December 18
Laura M., age 15, North Carolina
December 18, 1997
Exams: Geometry and English. Went well. Em picked [me up]. We went 2 Spinnaker’s for lunch with Eddie. After, me and Eddie did some shopping. He took me 2 work. Kathy came. Showered. Ate. Renée came and we went 2 Brittany B’s party. It was okay. Courtney came near the end. Spent night at Renée’s.
Anna L., age 76, Illinois
December 18, 1960
Picked Carrie up for S.S. took her cookies for the kids. Program in eve. After eating decided to go home. Lo said she would take her to church at 7:00. Lo and I were making cookies. Lo thot she would call Helen and was surprised to learn Helen had been sick all day and had called the Doctor. Came later. We had been to cabin, Lo at barn I filling wood box and getting kindling.
Marcy S., age 14, Tennessee
December 18, 1938
A week till Christmas! Got up late but in time to eat breakfast, dress, and get to Sunday school on time. Drove George down. Stayed for church. Sat on last row between Marie Burgess and Ella Melvin. Very warm in church. Beautiful tree, all decorated. Made you feel all “Christmassy” inside. Mr. Johnstone gave the first of a 15 Sunday series of sermons on the life of Christ. “Christ of Prophecy.” After church we drove Marie to our house and then she walked home. Washed dishes, read funnies and ate dinner. After dinner I called George in, who was walking by outside, and told him a story that I had started the other day while I did the dishes. Then we went up to Helen’s to see if she could play. We came down and sat in our car and had a guessing contest till 3:00 when George had to go to church with his mother and mine. Helen and I went up to her house and I waited till she got ready and then after stopping at my house a min. we went for a walk. She had to mail a card and then we went to the church to C.E. Some of the younger ones were practicing for the program tomorrow night. We waited till they had finished and then started C.E. Jim and June were there of course. Marie led. The church was decorated with holly and some of those who think they can do anything picked the holly berries and threw them every place and at each other, too. Even Betty Hagameyer threw too. I was surprised at her. Jean Fulty didn’t seem to care what happened to the holly. I could have slapped her. They wanted it nice for tomorrow night. All this put me in a very bad mood. Mrs. Moore asked Jim what he had gotten out of the program and he said he’d found out what June was going to do tomorrow night. If there ever wasn’t a gentleman it’s Jim. I told Helen that if Jim Waterhouse hit me with a berry I’d go back there and slap him so hard he wouldn’t know where he was. Well, about 2 mins. later the inevitable happened. Jim hit me in the back of the head with a holly berry! I got up and marched back there and before he knew what was happening I had hit him all I wanted to. Then I got my things and went out (slamming the door). Mr. Johnstone was sitting in his car outside and asked me if I wanted a ride home. I said “No, thank you,” and marched on. I was never so mad in all my life. Mother was at Mrs. Rodgers and Daddy was at home reading when I got in. I didn’t tell Daddy. I started up to Mrs. Rodgers to ask Mother about sleeping beauty dress for Ella tomorrow night. Just as I neared Cummins the Johnstones came home in their car with Helen. She called to me but I didn’t answer I just walked on. She ran and finally caught up with me. She congratulated me and said the others did, too. I got Mother and while she drove we walked down. Met Marie and Josephine. They both congratulated me. Mother put the car away. Mr. Johnstone was there talking to Daddy (he had told him) when I got home. Mr. J. apologized and said Jim would be asked to leave. Mother came so I told her. Then wrote in Diary in dining room till Mr. J. left. Read in front of fireplace for about 20 mins. After supper I listened to Charlie McCarthy and then a Christmas play called “Blind Man’s Holiday.” Read, then dishes and bath and to bed. Nice day. Sorry for what I did at C.E. but it’s done now.
Henry S., age 26, Michigan
December 18, 1887
We got up the latest this morning we ever have for a long time, almost 7 o’clock. I went to church this forenoon. Rev. Geo. Loyd of Frankfort preached. I got Fred Neill to come home with me and stay to dinner. He spent the afternoon with us. I have been writing letters tonight, one to Willie and the other to different penman. It has been thawing some today.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Cornelia H., age 26, North Carolina
December 18, 1862
Willie is very loose in his bowels & very fretful. He grows very fast & tries to talk. Can say some things very plain. I finished Pinck’s shirt before dinner & made myself an apron partly after supper. I sew every night after the children get to sleep. Till Morris was here a short time today, borrowed my comfort needles to knit Tom Morris a comfort on. She is looking very 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 34, London
December 18, 1667
Up, and to my goldsmith’s in the morning, to look after the providing of 60l. for Mr. Moore, towards the answering of my Lord Sandwich’s bill of exchange, he being come to be contented with my lending him 60l. in part of it, which pleases me, I expecting to have been forced to answer the whole bill; and this, which I do do, I hope to secure out of the plate, which was delivered into my custody of my Lord’s the other day by Mr. Cooke, and which I did get Mr. Stokes, the goldsmith, last night to weigh at my house, and there is enough to secure 100l.. Thence home to the office, and there all the morning by particular appointment with Sir W. Pen, Sir R. Ford, and those that are concerned for my Lady Batten (Mr. Wood, Young, and Lewes), to even the accounts of our prize business, and at noon broke up, and to dinner, every man to his own home, and to it till late at night again, and we did come to some end, and I am mightily put to it how to order the business of my bargaine, but my industry is to keep it off from discourse till the ship be brought home safe, and this I did do, and so we broke up, she appearing in our debts about 1500l., and so we parted, and I to my business, and home to my wife, who is troubled with the tooth ake, and there however I got her to read to me the History of Algiers, which I find a very pretty book, and so to supper with much pleasure talking, and to bed. The Parliament not adjourned yet.
*(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.)