DIARY.1913

T.B.Barrett.

Port Dover,Ontario.

The Farm........

From January 1st 1913 to November 18th 1913.

Wednesday January 1st 1913

We began to think that 13 at the end of the New Year was beginning right away to bring calamities upon us, for Dick who did not come home to tea last night did not put in an appearance all night, and it is the first time since he went into the bank that he did not come home to bed.

I woke up at half past four and found Dad & Aunty up and in an awful state as neither one had slept all night and had been thinking Dick had tried to cross the pond about mid night when every body would be asleep and never got to the other side.

Dad & I went down about five and went to Huby’s first to see if he had stayed there. We went to Quint’s window and tapped and immediately saw old Quint gliding around in the room as soon as he lighted the light Dad. saw Dick in bed. We couldn't get him more than half awake and he mumbled something about Wiggins being sick and he & Hazen worked so late, then went down to watch the dance for awhile and he never thought we'd miss him.

Later on in the morning I drove Aunty and Lila down town with two mince pies and the turkey we killed for Christmas & which Aunty took down to Huby's to cook. Dad did chores and we had a cold lunch after which Dad & I went down to Alfred's followed by Nig. Tige & the white kitten

2. to take him Huby's wooden cross puzzle which he seemed very pleased to get. We went down his lane & home by way of the gully. When we got home we slot around awhile before doing the night chores

Quint & Dick came over about six as Dick wanted to get on a clean shirt or something and we went down with them to tea, or rather turkey dinner. I took my skates down but it was too dark to go.

Dick went up to a surprise party at Fatty Turners, and told us he would not be home to-night. Aunty stayed down too. Dad, Frank & I came home about eleven. It has been very mild & sunny

Thursday January 2nd

I got up very late this morning. Dad & I did chores and Glen & Wilbur Ryersie came along for a half morning's visit. Wilbur wanted Dad to buy a pure bred Durham bull calf for fifty dollars, but Dad told him he would go over & look at it before investing.

At eleven Dad went down to Huby’s and brought Aunty home. This after noon he went down again and saw Vyse up town who solicited his vote for his re-election but Dad told him that though he had nothing against him as a neighbor, he was out of place as reeve for he thought he had acted very unfairly in everything last year.

I cleared up some of the old rubbish heap in the barnyard while Dad was gone. Frank put in the afternoon building a dandy jib crane with his “Meccano” outfit. It has been very soft to-day & looks like a storm.

Friday January 3rd

This was Aunty's birthday and although we did our best we could not think of anything to give her so she vows that she doesn't know of any thing either, but Win sent her over a couple of aprons. Aunty remembers they are just what she wanted.

Dad. Aunty and I drove down town in the lumber waggon this afternoon morning. Aunty went in to see Enah who was up walking around and then down to Huby's to get Dads old medicine cupboard and the contents those of ready for removal to the farm. Dad & and I went down to the beach and got all the sand we thought we had better load the wagon as down therewere great as the sand was frozen enough to hold the wheels up and yet not too much to shovel. The ice banks are very high down there. We came up around by Huby’s and got Aunty and the old cupboard which we are going to use as a stove house for Frank’s & my belongings.

We are preparing in time against young Huberts development. Dad & I did chores this after noon and then sorted Dad's medicine. It started to rain this morning which turned to an all day snow storm. Colder to-night but not freezing.

4. Saturday January 4th

Charlie Martin was over for an hours visit this morning and told Dad as he was leaving that he had a lame horse over there which he wanted Dad to look at. He said his mother fell off the back steps before Christmas and nearly broke her leg. He also told us his sister Mrs. Maclaughlin had a baby girl about two days after Enah's boy came. Dad thought they ought to trade as Mrs. Maclaughlin was all prepared for & had a boy named and it was the other way round with Enah.

This after noon we did chores and Dad went down to see Enah. I went over as far as Martin's with him and saw the chickens which were all washed, fanned, powdered and the dark feathers pulled out of them and ready to start on the five train for the Boston show. We also saw Charlie's lame horse which has an awfully sore looking leg on it.

I cut wood and practiced on my horn when I got home. Lila came over soon after I got back with her steam engine. Dad has to go down again to-night to sit with Enah. She is blue because the boy exercises his lungs now & then Froze last night. Cold raw wind all day but sunny and thawing.

Sunday January 5th

Frank, Dick & Lila went down to sunday school and Aunty and I went down to church and were a little late. We went into Mrs Lawson's to see how Enah was on our way down and Aunty Maude was with her which surprised us very much but she said she didn't think it would hurt her a bit. Mrs. Roy Silverthorne was there in a very low condition, her little baby which was born last night, died and she didn't know it yet when we were there.

Dick and I went down and had a good skate this afternoon though the ice was rather rough. Dad went down and got Faulkner to bring Enah & the boy home in the covered in bus and it didn't hurt either one in the least. Al drove at a snail's pace.

He was telling Dad his opinion of Vyse. He spoke in the grieved monotone which he assumes for such occasions and said "I told Vyse, when we elected you reeve you promised to build good roads. You haven't done 15 cents worth of road work but spent all the money in sticking up that coup by me. Now what you had better do is to put the man in you built it for, which is Aikens, then you & Bill Graham lock yourselves in with him take a stick of dynamite and blow youse all to hell to save funeral expences!" yes i said Al. I told him that two weeks ago and he hasn't spoken to me since."

Beautiful day. Froze hard last night, but thawed all day. Colder & look stormy to-night.

6 Monday January 6th

We did up all the chores this morning. Frank carried over the chaff & corn from the cows manger to the chicken house which he cleaned out. This after noon Dad.went down and cast his vote for J.R. Davis. Frank Taylor came over after him with Faulkner's bus just he was starting out. I broke the brace in the buck saw and fixed it this after noon

Dick came home to night and told us that Vyse was elected reeve with John Walker, Henderson, Carl Coleman & Billy Laings as councilmen. He and I went down to A.Y.P.A to night where we spent a pretty slow time. I went over to the band room for awhile where they preparing to start out for a serenade of the succesful candidates in the election. They were greatly proveket at Harry Graham & Art Lawson because they wouldn't play as they were sore at the way things went. It wasn't right of them for as Harry Moon said and he was probably as disappointed as any but was playing, "The band is an organization independant of politics. All we're after is the coin and we don't care whether it is American money or not." It rained all night and drizzled all day, wasn't any colder when Dick & I got home about eleven to night.

Tuesday January 7th

We just did chores this morning. Aunty went down town to get somethings for Dick's birthday which we celebrated to-night. I stayed in the house and read all the afternoon. Quint came over to tea to-night but Dick felt pretty miserable all evening. Quint stayed all night. Stormed all day half rain turning to sleet & ice so that everything is ice coated.

Wednesday January 8th

Dad and Enah spent the greater part of last night I guess in the baby's company, who takes great pleasure in making them try to put him to sleep at midnight. He is just one red lump of wickedness & noise at night, sleeps all day.

Frank started back to school this morning. Dick felt very miserable but said he must go to work and felt much better to-night when he got home. We did up the chores this morning and I took a picture of the ice mantled trees around Martin's place. I didn't do a thing but read "Lords of the North" all the after noon. Win came home with Frank to-night but could only stay a little while. Clear cold and sunny to-day, snow crust very hard & slippery.

Thursday January 9th

Dad & I did chores & cut wood this forenoon. Bill Donald

8

was in for awhile to have Dad. look at his horse. He told Dad. that he heard Jim. Dunbar had some wood for sale at $2.00 a cord, so Dad. drove Joe down to see if he could get her shod and drive down this after noon but he couldn't get in the shop and was afraid to risk driving on these icy roads, smooth shod.

This after noon we started to fix up a place between the granary & cow stable for a calf pen but couldn't do much as we had no nails. Dick & I went down town after tea I took my horn down thinking there would be band practice but found when I get down that the council were treating the band to an oyster supper. I suppose I could have partaken of the feast if I chose but I came home to get my skates. I put them on at the house and skated down to the pond. There were quite a few there but it was so dark I couldn't see any of their faces and I didn't think Dick was there so I skated up to the bank Hazen was there and said Dick had just gone out with his skates on. I stayed there about half an hour and Hazen & I wrote & talked to Baldy Denton. I then went back to the pond but it was nearly deserted so I came home and found Dick had just got here before me, he had been over at Dyer's or someplace and hadn't been skating at all. Win. came over with Frank to stay all night. Nice day very much milder.

Friday January 10th

Dad. & I drove down as soon as we could get started this morning which wasn't very early to get Joe shod but the shop was full again so we had to get a few things up town including a {straco?} knife and come home. Dad. didn't know what to do as we want wood badly but he was afraid to drive Joe on the icy roads, especially after Vyse told us this morning that Sam. Law lost a cow by slipping on the ice. I supposed it was his old lame one.

At last I decided to try and skate down. I left here after eleven and skated down on the road all the way and was back here by before one. Jim Dunbar was in Jarvis but his daughter said she thought he had wood for $2.50 a cord and would tell him to try and bring us a load to-morrow. I tripped several times going but only fell once. There were only a few places where the skating wasn't fairly good, the worst place was going up & down Art Ryersie's hill.

We didn't do any thing in particular this after noon Bill Donald came after Dad. to go and see his horse about five o'clock. Some fellow drove in while he was here and wanted to know where Anson Collver lived. Bill knew, he said he supposed that was some body after him for money.

Neil Elliot & Charlie McKenzie where in to look at Fred's calf although they had just met Dad. on the road and he told them the calf was not for sale. I went down to Mrs Jarley's wax work practice to-night, but there was "nothing doing". Mrs. Luck, Miss Harding & Booze Waddle were