May 19
Laura M., age 16, North Carolina
May 19, 1998
Not much from Sean. Watched “Dawson’s Creek” at 9:00. (Interviewed Cap after the guitar lesson.) It’s been a long time since I’ve cried over TV stuff, but 2night I wept. There was a father-daughter moment and I went nuts. Couldn’t stop crying—amazing. Also, I was thinking about Sean. Feel like I have something 2 say 2 him.
Laura M., age 15, North Carolina
May 19, 1997
Good day! Wore a little dress ’cause it was 90 degrees! Went home with Ashley. Zach was there a little bit — it was funny. Mom picked me up at 3:30. Watched story with homework. Went to softball game against Ash. It was really fun and a DAMN good game. Won 13-12. Played center, pitch, 1st, right. FUN! Came home and ate and showered. Talked to Karen.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
May 19, 1960
Rained in nite so Loie glad to have mowed. Didn’t get porch windows washed but rug looks clean. It is raining off and on. I had a good nap this P.M. It is so dark. Straightened up stairs this A.M. Put down clean rugs. Went over to Mrs. B. She going out this P.M. Might do her good.
Marcy S., age 19, Missouri
May 19, 1944
Up at 6:15. About 7:45 Betty and I met Eleanor and Joan in the parlors and went over to Willis courses to make up a tennis cut — all gym cuts have to be in tomorrow. The watchman wouldn’t let us play on the concrete courts (for some silly reason) so we went down to the clay court and batted the balls around. It was beautiful at that hour — everything so fresh and lovely. There were locus trees nearby and they smelled so sweet. We stopped about 7:15 and ran back to the hall. Betty and I changed and the other kids left their rackets in the room. Then we all went over to breakfast. Eleanor and I finished first and came back together. Shorthand at 8. We graded each other’s test papers and then could leave. Betty somebody walked to hall with me. Fooled around till time for Eng. Lit. at 9. Getting hot again. At 10 I went to town and bought a lot of miscellaneous articles. At 11 went over to Willis House for tennis test which we had outside. Long but not hard. Good lunch. I studied till 3 then practiced a while — Val’s pieces. About 4 Betty and I went down to the dairy and had a soda. It was so hot. Back to hall and I helped Betty deliver the papers. At 6:30 Betty and I went over to Willis courts to play tennis but they were all taken. So we walked over to north courts, which were locked. All but the one by Windsor which wasn’t rolled and had no net. The balls bounced all over the place but we hit them around anyway. Soon some other kids joined us. Then more kids came and had the brilliant idea of crawling through a hole in the wire surrounding the locked courts. We followed suit at great risk to our lives and dignity. We had barely gotten started, though, when I hit a ball way over the side and into the street. So I had to crawl through the wire again to retrieve it. When I came back some boys said they had the key and would open the gate because Miss Spencer would have a fit if she saw us crawling through the fence. We had more than gotten started again when Betty hit a ball out but by that time the boys had decided to sprinkle the court so we all had to leave. It was about 7:30. We were worn out and it was still hot. Lovely evening. Back to hall and we studied rest of the evening.
Marcy S., age 16, Tennessee
May 19, 1941
Beautiful, hot like summer. Received bronze pin in chapel for 47-5 words. Others received awards, too. I played to march out. Dull themes in history. Goody had a tooth pulled and her right cheek is all swollen. Didn’t get much done in typing. Mrs. C. had me running all over seeing about music club tomorrow night. Had to go see Mary Lee and then the High School members. In bad mood. After school I helped Mom a bit and then washed my hair. Mom went to town. I sat out on the porch and dried my hair in the sun. Helen sat with me before going to town. George borrowed the hose and washed Mr. Tomilson’s car which was in the driveway. Fun, teasing. Then I practiced and studied. Went up to see Barbey. The white roses are in bloom. Nice supper. Like summer. Curled hair in evening. Very sleepy. More fun today than I had expected.
Henry S., age 26, Michigan
May 19, 1888
It was a cloudy morning, but cleared off fine before noon. Kate and I went to Dexter this forenoon. I told the telegraph operator to have a ticket ready for ma next Tuesday. Kate saw the Dr. again about her ears. I went to the woods a while this afternoon and sawed chunks. Have been writing this evening. It is cold again.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Henry S., age 25, Michigan
May 19, 1887
Have been riding in the freight car until 6:00 this evening. It has been a warm day, but I had both doors of the car open and did not mind the heat much. Jimmie would not eat corn on the road, he seem to be kind of homesick. I expect I would be too if I allowed my thoughts to dwell on the old home. I put Jimmie in a feed barn and went up to the Post Office and wrote and mailed a card to Kate. I am staying at the American House. Mr. Albert Adams of Benzonia is here this evening. I feel pretty tired.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Abbie B., age 22, Kansas
May 19, 1871
Early in the morning we can hear the prairie chickens drumming. I wonder if it is their mating song, or are they hunting nest locations. Yesterday I went up to the garden, was gone from 10 to 4 p. m. I boroghed a hoe. Hoed the beans, peas, planted corn ct. It was very warm, and I was tired out. We have little twilight here. The sun sets, and in a few minutes it is dark.
*(kansasmemory.org, Kansas State Historical Society, copy and reuse restrictions apply)
Cornelia H., age 26, North Carolina
May 19, 1863
Dry & warm needing rain badly. Our garden gets on slowly. No cabbage plants out yet. I worked some on the stocking. Handed threads to Betsy after dinner for the children’s dresses. She will put it through the sley tomorrow. Atheline spinning but gets along very slowly.
*(Fear in North Carolina: The Civil War Journals and Letters of the Henry Family, Eds. Karen L. Clinard and Richard Russell, used with permission.)
Cornelia H., age 25, North Carolina
May 19, 1862
I began to turn Zona’s scoop today. Hemming the frills of brilliente, did not finish it. Mr. Henry & I went to the Murray fields in the evening. We took the yokes off the goats. Some of them are rather wild & hard to catch. There is three young kids & will soon be several others. Pinck was along with us. Mr. Henry went to Asheville this morning, got me steel for a hoop which I have to put together. He also got some shoes for Willie but they are too small. Mail came along this evening but nothing new.
*(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 36, London
May 19, 1669
With my coach to St. James’s; and there finding the Duke of York gone to muster his men, in Hyde Park, I alone with my boy thither, and there saw more, walking out of my coach as other gentlemen did, of a soldier’s trade, than ever I did in my life: the men being mighty fine, and their Commanders, particularly the Duke of Monmouth; but me-thought their trade but very easy as to the mustering of their men, and the men but indifferently ready to perform what was commanded, in the handling of their arms. Here the news was first talked of Harry Killigrew’s being wounded in nine places last night, by footmen, in the highway, going from the Park in a hackney-coach towards Hammersmith, to his house at Turnham Greene: they being supposed to be my Lady Shrewsbury’s men, she being by, in her coach with six horses; upon an old grudge of his saying openly that he had lain with her. Thence by and by to White Hall, and there I waited upon the King and Queen all dinner-time, in the Queen’s lodgings, she being in her white pinner and apron, like a woman with child; and she seemed handsomer plain so, than dressed. And by and by, dinner done, I out, and to walk in the Gallery, for the Duke of York’s coming out; and there, meeting Mr. May, he took me down about four o’clock to Mr. Chevins’s lodgings, and all alone did get me a dish of cold chickens, and good wine; and I dined like a prince, being before very hungry and empty. By and by the Duke of York comes, and readily took me to his closet, and received my petition, and discoursed about my eyes, and pitied me, and with much kindness did give me his consent to be absent, and approved of my proposition to go into Holland to observe things there, of the Navy; but would first ask the King’s leave, which he anon did, and did tell me that the King would be a good master to me, these were his words, about my eyes, and do like of my going into Holland, but do advise that nobody should know of my going thither, but pretend that I did go into the country somewhere, which I liked well. Glad of this, I home, and thence took out my wife, and to Mr. Holliard’s about a swelling in her cheek, but he not at home, and so round by Islington and eat and drink, and so home, and after supper to bed. In discourse this afternoon, the Duke of York did tell me that he was the most amazed at one thing just now, that ever he was in his life, which was, that the Duke of Buckingham did just now come into the Queen’s bed-chamber, where the King was, and much mixed company, and among others, Tom Killigrew, the father of Harry, who was last night wounded so as to be in danger of death, and his man is quite dead; and [Buckingham] there in discourse did say that he had spoke with some one that was by (which all the world must know that it must be his whore, my Lady Shrewsbury), who says that they did not mean to hurt, but beat him, and that he did run first at them with his sword; so that he do hereby clearly discover that he knows who did it, and is of conspiracy with them, being of known conspiracy with her, which the Duke of York did seem to be pleased with, and said it might, perhaps, cost him his life in the House of Lords; and I find was mightily pleased with it, saying it was the most impudent thing, as well as the most foolish, that ever he knew man do in all his life.
*(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.)