up a Grant and Colfax flag. they will +be some fun this fall. + +Aug. 18. brite and fair. Today i went fishing with Fatty Melcher. we +caught some ells and some hornpowt. ells and hornpowt can live a +long time out of water and so when i got home i put 5 that were +alive in the rane water barril. + +Aug. 19. brite and fair. it is fun to sit round all day Sunday and +not have to go to church. + +Aug. 20. brite and fair. i had to spend the whole morning in going +to the river for water for washing. it was wash day and when mother +went to the rane water barril there was 5 dead hornpowt floting on +the top. she made me tip the barrel over and get water from the +river. they was some fun for Beany helped me and he stood in the +hand cart and filled the tubs and all of a sudden i let go and the +old cart flew up and Beany and the tub and the pail and everything +went rite in. Beany isent going to speak to me ever again. + +Aug. 21, 186- Gosh, we are having fun now. what do you think. they +is going to be a big mass meeting this fall. Ben Butler and Jake Ely +and lots of old pelters are going to be here, and they is going to +be 4 or 5 bands and lots of fun. well before that comes they is +going to be lots of political meetings and the first one is to be +next week, and father is going to make a speach. Gim Luverin and Bil +Morrill and General Marsten and Tom Levitt, and he is a ripper to +holler. and they want father to make a speach. father says he must +work for the party and perhaps he can get his salery rased. so he +has been a riting every nite and mumbling it over to hisself and +last nite he said he had got it. tonite he is a going to speak it to +us. + +Aug. 22. last nite father studed his speach over and let us stay up +to hear it. he stood up and looked auful stirn and put one hand in +the buzum of his shert. i coodent help laffin, but he told me to +shet up or i cood go to bed and so i shet up. i tell you it was +fine. It begun Mister Moddirator had i supposed, or for 1 moment +dremp that i a humble offis holder under this glorious government, +wood have been called upon to speak, i shood have remained at home +with my wife and my children. + +i said, if you dont want to make a speach why dont you stay at home +that nite, and he said 1 more word from you sir and you go to +bed. so i dident yip again. + +then he went on like this, were it not that a crool axident in my +erly youth, in my far away boyhood days prevented me from +voluntearing and desecrating my life to my countrys welfare, in the +strugle jest ended i wood have poared out evry drop of my blud to +have maintaned her owner and the owner of her flag. mother began to +laff and said George how can you tell such feerful stories, you know +you were scart most to deth becaus you was afraid you wood be +drafted. + +father said they was a lot of old fellows traveling round the +country and talking that way who coodent have been drug into the war +with a ox chane. then he stood on the other leg a while and said, it +is peculiarly aproprate that Exeter, the berth place of Lewis Cas, +the educater of Webster, the home of Amos Tuck, of General Marston +shood be fourmost in the party strife, and as for me i wirk only +for my partys good, my countrys good, without feer or hope of +reward. they was a lot more to it, and some of it you cood hear +about a mile he hollered so. + +Aug. 23. We are all going the nite of the rally. mother says she +wont go for she wood be ashamed to hear father tell such dredful +stories. Aunt Sarah dont want to go because she is afraid father +will brake down. but she has got to go with me and Keene and Cele +and Georgie. + +Aug. 24. father practised his speach tonite and we all hollered and +claped at the fine parts. he has got a new pair of boots. they hurt +like time and he only wears them nites when he is practising his +speach. + +Aug. 25. father licked me tonite becaus i spoke some of his speach +to Beany. he was auful mad and said i was the bigest fool he ever +see. the fellers have got up a Grant Club. Pricilla cant belong +because he is a demicrat. + +Aug. 26. father called me and Beany out behind the barn tonite and +gave us 10 cents apeace if we woodent say anything about his +speach. after supper father practised again but he dident holler so +loud becaus he was afraid some body wood hear him and mother dident +want him to wake up the baby, and it was sunday too. + +Aug. 27. it has been brite and fair all the week and hot as time. i +have to go to the river for soft water because it hasent raned eny +since i had to tip over the rane water barril. i have got a little +tirtle as big as a cent. father went down to General Marstons office +tonite to arrange about the rally. he came home and practised about +an hour. i gess he wood have practised all nite if the baby hadent +waked up an hollered. + +Aug. 28. we are all getting ready for the rally. Keene and Cele and +Georgie have got some new plad dresses. father has got a pair of +gray britches and a black coat. mother said the rally was a good +thing becaus it was the first time she had seen father dressed up +since he was married. + +Aug. 29. they was a big thunder shower last nite. we all got up in +the nite and went into mothers room. mother sat on the fether bed +and all them that was scart cood set there. i wasent scart. father +said it would be jest the cussid luck to have it rane the nite of +the rally. + +Aug. 30. we had the last practise tonite, father put on his best +close and new boots and the girls had on their plad dresses and i +had on a new paper coller. we all set down and father came in and +stood up. i tell you he looked fine. well he begun, mister +modderater had i suposed or for 1 moment dremp, and then he forgot +the rest. i tell you he was mad. i wanted to laff but dident dass +to. well after a while he remembered and went through it all rite, +and then he went over it 2 times more. gosh what if he shood forget +it tomorrow nite. he is going to wright some of it on his cufs and +he practised tonite making jestures so as to bring his cufs up so +that he cood read it. + +Aug. 31. the rally is tonite. father woke us all up last nite +hollering in his sleep. he dremp about the speach. this morning he +went to Boston without eating his brekfast. i gess he is begining to +be scart. i am a going to make his boots shine today. gosh what if +he shood brake down. i gess i am getting a little scart too. brite +and fair. + +Sept. 1. Last nite father came home and the first thing he did was +to send me down to miss Pratts for his shert. it was all pollished +and shone like glass. then he asked if i had blacked his boots and +then he et supper. he dident eat much though. he said Mr. Tuck came +down from Boston with him. Mr. Tuck was a going to make a speach +first and then he was going to introduce Gim Loverin as chairman and +then Gim Loverin was a going to call on father. father said he bet +5 dollars he wood call him Gim instead of mister modderator. father +was pretty cross at supper. i gess he was getting scart. the baby +began to cry and father asked mother why she dident choak the +squawling brat and mother sorter laffed and put the baby into +fathers lap and said i gess you had better choak him. father laffed +and began to toss the baby up and down. he likes the baby and while +he was playing with it he was all rite. but after supper he was +cross and said he hed an auful headake. then he went practising his +speach again so as not to call the modderator Gim. well we got ready +and went down erly to get some good seats so as to hear father and +see him come in with them that was to set on the platform. we wanted +to go down with father but he said he coodent bother with us. but +before we went he came down stairs with his new close on and he +looked fine but his face looked auful white. he said he had a +headake but as soon as he got started to speak it wood all go +off. so we went down. Cele had her hair curled and Keene had a new +red silk ribbon on her hair becaus her hair wont curl and Aunt Sarah +had on a new dolman with beeds on it and some long coral earrings +and they all looked fine. Aunt Sarah took Georgie by the hand becaus +she was the littlest and me and Keene and Cele followed on. + +When we got there the band was playing in front of the town hall and +aunt Sarah said i cood stay out and hear it and then said i cood sit +with Gim Wingit and Willy Swet if i wood behave. i said i wood and +we lissened and after the band went in we went too. most all the +seats were taken and we got some bully seats way up in front. i +looked for father but coodent see him becaus the speakers hadent +come in. well jest as soon as we got in the policeman was up in +front and he said they has been to much whisling and stamping and +the next one that whisles or stamps will get put out. well they was +old Swane and Brown and Kize and Dirgin and every body kept +quiet. after a few minits the band began to play hale to the chief +and the speakers came marching up the middle ile. i looked for +father but he wasnt there. evrybody began to clap and stamp and Gim +and Willy asked me where my old man was. i stood up to see if he was +there and jest then i saw the policeman a rushing at me. he grabed +me by the collar and shook me round till i dident know which end my +head was on and he draged me down the ile and threw me out. as we +were going down the ile i saw Aunt Sarah running down the other ile +as fast as she cood go with her bonnet on the back of her head and +Keene and Cele and Georgie following along all bawling. she got out +in the entry jest as he was going to put me out of the front door +and she grabed me away from him and said you misable cowardly retch +to treat a boy that way. he said i whisled and she said he dident +and you knew it only you dident dass take ennyone else. + +Then she told us to come home and we went home as fast as we cood +all bawling. when we got home mother was sitting up alone and aunt +Sarah started to tell her and Keene and Cele and Georgie all bawled +and you never heard such a noise, and father was in bed with a +headake and hollered out what in time is the matter. and she told +him and i heard him jump out of bed and in a minit he came out +buttoning up his suspenders. Mother said where in the world are you +going George, and he said things is come to a pretty pass if a boy +cant go and hear his father make a speach without being banged round +by a policeman. i am going down to knock the heads off every +policeman there. and he reeched for his vest. mother said George, +dont you go near the hall, and father said he cood lick anny 2 men +on the police force easy and he would show them how to slam people +round and he reeched for his coat, and Keene and Cele and Georgia +began to bawl again to think he wood get hurt and aunt Sarah and +mother said you had better not go George, and father said he wood +give them more fun in 5 minits than they had seen in a political +rally in 5 years and he reeched for his boots and mother said what +will they think of you after you have sent word that you are too +sick to make a speach, to see you come rushing into the hall and go +punching the policemen and father had got on 1 boot and when she +said that he began to look kinder sick and said, thunder that is +so. and then his headake got wirse and he gave me a twenty five cent +scrip and Keene and Cele and Georgie ten cents each and he went to +bed and so did we. + +i wonder if his head aked really so he coodent make a speach or if +he was scart. i bet he was scart. + +school commences monday. father hasent asked once about my diry, so +i aint going to wright enny more. + + + + +THIRTY YEARS (OR MORE) AFTER + +On looking back over the pages of the "Diary" it appears to me that +some sort of an amende honorable is due to those citizens now +living, and the relatives and friends of those now dead, whose names +have appeared in the "Diary" and who have, so to speak, been handled +without gloves. That I have been neither mobbed, nor horsewhipped, +nor sued, nor prosecuted, but that I have enjoyed many a good laugh +with--and have received many pleasant words from --the victims, and +their friends, is good evidence that they, and their more fortunate +brothers who have not been therein mentioned, have taken the "Diary" +in the very spirit in which it was published, that of affectionate +and amusing retrospect. And it is indeed with affection that I +recall those men, at that time in their prime. That I could not then +understand the reason why they did not fully enter into and +appreciate the spirit that prompted me and my boon companions to +transgress so many rules, laws, and statutes is not surprising. Boys +seldom can understand it. But, although I now fully appreciate it, I +often wonder at the spirit that prompted so many of those men in +after years to show me so many kindnesses, so much encouragement, +and such great forbearance. + +So many inquiries have been made of me about that cornet, the +soul-filling ambition of my early years, that I feel that the +uncertainty in regard to that delightful instrument ought to be +cleared up. I never did save up enough money to buy a cornet. I +haven't to this day. But many years afterwards, when my ambition had +been turned into other and equally profitless channels, upon the +death of a dear friend his beautiful cornet was sent me. I have it +now, as the neighbors and the members of my family can testify fully +and with deep feeling, if called upon. + +H. A. S. + + + + +DRAMATIS PERSONAE + +A good many years ago, during my college days, it was my custom and +that of my room-mate, Brown of Exeter, to make our room the +gathering-place for Exeter boys, both "stewdcats" and homesick +Exeter youths then filling positions in Boston. It happened that +frequently undergraduates from other towns and cities came in at +these Saturday evening gatherings and it was a matter of wonder to +them that we had so much to talk about in relation to our native +town; and it was their frequent remark that "either Exeter is a +remarkable place, or you are a remarkably loyal set of fellows." + +That Exeter is a remarkable place is an axiom, and no better +evidence of the fact can be found (were evidence necessary to +sustain an axiom) than in the loyalty that every citizen displays, +and the sincere love that prompts every one who has ever come under +the spell of our dear old town to revisit her at every opportunity. + +Where else could a diary of this nature, dealing with actual persons +and actual events, be published and be received with such absolute +goodnature and even enthusiasm by the persons now living who are +mentioned therein? + +It is therefore with affection as well as amusement that I append +the following brief biographical sketches of persons mentioned in +the "Diary," preserving as nearly as possible the order of their +appearance in the book. As many readers of the "Diary" have +expressed a desire to know more of the subsequent histories and +achievements of those therein mentioned, it is hoped this +information will satisfy a curiosity and interest which, to a loyal +son of Exeter, appear quite natural: -- + +1. Father. GEORGE S. SHUTE. + +A native of Exeter. For twenty-six years a clerk in the Boston Naval +Office. Still living in Exeter, an old man with a young tongue; in +fact, the quickest man at repartee in Exeter. + +2. Mother. + +My mother died in the winter of 1896. No words can do justice to her +qualities. "A sweeter woman ne'er drew breath." + +8. "Gim" Melcher. + +An old friend of my father's. Died in Maiden a few years ago. + +4. Some of the men who were "wrighting fast" in the Custom House + were the following: -- + +GEORGE DAVIS, of Lexington, who a year ago celebrated his fiftieth +consecutive year of service in the Naval Office; COLONEL IVORY POPE, +of Cambridge; BENJAMIN A. SIDWELL, of East Boston; JACOB A. HOWE, of +Maiden; FRANK HARRIMAN, a brother of the late Governor Harriman of +Concord, N. H. HIRAM BARRUS, of Reading, Mass. deceased; +C. C. WHITTEMORE, of Portsmouth, N. H.; CHARLES MUDGE, of Maiden; +MATTHEW F. WHITTIER, of Medford, a brother of the poet Whittier, and +a newspaper-writer of considerable prominence, writing under the +pen-name of "Ethan Spike"; and TRISTRAM TALBOT, of Newburyport, with +others whom the writer does not now recall. A few years later the +writer spent several of his college vacations as deputy clerk in the +same Naval Office, and made pleasant acquaintances with all of the +above-named men. He found them very competent clerks, courteous +gentlemen, and the best story-tellers that he ever knew, and +recollects those vacations as very pleasant periods in his school +life. Some of them still hold positions in the Custom House. + +5. Charles "Talor": CHARLES TAYLOR. + +A great friend of the family. Died in Exeter about ten years ago. + +6. "Beany": E. L. WATSON. + +In business at Williamstown, Mass. Attained his boyhood ambition and +married Lizzie "Tole," Ed's sister. + +7. "Pewter": C. E. PURINGTON. + +My near neighbor, a decorative painter, who early displayed talent +in this direction. + +8. "Skinny Bruce": WM. J. BRUCE. + +A tinsmith of Exeter who still thinks he could have licked Frank +Elliott. + +9. Frank Elliott. + +A successful mechanic in Boston, who is confident that he could have +licked "Skinny" Bruce. + +10. "Nipper": JOHN A. BROWN. + +Exeter. Chairman of the School Board. Trustee of the +Seminary. Trustee of the Library. My room-mate at Harvard. + +11. "Micky" Gould. + +I do not know what became of "Mickey." Wherever he is, there is a +good-natured, jolly man. + +12. Mr. Winsor. + +Address not known. How he could throw a snowball. + +18. "Ed" Towle. + +Exeter, N. H. With a keen memory for old days. + +14. "Dany" Wingate. + +A very prominent man. The father of J. D. P. and C. E. L. Wingate +of the Boston Journal. Died at Exeter many years ago. + +15. "Whacker": COL. A. M. CHADWICK. + +Lowell, Mass. + +16. "Pozzy": AUSTIN K. CHADWICK. + +Lowell, Mass. + +Two of the best known and most respected citizens of +Lowell. Dignified and sedate, but just touch on old Exeter days and +watch their eyes twinkle and their tongues loosen. + +17. "Pricilla": PROF. CHARLES A. HOBBS. + +Boston. Has written some dreadful mathematical works, and revisits +Exeter often, but not often enough. + +18. "Pheby": CHARLES A. TAYLOR. + +Has inherited the very qualities that made his father so good a +friend. + +19. "Lublin." + +Address not known. + +20. "Nigger" Bell. + +So called because his hair was so very white. Professor of +Chemistry in a Western University. Died recently in Maiden. + +21. Tommy Thompson: R. G. THOMPSON. + +New London, Conn. + +22. "Dutchy": DR. WILLIAM A. SEAMANS. + +New York City. Fullback on the Harvard '77 eleven. There are several +ex-principals of the Exeter High School who will remember Thompson +and Seamans in very clear and vivid colors. + +28. "Chick" Chickering: PROF. JOHN J. CHECKERING. + +Flushing, L. I. Commissioner of Public Education of New York State. + +24. "Tody": TIMOTHY FINTON. + +Exeter. An expert wood-worker with a leaning for politics. + +25. "Gim" Wingate: JAMES D. P. WINGATE. + +Winchester, Mass. The business manager of the Boston Journal. + +26. "Skipy": H. C. MOSES. + +Exeter. For many years in the wholesale wool business in Boston. One +of the keenest sportsmen and best wing shots in New Hampshire. + +27. "Pile": JOHN G. WOOD. + +Chicago. Manager of the McKay Cordage Factory in Chicago. Promises +to return to Exeter when he has made his "pile" ($100,000). From +present indications, the prospect is favorable. + +28. Billy Folsom: WM. H. FOLSOM. + +Exeter. Member of the firm of E. Folsom & Co. Brass Works. One of +Harvard's greatest pitchers. + +29. "Hoppy" Gadd. + +A very eccentric but sterling citizen, who could make cowhide boots +which, like the panels in the "one-horse shay," "would last like +iron for things like these." Died in Exeter a few years ago. + +30. "Si" Smith. + +The man with the "funny sine." Died in Exeter nearly thirty years +ago. + +31. "Gran" Miller and "Ben" Rundlet. Addresses not known. + +32. Squire Lane. + +Died in Lynn. + +33. Charles Burley. + +Died in Exeter. For many years Treasurer of Phillips Exeter Academy, +and Superintendent of the "Unitarial" Sunday School. + +34. "Keene": MY SISTER, MRS. C. E. BYINGTON. + +Exeter. A very able and accomplished woman. The one to whom all +members of the family go when in trouble. + +35. Lucy Watson. + +Mrs. Frank Conner of Lynn. + +36. "Curley" Conner: MR. FRANK CONNER. + +Lynn. Husband of the aforesaid. + +37, "Jo" Parsons: MR. JOSEPH S. PARSONS. + +Boston. An expert bookkeeper. + +38. "Billy" Swett: MR. WM. SWETT. + +Jamaica Plain. I remember him as one of the most polite and affable +boys I ever met. + +39. Mr. "Lovel," who said, "o hell": C. LOVELL, 2d. + +One of the best amateur actors and jolliest men I ever knew. Died +recently. + +40. John Flanagan. + +Exeter. A tinsmith and co-laborer with "Skinny" Bruce. + +41. "Gimmy" Fitzgerald. + +Died at Exeter thirty years ago. + +42. "Old" Head: OREN HEAD. + +Many students will affectionately remember him. Deceased. + +43. "Bob" Carter. + +The old janitor of the Town Hall. Gruff, but very +kind-hearted. Deceased. + +44. "Wats": IRVING M. WATSON. + +Father of "Beany," and pleasantly like him. + +45. John Getchell. + +A liberal, free, and kind-hearted Exeter merchant. Deceased. + +46. Eben Folsom. + +Uncle of "Billy," and head of the firm of which Billy is a member. + +47. "Charlie": DR. C. H. GERRISH. + +48. "Doc" Prey: DR. J. E. S. PRAY. + +Gentlemen both, of whom the writer can say everything good. + +49. Alice "Gewett," who was "a dairy maid": Miss ALICE JEWELL + +Instructor of singing in the schools of Exeter. + +50. "Old Kize": PHILANDER KEYES. + +A policeman of thirty years ago. Deceased. + +51. "Bill" Hartnett. + +Who used to make it lively for the last mentioned. A man of many +good qualities notwithstanding. Deceased. + +52. "Old" Swain. + +A contemporary of "Old Kize," and a co-laborer in the same +vineyard. + +53. "Mister" Gordon: HON. NATHANIEL GORDON. + +A retired lawyer of Exeter. + +54. Dora Moses. + +55. Mary "Loverin": MRS. MARY LETHBEIDGE. + +Two beautiful girls and inseparable companions, +whose deaths were untimely and irreparable. + +56. "Cele": My sister, CELIA E. SHUTE. + +Exeter. A stenographer, and a writer of short stories for magazines. + +57. "Caxcaw" Harding: PROF. B. F. HARDING. + +Boston. An early advocate of those methods of instruction that +result in "mens sana in corpore sano." + +58. "Doctor" Dearborn. + +A most eccentric old apothecary. Died in Exeter a few years ago. + +59. "Aunt Sarah": Miss SARAH F. SHUTE. + +Exeter. The favorite aunt of a large family, all of whose geese are +swans. + +60. "Fatty" Melcher: F. A. MELCHER. + +Boston. So named because he was not fat. + +61. "Genny" Morrison: MRS. JOHN J. JOYCE. + +Andover, Mass. By not appearing at our Grammar School Reunion +"Genny" disappointed five hundred people. + +62. J. Albert Clark. + +Exeter. One of the proprietors of the Exeter Machine Works. He has +always had a very kindly interest in "Beany" and "Plupy," in spite +of the many annoyances he suffered at their boyish hands. + +63. "Bill" Morrill: MR. WM. B. MORRILL. + +For many years selectman of Exeter. Died in 1878. + +64. "Dave" Quimby. + +Every student will recollect him. Died at Exeter recently. + +65. "Chitter"': JAMES ROBINSON. + +A truckman in Boston. + +66. "Boog" Chadwick. + +A New York broker, whose "heart's in the highlands;" to wit, +Exeter. + +67. "Pop" Clark: WILL CLARK. + +Roxbury, Mass. A born comedian and a delightfully entertaining man. + +68. "Shinny" Thyng. + +One of the few Exeter boys who continues his father's business at +the old stand. If more did the same, the prosperity of country towns +would be assured. + +69. "Gim" Erly. + +Lives somewhere in the West. + +70. "Honey" Donovan: WILLIAM DONOVAN. + +Providence. + +71. "Mose" Gordon. + +A Texas cattle-man. + +72. Mr. Lamed. + +Unitarian clergyman. Deceased. + +73. "Gil" Steels. + +A merchant in Denver. + +74. "Mis Packer A": MRS. MARY PACKARD. + +A famous local singer, now living in California. + +75. "Gim Loverin": JAMES M. LOVERING. + +A very shrewd politician. Deceased. + +76. "Old Mister Stickney": JUDGE W. W. STICKNEY. + +With whom I studied law. Deceased; not, however, because of that +fact. Judge Stickney was a sound lawyer and an upright, kind-hearted +man. + +77. "Ed" Dearborn. + +The old bell-ringer. Deceased. + +78. John Quincy "Ann" Pollard: J. Q. A. POLLARD. + +A very old man, upon whom the boys were wont to play tricks, but who +had developed wonderful precision of aim with a knotted +cane. Deceased. + +79. Dan Ranlet; D. W. RANLET. + +Boston Produce Exchange. + +80. George M. Perkins + +For many years an expressman between Boston and Exeter. + +81. John E. Gibson. + +Master of the Agassiz School, Boston. Residence, Jamaica Plain. I +take the opportunity to notify him that the Exeter High School holds +its quinquennial reunion June, 1903. + +82. Isaac Shute. + +A retired merchant of Exeter. Deceased. + +83. Major Blake. + +A famous Boniface, and for many years proprietor of the +Squamscott. Deceased. + +84. Charles D. Towle. + +An equally famous livery-stable keeper, who periodically fought to a +finish with Major Blake for passengers to Hampton Beach. Deceased. + +85. Frank Haines. + +A farmer. Residence, Exeter. + +86. "The Baby": EDWARD A. SHUTE. + +Exeter. Who can now handle his elder brother with ease. + +87. "Frankie": FRANK F. SHUTE. + +Who thinks he can do likewise, but cannot. A hotel-keeper at +Lakewood, New Jersey. + +88. "Annie": Miss ANNIE P. SHUTE. + +Who, by virtue of a clerkship in my office, owns the entire +establishment. + +89. "Georgie" + +Instructor in Latin and French in the Albany Academy, Albany, N. Y. + +90. "Nibby." + +A summer visitor named Hartwell. Deceased. + +91. Hiram Mingo. + +A colored boy. Address not known. + +92. Joe Palmer. + +A hackman with whom the boys used to ride. Address not knwon. + +93. John E. Gardner. + +A member of an old family of merchants in Exeter. Deceased. Brother +of Elizabeth Gardner Bouguereau, the artist. + +94. General Marston. + +A famous New Hampshire lawyer and veteran of the Civil +War. Deceased. + +95. Amos Tuck. + +A famous lawyer, politician, financier, and Member of +Congress. Deceased. + +96. Mr. Gravel. + +Address not known. + +97. Elkins and Graves. + +Famous auctioneers at that period. Deceased. + +98. Scott "Briggam." + +One of the boys then, one of the boys now. Exeter. + +99. Charlie Woodbury. + +Deceased. + +100. "Potter" Gorham: ARTHUR GORHAM. + +Killed by an accidental discharge of his gun nearly thirty years +ago. A born naturalist. + +101. "Old Francis." + +For thirty-three years principal at the Grammar School at Exeter. On +his resignation, a few years ago, a reunion was held which was +attended by old pupils from every State in the Union, to do him +honor. Still hale and hearty, and living in Exeter. + +102. Doctor Perry. + +An old family physician, who has ushered more children and +children's children into the world than any man in the county, and +who is beloved and revered by every one of them. Miss Jewett, in her +"Country Doctor," based her delightful description upon Dr. William +G. Perry, her uncle. Living in Exeter. + +103. John Adams. + +Who his trimmed enough carriages to set all New Hampshire awheel, +and who still practises his trade in Exeter. + +104. Nell Towle: MBS. GEORGE W. HOOPER. + +Exeter. As rosy, good-natured, and musically inclined as she was in +the good old days. + +105. William Perry Moulton. + +A prosperous real-estate and insurance man, who unfortunately for +his peace of mind tried to raise Bartlett pears, Concord grapes, and +Astrachan apples in the neighborhood that was infested by "Plupy" +and his associates; who frequently tracked, chased, and caught them +red-handed, but who was too kind-hearted even then to deprive them +of their ill-gotten gains. + +106. "Chris" Staples. + +Who remembers the fight with Charlie Clark. + +107. Charlie Clark. + +Deceased. Just before he died he read the "Diary" and sent word to +the author that he remembered the scene in which he figured and much +enjoyed the book. + +108. Mr. Ashman. + +A veteran band-leader of Boston. + +109. Frank Hervey. + +A veteran restaurant-keeper in Exeter. New living in Concord, N. H. + +110. "Rashe Belnap": WILLIAM H. BELKNAP. + +A retired banker and real-estate man of Exeter. Town clerk of Exeter +for twenty-five years. + +111. Henry Simpson. + +Periodical dealer in the late sixties. Living in Maine. + +112. Luke Maniac. + +Now living in Texas. As a boy he could curve a snowball round the +corner, like T. B. Aldrich's "Binny Wallace." + +113. "Bob Ridley": GEORGE ELLIOTT. + +Exeter. A right good fellow. + +114. Sam Dyer. + +A rather eccentric blacksmith. Died in the West. + +115. Horace Cobb. + +A good-natured, short, and extremely fat man. A native of Exeter, +and last of a very prominent family. Died several years ago. + +116. Dennis Cokely. + +Address not known. I have always felt badly "to think the fight was +throwed away, and neither of them licked." + +117. Johnnie Rogers. + +A cousin of the Chadwicks. Deceased. + +118. Cap. John W. Chadwick. + +A retired sea-captain. Father of "Poz," "Boog," "Whack," and +"Willie," "Whack's little brother." A most cultivated gentleman, +whose heart was kind, but whose word was law. Deceased. + +119. "Zee" Smith: FRANK SMITH. + +Deceased in Lowell. + +120. Miss Pratt. + +A laundress much patronized by students. She accumulated much +property by practising the gentle art of polishing shirts. + +121. "Old Durgin": ME. EZRA DURGIN. + +A rather quick-tempered but worthy policeman, contemporary with "Old +Swain" and "Old Kize." + +122. Various "stewdcats." + +Who have played their parts and gone. + +123. "Plupy," "Skinny," "Polelegs": THE AUTHOR. + +De minimis non curat lex. + +End of Project Gutenberg Etext of The Real Diary Of A Real Boy + + + + + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, THE REAL DIARY OF A REAL BOY *** + +This file should be named trdrb10.txt or trdrb10.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, trdrb11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, trdrb10a.txt + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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