September 8
Laura M., age 15, North Carolina
September 8, 1997
Went on trail before 1st period with Ashley, Justin, Zach, and Laura B. Saw Chris after 2nd period and he had dip in his lip. Eew! :) But he thought he was cool. Dumbass. Went home with Renee. Zach and Julie came, too. Had nice chat with Julie about her eating. :( Me and Mom ran errands. Did homework and story. Talked 2 Renee. Ate dinner. Watched T.V. Cleaned up bathroom.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
September 8, 1997
Very hot. Washed sheets and cases. Went to Mrs. B.’s for coffee. Suddenly it was dark and as I was leaving the rain came down. Clothes got wet but dried later with all the heat. Ole came in P.M. Late eve. and nite the temp. dropped.
Marcy S., age 20, Tennessee
September 8, 1944
Beautiful day but still cool. Mum got an air-mail letter from Helen Elliott written before the telegram was sent and everything is going to work out fine, I hope. We started packing and had the large suitcase done by lunch. Pop was too busy to come home. Then we tackled the trunk. Mum insisted upon doing most of the work. About 3:30 I dressed and left for town. Stopped by Mary’s and left some thread. Then to town to do some shopping. Got another slip at Hamilton’s. Mrs. Farmer is working in the Acme again. I was trying to decide on some lipstick when Mary sneaked up on me. Decided not to decide then and we went over to the 10-cent store and I got just what I wanted, at a great saving! My hair looked amazingly nice. Mary and I were just on the verge of parting the she suggested going back to the Acme for some ice cream, which we did. George and some other boys were at a near-by table. Mary commented on George’s good looks. Grendel waited on us and we kidded him. Pan, Betsy and some other school kids came in. The seniors got their rings today — old gold — and they’re thrilled to death. We left about 4:30 and parted across the street. I walked on home and left my parcels. Then went over to say farewell to Mrs. Marney. She lay on the couch and talked a blue streak. She, too, is mightily relieved that I’m not going way out to Washington. Talked about Milton, Evelyn, Carlyle and their respective occupations. I like “Ma” Marney, even if she is the biggest gossip in town! When I left about 6 she gave me a huge, leather-bound scrapbook, really beautiful. For use at college this year. Mum had supper all ready but was going to lie down herself ’cause her back had given out. So Pop and I ate alone. He brought a letter from Rochester and the reminder that I would be in the class of ’47 made me mad all over again. I have to have an audition at the Eastman School of Music and may be given more credit. Well, if it depends on an audition, I probably won’t. But I’ve just got to make it in 2 years. It seems so silly that I was accepted at the U. of Wash. as a junior and yet can’t get in Rochester with that standing! Beautiful, cool evening. After supper I looked through the catalogue and found that I’ll have to take a lab science and math if I major in Education. Pop watched for George and called him over to help him carry the trunk out to the car. Then Pop took that and the suitcase down to the station. Mother was asleep, Pop had gone, George was clipping bushes next door, it was fall, and I wanted to cry and cry and cry. I felt inexpressibly sad. So I decided to go out and talk to George. Donned my coat and went out. He inquired where I was bound for and I said Mother Lane’s — which was true, though I didn’t plan to go just then. I watched him clip some low-hanging branches off the maple trees and then proceeded to boss the job of clipping the side hedge by Winston’s. First Mrs. and then Mr. Winston called to us and then Clure. George wanted to know what my program for the evening was. He lost interest presently in clipping and decided to get the ax and chop some of the dead trees that a colored man had cut down and then gotten himself in jail before hauling them away. His buckeye tree in the back yard is full of buckeyes and he knocked one down for me, still in the shell. I asked his advice as to whether I should take chemistry or physics and he advised physics. He went in and got a book on “physics made easy” and I looked through it while he chopped away with a vim. We heard voices once and looked around just in time to see Ashley responding to an invitation to ride to town. George asked if I knew who was in the car but I didn’t. It didn’t affect me a bit. About 7:30 George was afflicted with hunger and invited me in to converse with him while he supped. He introduced me to his bass viol, his latest craze. Oh yes, he’s been elected pres. of the Jr. class, but isn’t sure it’s such a compliment! I sat at the breakfast table with he and Clure and we discussed the courses I’ll have to take. After supper he suggested a walk so we set out up the street. I looked up at him and suddenly he didn’t seem so tall. I asked in a shaking voice if he’d shrunk and he said no, he was still 6’1.5”. We measured right their in the middle of the street and he estimated my heigh at 5’11”. Talk about tragedy! And here I was only 5’7.5” the last time I measured. I insisted it couldn’t be true and George took me by the arm and said we’d go back and make sure. I said if I were 5’11” I’d go home and shoot myself and he said he liked tall girls. Tall, yes, but not giant-like! Well, Clure viewed the proceedings with interest and it turned out that I was still only 5’7.5” or 8” at the most! Whew!! As we started out again I decided it was the shoulder pads in my coat that made me seem taller. Up by Mildred Lane’s I suddenly remembered Mother Lane so George and I went back and went in for awhile. She is so sweet and we had a nice visit. Left about 8:15. She hugged me and said I was a sweet girl and that she loved me a lot. I promised to write and she did, too. Then George and I walked to town. Beautiful starlit night. George prefers cool weather to hot. We discussed school and different courses. Met Mr. Skatrud at town and talked a minute. He’s the nicest man. I don’t feel any older than George. It doesn’t seem possible that he’s 4 years younger. We walked up Walden and then up the steepest hill in town. George doesn’t know what he wants to do — he’s interested in just about everything at the present, but that’s a good thing. He wants to go to Maryville the first two years and just take a general course. A very good idea. He missed Beta Club this semester by 1 point but he says he doesn’t care because all the kids think he’s so smart just because he likes physics and knows that Einstein is a Jew! He says ever so often he has to let go and hit a girl over the head just so she’ll know he’s human! :) When we got opposite the park George asked me if I ever had the urge to something out of the ordinary and I admitted that I had, at great cost. He recollected some rules he’d broken at school in response to said urge and then said he had one just then to strike out straight through the park. When we got opposite the path he said “No kidding, let’s do go through” so we went single file and it was so dark and overgrown we couldn’t see a foot ahead. Surprised some lovers so took a downward path. George lent a helping hand and we eventually made it out on to the road again. The moon wasn’t up yet but George said the night was young. I didn’t want to go in. We stopped in his house and got a drink. He gave me 2 pocket mystery books to read on the train. Clure wanted to come over and hear me play but I had to tell her about Mum so she’s going to come tomorrow night. George went home with me and accepted my invitation to come in. He seems so grown-up now but still he’s the same in a way. Pop was buried in the paper. I left the “men” together for a few minutes and then George and I looked at the paper. I dragged him into the kitchen and he dried while I washed the dishes. We told moron jokes and other funny things. I like George more than ever. I’m glad I’ve known him all his life. He said when I came home at Christmas we could converse about physics and such things. I’m going to study real hard. About 10 he left and I felt ever so much better. Mum still asleep. Pop was going down at 11 to get my ticket. To bed about 10:30. Very cool. Ashley doesn’t interest me anymore. Hurrah!
Henry S., age 25, Michigan
September 8, 1887
Worked at the store today. Irvie started for home this morning on the Traverse City stage. I made much work telegraphing today that I felt about sick. Frankfort operator helped me out though. It has been cool all day, but is growing warmer tonight and looks stormy. I received the 1800 cards I had ordered some time ago; they are fine and my Ink is very good. I have a good card writing outfit now. Kate and Jessie were up to the store this forenoon. The baby weighed 15 ½ #. Jessie was here at supper this evening.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Cornelia H., age 26, North Carolina
September 8, 1862
I have done nothing today but knit on a sock for Mr. Henry. I sent for the mail this morning by old Parker. No letter for me. We have enjoyed ourselves very well this day. Sister Jane & I, as Matt & Dora went with Eliza Neilson to school. They came back late in the evening & rather cool.
*(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
September 8, 1668
Up, and I walked out, and met Uncle Wight, whom I sent to last night, and Mr. Wight coming to see us, and I walked with them back to see my aunt at Katherine Hill, and there walked up and down the hill and places, about: but a dull place, but good ayre, and the house dull. But here I saw my aunt, after many days not seeing her — I think, a year or two; and she walked with me to see my wife. And here, at the Red Lyon, we all dined together, and mighty merry, and then parted: and we home to Fox Hall, where Fitzgerald and I ’light, and by water to White Hall, where the Duke of York being abroad, I by coach and met my wife, who went round, and after doing at the office a little, and finding all well at home, I to bed. I hear that Colbert, the French Ambassador, is come, and hath been at Court incognito. When he hath his audience, I know not.
*(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.)