April 9
Laura M., age 16, North Carolina
April 9, 1998
Decent day at school. Wore new Melinda dress. Had an assembly. Took Zach 2 work. Chilled at Juice Shop. Took Zach home. Watched story. Picked up Ash. We ate Los Tres with Eddie. Picked Jon up. Went 2 reservoir and it was fun. Went 2 Baskin Robbins. Saw Courtney. Spent night at Ash’s.
Laura M., age 15, North Carolina
April 9, 1997
So far, this week has been going. And each day, Sean’s been really nice. Today Zach told me that he thinks Crozier and Sean are competing for me. I feel bad, but I want Crozier. Sean needs to see how it feels. :( Driver’s Ed was fine. Packed. Did homework and watched story. Came to Dad’s and Sandra/Becca waited on us. Showered and did math forever. Blew-dry hair. I’m very happy.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
April 9, 1960
Fran stayed home so went to see several beautiful new homes all ready for occupancy. Pretty hi priced. Ate a “heavenly hamburger” and coconut custard pie and coffee. Later went home. Took M.L. where Judy was babysitting. She came back to dress and later went with the kids to have fun.
Marcy S., age 19, Missouri
April 9, 1944
Easter. Woke about 9. Cloudy out and had been raining but wasn’t then. Up at 9:30. Betty, too. Dressed in new dress and hat and Betty raved about how pretty I looked — “for a change”! By the time I was ready it was too late to go to Episcopal Church so I decided to go to Baptist with Jane, Mary Jo, Eleanor, and Betty. Everybody all dressed up and so springy looking. Very mild. Looked like rain. Letter from Marg. Louie. Church crowded. Hat kept falling off backwards — finally got it anchored down. Excellent sermon by Mr. Bartlett. Sun trying to come out. Out about 12:15 — church, that is! Starting to clear — bushes so fresh and green. Lovely! Cleaned up room before dinner. Had huge feast! Macaroon shells and ice cream for dessert. Sun out and all blue sky and lovely breeze!! Perfect afternoon! Betty and I debated and debated and finally decided to throw study over-board and go to show. Put on Easter bonnets and went down to Hall. Paid 80 cents to see Jennifer Jones in “Song of Bernadette.” Just the picture for Easter. Felt so good when we got out — after 5. Letter from Mum. Studied shorthand before supper. Afternoon still lovely. To supper with Jane and Neen. Board of Pub. party but Betty didn’t go. About 7 Betty and Jane went over to Wales to hear President Wood speak. I studied and wrote letters — family, Greta, Jim. Full moon. We were going for a bus ride when Jane and Betty got back but it wasn’t over til 9:30 so we couldn’t. Felt so glamorous in new clothes!
Marcy S., age 16, Tennessee
April 9, 1941
Cloudy, rainy, a bit cooler. To chapel in morning to hear the missionary again. After English, Bunchy told me I would make a good English teacher because I asked intelligent questions thus showing that I was interested. Ahem! Fun in history. Afterwards in the hall while I was waiting for Mary, Bunny stopped and told me about the flag that the Seniors have bought for the school. Flutter! But I didn’t feel so funny -- still, I never expected him to speak to me voluntarily. Ah! We got out of Latin again to go into Mrs. Geasland’s history class and hear Mrs. Bunch talk on the World War. Bunny was there. Very crowded. We had to stand. She passed around a lot of “souvenirs,” which her husband or brother had in the war. Very interesting. Felt so nice. Wish it could have gone on forever. As I was going home at noon, it started to rain, but the sun came out and made the world so lovely. The tree so green at Waterhouses’. By the time school was out, it was cloudy and soon rained. Rode home with the Hudsons. I entertained the Junior music club. Helen as a guest. About 17 present. Fun. Refreshments -- gingerbread. Over about 4:30. Mom, Helen, Lavella Christmas and I drove to town. Helen and I followed Mom around and shopped. Rained hard. Saw Clay. Practiced play at 6:30.
Henry S., age 26, Michigan
April 9, 1888
I went over to Neill’s this morning and packed a box of fruit and syrup to be sent to me by express. I took a farewell look at my place and said goodbye to my neighbors there. I intended to go to Frankfurt by stage tonight, but I learned that neither bout would run tomorrow, so I gave it up. I have a chance to go to Manistee in the morning with a man who came from there today, and hope the rain which is now in progress will quit so I can go. I have been saying goodbyes to many folks tonight.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Henry S., age 25, Michigan
April 9, 1887
I got up this morning before 3 o’clock and went with Fred to his sugar camp to begin evaporating sap with his new machine. I came back to my house and began painting before breakfast. I painted the most of the forenoon. Visited the sugar camp about noon and had some syrup. I went to the store this afternoon and clerked it. I took a telegraph message after. I got the Frankfort operator to get it for me and send it to me slowly. It was my first. I went with Fred to the sugar camp tonight and we were there until after 12 o’clock, which makes us a long day. It has been warm all day.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Abbie B., age 22, Kansas
April 9, 1871
We went to the log church this p.m. The people seem devout. There was a good lesson in the sermon. A woman, and a child two or three years old, sat in front of me. The boy wore leather boots. They stood up when they sang, and the boy stood on the bench, and refreshed himself from the maternal fount. Why not? The days go by so fast. We visit, and sew. I made a dress for cousin Sallie, and wrote many letters.
*(kansasmemory.org, Kansas State Historical Society, copy and reuse restrictions apply)
Cornelia H., age 25, North Carolina
April 9, 1862
I had headache till dinner. Mr. Henry staid in the house & helped with Willie till dinner. Atheline is sick. After dinner it got well, that is my head. I finished Sam’s shirt & attended Willie. Rather cool. Uncle Sam at work in the garden. I got a letter from Dora or rather Mr. Henry did. He sent after the mail by L. Case. They were all well.
*(Fear in North Carolina: The Civil War Journals and Letters of the Henry Family, Eds. Karen L. Clinard and Richard Russell, used with permission.)
Samuel P., age 35, London
April 9, 1668
Up, and to the office, where all the morning sitting, then at noon home to dinner with my people, and so to the office again writing of my letters, and then abroad to my bookseller’s, and up and down to the Duke of York’s playhouse, there to see, which I did, Sir W. Davenant’s corpse carried out towards Westminster, there to be buried. Here were many coaches and six horses, and many hacknies, that made it look, methought, as if it were the buriall of a poor poet. He seemed to have many children, by five or six in the first mourning-coach, all boys. And there I left them coming forth, and I to the New Exchange, there to meet Mrs. Burroughs, and did take her in a carosse and carry elle towards the Park, kissing her …, but did not go into any house, but come back and set her down at White Hall, and did give her wrapt in paper for my Valentine’s gift for the last year before this, which I never did yet give her anything for, twelve half-crowns, and so back home and there to my office, where come a packet from the Downes from my brother Balty, who, with Harman, is arrived there, of which this day come the first news. And now the Parliament will be satisfied, I suppose, about the business they have so long desired between Brouncker and Harman about not prosecuting the first victory. Balty is very well, and I hope hath performed his work well, that I may get him into future employment. I wrote to him this night, and so home, and there to the perfecting my getting the scale of musique without book, which I have done to perfection backward and forward, and so to supper and to bed.
*(The Diary of Samuel Pepys M.A. F.R.S., edited by Henry B. Wheatley F.S.A., London, George Bell & Sons York St. Covent Garden, Cambridge Deighton Bell & Co., 1893.)