May 24
Laura M., age 16, North Carolina
May 24, 1998
Née had to work. Me and Les went 2 Waffle House. Came home. Sean called. Went 2 a park with him and took him 2 work. Worked on paper and watched “Happy Gilmore.” Went out with Courtney, Ash, Karen, Liam at night. Spent night at Courtney’s. Sean called there at 11:30!
Laura M., age 15, North Carolina
May 24, 1997
Up at 9:00 — showered. Went back to bed till 11:00. Mom and Kathy picked me up at Courtney’s. Got in trouble for driving last night. Went to Tarboro. Slept. Came home. Bryan/Steven, too. Ate dinner. Watched “The Craft.” OK. Went to bed. Grounded again.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
May 24, 1960
Washed a blanket, Lo’s coat dresses etc. Later had Mrs. B. over for coffee, also fixed soup for us. Had quite a mess when Lo came at noon. She wanted to go to florist about ordering plants so did that. When she reached office Stephany called to have her bring her car down, they would start working on it. Surely miss having it. Lo and G.B. got the plastic off porch. I swept up a little in garage. Never enough time to do much.
Marcy S., age 19, Missouri
May 24, 1944
Rained in morn. No more tennis. Up early to read Eng. Lit. Practiced at 10 and 11. Wrote Mrs. Marsh (I think). Good lunch. Cleared in afternoon. I spent from 2 till nearly 6 on my term paper. Just about 6 Betty Postel came down with her music and wanted me to practice with her. So we went over the conservatory and she sang a few numbers. She thought it was wonderful that I could read music so easily. I felt much more at ease with her and felt wonderfully free at dinner. In evening I studied for history exam till late. This has been a day of work. Letter from Greta.
Marcy S., age 16, Tennessee
May 24, 1941
(m) Not quite so hot. Breezy. Clear. Woke early. Lay thinking some beautiful thoughts. Life isn’t empty and useless anymore -- not after Ann Rutledge and Abraham Lincoln have lived and believed. I’m so gloriously happy. The puzzle is almost put together -- but not quite. After music lesson I went up on Helen’s bank and played with Barbey while Helen weeded. Soon George came. We all went barefoot, although Barbey didn’t like the idea at first. We tried to find Fuzzy to give her a bath but couldn’t. I went home and read “The White Cliffs.” Had terrible cramps. Went to bed with hot water bottle before I finished dinner. Slept till almost 3:00. Mom went to town to help with Poppy Sale.
Aloys F., age 16, County Cork, Ireland
May 24, 1926
This morning I woke up with a fright to find Nellie, the house-dog, licking my arm. A miserable wet, drizzly day for the bank holiday. I am sure hundreds of excursions were spoiled, the cause of much tears to the young people. We spent most of the morning playing airs on piano, violin and guitar. Some gentlemen came to fish on the lake, so we could not go fishing there. So I got on the big waders after dinner, and Diarmuid got himself rain-proof, and both of us went fishing in the rain in a big stream near the mill. For about an hour all was in vain, but when I was up at the house asking the time, Diarmuid landed a small fellow, and just as I arrived, he swung quite a nice trout on to the bank. I then tried my luck, and almost immediately got gut, hook and all pulled away by a vicious tug. Diarmuid was kind enough to give me the two trout to take home. After tea I said goodbye, thanked Mr. and Mrs. MacDonnell heartily for their kindness, and went off in car driving myself. Barely caught train! Sophie and Irmah not there. They are staying till tomorrow. Did some work as Mam and Pap were out.
*(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
May 24, 1888
If nothing happened ma got through to Fremont today. I spent the forenoon in study and the practice of Penmanship. Una stayed with me part of the time, but she thought it was a lonesome room. This afternoon I set out tomato and hoed out the small fruit. Began a letter to ma as I know she will want to hear often. It don’t seem to be in me to do rapid writing. I found I could do as many words with my little typewriter, as with the pen.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Henry S., age 25, Michigan
May 24, 1887
I slept pretty well last night, if I was all alone, but I shall be a thousand times happier when Kate comes. I made a stone boat this forenoon, and got Fred Neill’s one horse plow. I took a long nap at noon, I felt so kind of tired. This afternoon I put Jimmie on the plow and did a little plowing among the plum trees. I got along better than I expected to with the pony. I made a drag with some spikes, but it does not do good wok and I must get something else. I dug into the potato pit today and they are all so. It looks a little like rain each day, but don’t come. I called at Neill’s tonight.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Cornelia H., age 26, North Carolina
May 24, 1863
Very warm this morning & very dry, needing rain badly. Harrie & Mr. Henry & Pinck gone to church at Academy. Mr. Reynolds preaches F. M. Starnes’ funeral today. Matt & I did not go as it gives me the headache to walk so far & it is very warm today. The children all well. Jinnie getting dinner. Matt rocking the babe in the cradle. Lane left here this morning. Pa sent him here after the jack. He came here Friday night. It took him 4 days to come. He rode a mare. Mr. Henry & Harrie & Pinck went to Capt. Moore’s from church. Matt & I went on the hill to see Mr. Cagle & others. We staid till Mr. Henry came up after me. It was about sundown when we got back.
*(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 24, 1862
I have done no sewing today. Worked out my flowers. Fannie helped some, washed the children & put them in clean clothes & washed & cleaned myself. It has rained a little several times today. Two men stay here tonight that have come to mill. Tinsley is one of them. Willie is running about all over the yard just as he pleases. A good child but shows a little too much temper.
*(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
May 24, 1668
To White Hall, and there all the morning, and thence home, and giving order for some business and setting my brother to making a catalogue of my books, I back again to W. Hewer to White Hall, where I attended the Duke of York and was by him led to [the King], who expressed great sense of my misfortune in my eyes, and concernment for their recovery; and accordingly signified, not only his assent to desire therein, but commanded me to give them rest summer, according to my late petition to the Duke of York. W. Hewer and I dined alone at the Swan; and thence having thus waited on the King, spent till four o’clock in St. James’s Park, when I met my wife at Unthanke’s, and so home.
*(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.)