June 23
Laura M., age 15, North Carolina
June 23, 1997
Up at 10:00. Showered. Watched Rosie. Cleaned that damn kitchen. Me and Sandra went to Dad’s office and ate lunch with him. Came home and slept. Watched story. Did yoga. Ate dinner. Went to tournament game and won. Courtney came home with me and spent the night. We watched “Jerry McGuire” and “Airheads.” Asleep by 3:00.
Laura M., age 14, North Carolina
June 23, 1996
Further Festival! I loved it. Deadheads everywhere. The music was awesome and the dancing never stopped.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
June 23, 1960
K.J. was glad to be here and we were glad to have her. Edna came quite early had ’phone calls (from Carrie F., Marvel). Ole came in P.M. K.J. had seen David and told him I had a fall. K.J. got material for blouse and pants so was busy. Millie and Mrs. Sprinkle came. Lo and K.J. went to care for cats so I started dinner, had most of it ready. Folks came right after six. At nine they left with K.J. Good that Loie didn’t have to go. Before that all went down the basement and saw the squirrel he’s still there.
Marcy S., age 19, Tennessee
June 23, 1944
Awfully hot. Panted down to work and gradually melted away as the day wore on. At noon went to Pap’s office for mail and found an invitation to Jack Wendell’s wedding next Saturday!! She’s a nurse and the wedding will be in Sherrill, N.Y. The announcement read Dr. John Maclean Wendell! Oh yes, just before lunch Mum ’phoned to say she’d meet me at Cate’s at 12 with the car - Mr. H. conveyed the message. Mum had gotten some blackberries from Mrs. Davis. We stopped by the Norris Creamery for cream. Mum was in good spirits, having accomplished a lot this morn, and having kept the house fairly cool by not lighting the kitchen fire. It was dreadfully hot in the afternoon. I read Seven Keys to Baldpate again and nearly died laughing. Off at 5. Went to P.O. to mail some letters and met Mrs. Mildred. She’d just had a tooth pulled. It was 102 in the shade. She drove me home. It was too hot to do anything! Pap was due for supper but didn’t show up. I wrote letters in the evening and at 7:30 Mum went down to a church meeting at the Williamses’. When it got dark I went in and played the piano. About 9 I heard someone call “Pat” outside and I went out to find Mary in her car. I got in and we talked till 10. I typed a paper this morn about an accident that Cecil Mullins had. Mary told me about it. We arranged to go to Red Cross Monday night. Soon after she’d left, Mum returned. Still no Pap. Dishes and to bed but it was too hot to sleep. I never remember such a hot night. Poop Pap got in about midnight, having fought a fire!!
Aloys F., age 16, County Cork, Ireland
June 23, 1926
Went to 8 Mass again, but for the last 3 days I have gone to Mass I have been about 5 mins. late for school. I must say that the matric. fellows aren’t working at all, and I am sure at least half of them will fall through. After school I went down town, Fannie going with me, and I got a new shirt, and a larger-sized cap. I ran a few races in school for fun so I was pretty dead walking home. Did French and had my lesson. Fräulein Engelmann was just home from the Aran Islands and told Páp and I all about them. She said they are a wonderfully tall, proud people, still keeping their native costumes. Their poverty is terrible for the islands are stony, and a fierce wind is always raging from the Atlantic. There are 700 on the largest island. An old fort built 1000 B.C. by aboriginals still stands. – Put on my whites, and went up to Betty’s for tennis, where I had some fine games. Fr. Gay joined in too. After we played hide and seek, but I was concerned about my lovely clothes, because I fell twice, and dirtied them. Arthur and Bettie Bergin were there. Every evening Mám plays her new programme. I simply revel in Chopin’s Valse Op. 64 No. 3. It is delightful.
*(Original Archive Copyright © Estate of Aloys Fleischmann. The Fleischmann Diaries Online Archive by Róisín O’Brien is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Used with permission.)
Henry S., age 26, Michigan
June 23, 1888
I arose with the earache this morning and have been sick with it all day. I got nervous and took a walk over to Mr. Cushman’s, but no one was at home, so I had to come right back. Kate and I took Una in her cart, and took some strawberries down to Balls and Kenny’s. We took Ida a photo, and she gave us one of hers. I found our old cow in Docks wheat and she gave me a fine run before I succeeded in getting her home. It is raining tonight.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Henry S., age 25, Michigan
June 23, 1887
It rained some this morning, but stopped so that I hitched up Jimmie and drew my buckwheat over to Neill’s and cleaned it in Fred’s Mill. I had about 5 bushels. Willie Waters picked some berries this forenoon and Mr. Bilderback and the Hubbell’s, this afternoon. I went after my Buck-board this afternoon, it took me a long time to get it as I found the wheels were not washered as they should be, and waited to have it fixed. Jimmie seemed to know he was hitched to a good looking rig once more. It rode nice and easy, and I am glad we have a way to go around now. It has been cold today, for a summer’s day. I hoed the garden this evening.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Abbie B., age 22, Kansas
June 23, 1871
I was too busy to write yesterday. Baked such good bread, then dressed the biggest turkey I ever saw, Philip had been saying for a couple days that if that turkey did not stay away he would shoot him. The breast I slised and fried like stake. Mrs. Lane came, in time for dinner, I went part way home with her. We were resting in the shade when Jake came from work. She urged me to go home and spend the night. Jake said if I would he would go down and get supper and breakfast for Philip.
Philip is not well, and I felt I could not leave him that long. I told Jake to go with me and get some turkey, which he did, and after supper went home with enough for two meals, and Mrs. L. took enough for her and Mr. Lane two meals, and we have some left yet.
Brother has been ailing all week, think he is a trifle better this eve. The bugs are coming in, I must put out the light.
*(kansasmemory.org, Kansas State Historical Society, copy and reuse restrictions apply)
Cornelia H., age 25, North Carolina
June 23, 1862
I sewed some on my pointed night cap. Spent the evening at Mrs. Fanning’s. Pinck & Zona were along. She is weaving the cloth for the negroe’s pants. Mail brought no news. They have been fighting at James Island near Charleston but all quiet now. Oh how I wish & pray for peace once again on us as a free people.
*(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
June 23, 1667
(Lord’s day). Up to my chamber, and there all the morning reading in my Lord Coke’s Pleas of the Crowne, very fine noble reading. After church time comes my wife and Sir W. Pen his lady and daughter; and Mrs. Markham and Captain Harrison [L&M suggest “Hannum”. P.G.] (who come to dine with them), by invitation and dined with me, they as good as inviting themselves. I confess I hate their company and tricks, and so had no great pleasure in [it], but a good dinner lost. After dinner they all to church, and I by water alone to Woolwich, and there called on Mr. Bodham: and he and I to see the batterys newly raised; which, indeed, are good works to command the River below the ships that are sunk, but not above them. Here I met with Captain Cocke and Matt. Wren, Fenn, and Charles Porter, and Temple and his wife. Here I fell in with these, and to Bodham’s with them, and there we sat and laughed and drank in his arbour, Wren making much and kissing all the day of Temple’s wife. It is a sad sight to see so many good ships there sunk in the River, while we would be thought to be masters of the sea. Cocke says the bankers cannot, till peace returns, ever hope to have credit again; so that they can pay no more money, but people must be contented to take publick security such as they can give them; and if so, and they do live to receive the money thereupon, the bankers will be happy men. Fenn read me an order of council passed the 17th instant, directing all the Treasurers of any part of the King’s revenue to make no payments but such as shall be approved by the present Lords Commissioners; which will, I think, spoil the credit of all his Majesty’s service, when people cannot depend upon payment any where. But the King’s declaration in behalf of the bankers, to make good their assignments for money, is very good, and will, I hope, secure me. Cocke says, that he hears it is come to it now, that the King will try what he can soon do for a peace; and if he cannot, that then he will cast all upon the Parliament to do as they see fit: and in doing so, perhaps, he may save us all. The King of France, it is believed, is engaged for this year; so that we shall be safe as to him. The great misery the City and kingdom is like to suffer for want of coals in a little time is very visible, and, is feared, will breed a mutiny; for we are not in any prospect to command the sea for our colliers to come, but rather, it is feared, the Dutch may go and burn all our colliers at Newcastle; though others do say that they lie safe enough there. No news at all of late from Bredagh what our Treaters do. By and by, all by water in three boats to Greenwich, there to Cocke’s, where we supped well, and then late, Wren, Fenn, and I home by water, set me in at the Tower, and they to White Hall, and so I home, and after a little talk with my wife 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.)