November 4
Laura M., age 15, North Carolina
November 4, 1997
Damnit — school’s boring! Nothing good happened 2 me except Tim said I have beautiful eyes. Yay. Went 2 Renée’s with Ashley, Chrissi. Later Sol and Malia came. And then Tarik, and then Sean and Mike. But I had 2 leave. Went on walk. Did homework. Waited for guitar guy but he never came. Ate. Did studying. Watched “Mad About You.” Ashley.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
November 4, 1960
Lo wasn’t late coming home from Edith’s so didn’t lose too much sleep. Mrs. B. came over, expects to go to Russell’s this eve for week end. Carrie was to go to a S.S. meeting but no one picked her up. It was a very bad nite raining so hard. We had thot of going to Elgin but didn’t.
Marcy S., age 14, Tennessee
November 4, 1938
(m) Cloudy at first but very windy later. Practiced. Went to chapel. Had short pep meeting. Handed my blouse in. Worked on new dress. No Algebra although we did go to class. Home for dinner. Cloudy and very windy. Daddy came home for dinner but had to go back to Rockwood. Wind is making fires worse. Talked to Caroline when I got back to school and later Mary, when she came. We had study period and English class although not much. Got my Eng. lesson for Mon. and then read till 2:30 when everyone got off whether they went to ball game or not. (Harriman and Crossville played.) Mary and I walked down to the entrance of the place to buy your tickets and then we went up the steps and sat near the auditorium outside. [Here she drew a small diagram.] Mary and I teased each other and M. threw my Latin book down and wouldn’t pick up the papers which fell out of it. I pretended to be made and some girls there got tickled. Finally I walked off up the hill with M. following after. She thought I was really mad and left. Nearly blew away going home. Still cloudy. Mother was starting to rest. Mr. Pridemore was fixing shingles on the roof that had blown off. I read funnies and practiced a little and about 3:30 I went to town. To the library where I renewed “Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come” and got “Amorelle” by Grace Livingston Hill. Then on to dentist (Dr. Adcock). Had to wait about 15 mins. Then I had a tooth filled. Didn’t hurt. Stopped at Mother Lane’s on the way home and left a picture of Smokies. Then home. George said H. won 14 to 6 (I think). I went up to H.’s to see if she could go to the movies with us tonight. She can. Wind very strong. Warm. Came home and read while M. went after the car. Then I made icing for a cake. We ate supper and a reporter called Mother to get a report of the fires. M. has had about 20 calls today. M. went over to Mrs. McClure’s and invited she and George to go to the movies with us tonight. They can. After supper we got ready to go. I went after Helen and then George. His mother came soon and we all drove down town. M. let us off at the Princess and then she went home because she was afraid Daddy might ’phone or come while she was gone. It had started to sprinkle and there was lightning around but still warm. Helen and I sat with Ruth Butler and G. sat in front of us with Bill B. Mrs. M. sat further back with the Moores. Only a newsreel and then the main picture, “Marie Antoinette,” starring Norma Shearer, Tyrone Power, Anita Louise, John Barrymore and Gladys George and many others. Very good. Very sad at the last and I had forgotten a handkie. H. used 2. When M.A.’s second child (a boy) was born there was a terrible crash of thunder which lighted the screen up and I expected to see everything fall. H. and I nearly jumped to the ceiling. After movies M. was waiting for us outside. Raining. Everybody’s eyes were red from crying. H. and I took one umbrella and we ran a block to the car and then stepped in a mud hole. We drove Mrs. M. and G. and Betty Bothwell and her mother home. When we stopped at Bothwells (which is on a hill) I had to hold the brake to keep the car from going down the hill backwards. When we got home Daddy was there and he went right to bed. I didn’t get to sleep till 11:30. All fires out. Still warm. Heard scary noises and kept thinking of Marie Antoinette when she was beheaded. Terrible! Good time today.
Henry S., age 26, Michigan
November 4, 1887
I went to the store this morning and worked there this forenoon and after school this afternoon, while Mr. Hopkins went on a hunt. It has been growing colder and there were snow squalls during the day. I did not get home until after dark.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Abbie B., age 22, Kansas
November 4, 1871
Plowing with two yoke of oxen. P is helping. It will take them five days next week, to finish. Lanes had their best horse stolen, what a pity they cant get the thief.
We are having pleasant weather. Mrs. Springer spent the day here. She rode up— and brought the band she stiched for me on her machine. A letter from Reading to day. Game is plenty. We have had three geese and a turkey within a week.
Sometimes a thousand geese and brants fly up and down the river, and fill the air with their gabbling. The coyotes often make the nights hideous with their howling. Have not had any ague for over two weeks—but take medacine every other day.
*(kansasmemory.org, Kansas State Historical Society, copy and reuse restrictions apply)
Cornelia H., age 26, North Carolina
November 4, 1862
I began a shirt for Mr. Henry this morning, did not get it done today. All are well. Willie does not try to talk yet, is very backward as much so as Pinck. Zona could say several things at Willie’s age. Mr. Henry & I went to the mill yesterday evening. Night will soon have the molasses mill done.
*(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
November 4, 1667
Up betimes, and by water with Sir R. Ford (who is going to Parliament) to Westminster; and there landing at the New Exchange stairs, I to Sir W. Coventry: and there he read over to me the Prince’s and the Duke of Albemarle’s Narratives; wherein they are very severe against him and our Office. But [Sir] W. Coventry do contemn them; only that their persons and qualities are great, and so I do perceive [he] is afeard of them, though he will not confess it. But he do say that, if he can get out of these briars, he will never trouble himself with Princes nor Dukes again. He finds several things in their Narratives, which are both inconsistent and foolish, as well as untrue, especially as to what the Duke of Albemarle avers of his knowing of the enemy’s being abroad sooner than he says it, which [Sir] W. Coventry will shew him his own letter against him, for I confess I do see so much, that, were I but well possessed of what I should have in the world, I think I could willingly retreat, and trouble myself no more with it.
Thence home, and there met Sir H. Cholmly, and he and I to the Excise Office to see what tallies are paying, and thence back to the Old Exchange, by the way talking of news, and he owning Sir W. Coventry, in his opinion, to be one of the worthiest men in the nation, as I do really think he is. He tells me he do think really that they will cut off my Lord Chancellor’s head, the Chancellor at this day showing as much pride as is possible to those few that venture their fortunes by coming to see him; and that the Duke of York is troubled much, knowing that those that fling down the Chancellor cannot stop there, but will do something to him, to prevent his having it in his power hereafter to avenge himself and father-in-law upon them. And this Sir H. Cholmly fears may be by divorcing the Queen and getting another, or declaring the Duke of Monmouth legitimate; which God forbid! He tells me he do verily believe that there will come in an impeachment of High Treason against my Lord of Ormond; among other things, for ordering the quartering of soldiers in Ireland on free quarters; which, it seems, is High Treason in that country, and was one of the things that lost the Lord Strafford his head, and the law is not yet repealed; which, he says, was a mighty oversight of him not to have it repealed, which he might with ease have done, or have justified himself by an Act.
From the Exchange I took a coach, and went to Turlington, the great spectacle-maker, for advice, who dissuades me from using old spectacles, but rather young ones, and do tell me that nothing can wrong my eyes more than for me to use reading-glasses, which do magnify much.
Thence home, and there dined, and then abroad and left my wife and Willett at her tailor’s, and I to White Hall, where the Commissioners of the Treasury do not sit, and therefore I to Westminster to the Hall, and there meeting with Col. Reames I did very cheaply by him get copies of the Prince’s and Duke of Albemarle’s Narratives, which they did deliver the other day to the House, of which I am mighty glad, both for my present information and for my future satisfaction. So back by coach, and took up my wife, and away home, and there in my chamber all the evening among my papers and my accounts of Tangier to my great satisfaction, 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.)