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

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.

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.

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

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 straw 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

the only ones there. We went up to Mr. Johnson's and he gave me a little idea of what I had to do. I think it will be a pretty poor show. It is advertised for next Thursday and half the ones in it haven't been to practice yet. Mr. Johnson never looked through the book till to-night and he picked out several new caracters that he is going to try & ring in. Not sunny but thawing all day. Almost raining to-night.

Saturday January 11th

We got a very big late start this morning and so did not do any thing but chores. Art. Ryersie came after Dad. a little before noon to go and see one of his cows which slipped on the ice, and Dad. is afraid it has broken her leg. It was the best cow he had.

This after noon we fixed a place in the barn to put Ringworm but could do nothing out side owing to the inclemency of the weather.

To-night Dick & I went down town I went to Mrs. Jarley practice & Dick waited for me. Frank spent the morning down town getting his tooth filled and helped up this after noon. Rained last night, very soft & cloudy this morning. Rained hard all after noon, drizzling to-night.

Sunday January 12th

Dad. & I drove down to Jim Dunbar's this morning and Dad. got him to say he'd bring us a load of wood to-morrow. When we got home we were about frozen. I felt kind of sick till I got thawed out.

After dinner I did helped Dad. do chores and then started to go down to Harry Moors. I met Hazen who was driving out in front and he drove me down and went up to Harry's with me where we spent quite a time. Dick was down at Dyer's all the after noon and to tea. Bill Donald come and got Dad. this after noon. Very cold and windy early part of the day but milder and fair to-night.

Monday January 13th

We let Queen out this morning for quite an exercise Dad. was scared to death she'd slip and hurt her self, but I guess she didn't. Mr. Bowlby. drove Louise down this. morning. She had to back this after noon so Dad. hooked up Joe and Ginger to the cutter and drove her up. The sleighing was very poor & one of the shoes on the cutter runner broke and ripped a big chunk out of the runner. Tom. Dunbar. brought us our cord of wood to-day. He made two trips of it and charged us three dollars.

The baby has been awake all day and to-night is raining "Hail Columbia." Dick went back to-night. Froze hard last night but much milder to-night. Nice day

Tuesday January 14th

Dad. loaded the cutter in the waggon first thing and we took it down to Butler who said he didn't think the runner was {illegible} much. Dad. found he could get Joe shod so stayed down and I walked home.

I started to throw the top off the straw stack. Th Mrs. McBride came to wash at noon and was here till after tea. Dad. cut some wood and we put a door on the barn and cut a bigger doorway. Dick came home to-night and forgot to bring the butter Aunty told him to get and we had a butterless tea, after which Dick went down town to get a pound I went with him to the Mrs. Jarley Waxwork practice in the town hall and am still convinced that the show will fall far short of what it is advertised to be.

Beautiful day and perfect night. Sunny and much milder to-night.

Wednesday January 15th

Our attention was attracted this morning by a great deal of racket being kicked up by Dave Turner's engine, and learned to-night when Dick got home it was in honor of Gladys Coleman who was married sometime during the night to get off on the early train. We were greatly surprised at the news although Aunty suspected it.

We did chores this morning and about eleven o'clock Dad. & I drove up to Stan Tompson's. Ham wasn't home but Dad. had a look at his bull calf. He says his stock is in a very bad condition. When we got home Dad. took Enah out for a short drive. The first time she has been out since she came home.

This after noon we husked a little corn and Dad. moved some of the corn stalks from one end of the hay to the other and then cut some wood. I didn't do anything much.

I went down again to-night to a Mrs. Jarley practice and had a pretty slow time. It will be over to-morrow night. Dick went down with me and worked awhile then we came home to-gether. Very soft and cloudy to-day. Rained a little this after noon and is raining quite hard to-night. Very slippery

Thursday January 16th

Mr. Lamb came over this morning before we had breakfast and got Dad. to go down and see a horse that got kicked. He was gone quite awhile and came back with a lovely bunch of flowers. This after noon he and Aunty went down town to get some things for the house. I didn't do anything much but chores and read

To-night Dick, Dad., Frank and I went down to Mrs. Jarley's Waxwork show. It came off a lot better than I expected and there was a full house. Perce Brock who was Mrs. Jarley couldn't have done better and Hazen Waddle was perfect. He was Simple Simon and sat through the whole show with his mouth wide open and

the vacantest kind of a look on his face. If any body jarred against him he would fall over in his chair till they set him up straight. They said all the figures were good except poor Captain Robinson who with Sidney McQueen acted as Babes in the Wood. He couldn't keep a straight face, but Sidney kept the same sweet smile all through. They each had an enormous doughnut and when wound up would feed each other. It certainly did look great for two of the biggest men in town. Lila impersonated Little Jack Horner and except when she was exhibited & wound up evidently forgot she was waxwork, for she laughed and moved around all she pleased and likley was more amusing than if she had been quiet. I, the deceased Mr. Jarley nearly bit a hole in my cheek to keep from laughing and then didn't succeed very well. I was in agony for awhile when my nose began to tickle and I couldn't scratch it. The girls were all very pretty and I think every body got their money's worth. They had a dance after the performance and Mrs. Moon gave me another lesson. I belive I could learn if I could keep at it but not likely I will get another chance now till next summer.

Rained a little this morning, dark & very soft all day. Raining hard to-night when Dick & I got home at half past twelve, and had been raining all evening, so Aunty said.

Friday January 17th

We got rather a late start this morning and did nothing but chores except throw some more off the top of the straw stack Mr. Peace. came in to see Dad about a colt which has some thing on its leg - which oughtn't to be there. Tige resented his visit strongly and bit at him twice, much to his indignation & terror

This after noon Dad. cut wood and we straightened up the fence in front of the hay barn two pannels of which have been down all winter. We were rather surprised this afternoon at Ringworm adding a bull calf to our stock collection.

It rained all night and to-day Barrett's farm is a quagmire. Still very mild I woke up about half past eleven to-night by Tige barking furiously then I heard Dad who was just going to bed go to the door and a stranger's voice ask for permission to hunt sparrows in the barn, around the stack. Dad. told them they could hunt around the stack but couldn't go in the barn with their lantern. They told him they weren't out for "na fun" (wich Dad readily believed) but were trying to rid the country of sparrows & rats. Dad. supposed they were after some prize as they came all the way from Selkirk.

Saturday January 18th

I read most of the morning and part of the afternoon in Dicks B.O.P. but finished the story and am not going to begin another

for awhile. Frank helped us do chores and after dinner went down to Alfred's to buy some butter. Alfred had the puzzle done the right way, and after putting it to-gether to show Frank, sent it home. Frank is working at it now evidently with out much success. I husked corn this after noon and Dad sawed wood. Frank went back to the gully for awhile to watch the creek or something.

To-night Dad & I worked at my horn trying to loosen one of the valves with the big monkey wrench. Mild & cloudy this morning. It turned colder with a high north west wind and snow. Quieter & not freezing to-night

Sunday January 19th

Aunty and the boys went down to Sunday School. I helped Dad. do a few chores amd went to church. Bill Donald came in just as I left and stayed about a hour & a half. Aunty & I went down to Miss Battersby's after church and found her looking about as well as ever. Winnie came over to dinner with Dick, & Frank stayed down at Huby's.

This after noon Dick & I went down town. I guess Dick spent the after noon at the drug store with Bob. while I went over to Waddle's for awhile then up to Harry Moon's, and looked at photographs. I drew to-night. It froze last night. It has been a very nice day and thawing.

Monday January 20th

I went out this morning to help Dad. do chores but got so dizzy I had to come in and go to bed, where I put in the rest of the day. I didn't have anything to eat all day except half a breakfast and about half a pint of pills with which they dozed me and which I think made me much worse. Enah gave me half a cup of cocoa which did no good as it floated.

This evening I came out into the kitchen while Aunty fixed my bed. I was sitting there talking to Dad. when the first thing I knew Frank began to look like a very poor moving picture and the next I seemed to be waking up lying on the floor with Dad. & Aunty asking me how I felt. I then began to realise I had fainted, a thing which I never did before and only twice before ever felt like it - funny feeling.

Charlie Martin came over again this morning for awhile. Aunty went down town this after noon and came home half drowned and mud to her eyes. Dick sent the mail home by Frank but he did come home till after A.Y.P.A. as he went to hear Cousin Willie's lecture on literature which he liked.

It rained again last night but was a lovely sunny day till this after noon when it began to pour and kept up till after tea when it turned colder and to snow.

Tuesday January 21st

I didn't do any thing in the shape of work all day although I felt much better that yesterday. I read nearly all morning. This after noon Louise came over. She had come down on the one o'clock train, and is staying here all night

Mr. & Mrs. Art. Ryersie came over and spent the evening Art. took the wooden puzzle home with him. It Froze last night and has been a lovely sunny day, though cold

Wednesday January 22nd

I went out this morning and tried to do a few chores, but couldn't do much. Louise came out for awhile to see the livestock and Dad. took Queen out in the halter for her entertainment but Tige proved to be the chief attraction in that show.

This after noon Mrs. Bowlby came down & Louise went back with her. Mrs. Bannister, Mrs. Vyse & her three kids came over this after noon. I was {illegible} to come in the house so nearly froze out in the drive shed where Dad. was putting a new head on the scraper which old Harry broke this morning. Dick got home early but went back again to watch the dance.

Dad & Frank went down to Alfred's to-night to show him Franks. Mecanno Outfit. Lovely sunny day. Freezing slightly to-night.

Thursday January 23rd

I didn't do any thing today but sit around and feel rotten. Dad. couldn't do anything out side but chores. Enah was feeling miserable this morning having fainted in the night. without telling any body. This afternoon Aunty went down to Bible Class. It was raining when we got up this morning and has kept it up steadily all day.

Friday January 24th

About the only thing of much interest that happened to-day on the premises was the birth of a bull calf to {Mully?} and no-body is much exercised over that, Mully included. Ah! Yes. another thing is, we got five eggs and didn't find a nest either. We think that is "going some" for only about forty hens.

I am a lot better to-day though my knee is pretty sore yet. The baby isn't very well to-day either. I went out a little to-day but drew & read most of the time. Dick had to go back to work at the bank to-night. Froze a little last night. Lovely mild day but not very sunny. Freezing to-night.

Saturday January 25th

We saw Allan Law & Art Ryersie driving past this morning with the separator and upon inquiry found

they were hauling it to Fleming's while the roads are frozen as they are going there after they get though at Arts, there is no telling when they will get here. Dad. and Frank loaded up the rack with blue grass hay this morning from what was on top of the alsike as we have decided not to thresh it on account of the price being so low.

This after noon they hauled it over to the other barn where it will be handy to feed to the cows, and then went & hauled up a load of rails. They did all the chores. I didn't do any thing all day owing to my sore knee though I felt better in other ways.

The two Mrs. Shands & Miss Shand came in to see the baby to-night and although he was awake he never whimpered so they went off with a very good impression of his conduct. Dick went down to the pond to skate after tea to-night. Perfect day sunny and lovely out

Sunday January 26th

The boys were the only members of the family who attended church or Sunday School to-day. I hung around outside with Dad. for awhile this morning as my knee felt better. Quint. came home to dinner with Dick and stayed all night. This after noon he, Frank & I went out and played marbles for awhile. Tonight. Aunty read to us about an African cannibal & the missionarys. Very, mild, cloudy & muddy.

Monday January 27th

My knee was much better and I helped Dad. do chores this morning. Arpha Fleming came over and invited Dad to go there threshing this afternoon. Mrs. McBride came to wash and was here nearly all day. Rus. Lambkins was in to see about a windmill but Dad. told him we didn't need one now on account of Ivey's tile drain at which we have watered the stock all winter so far. and it looks as if it would run for quite a while yet. Earl. Brown was in also to see Dad. about a cow.

Aunty went down town this after noon to see if she could get some lady to stay with Aunt Ida but was unsuccessful. Dad. & I went with her as far as Vyses. We found they had moved the threshing outfit in there instead of Fleming's as Vyse has to go to County Council soon. Cousin Loll & Cousin Phoebe came over to see the baby this afternoon. Mr. Lamb. came over to-night to see about his horse. Froze pretty hard last night and been freezing all day.

Tuesday January 28th

Dad. left early this morning to thresh at Vyse's. I did the chores as my knee was ever so much better. About ten o'clock Dad.

came home. He said they were stopped then but did need him much anyway, so he came home to saw wood which he did till noon Mr. Flemming told him that if they didn't get moved to his place till the middle of the afternoon it wouldn't be worth Dad's while to come over so he didn't.

This after noon he gave Queen quite an exercise & I took a picture of her also one of the baby which finished my film. Dad. & I hooked up Harry & Belle & got a couple of loads of rails, one load from the remainder of the fence on the east west side of the wheat field and one from the north fence. Aunty went down town this after noon to get some birthday presents for Huby. Beautiful day, froze in the night, sunny & milder

Wednesday January 29th

Dad left first thing this morning for to thresh at Mr. Flemings and was gone all day. He got home in time to milk before dark and felt pretty well "plugged up". It kept me nearly all morning doing chores.

This after noon I practiced my horn a little and read. Mrs. Alfred Ryersie came in to see the baby. Enah took a walk over to Martin's. Allan Law came in at noon and got the waggon to get wood. He didn't know where he was going, but intimated that he was going to "lift" rails from fences along the road. This was Huby's birthday. It has been cloudy & spitting snow all day. Not cold but freezing

Thursday January 30th

Dad threshed over at Fleming's all day and they finished to night. They finished the alsike about 3 o'clock and got 17 Lays and 1/2 bushel from the 98 loads, and they thrashed 316 bus. of oats in two hours after that. It kept me all morning doing chores and this after noon I cut a little wood.

I intended to husk some corn but it was such a nice day I thought I would get a load of rails instead so I went & hooked up Harry & Belle to the waggon and went out and got the rails from the north side of the wheat field where Dad. & I got the last load. The horses were feeling good especially old Harry who hasn't any more sense that a seventeen year old bird's nest. Going out I had to get out to open the gate off the road and as soon as they saw it open in front of them, started through it. I caught Belle's rain but Harry kept on going. so I had to let them go into the field where they immediately started to speed up. and it just kept me humping to run and scramble in the back of the waggon but I was fortunate enough to get the lines and steady them down before they did any damage, but I was thankful to get back safe with my load.

Mr. Johnson & Mrs. Quanbury were over this afternoon to see the baby. Aunty went down town this after noon. To-night. Dick & I went down to band practice. I found out from Carl Coleman that we could have their cattle rack on Saturday to go after the {illegible}. Lovely day. sunny & very mild.

Friday January 31st

It begant to rain this morning which about noon turned to snow and that cleared off & it begant to freeze pretty hard to night.

Dad. and I spent the day doing chores, {"settin' round the blow"?} in the meantime, Dad. cut some wood & I unloaded the load of rails this after noon. About four o'clock I went down town & got my hair cut. I also took down 3 doz. eggs & traded them off for meat. Dick did not come home to tea tonight as he had to work this being the end of the month.

Saturday February 1st

We intended to go and get the sheep to-day but the weather prevented us. We didn't do any thing but chores and Dad. cut wood. I read a little and this after noon fooled with my horn. Dad. managed to get the valve loosened which has been stuck for so long, and I poured a couple of quarts of water down the bell to clean it out and spilt it all over the floor. Frank also polised up the mouthpiece with his sample of silver polish

Aunty succeeded at last in persuading Frank to remove the fourteen wish-bones which have been accumulating on the kitchen hanging lamp for over a year, and she boiled them and polished them up for him. It has been freezing hard all day with a very high cold wind but sunny.

Sunday January February 2nd

Aunty and the boys went down to Sunday School and I got fixed up and went to church. I got there about twenty minutes too early so waited at "The Dominion". Win. came home with us after church and stayed all night. Dick stayed down all the after noon and stayed at Huby's to dinner.

Dad. did all the chores. Aunty had us all going guessing Bible Carachters to-night. It froze like Billy-b-da--ylights, last night and has been very cold and a high wind all day. Bear saw his shaddow.

Monday February 3rd

We did up the chores this morning. This afternoon we hooked Joe & Ginger to the waggon and went down town. We found out from Carl Coleman that we could have their stock waggon to get our sheep to morrow. We also got the cutter from Butler.

When we got home we found an old pedlar who told Aunty he had walked all the way from Hagersville, he was selling post cards. Archie Long had been here to sell fence. To-night Dick and I went down to the Orchestra dance where we had a dandy time. I think I am getting on to the hang of it now. We got home a little before half past three to-morrow morning. It was a nice day to-day and quite mild. It snowed a little this morning.

Tuesday February 4th

I got up about half past seven this morning. We didn't do any chores but got started as early as we could which was about ten for the sheep. We drove Joe & Ginger and took our waggon down to Coleman's and left it there then hooked on to theirs, we got up there in about an hour. Dunkin said he thought we were never coming. He had had bad luck with his imported sheep. Owing to carelessness in the Quarantine Station two of his sheep died and he can't get a cent for them. They charged him forty five dollars for their keep down there for thirty days.

Mine were alright though and we got them home safely. He only charged us two dollars for their keep, but hasn't had them registered yet. We had to walk the horses nearly all the way home on account of bumpy roads. When we unloaded the sheep we went right back with the waggon and got our own, we also went up to Chris. Fairchild's and got the saw blade. Dick took to him this morning & {following words in brackets are guessed at due to being covered up on the page}{it was?} just half past three when we got in the house after {putting?} the horses in. it was just twelve when we left Dunkins {after?} we had a little dinner we went out and did up the chores. The poor horses were pretty hung up & thirsty especially Joe & Ginger who were tired also. Dick & Frank went down to O.Y.P.O. to-night. It has been cloudy & blustery all day and pretty cold.

Thursday Wednesday February 5th

We hooked up Joe & Ginger to the waggon first thing this morning and went down town and got a load of coal, as Dick found out last night that Jim. Low had some in at last. We lost quite a little bit of it coming home as the roads were rough and it jiggled out the back. when going up hills. although we scraped it forwards a couple of times.

This being Ash Wednesday they had service in the church but none of us attended it. Lent begins earlier this year that it has for 138 years, it can only start one day earlier, at least that's what the "Maple Leaf" states but it is not likely right. Last night was about the coldest night this winter. It must have been down to zero during the night, and has been very cold all day, with a high wind and snow

Thursday February 6th

We did not do any thing to-day but chores This after noon Aunty went down town to Auxillary or something and Dad. & I Enah had an awful time with the baby as he was sick and they couldn't do any thing to ease him or keep him quiet. I practised my horn all after noon. About five o'clock Sam. Law pulled in here with the clover mill. They got through at Ham Thompson's sooner than they expected so moved right down here to night. Allan & Bert Monroe came soon after wards.

with the engine, which had something wrong with the injector & they worked at it till long after dark. They said they would thrash in the morning if we weren't ready but we bade them come. Sam. was about half drank & the other half frozen when he came in and borrowed our waggon to go home & {load?} wood but we noticed he hit the trail for town at a pretty good lick. To-night I went down to band practice and got home about eleven. It has been cold with a very high wind.

Friday February 7th

The men did not get here till after breakfast, they got steam up and moved the machine into the barn and then began to talk of not threshing, "Bert was the only one of the this that wanted to Allan I guess thought it would be too cold out on the engine {the following words in brackets are guessed at due to being covered up on the page} {and?} it certainly wouldn't be very warm. Their only excuse was {that?} the belt wouldn't stay on in the wind. Mr. Odd was here {to?}day for Mr. Fleming. Allan & Bert went down town and {g?}ot their horses shod. and Sam went home. about noon he came back again and said he guessed they could thrash this afternoon. We did the chores all up there was a little more work for Dad. as this morning when he went out to the cow stable he found a red & white bull calf of Spotty's on the floor. We got it & her in as warm quarters as we could but the poor little fellow has been pretty cold all day. The thrashers did come back this afternoon and we thrashed out the four loads of cloverseed and got three bags & about 1/4 bushel I get 1 1/4 bags. Young Billy Louis came over for {Tapper?} but we didn't need him so he went back. They got the machine moved over to the other barn but didn't try to thrash any they said if it was very windy to-morrow tney wouldn't come over.

This aft. To-night. Dick & I went up to the hockey match in Simcoe - Simcoe vs Hamilton I was going to drive up with Bert Monroe but it turned out such a rotten night that both Bert & I decided to take the train There was quite a big crowd went up from Dover on the Port Rowan train, we came back on the Hamilton special that brought the team up. We got there a little after out eight, and had to sit and freeze by inches for about four hours. They could not have begun to play before half past twelve and it got pretty tedious waiting, but it was a good game when they did start, We rooted for Simcoe and they trimmed Hamilton 8 to 3. The Hamilton boys seemed rather tired the last half. We didn't get to bed till after three to-morrow morning.

Dad got a blank form to-night which he had to fill & tell about Tiddums. They named him Hubert James Harold. (poor kid) more name than boy. It was very cold and windy this morning and has been growing worse all day. To-night when we came home it was a holy fright.

Saturday February 8th

I got up about the same time as usual. This morning it was windy & snowing so we didn't look for the thrashers. Frank. Dad. & I moved some of the poles from over the driveway to above where Ring worm (by the way her name has changed now from Ring worm to Erie, Aunty objected to the former so we called her after Mrs. Fred. Warren as that is who we got her from.) and her calf are. We started to put some clover chaff on them but it was so short it fell through a lot, so Dad. said we would wait till the wind went down and then put some straw on first to hold the other. but we never got it done all day.

Dad felt pretty miserable all day and stayed in the house all the afternoon I cut a little {the following words in brackets are guessed at due to being covered up on the page} {wood?} and fooled around the rest of the time. Aunty went down town, she lost her muff the other day and thought {she?} knew where she left it but when she inquired this {afternoon?}, she could find it nowhere.

Lila came over while she {was?} gone and told her to-night that she saw George {Spain?} {on?} Thursday kicking a muff through the square and he said it was somebody's old worn out muff they had {thrown?} away. Aunty is sure it was her's as it was near there {she?} missed it. It was such a bad night. Lila spent it here Frank went down and visited with Mr. Alfred for awhile this after noon and got some butter. Dick felt pretty rotten when he got home to-night and his ear ached. Allan Law came over to-day to put a fire in the engine to keep the water from freezing It was not very cold to-day but very windy & snowdrifty.

Sunday February 9th

Dad. has felt very sick all day and didn't to any thing much but milk, feed the calves and let the cows out & in again. I sent the most of the day doing the rest of the chores. I felt kind of tired myself. Aunty, Frank & Lila all went down to Sunday School & church, but none of the rest of us. Dick didn't get up till about noon.

This afternoon Mrs. Johnson & Mrs. McPherson with Cecil & Leon came over to see Enah and she walked down to Quanbury's with them. Ada was also over to see H.J.H. Barrett. Allan Law came over again to put a fire in the engine. King Pepper was in this morning with a little dog, which Dad. told him had a broken leg. It was up to far to bandage it so Dad said just to keep him quiet and it would likely get all right.

Frank found Aunty's muff this morning right near the bandstand in the snow. George Spain told him in Sunday School that he had taken it home and after keeping it two days and not finding an owner he had brought it back and left it where he found it. It was not at all hurt Aunty said. Not cold to-day but windy.

Monday February 10th

We got up pretty early this morning on account of thrashers They got started about half past nine. The only extra ones we had were Mr. Odd & Billy Louis. We thrashed nearly all morning and never saw a head of alsike, and the blue grass neatly all blew over, so we stopped thrashing the blue grass in the back part of the mow and confined our labor to the front bit. We only got about two bags of seed all day, and there is about two hours more to go through yet. For awhile Dad. thought it wouldn't be worth thrashing but we got nearly to the floor at one end and it is much thicker so I guess we will finish the job.

Dad has the shed, the driveway and over the sheep pen filled up with thrashed hay. and it {the following words in brackets are guessed at due to being covered up on the page} {means?} no way out in front of the drive way. He had a very {---ty?} place and feels pretty tired to-night. Charlotte {had?} a calf to-night another boy. Aunty says "It may {be?} cold in the house but they are having a "bully" time in {the?} barn"

It was very cold & frosty this morning but the sun got up and it was quite a nice day. There was a slight easterly breeze which was just what we wanted as it blew the smoke away from the barn. It is about the first time this winter we have had an east breeze. Dick & I sent away to-night for a work of 10 volumes which we saw advertised called "The Wonders of Science in Modern Life".

Tuesday January February 11th

We finished up our threshing about noon. the seed came a little faster than yesterday and I guess we have about five or six bushels, they didn't need me much to help them so I didn't hang around looking for a chance to help. I did a few chores but nothing to speak of.

This afternoon I went over and helped thrash at Sam Law's we got all the red clover thrashed and he got just the same as we did - three bags and a little more. It turned out pretty well. I have to go back in the morning to help thrash out three loads of alsike.

Dad. did up all the chores here this after noon & I did not get home till after tea. Dick had to go back to help Hazen find a mistake to-night. Mr Wiggins was going to a dance in Jarvis. Allan Law was going down too. It has been much milder to-day this morning it looked stormy but was sunny after dinner and it seems colder to-night.

Wednesday February 12th

I didn't get up very early this morning and went over to Sam Law's as soon as I had my breakfast. They started to thrash soon after nine - and got though just about noon. They got just three bags of alsike so it turned out

much better than ours as they said they only had three loads. I stayed over there to dinner. This afternoon Dad. & Frank fixed up three pens in front of the cow shed for the calves, they had to be separated as they suck each other's ears. & Spot's calf had it's ears frozen last night. I battoned up the door of the horse stable with tar paper and it took me nearly all the after noon. We started separating again this morning. Frank stayed home from school to-day to help Dad. get some of the thrashed blue grass over to the other barn but the wind was too strong. Dick had to go back to work to-night. There was a very cold north wind all day and quite a snowstorm to-night for a while

Thursday February 13th

We didnt get any thing done to-day but chores. I sawed a little wood this after noon & hung around. Aunty went down town to Bible Class. To-night I went down to band practice and got home about half past ten.

It has been cold and very windy all day. The wind got up with the sun and made Dad. feel very cross all day as he wanted to get some to the thrashed blue grass moved to the other barn, and we couldnt with the wind & rough road.

Friday February 14th

We spent our spare time this morning in fixing a door in the east side of the horse stable loft where we can pitch hay off by hand instead of using the hay fork. This afternoon after we had the chores done up we went over and put a load of timothy hay in the rack ready to haul to the horse stable at the first opportunity as the supply over there is getting low.

Harry. Varey drove Mrs. Johnston over to spend the after noon with Enah & he & {Elan?} called for her again after tea. Tiddums had colic to-day - very wicked. Miss Harding was out this afternoon to see him. Sunny & mild with not much wind to-day, very nice day.

Saturday February 10th

As soon as we got the chores done this morning we {the following words in brackets are guessed at due to being covered up on the page} {moved?} the load of timothy which we loaded yesterday over to the stable and Frank helped us unload it. Then we {al...?} and put on a load of the thrashed blue grass and {hauled?} it over to the other barn. This after noon we unloaded it. {We?} loaded two more, we unloaded one and left the other on the barn floor, so we think we have got in a pretty day's work. Nigle came over quite early this morning & Lila followed him up this after noon, both are staying

over night. Aunty went down town this after noon to get some things. Something has gone wrong with the dining room stove chimney and we can hardly see accross the room in there for smoke. Nice day, much milder, slight wind and raining to-night.

Sunday February 16th

I intended to go to church this morning with Aunty, Dick & Frank but I had to go up on the roof to see what was the matter with the dining room chimney, and as I had to wait till the fire went out it was twenty minutes to eleven when I got down, I found the cause of the trouble was that a brick had blown down the chimney and nearly filled up the flue. I hadn't much trouble in disloging it

Quint came over with the boys to dinner, and this afternoon we went skating. I thought I ought to go as I didn't get to church this morning. We were the only ones on the creek, and the skating was good. We were out to the end of the pier and up as far as Tommy Jackson's, Frank & I came home at half past five & Quint & Dick came over later. Nice day, rather cold and cloudy. It turned cold and froze during the night. We saw a flock of geese flying north to-day.

Monday February 17th

Dad. and I hooked Joe & Ginger to the buggy this morning and took them down to be shod but we found every shok in town full, so after getting a buggy load of groceries came home, I dropped a dollar's worth of sugar on the floor at Bayley & Miller's and spilt it all over, I was mad enough to cuss. We found out that to-morrow would be the last day they would cut ice, so as we couldn't get the team shod, Dad. spoke to Allan Law and he said he would hold it for us. We intended to get the ice house all ready this after noon but didn't get much done to it.

Alfred came over for a visit & Felix Perkins came in to sell a wind mill. I was going to print pictures to-night but we were a little late with tea and as I wanted to do quite a lot, I thought I had better wait till I had more time. Dick didn't come home to tea to night. We don't know where he is but suppose he has gone to O.Y.P.O There was quite a snow storm tonight this morning but cleared off and was very sunny & mild this after noon. Clear & freezing to night.

Tuesday February 18th

Allan Law came with the first load of ice this morning soon after breakfast before we had our chores

done and we have been on the hump all day. We just put in six loads, and think that will be enough till we see if it keeps and we can easily put in more another time. It kept us busy to keep it well chinked with snow and icechips and we have yet to get some sawdust and pack it.

Dick had to work last night till midnight and to-night came home, he has to work every other night for awhile. It has been very mild and sunny all day, freezing to-night.

Wednesday February 19th

Dad. & I did the chores all up this forenoon. Vyse was over for quite awhile and also a pedlar who waited around about ten minutes for Enah to make her appearance to sell something - and then received hardly any attention so departed with haste. Aunty went down to the dentists but had to go again to-morrow. We took Joe & Ginger down right after dinner to be shod. I came home soon after we got there but Dad. did not get back till dark. Butler is so slow.

I didn't do much except put some more snow in the chinks of ice and cut a little wood. Dad. had to milk after tea to-night. Dick didn't come home to tea as he has to work to night. Mrs. Jack & Mrs. Charlie Martin were over this after noon while Enah was visiting at Quanbury's. It has been a lovely day but terribly muddy.

Thursday February 20th

Dad. & I left as soon after breakfast as possible this morning for Brad. Bowlby's to get a load of sawdust, we got back about noon and after putting it in the ice-house found we would need more, so left right after dinner and got a bigger load, getting home at four o'clock. Dick got home early and unloaded it for us, we could use a little more but we have enough for the present.

To-night Dick got a ticket for Dad. to go to the Library Concert so I went with them, they had a farce called "That Rascal Pat" which wasn't much in itself, but the actors, Bill Davis, Perce Brock & Art. Lawson were great. It was very short and we were home at half past ten. It barely froze last night, and has thawed very much all day. If we had waited any longer to go for our sawdust we wouldn't have been able to get in after it, the road was so bad. Mrs. Crosby Morgan died last night.

Friday February 21st

Just as we were getting ready to sack up some oats this morning, Jack came along and bought our veal calf

(Erie's) for eight dollars, he was big but very thin. Dad. took some oats & barley down to the mill to be chopped just before dinner. Aunty went down town to get some flowers for Mrs. Morgan's funeral. Frank came home at noon and is to have a half holiday, as Mr. Smith had to go to Captain McFell's funeral this afternoon.

Allan Law came in after dinner and said he was going to take his seed to Jarvis in the morning so I am going with him and take ours. Dad. settled up with him for threshing and he didn't charge anything for hauling the ice, so we got it pretty cheap, as Val. didn't charge for cutting it. Dad. and I went down town after some coal oil and came around by the mill and got our chop and then loaded on our seed.

We started to have a musical evening but Tiddums opposed us and had to have refreshments. Colder to-day with cold easterly wind, getting stormier to-night.

Saturday February 22nd

We got up before day light this morning as I expected to go to Jarvis with Allan Law, but he never turned up, we supposed on account of the weather. Dad. informed us this morning that the old sow had a big litter of piglets. We have counted them several times during the day and have come to the conclusion there are thirteen, all healthy and of uniform size.

Soon after breakfast young Billy Louis came after Dad to go and see a sick cow so Frank and I were left with all the undone chores on our hands, but we got them off in good shape by noon, besides throwing off what was left of the load of threshed blue grass standing on the barn floor. Dad. got home about noon and had to hurry to get down town by one as he had to be bearer at Mrs. Morgan's funeral. Aunty went down with him.

I didn't do much all the afternoon except cut a little wood. The Ryersies came up and Frank went with them back to the gully as Frank discovered a rabbit hole in the mound. One of our white cats has been sick for the last couple of days and to-night has disappeared we are afraid for good. I read "Oour Mutual Friend" all evening and wound up with a bath which nearly killed me. It rained last night and then froze and has been raining most of the day with several heavy downpours.

Sunday February 23rd

The two boys went to Sunday school Aunty didn't go as she has a cold and didn't like to go out in the wind. I went down to church. Winny came over

to dinner with Dick, who spent the after noon down town. Dad. did chores. I read most of the time. We had some music. Frank went back in the gully to look at his empty snares.

It has been much colder to day with a raw wind, freezing hard to night Dad is very anxious about his little pigs and to day battoned up the cracks in the pig pen, he says they feel as warm as toast. There are thirteen live ones and one dead one.

Monday February 24th

Allan Law came over this morning before I was through breakfast all ready to start for Jarvis I got ready as quickly as I could, with Dad's big coonskin overcoat and walked over to Law's as Allan had to load up their seeds, we got started about nine o'clock.

When we got down about to the fourth concession Allan got out to walk and then got in with Bellack who was leading a team to Jarvis to sell to Dave. Ward who is shipping to-day, so I drove on to Jarvis's alone, I pulled into the association store as I saw the name of {Tess?} above the door but Allan saw me and told me to come on down farther to a brother of this fellow, so we went down and left our load at the other place till after dinner. I came away in such a hurry this morning that I for got to take any money so had to look to Allan for dinner, and so got a dandy. It took the fellow all the after noon to clean up our alsike & blue grass red clover and we had to leave our blue grass for another time. We got $11 1/2 for the alsike & $9 for the red clover, which is as good as any body is getting now I guess. I got $18 for mine. Allan only got $10 for his alsike as it was part white clover. The fellow said it would have been worth a lot more than ours if it had been brought in two months sooner but now the market was closed for it. Allan got the same for his red seed as we did. I think he expected more than he got. We left there I guess about half past five, and got home about seven, we came a lot faster than we went as we had a big load on this morning.

Dad has been over to Louises' this after noon, their cow is getting better he had a very enjoyable visit with John Wess on his way- one of our little pigs got killed some way this morning thirteen was an unlucky number anyway. Emery McPherson and Mrs. Johnson were over this after noon. Mrs. McBride has been here washing all day. Dick did not get home to-night, had to work I suppose. Pretty cold to day but sunny and nice. Roads are awfully rough down east

Tuesday February 25th

We were very late this morning getting started, owing to my staying in bed later than I should have, so it took us till noon doing chores. Allan Law came in with our seed and took the waggon away with him again.

This afternoon Dad. & I drove down town on sundry errands Dick came home to tea but went back down town again to see Huby. he said he might skate or work. Aunty has been feeling very miserable all day, with grip or neuralgia or both. Pretty cold, but sunny and no wind. I finished reading "Our Mutual Freind" to night, sorry to leave it.

Wednesday February 26th

We didn't do any thing but chores to day. We went down to Alfred's with the sacks we borrowed from him and found him feeling pretty sick with a cold, we were there quite awhile and got back about noon

Ern. Fleming was in for awhile this after noon to have Dad. look at his horse who has scratches. I drew a little this after noon and spen the evening practising on my horn. Frank went down town to-night to the moving picture show. Dick was going too so we stayed down to tea It snowed all day, no wind and not very cold

Thursday February 27th

It snew & blew nearly all day. We did up all the chores this morning. Allan Law brought back our waggon and borrowed the hay rack to haul a couple of loads of hay down town, he brought it back to-night.

This after noon Dad. drove Enah down town and when they got back he & I drove down to the mill got some corn cobs and took them down to Huby's as he wanted some to smoke his pork. I printed pictures tonight and met with fairly good success. Dick did not work to-night.

Friday February 28th

Dad. & I went down first thing this morning and got a load of coal with Joe & Ginger. We let Belle & Harry out separately for a ran in the barnyard and they evidently enjoyed them selves immensly, especially Harry. who was enraptured, this after noon we did chores and unloaded our coal.

Aunty has felt very miserable all day and feels as if she was getting the grip. Dick did not come home to-night, this being the end of the month he had to work late. It snowed the biggest part of the day but was quite mild. We are getting enough snow now to make up for the rest of the winter.

Saturday March 1st

We did the chores all up this morning, this after noon we sat down to read, and stayed a good deal longer than we should have, and then drove Joe & Ginger down town for exercise, the sleighing is pretty good now. When we were letting the team into the stable to-night Joe who goes in first stopped in the alleyway to nose for hay and Ginger came up behind and turned in beside Belle and she kicked Ginger just below the knee and raised quite a lump, but we don't think it will be serious.

Frank has spent the day looking at his empty trap and snares and scouring the farm in search of material to make a sleigh. Our other white cat is at the point of death to-night, they must have got poisoned. Isaac Johnson & Jack Lawrie were over this morning with a new horse bought by the farmer. March has put in a very lamblike appearance. It snowed quietly most of the morning, and has been sunny & mild the rest of the day.

Sunday March 2nd

The boys went to Sunday school and I went down to church. Aunty didn't go on account of her cold and the bad weather Quint came over to dinner and this after noon we went over to the Shand's as Charlie had asked Frank at school. It was a rough day for a drive and we werent sure wheter we could get through the cuts or not. This one out here was nearly full and we just had room for Joe to go down one side of it. The four of us in the cutter made quite a load but she got through the drifts nobly and where there were no drifts the sleighing was pretty good. We were there all the after noon and they wanted us to stay to tea but the wind was getting worse all the time so we thought it was better to leave before dark. We drove around the other way coming home past McQueen's and the Mill as we weren't shure about getting through the other way. It was getting very much colder and in some places I couldn't see any farther than Joe's head for the drifting snow we got home just about dark, the lane out here was full and we all had to get out for to let Joe get through

Dad walked down to Alfred's this after noon and to Art's as Mrs Tuck asked Frank in Sunday school to let them know that old Mrs. Sindor. had another stroke. Dad got very cold, and says Alfred isn't feeling much better yet. Quint stayed here all night. Aunty read to us all the evening, but I went to sleep before she finished.

Monday March 3rd

Dad didn't feel very well to-day so we did not do anything out side but chores and cut a little wood. We also started to make out a list of seeds to send for to Simmer's

It snowed pretty much all day, was cold and windy this morning but the wind went down a little and it was a great deal milder this afternoon. Dick did not come home to tea to-nigh but went to O.Y.P.O. I had quite a piano practice to-night.

Tuesday March 4th

I drove Dick down town this morning as the walking was so bad, we were to late in starting to take Frank. When I got back Enah was ready to go down with 10 lbs of butter so after cleaning out the stables I drove her down, she got 30 cts a lb. for the butter, we didn't get back much before noon.

Allan Law came over to get one of us to help him shovel out the cut on the side road out here but as neither could go he said he wasn't going to do it alone and so departed after breaking the handle of our snow shovel while talking. Dad felt very miserable to-day so we didn't do any thing much this after noon but finish making out our list of seeds. Aunty got a letter from Miss Scott this afternoon saying that a little daughter arrived yesterday afternoon to Ray & Vernon. Aunty couldn't make out from the letter whether they were extra anxious about Vernon or not, but we didnt get any more word to-night so Dad. thinks every thing must be all right.

We are afraid that all our cats except Fits and her mother have gone where they don't play billiards as neither the grey or black cat has showed up for the last two or three milking times. I had a good practice on horn & piano to-night. It snowed a little to-day but was pretty sunny & not cold.

Wednesday March 5th

I drove Aunty & Dick down town, this morning. Aunty got Cousin Willie to telephone Ray and find out how things were, he said they were doing better and said there would be a letter from him on the noon train. I drove around town while waiting for Aunty as I didn't want to keep Joe waiting. Bah. Miller asked me if we could keep a ewe for awhile for him as didn't want to kill it yet.

Aunty found out from Aunty Maude that Mrs. Baugner's friend Mr. Hamer the great Shropshire man was coming to Mr Scofield's this afternoon so Dad. & I went down and met him and thought he was a very nice fellow. We have

been troubled lately by a very disagreeable odour in the dining room and until this morning have been unable to discover the cause, but upon investigation Dad found our two cats the black one and the white one which disappeared from the horse stable so mysteriously lying dead in the garret directly over the dining room stove, where it was warm. Frank found the remains of the grey cat underneath the cultivator in the barn to-night, our once great supply of cats has now dwindled down to two head.

Dick had to work to-night so did not get home to tea. Mrs. McBain. died very suddenly this morning about ten o'clock. I had a pretty good practice to-night. Rather cold, but sunny, windy to-night.

Thursday March 6th

Helen Agusta Wind was here to-day, so in honor of her visit we didn't do any thing but chores, and not all of them as we didn't clean out the horse stable at all, for the first time this winter.

This afternoon I walked down town to get the mail as Dick wasn't coming home to tea to-night. The lane was full of snow-drift so we couldn't drive. To night I went down to the Orchestra dance, I didn't decide to go till just in time to get ready but the wind had died down, so it wasnt so bad going. Dick was there and we had a good time, the only boots I could find to wear, were a pair of thinsoled paten leathers of Dad's, they were about a foot too long for me but worked pretty well, we got home about three in the morning; it was freezing hard and I guess was the coldest night this winter. Frank didn't go to school to-day on account of a bad cold.

Friday March 7th

Dad. and I started to dig out the lane this morning but Sam Law came over about ten o'clock and got Dad. to go and help dig out the our cut on the side road and at the winding hills, so I didn't get finished here.

This afternoon we did chores, and I walked down and got the mail and my hair cut. Frank was in the house all day to-day again and feels pretty sick. Dick brought home a book to-night which he persisted in reading out loud and so I could not get this written. Had a practice on my horn. It has been freezing hard all day but sunny and no wind.

Saturday March 8th

Dad. and I did up the chores this morning, we also finished shovelling out the lane. I drove Enah down town this after noon to sell her butter and do shopping

I didn't wait for her standing as I was afraid Joe would get cold so drove around town I picked up Roy Dell and afterwards Quint & Jim Math piled in too but they didn't stay long. When we got home Mr. & Mrs. Morley Buck and kids were over just leaving. Mrs. Buck had been comparing babies but thought Tiddums would be not much account as he didn't sleep out doors. Jack Martin came over this after noon while we were gone and took all his roosters.

Dick didn't come home to tea to-night we supposed he had to work. We started to have a practice to-night but Tiddums had to wake up and be fed just as we got started and it looks now as if I was in for a bath. It has been much milder to-day snowed this morning and is almost thawing this evening before sundown.

Sunday March 9th

The boys went to Sunday school this morning, Aunty stayed home to mind Tiddums so as to let Dad. & Enah go to church, we started rather late and it was beginning to rain before we got to the corner it was pouring so hard we came back.

Frank did not go to church. This after noon we didn't do anything much Dad. did all the chores and Enah & I practiced Dick read, he was very disappointed as he has been counting on a sleigh ride this afternoon but the sleighing is nearly all gone, although a cutter & bob sleigh did go past in the mud. It has been very mild & sunny this after noon but every thing is flooded.

Monday March 10th

Dad. and I loaded up some wheat oats this morning and took it down to be chopped. This after noon Dad drove Aunty down to the McBains and on down town to get the mail and then drove around by the mill for the chop

Just after dinner Allan Law drove in with his new buggy and harness and wanted to go to Jarvis after the blue grass money, so I went with him. the roads were a little muddy but not bad we went down and back in three hours, and were there half an hour or more. We got eight dollars for our seed with 17 lbs of alsike in it and Allan got a little over five for his. we didn't expect any more. He gave us 2 1/2 cts for the blue grass @ 17 cts per lb for the alsike. Allan bought me a cigar and I was fool enough to smoke it on the way home. It was my first whole one and although I didn't suffer any ill effects from it I think it will be my last because I don't see any sense in it.

Mrs. McBride has been here washing to-day. Cliff Mc{Baird?} was in before break fast this morning to see if Dad would take their old mare but we couldn't so Dad told him to shoot her which he did this afternoon. Although they hated to do it, they couldn't manage any other was as they are all leaving for Toronto to-night. Dick did not get home to tea to-night. Very mild and sunny. snow going fast.

Tuesday March 11th

Teddy George was in before breakfast this morning to get Dad. to go over to Monteith's to see a sick cow Dad. fed the calves and had a cup of coffee but when he got over there the cow was dead. After doing up the chores Dad hooked up Joe & Ginger and we hauled up a load of rails.

This afternoon we put a load of timothy on the rack to haul to the horse stable in the morning when the ground is frozen. Dad had been carrying blue grass over lately. Frank went down to see a health car to-night so was late getting home. Just before ten Hazen & Murray drove in to tell Dick that he needn't go to work to night but Dick didn't come home anyway. Murray says he is home on sick leave but not very sick. Miss Monteith & Mrs Welch were in this after noon. Mild. muddy and springlike

Wednesday March 12th

Lorne Myers and his father came in first thing this morning to get a load of the threshed blue grass which Dad. told him he could have for five dollars a load, while they were putting it on we took Joe & Ginger and hauled our load of timothy over to the horse stable. Bill Donald came in just as the Myers were going and it was nearly noon when he left. Dad. discovered Queen had cut a nasty gash in her right fore leg just above the fetlock, he thought at first the tendon was cut but when he bathed it after dinner found it wasn't; he feels very badly about it and is afraid it will always be rough there.

This afternoon we weighed and took Alfred's bushel of clover seed to him. He his pretty sick yet. When we got back we went out and cleaned out the road ditch running on the south side of the wheat field - as it was full of snow - and was hacking a {big?} pond on to the wheat. The seeds we sent to Simmer's for came to-day. Froze last night but sunny & thawing to-day looks like a big storm.

Thursday March 13th

We bathed Queen's leg and did chores this morning Aunty went down town to the dentist and stayed down to go to Bible class this afternoon Dad. drove down

after her about half past four. This after noon Dad & I moved quite a lot of the threshed blue grass out of the drive way into the barn. To night Dick and I went down to band practice but there wasn't any thing much going on as a lot of them were practicing at the Presbyterian concert. Dick couldn't get his cornet as Bill Graham has taken it. Murray was playing a lot of the new song hits over on the town hall piano for Walt Perce Brock was dancing to them.

Vyse was over most of the morning. It rained a little but has been sunny & warm Frank and Dad each saw a robin to-day and Dick said he saw two or three, they are the first I have heard of.

Friday March 14th

I didn't get up early this morning and had the blues for most of the forenoon. We fixed up the ice house a little more and put some tar paper and siding on the front of it so that it looks ever so much better.

This after noon we trimmed apple trees we got two pretty well browsed in two hours and a half. The cows all went back to the gully this after noon, when I went back for them they were nosing around half way to the culvert but they came when I called them.

Lila came over with Frank to stay all night. Dick came home to tea. After we sat down to tea Roy Bannister came after Dad. to go and see their old horse which he said was choking. Dad. had his tea and then went over to see it.

Tiddums allowed Enah to play the whole evening for Dick and me. and I didn't go to bed till about eleven. It has been a beautiful day quite hot but to-night a very heavy thunder storm came up and it rained & hailed nearly all evening, that in the spring means cold weather.

Saturday March 10th

We got up pretty fairly early this morning and Dad discovered that the calves were in the sheep pen and upon investigation found that they had come through the barn and had let the sheep all out. we supposed the wind last night had blown the barn doors open. Another little bit of excitement we had was Dick discovering that Lila had come in to his room before he was awake and taken his Romany Club pin of his coat. and she wouldn't give it back. She said he had no right to it as he didn't belong to their club. but he said he was going to keep it as they had sold it to him. We found out later when Winnie came over that Lila had lost hers, and there wasn't anothe one so she had taken Dick's but Win persuaded

to give it back as they had found the lost one. I think Dick bought it so as there wouldn't be enough to go round and led them to under stand he was buying it for another member of the club. We got the chores done up pretty early but didn't get any thing else much done.

Dad. went over to Bannister's to see their horse and says he thinks it will die. Roy came back with him and fooled around with Frank nearly all morning and at last went home with an Horatio Alger book after Frank had showed about half a dozen {"tame" illegible} Win and Lila went home soon after dinner.

This afternoon Dad drove Enah and Frank down town, Enah sold her butter and Frank got a new suit which he is highly delighted with. Dad arranged with Marshall to send our cream to the butter factory in April.The roads were a fright, frost nearly out in some places. I cut wood and cleaned out enough threshed blue grass to shut the barn doors. It rained this morning this after noon very high wind and colder not quite freezing to-night. Dick had to work tonight. Tiddums on the mend slept most of the day.

Sunday March 16th

Aunty said the boys went down to sunday school & church I helped Dad do up some of the chores and then left here about eleven for church. I was a little late of course so sat in the back with Dick & Fred Tuck. Quint came over to dinner with us and this afternoon he Dick & I went down town and sat around down at the Vigilant with Jim {Muth?} till six. Dick stayed down to tea at Huby's but I came home. Dad did up the chores. It froze last night and has been much colder to-day with a sharp wind. Freezing pretty hard to night. Snow flurries to day.

Monday March 17th

Dad. and I caught the two young gobblers this morning and put them up over the pig pen, where we hope to get them in a corpulent state, one for home consumption and the other to convert into cash, we started before dinner to move more alsike & bluegrass threshing and this after noon got it all out of the drive way and piled in one corner of the empty bent in the barn as high as was convenient to pich, there is still quite a pile in the shed.

Enah went down town to church this afternoon, there is church every afternoon this week now. Dick came home with her. Tom. Abbot was in this morning to see Dad. about his mare who has distemper. It froze pretty stiff last night and there has been a rather sharp breeze to-day but sunny.

Tuesday March 18th

I went down town this morning took some saws down for Emery to sharpen and got him to come over to morrow to help us build a smoke house. I also saw Huby and asked him to come over as Dad. wanted to speak to him about tendering for a mail route. He came over this afternoon and said he would think about it. I got a pair of low shoes and came home.

This after noon we tore down most of the old chicken house as that is were we expect to get the material for the smoke house. Skinny Ryersie came over this after noon with the ewe Bol. {Milly?} wanted to keep her for awhile. He said it was one of my old ones, but I dont beleive I would have recognised it. Aunty went down to church this afternoon. Art Quanbury was in soon after dinner and got all the white wyandotte pullets (14). It has been very much milder but windy.

Wednesday March 19th

Emery did not show up this morning as we expected and we found out afterwards that he stayed at home to help Mrs. McPherson get ready to go to Courtright in the morning. Dad. and I finished taking the nails out of the old chicken house boards and I just hung around this after noon and went back to the gully where I heard a frog.

Enah went down to church this afternoon. To-night Dick and Frank went to the show the Presbyterian church had in the town hall called "The Old District School" which they enjoyed very much. I had a good practice. Lovely day very mild the frost nearly all out.

Thursday March 20th

Emery came over this morning and built the smoke house getting it all finished by to-night. Dad. & I helped him and I cleaned out the separator this after noon Aunty went down to church to-day. Emery stayed here to tea and Cecil came over here to find him.

After tea Dick. Emery Cecil and I went down town & I went to band practice Dick got his first long pants to-night but I don't think he likes them much. It rained a little and was threatening this morning but turned out fine and was a beautiful night.

Friday March 21st

It poured rain most of the morning. Frank and Enah went down to church as this is Good Friday. Cecil McPherson came over and said he thought I would

stay here awhile on his way to his Grandpa's, but owing to the weather he stayed till after dinner when his father came and called for him. A terrific wind got up about noon and blew things "galley west." It flatened our barnyard fence. tore some of the roof of our cow stable rooted up the old half dead mountain ash tree at the corner of the spare bedroom and blew over our new smoke house.

We three boys went down town and found the water very high down at the pier. We noticed Woodson's tank has blown off its tower and their fence is lying all over the sidewalk. Aunty and I intended to go to church to-night but as the wind was so bad we decided to stay home and I had a pretty fair practice. Dick went down town to a party at {Bessie?} Gaham's.

Saturday March 22nd

Dad and I & Frank fixed up the fence around the barnyard which blew down yesterday. Roy Bannister came over to spend the morning with Frank. This after noon Dad and I went down town to get some groceries. We have to take beef for Easter as the wind yesterday blew apart the pig pen door and both the turkeys got loose and we haven't caught them yet. We heard of quite a lot of damage being done around here several wind mills put out of business and the roof blew off Chast. Wooleys barn. but by the paper we see there is much more damage done in other parts of the province.

Dad. got his hair cut and I waited around till he got through Mrs. Lawrie was here when we got back. I had a good practice to-night. Sunny with cold wind.

Sunday March 23rd

As this was Easter Sunday, Dad. and Enah managed to get down to church while Aunty looked after Tiddums. This after noon I wasted in sleeping and reading Dad & Frank did all the chores. It was cloudy this morning and rained all the afternoon.

Aunty wanted to go to church to-night but couldn't on account of the weather. Franks got 12 eggs to-day which is more than he has got since Christmas but for that it has seemed very un-Eastery.

Monday March 24th

I didn't do any thing much to-day but chores Dad & Frank cleaned up the old barn, and I read a lot of "Tom Dick & Harry". Jimmy Lawse came over quite

early this morning and got Fred. Dad. was disappointed Bob. didn't see her before she got all wet and muddy but I saw Bob to-night and he said she was in better shape than he expected. The fellow that lives down at the corner where Andre used to live was over this morning to see if he could buy some little pigs as he had a lot of milk going to waste, he seemed disappointed when he couldn't get them but Dad. didn't want to sell any and had had a lot speak before.

It poured rain all last night and most of the morning but was clear all the afternoon. About dark it began again and kept it up all night to-night. Dick and I went down to the Orchestra dance to-night, it was raining so hard when we left about 3 am that we went down to Huby's. I just took off my coat and boots and lay on the sofa. Dick I guess turned in with Quint. About six I came home. Dick spent about half of his holiday yesterday in bed and the other half in town.

Tuesday March 25th It poured rain all last night and this forenoon, the mud is terrible. Tobe and Dick stayed at Hubert's after the ball. Tobe got home just as Frank and I were getting the fires going. We did very little but chores all day, the papers are full of the awful loss of life and property caused by the storm on Good Friday. It was fair for a little while this afternoon but is raining and freezing a little tonight.

Wednesday March 26th A very heavy fog this morning, but mild the ice was dropping from the trees, we took Joe and Ginger on the lumber wagon and moved the big bin from the drive house over to the old barn there we put on three sacks of oats to go to the mill, we got there and then on down town. Aunty went with us, (Frank & me) she stayed down town. Frank and I got home about noon with our chop and our flour.

After dinner we cleaned up some wheat. Aunty got home about six. Dick did not get home to tea. Toby went down to have a practice. It is a dark dismal night and not knowing whether to snow or rain.

Thursday March 27th

It blew & snew all day so we didn't do any thing out side but chores. I drew a little this morning while Dad. paid a visit to Alfred and Frank worked at his Mecanno. We weren't sure whether Dick would be home to-night with the mail. I walked down after it, I saw Dick and we went down and got our Science books and I brought them home.

I took my horn down this afternoon and went down to band practice to-night. Dick did get home to tea after all. The papers are full of accounts of the awful floods in Ohio.There has been a blizzard most of the day and to-night is freezing quite stiff. Snow all over again

Friday March 28th

We put in most of the day to-day hauling hay. We had two motives for so doing. first because we were out of hay both in horse stable and cow barn. and secondly because we wanted to get at the clover which was under what we hauled for the sheep, we just cut a square out of one corner of the blue grass mow and took out all the blue grass till we struck clover. We could only haul half loads as the mud under the frozen crust was to hard to pull through but Joe & Ginger did it. We hauled one half load to the other barn and half a one to the horse stable and put half a one on the rack Frank pitched out of the mow Dad pitched on and I loaded.

Enah went down town this morning and Aunty went calling at Brileys & Martin's this afternoon. It has been very sunny all day but a cold wind, freezing to-night.

Saturday March 29th

Frank, Dad and I cleaned up more wheat this morning but have quite a lot left yet. Nig. came over this morning and he and Frank went back hunting this after noon around the gully. I went back too with my camera. I intended to follow the south creek to its source but as I couldn't get across it and there were several branches to it I had to keep on the south of every branch. I was led at last nearly to Colin {McKellige's?} barn - and then I went down to Cedar swamp in quest of skunk cabbage but as I was on the wrong side of that creek and the log was gone I didnt find any, I think it is a little early any way. I heard a dog barking down the stream and upon investigation, discovered Billy Louis & Balby

Wright with their dog's. I talked to them awhile and then came part way home with Billy the same way I came went. Dad. and Aunty went down town this after noon. Dad. settled up with Bob Miller for Fred. he got $60.00 for her, just what he asked and Bob said she was worth it. Bob offered him $48.00 for the twelve little pigs now but Dad. doesn't want to sell them till he has spoken to the othe people who have asked for them, he saw Carl Coleman coming over here on his way home with his cow who had another piece of turnip in her throat. Dick did not get home to tea to-night. It has been much milder to-day and very sunny.

Sunday March 30th

I went down to church this morning. Aunty and the boys went down to Sunday School and church. Dick stayed down at Huby's to tea dinner. This after noon I decided to take a walk up to Wooley's to make sure whether the roof was off his barn or not as we have heard conflicting reports concerning it. I fell in with Jacks Spain & Winn, Lewie Larose & Geordie Spain. and they came to the conclusion that they would go with me, but Lewie didn't go very far. The rest of went up to Wooley's point with out much adventure, then I left them there to go and ascertain the facts of the barn case, and found it in perfectly good condition and I didn't think it was likely they would have it all fixed up so soon.

I came back to the lake just by Hay Creek and saw the other fellows down the beach, and saw by their foot prints that they had kept on the beach so I thought if they could go that way I could too but soon found out that I was very much mistaken. I got into quicksand above my boot tops and just covered myself with mud (I was fool enough to have worn my good clothes) I lost one rubber and fished around with my fingers for about five minutes before I found it. I struck for the bank at the first opportunity and stayed there till I got to where I knew I wouldn't have to cross any more mud. I washed my rubbers off as well as I could.

When I got down to McCoy's bush I found Skinny & Perce Ryersie with Fred Tuck Bangers & Smock making maple syrup they had quite a quantity of sap gathered and were boiing it down right there. I took a picture of them and then homeward plodded my weary way, via the back streets of Dover thus escaping the notice of most of the good people who might scoff at my appearance. I stopped at Huby's

to try and brush off some of the mud but did not succeed he gave me a piece of Sassafras root which Mr Henderson had got. Lovely sunny day but muddy in spots.

Monday March 31st

Dad. went off this morning to settle up about the sale of his little pigs, he saw. John Quanbury & Vyse and they didn't want to block the sale of the bunch so he sold the eleven of them to Bob. Miller for forty five dollars he had given the runt to Frank so couldn't sell it with the rest. I did the chores up and Tapper came through on his way down town.

This afternoon the old man that lives down at the corner came up here with his cream to churn as Dad. told him he might this morning. Part of the barn gate fence blew down in the morning and some of the cattle got into the field. About four o'clock Dad. and I went up to Ham Thompsons and Dad bought his registered short horn bull calf for fifty five dollars although he wanted sixty as he says their price has gone up very much lately. We didn't get home till six so were late with the chores. Dick did not get home to tea to-night I suppose as it is the last of the month It rained alittle this morning, cloud, windy and colder to-night.

Tuesday April 1st

There was a very strong wind blowing all day to-day and as wind makes Dad. sick & mad. we didn't do anything but chores, but did them thoroughly, we also went out and I held the ladder while Dad nailed a board on the eve of the cow stable roof, as the wind was getting under our roofing paper and tearing it.

This afternoon I slept most of the time and Dad made some meat hooks out of the rod he got from Butler the other day. Aunty went down town this morning and stayed down till after the auxillary this after noon. Dick did not get home to tea.

I had a good practice to-night. Ed. Aikens was in this after noon to see Dad. about a dog which he left here to be looked after. Cold but sunny to-day. Froze pretty stiffly last night but the wind dried up a lot of mud.

Wednesday April 2nd

Dad. and I put up the barnyard fence again this morning which the wind blew down the day before yesterday While we were at it the old man at the corner, whose name he told us was Mr. Green, but who is commonly known as Jonas by the surrounding neighbourhood.) came in and bargained for a load of hay. Dad. said he

would let him have a load of thashed alsike for five dollars but would not deliver it with the roads in the shape they are, so this after noon he got Allan Law to come and get it for him, his wife came last night so he is a little more cheerful, Charlie Martin was over this morning for awhile to see about getting some meat smoked and he helped us raise the smoke house. We chopped up the old mountain ash tree that blew down and got a small pile of firewood from it.

This after noon we didn't do much as Allan Law and his friend Jonas came after the latter's hay and we stayed out at the barn watching them work. Tupper came in soon after their exodus and entertained us for about an hour relating the history of Jonas, & Sairy his wife as he had known them in the days of his youth when they lived near Waterford. It appears that Jonas has a few shingles of his roof and that some of Saiway's "as Jonas evidently calls her are loose. It was rather late in the life of each of them when they entered upon their matrimonial career and all has not been perfectly clear sailing since as they now and then strike a rock in the shape of a pugilistic bout, in which the old lady generally comes off with the laurels. Many were the anecdotes he told of pranks & tricks enjoyed by the juvenile portion of the comunnity at Mr. Green's expence and one case where that gentleman's claw's did him a good service in peeling a youth's face with whom he was engaged in battle.

Aunty went down town this after noon and brough back a note from Mrs. Lawson containing news of the arrival of a new member to the house of Tupper, and it was to be delivered to the head of that house. Mrs. Tupper is down at Mrs. Lawson's and the stork called yesterday morning but Mrs. Lawson hadn't seen anybody to carry the tidings home. Tupper said this after noon he in tended to call down there the end of this week or the beginning of next to see if there was any thing doing, he supposed they would let him know if a boy came but if it was a girl he didn't care a cent. Poor Tupper it was a girl and he was going fishing to-night.

Just before ten to-night Billy Barlow drove in he had been down in this country after beef and dropped in to see us and Dad sold him his two gobblers. Dick did not come home to tea to-night but I went down to private band practice and we came home to gether. {Pat Slow...?} Roy Dell & Walt were at band practice and we had a fairly good one. Very nice day to-day Sunny and quite mild, Roads are drying up fast. Blacker than a stack of black cats to-night. Found 4 duck eggs in mudpuddle

Mr. Green came in this morning for a little visit before breakfast and sat by the door with his hat on all the time we were eating. We couldn't do very much out side to day on account of the weather but this morning we finished cleaning up the wheat and this after noon started to clean up oats but didn't get much done Emery came over with the pieces he is going to put on the bed piece of the rack to rest on the holster instead of the cross pieces on the holster but he couldnt finish the job as the bolts he brought over didn't have a long enough thread cut on them.

Tonight I went down to band practice with Emery. I wore my steel boots and gaiters to keep off the mud and I left my horn at Hubys. It has rained nearly all day to-day with thunder and lightening but seems to have cleared off to-night.

It seems there is a new fellow now negotiating with the town concerning a canning factory they have formed a joint stock company and yesterday sold $8000 worth of shares they want to sell $15000 worth.

Friday April 4th

Dad. & I drove Joe & Ginger up to Simcoe to-day. Dad went to Frank Reid's and paid the intrest on the mortgage and $1000 of the principal which Aunty got and wanted to pay last fall but couldn't as they wouldn't take it till the right date. We got there just a little after twelve and Dad. just caught Mr. Reid as he was leaving for dinner we also called around to see Billy Barlow but his shop door was locked so we dropped in at Church's and got our old harnessed fixed and came home getting here about half past three. The roads were very bad in some places especially in the streets of Simcoe, we didn't go by the half way house but turned at the cemetry corner and came out on the gravel at St. John's as Carl Coleman told me the other night there was a bad place near Brad. Bowlby's but we found the back roadway good condition.

We had our dinner and did up a few chores after we got home Charlie Martin came over just before tea and tuned the piano Dick came home to tea. It has been cloudy and threatening all day but quite mild. It rained before and after we were at Simcoe but was fair all the time we were gone. Quint was over a couple of times after some ducks, Frank saw in the timothy field. But -

Saturday April 5th

Frank and Dad. went up to Ham. Thompson's about the first thing this morning and got our bull, they were gone quite a while as he gave them considerable trouble

and got away once and ran way down the track. We have to think of name for him as is to be registered. While they were gone Quint and George Haymaker came along, they had come up the creek and came over here to see if the dudes were here, but they weren't. George wanted to know if I knew any body around here by the name of Mull or some name sounding like that, who kept brown leg horn chickens and lived a long way in from the road; by this last hint I suppose I mentioned Tapper which proved to be the correct answer; they didn't know the way over there so I showed them part way as George wanted to get some eggs.

This afternoon Frank & Enah went down town for supplies. I cut wood and Dad carried hay and then we hung the hams all up in the smoke house Dick didn't come home to tea to-night. It has been colder and windy to-day with quite a snow storm to-night.

Sunday March April 6th

Aunty and the boys went down to Sunday school and I went to church this morning. This afer noon I drew a pattern to carve and Dick went down town. Dad. did nearly all the chores. Toby and Hallie have gone in to have some music so I told him I would finish this, there is little more to say. It has been a cold miserable day, quite a wind with occasional snow flurries, it is freezing hard tonight.

Monday April 7th

I didn't do anything much to-day, helped Dad. a little clean out the place where we had the calves as he wants to build a stall for the bull (who by the way we have decided to call Dreadnought after Aunty's suggestion) in one corner of it. Dad. lit a fire in the smoke house this morning and about noon Art Quanbury came over with Charlie Martin's hams and some side meat of his fathers which Dad promised to smoke. Bob. Miller came over and got the little pigs to-day. He paid $44.00 for the eleven but left Runty for Frank, we left him in with the old sow but soon had to remove him as we heard a terrible racket in the pig pen and when Dad went to investigate found the old sow with the little pig down and treating it in a very savage manner and if she had been left to continue would soon have killed it but as it was she didn't hurt it much Aunty went down town this after noon, and something or other struck Enah to go down to A.Y.P.A. to-night so Dad. went with her I guess it was because Aunty Maude was going to recite.

Dick did not get home to tea to-night we don't know whether he had to work or not. We think of getting up early in the morning and going fishing back in the gully. Ray Dell told Frank to-night that Earn. Fleming caught 6 pike above the culvert at our place yesterday or the day before. Mrs. McBride was here washing to-day. It was cloudy and inclined to snow this morning but turned sunny & muddy & mild this after noon. Lovely night. {indistinct marks on page}

Tuesday April 8th

Dad finished building his bull stall to-day. I didn't do much in the morning but this afternoon I pruned another apple tree. We got up about half past five this morning and started to the gully armed with a rifle and two pitch forks. We went down to the culvert and walked up but didn't see a sign of aquatic life except a mud turtle who was too cold to resist my picking him out of the water on my fork and some sort of a fish about a foot long which I speared at but missed. I also saw two minnows.

Aunty went down town to the dentists this morning and was successful in finding the door unlocked and Bill in working order. Dick had to work to-night and said when he got home that got nearly through he only made a mistake of $1800.00. Froze hard last night, sunny & breezy to-day.

Wednesday April 9th

This morning I started to clean up the lawn in front of the house and I raked the grass across the ditch. Then Dad. & I went back to the gully and burned some of the old grass on the flat. After dinner went back again. we burned quite a lot of it but it is a little too wet to run. When we got back we bolted the pieces on the bed pieces of the rack.

To-night I went down with my horn to practice but found there was a public meeting on in the hall and consequently no practice so I went to the meeting, it was about the new school bylaw. Mr. Ivey was speaking when I went in, and he was against it. Then Dr. Hicks & Mr. Robertson who were for it had a little say, then Old Maneer & Dr. Jolly the former for & the latter against it. Old Maneer told us that as he had lived in the back woods all his life he had no education so would like to see a good school and that if nobody else would build it for less than $28000.00 he would take the contract himself. They spent a good part of the time arguing who was going to have the last word but Mr. Ivey left before it was over I think Dick & I did any way and got home after eleven.

Aunty went down town this morning and stayed down all night as Aunty Maude has not been at all well all day. It has been a nice day but with quite a cold wind.

Thursday April 10th

It rained nearly all day so we didn't do much but chores. As I was cleaning out the stable this morning I got a sharp stitch in my side and had to go in the house and lie down till after dinner, and it was quite a while after dinner before it entirely left me. Aunty came over this morning.

This afternoon Dad fixed up the boxstall door and cleaned & admired Queen. To-night I went down to band practice to-night. There weren't many there as all the orchestra went to Port Rowan to a dance. Bob. Rankin was down and we had a pretty fair practice. Dick had to work all evening hunting for a mistake of 40 something dollars and we came home to-gether through the pouring rain.

Quint got word by telephone to-day from Geordie Allen saying he had a job for him and he is to go to Port Coulborne to morrow night. He doesn't know yet what the job is but thinks it is on a boat.

Friday April 11th

Quint came over this morning to say goodbye to us and I went out with him to get his traps which he set for the ducks and we scared up six but were too far away to get a shot at them. Aunty went down with Quint and is going to stay down all night I went over as far as Martin's with them and Aunty got Mrs. Charlie Martin to telephone down to see if Bagley & Miller's car of potatoes had come yet but they hadn't so I went over again after the train should have come in but they weren't here.

This after noon Jonas came over to prune apple trees. We hardly knew him as he has had his beard shaved off. he got over quite a lot of trees but didn't cut out any thing much but the suckers. He says he will be over to-morrow if it is fine but has to go to work for Ivey on Monday. I went down to-night to see Quint off. Dick was down and said he would have to look for his mistake again to-night. Cloudy & very mild, windy

Saturday April 12th

Jonas came over at seven this morning and pruned in the orchard all day. He got pretty well over all the trees but I think they would stand a lot more being cut out of them. Dad & I went down to Porter's in the lumber waggon and got back about two o'clock. The roads were awful in places. Art. Ryersie just scraped his hill before the rain so it was like a mortar bed, so to miss it we came home but the Plank road and it was just about as hard pulling down the hill above the brick yard as it would have been

pulling up Art. Ryersie's. Dad. & Enah walked down town after dinner and did not get back till after six. Dad. voted for the School by-law and before he came home found out that it had carried by a majority of 10 in town but they hadn't heard from the town-ship yet, most likely the moss backs will be against it. I started to dig up the plum trees out on the front lawn this afternoon but the ground was too wet.

Frank and I found the turkey nests right out here along the side of the road. Aunty came over this morning after she had voted. Dick is still in quest of his mistake. Jim Law was in here this morning trying to sell Enah some tea & coffee but didn't. Dark & threatening all day but quite mild.

Sunday April 13th

Dad. caught a whole family of rats in the horse stable last night in the cage trap, there was a mother and five ratlets. He had to drown them although he hated to. He also discovered that Bob's ewe had a lamb last night. Aunty & the boys went down to Sunday school and I went down late to church.

This afternoon Dick and I took some duck eggs down to Mrs. Tuck and Dick bought a film for Frank's camera with the money. We hung around the lake till about five o'clock with Roy Dell and then came home. We found Pud. Smythe & his father had been here all the afternoon and were just going We went in on our way down to see Jona's colt which came this morning. It is a nice colt only one hind leg is crookeder than a snake fence. Enah went to church to-night and Dick went down with her but said he was not going to church. Lovely day, roads drying up fast.

Monday April 14th

Dad managed to poke a hole through the blocade in the center of the culvert this morning with a scantling and as there was such a head of water on it washed it out clear and in a few minutes it drained the lake that has been in the field on the west side of the road all spring & winter. Then we grubbed out the six plum trees that were planted all in a heap along the lane in the lawn as they were full of black knot and haven't borne fruit since we came here so we want to plant a grape vine in their place. While we were out there Billy Louis drove along breaking his colt then Art. Ryersie, then Mr. Monteith came and each stopped to talk Charlie Martin came over and talked till nearly noon.

This after noon I fixed the place up where we dug out the trees and Dad bunched them out. When we went out to the {Courslake?} we had to spend some time with Bolly who had a

big bull calf just come.We were rather late getting through to-night but Dad & I went down to Mrs. {Halles?} as soon as we could get ready after tea. Dick came all the home after he had had his tea to tell Dad. to take his songs down but he didn't. We had a nice evening and enjoyed Miss Prest's playing on the violin very much. We got home about twelve and came with Dick who had just got through work as we came out.

Aunty Maude went to London to-day as delegate to the W.A. Meetings and Aunty has gone down to keep house for Huby & the girls Charlie Martin got his meat this after noon. and Dad is going to take ours out as it is smoked enough. It has been very nice & sunny but with rather raw east wind.

Tuesday April 15th

Sam. Law came after Dad. this morning to put a team on the road scraper so he took Joe & Ginger and has had them at it all day. They used the old three cornered dray that has been leaning up against our barn since the reign of Titus and just had the two teams on. Law's & ours. Sam drove their team this morning and Allan drove this after noon. Dad got home about five to-night and said he would have been home half an hour earlier but they hauled the scraper to Law's and Sam was bound he should see their bull calf - and then Allan insisted on him going in to hear a record or two on his new graphaphone. I didn't do much but chores this morning but chores and this after noon took a walk over the estate. I found the wheat in some places to be pretty badly killed but where we ploughed the manure under it is pretty good and where it was top dressed is better than where there is none at all. On the fall ploughing I noticed that parts of the fields are dry as a bone hat in other places it is a little too soggy to work yet. I went back to the gully & burnt a lot more grass but didn't have anything to carry the fire. I went back to the woods and saw quite a lot of May flowers and two garter snakes Dick came home to tea with the mail but had to go back to work. Mild, sunny & breezy.

Wednesday April 16th

Dad. & I went down first thing this morning with Joe & Ginger & the lumber waggon to get the team shod. we didn't get back till noon. I got some things up town and then went down to Huby's where Aunty showed me where to get some raspberriesroots. I also got a white rose root, one of the old bushes This afternoon I set them out but didn't get all the

raspberries put out. Dad got a load of rails, we intended if we had had time to have gone back and harrowed a little this after noon, Vyse has started disking. Frank & Dick had tea at Huby's to-night as they are going to a show in the town hall. Jonas came over to night to pay Dad for what he owed him on the hay and got some apples. One of the hen turkeys died during the night. When Dad went out to feed the calves to-night he gave Frank's runt a big feed of milk - and when he returned he found the poor pig dead at the back of its pen. Lovely sunny day quite hot.

Thursday April 17th

Dad. started to work on the field this side of the gully on the east side of the lane with Joe & Ginger. He harrowed all morning. I went back with him but just as we got back I noticed the colts out. I went back to put them in. Tig undertook to help me but as she chased them way over to the side road I shut her up in the stable I managed to get them back into the barn yard through the lane. While I was after them Taurus & all the calves got out and I chased them for about an hour but a last had to shut them up just where they were. some of them in the clover field, John in the plum orchard and left Jim out on the road. I then planted out the raspberries and Dad put the calves in when he came up.

This after noon Aunty came over for a few minutes Dad. took the disks back and disked what he harrowed this morning, some of the land is a little too wet to work yet. I did chores. and cleaned up my horn with some stuff of Quint's which Aunty brought over. its what they used down on the "Vigilant". and is great stuff.

To-night I went down to band practice. Roy. Dell. Walt & John Smith were the only ones there. Dad. went down with me and got the baby carriage which Mrs. Johnston sent to Enah. He came home with Dick who hasn't been working all the after noon. We went down to Huby's for awhile after practice Aunty Maude came home to-night. None of us expected her It has been a lovely day, sunny & hot.

Friday April 18th

Dad and I worked on the land all day. I disked with Belle & Harry and Dad harrowed wth the little team. We are just working up half the field and are going to try to get it in to morrow after noon. Enah took Tiddums down town this after noon in his fancy carriage. Aunty & Win came over to-night. but Win had to go back after tea. Dick went home with her. Very warm, thunder & lightening after tea but no rain to speak of.

Saturday April 19th

I went out and disked all morning. Dad. and Frank got out the drill and cleaned up some oats, then Dad. came out and harrowed for a couple of hours before noon We didn't get out very early after dinner owing to chores and things but Dad. got sowed nearly all we have worked up and I harrowed after him Frank & Roy Bannister have been hobnobbing to-gether this after noon. Frank went down to Law's after the butter and stayed quite awhile listening to the phonograph We didn't get in till late to-night and didn't get through tea till about nine I had a bath and went to bed

Aunty was down town all the after noon. The old sow got out at noon and our efforts to recapture her were unsuccessful. Frank put some apples in her pen but she waited till we were all away before she ate them and then came out again. It froze last night and there has been a cold north wind all day very strong this after noon quite sunny.

Sunday April 20th

Aunty & the boys went down to Sunday school and I came to church. Lila came over to dinner with us and is staying all night. This after noon, Lila Aunty and I went back to the woods and got some wild flowers. Frank rode his bicycle out to the Shand's and he & Charlie rode out to Renton. Dick spent the after noon with the girls down town.

Dicky Smith came over to see Dad. about pasturing a calf this summer, and Dad. said he would. Uncle Ward & Aunt Lucy also came over. Enah went down alone to church to-night. It froze quite hard last night and there has been a cold wind to-day.

Monday April 21st

We have been working on the land all day. I went out to disk this morning but the ground was so frozen for an hour or two that it did very little good. Dad. took Joe & Ginger and went down town this morning and got the potatoes which came at last. When he got back he came out and harrowed the rest of the morning and all the after noon. We are now cross disking & cross harrowing it. and we think we will be able to sow to-morrow after noon.

Sam. Law came over at noon to borrow the drill and Vyse came and got his roller. Mrs. McBride was here washing to-day. Aunty went down to Huby's to-night & I went with her she expects to leave for Toronto to-morrow night. Cold, but sunny

Tuesday April 22nd

Dad. kept Frank home this morning and they cleaned up enough seed oats to finish this field. I I disked all morning and finished crossing the field. Dad came out a little before noon and started to drill and drilled all the afternoon just finishing up to-night. I followed him with the harrows and it was after six when I got through but the field is now put in, in good shape and running out the ditches is all that remains to be done. Dick did not come home to-night as he said if he didn't have to work he was going to an old time social in the Methodist church. Frank went to school this after noon & he & Dick went down to the station to see Aunty off.

The cows knocked the fence down around the barn-yard and some of them got out so I had to come up to try & put them in but I only got one in so I shut them up in the stable and fixed the fence as well as I could - as we both had to stop in the field for Dad to watch my team. It has been cloudy & cool all the morning it looked threatening and did rain a little but this after noon it came out sunny & hot.

Wednesday April 23rd

We had a terrific Thunder storm last night and as it was pouring rain when I woke at 5 this morning I had another little sleep. The rain cleared off and it came out very hot before noon I opened up a lot of ditches in the old corn ground and Toby and I trimmed up all the sheep. Dick did not come home to tea and Toby went to band practice after tea.

Thursday April 24th We were up early this A.M. Frank went to Vyse's after the grass seeder, before breakfast. I had to go down to Art Ryerses first thing had a dickens of a job. Toby and I got the wheat ground all seeded and a lot of the ditches opened up on the Timothy sod, he had to go down to Joe Longs to see a cow, and after tea tonight I had to go down to old Jonas {Greens?}, The boys, Frank and Dick were at Wess's tea party. Tobe is down at band practice It has been very hot all day, every thing has grown since the rain

Friday April 25th

Toby, having finished a game of hide and seek with Dick and Frank is too tired to write so is exchanging work with me and is darning stockings.

This moning was bright and very warm Toby & Harry dug ditches in the old Timothy sod preparatory to sowing oats. They also burnt off the grass around the fences and set fire to a post. Sam Law extinguished the blaze before any damage was done.

In the afternoon Toby disked the oat field. Harry did all the chores, brought up the harrows on the stone boat ready to take out in the morning, went out for a load of rails, came in and did up the chores for the night.

At noon we had a visitation from our friend Jonas who has a sick cow and came for advice. This has been an exceedingly hot day, unseasonably hot.

Saturday April 26th

As our supply of milk has run out Frank has taken {much of this paragraph is too faint to make out}

Sunday April 27th

It rained all night nearly, not very hard but a steady cool rain, which will the wheat a lot of good and which is bursting the buds on all the trees. Frank went down to Sunday school and Dick and I went down to church.

This after noon I read my self to sleep (although I tried not to) and so wasted half a day. Dad. & Frank did chores. Dick went down town for awhile. It didn't rain much this afternoon. Mr. Lawrie was in church this morning & Mr. Herbert prot. the sermon.

Monday April 28th

This morning Dad and Toby packed the sawdust in around the edge of the ice-house and put some some blue-grass on top. Then we went out and cleaned up about 20 bushels of oats. Frank was sick all day and did not go to school. I think he feels better now as he is talking a blue streak.

After dinner Dad went out and cleaned out ditches in the north-west field this side of the gulch. Toby did the chores in the afternoon and then went out and dug up two maple trees in the woods besides fooling around picking flowers.

Between 4 and 6 o'clock while Frank was sleeping on the kitchen sofa and Enah was in the dining-room some unknown person came in and left a silver spoon on the kitchen table for Tiddums with his initials carved on it and then went away before anyone saw her or him. It was cloudy and windy all day with about ten minutes sunshine.

Tuesday April 29th

Dad. has been opening up ditches all day out in the field next Ivey's where we sowed the oats and is now pretty well finished. I cut some wood this morning and then went back to the woods and dug up a couple of maple trees one of which I brought up at noon with me & we planted in place of one of the dead ones along the lane. This after noon I dug up two more and Dad. & I put out one of them to-night. The other two I left down in the creek so as the roots wouldn't dry out. Frank has been home all day although he feels a lot better to-day.

This after noon Wyatt Waddle came in with the {catalogue?} for the Massey Harris Company and he proved himself to be a good man for the company not only by persuading Dad. to order a manure spreader, but Dad. seemed to like him & showed him Queen who he thought like everyone else was perfect. We got the manure spreader on easy terms as we don't have to make a payment on it till a year from next fall when we pay 28 dollars & 50 dollars a year for the next two years.

Dick told us to-night that Huby had got a job at the canning factory which they started work on to-day. He went down to the dance to-night. I only have five cents to my name so stayed home although I guess I could have got enough tin to take me sunny & mild but a cool wind.

Wednesday April 30th

This morning we planted out the four little trees which I had dug up, then we went over to see what the field looked like, it is getting pretty dry, from there we went over to see if Sam Law's wheat was any better than ours, but it wasn't. We found him over trimming up the limbs he had cut out of his orchard. As he was just contemplating a visit to Alfred who was disking the other side of the hedge we made a joint attack and sat around over there for about an hour. so by the time we had wandered back home it was noon.

This after noon instead of working on the field as we had thought of doing, we took our wheat down to the mill. I went down and harrowed some sacks from Blight and we had to make two trips of it as the ground was a little soft. We had eighteen bags and it went over two bus {bushels}. to the bag, that job took up all the afternoon.

Tonight I went down to band practice and came home with Dick. The school board were having a meeting, we heard after wards that Mr. Ivey called it but as none but kickers attended it soon adjourned with out any thing being done except Old Stringer falling down stairs coming out so Pud. Slocomb says. Nice day Mild & sunny cool breeze.

Thursday May 1st

We worked on the land all day to-day. I disked & Dad. harrowed, we have it in pretty nice shape now I went down to band practice to-night. Dick went down with me although he didn't have to work. Jonas came over to pay Dad for some hay he got this morning and he stayed half the night telling them stories of his experiences in the United States with, snakes bears and such like. Cars. Rankin told us to-night that his Dad is laid up with blood poisoning and is in pretty bad shape, they just moved back to town the other day It has been sunny and fair with a cool breeze.

Friday May 2nd

We worked on the land all day. I cross disked & Dad. harrowed. We could have drilled it to day I suppose but thought we would have it in extra good shape. Enah took Tiddums down to Mrs. Battersby's this afternoon. I nearly went to sleep on the disk this afternoon It has been fair & sunny. Sun set clear to-night.

Saturday May 3rd

Bill Oaks came over this morning with his grey horse

{This page is a duplicate of page 50}.

which had hurt his head in the manger. Later in the morning he came over and borrowed the clover seeder, which he brought back at noon and had a short visit. All Ivey's men except the teamsters quit at noon on Saturdays now. and the factory closes at twelve instead of one.

Dad. drilled what we have worked up to-day. Itook him till a little after noon and then he harrowed I hitched to the waggon this morning & took the seed out and left the waggon for Frank to fill with rails and then disked nearly all of this end of the field the rest of the day. Frank did chores & odd jobs.

Charlie Batter{sby?} was in here to-night to see Dad about a colt which came this morning. I started to cut the lawn to-night. Dick went for a swim at the stump to-night, but I guess I will have to hit the tub. Very hot to-day. Dick went down town to-night to hear the result of the election recount, which they were having in Simcoe over the school by law but he couldn't hear.

Sunday May 4th

The boys went down to Sunday school and I went to church. This afternoon Dad. Enah & Tiddums started to drive out to Jim. Waddles. but before they had gone far Tiddums objected so strongly to continuing the journey that they were forced to return. Lila had come over so Dad. took Frank & her to Jim. Waddle's. Dick & I went down town Dick went off with some girls. but I went up the beach. and hung around alone, till I was about cooked and then came home.

We let Artful Dodger out to-night and he was so weak on account of always being shut up that he could hardly walk. Frank McBride came over to-night with a note from his mother saying to send the washing over there as she would be unable to come here so Frank went back with it to-night with Frank Mc. Lila stayed to tea, and Dick went down home with her after. It has been exceptionally hot to-day but is cooler to-night and feels as if it had rained somewhere near.

Monday May 5th

We got a fairly good early start. I cross disked all day and Dad. harrowed. This after noon Dad was afraid it was going to rain so went & got the drill and some seed & put in all we had worked up about 2 acres. If it doesn't rain we will be through on that field to-morrow. Caw. Rankine was in here to-night to have Dad. look at his horse's teeth as {Schavley?} had told him that if a horse got wolfe teeth

it would go blind. After tea Mrs. McBride brought the washing back. It has been very hot to-day and looks rainy. Fred's calf got out two or three times to-day and tried our patience sorely at it's own cost. Mully also got out but went in easier.

Tuesday May 6th

We finished up the field to-day. Dad. has to sow a little by hand around the water holes and he may harrow the whole field over. I disked all day. & Dad. harrowed and drilled. I took seed out in the waggon this morning but we had to clean up another sack at noon to finish with. I brought back rails in the waggon both at noon & to-night. I cut lawn before tea till Dick came & inticed me to play catch with him. Very much cooler to-day with quite a breeze this after noon

Wednesday May 7th

Dad. went out this morning and sowed by hand around the water holes and then harrowed all day on that field. It is now finished all but running & cleaning the ditches. I brought the disks up and disked on the old corn ground all day and got nearly over it. It is pretty hard but we think we will be able to get about 3 inches on top worked up for barley. Tonight at tea time Jonas came over with a guinea hen which he presented us with as a reward for our neighborly conduct towards him. He got a setting each of duck & turkey eggs. I was going down to band practice so went down with him as he was going down town. He confided to me after we had got a short distance from the house in an almost inaudible whisper that they had an awful funny feller as a boarder. His peculiarity evidently lay in the fact that he went down town before & after tea.

As I was coming home an Englishman passed me and I thought likely he was Jona's funny boarder & upon inquiry I found I was correct. Went we got to the top of Prospect hill we found Jonas & Allan Law so I enjoyed the pleasure of the company of them nearly home. I heard Redface - the funny feller. tell his lanlord. that he would have to drive Bill's team to-morrow as he was going away with a gentleman from Toronto, as I saw Jack Paine up town to-night, I surmised that old Bill had a dose of Tong Point fever. I guess he is insurable.

I went up to the bank to-night to see why Dick hadn't turned up. When I knocked Dick came to the door & I was just going to step in and swear at them when I caught a glimpse of a stranger Then Dick who looked very care worn motioned me

back and informed me that the inspector was paying them a visit, and they would likely have to work every night for a week, he had his wheel anyway so I didn't wait for him It has been rather cool to-day and looks frosty to-night.

Thursday May 8th

We went out this morning and ran the ditches in the oat field. Then Dad ploughed a ridge along the west side of the old corn field, it couldn't be ploughed before on account of the old rails lying there. This after noon we turned the cattle & two colts back the lane. We let the two fillys out in the pasture field and they & the colts have been hanging around on opposite sides of the lane fence ever since, we managed to get the colts in the box stall to-night.

We went back to the gully to fix fence, but didn't have very good luck. We barricade the gap into the other pasture and then Dad started to dig out a post that was broken off and while he was prying on the shovel handle he broke it so we had to cobble the rest up by hand as well as we could. Dicky Smith came over to-night to see if we had turned our cattle out yet and I went down town with him to band practice, got home about eleven. It froze last night but has been sunny & nice to-day.

Friday May 9th

I went out and finished disking the old corn field this morning and Dad brought out the old cultivator but after going a few rounds he decided that it was going to be lumpy and hard to put barley on so we thought we would leave it, manure it and summer fallow it which would be better farming anyway. We brought up the disks and the plow & harrows and Dad ploughed the garden over again, this after noon he disked & harrowed it, so that it looks pretty nice only it is inclined to be lumpy. I got my currant bushes and grapevines from Simmer's yesterday and spent the in putting them out and staking them to protect them from the curse'd hens. I also cut a little lawn

Dick Smith brought his heifer, Joe, over to-night. It has been cold & raw all day. I wore my over coat while disking and then was cold. Robert John Watson was in here to-night to inquire about a colt "Mable". Dad enjoyed his elevating conversation for he has a most extraordinary vocabulary which is all his own.

Saturday May 10th

Frank got us all up early this morning as he had to get down to the Canning factory by seven

where he has been all day setting out tomato plants in baskets. He told us the other night that hands (his size) were wanted and hasen't talked of much else since, he was to get 8 cts @ hour but has got his envelope yet, as they are not through. Vyse came over this morning and Dad broke the news of our spreader deal and he took it calmly although he thinks we made a big mistake in not putting in with him & Mr Fleming on his John Deere as he "conscientiously believes it to be the best in Americy".

I went down this morning for the purpose of obtaining some particulars concerning a load of hay which Mrs. Battersby is purchasing from us through the agency of John but as that gentleman was in bed with a cold. I failed to recieve any valuable data. so I came home and mowed lawn till noon. Dad took back Alfred's bags this morning and borrowed his shovel with the intention of cleaning out the ditches in the oat field but as he found in Alfred an opponent to the building of a new school, he stayed and argued till noon.

I read most of the after noon and then went out and assisted Dad to rearrange the implements in the old shed so as to create a space for the old waggon we then repaired a little fence to enable us to turn out the old sow, but it didn't take her a great while to discover the weak spots in the {rockery?} which we call a fence and now she is at liberty. I think Dick came home to tea. and says our manure spreader has arrived It froze ice last night and has been very cold to-day

Sunday May 11th

Frank & Dick went down to sunday school & Frank & I went to our church but Dick attended the Presbyterian as he saw no-one to associate with in the back pews of the Episcopal. This after noon Dad & I drove up to Dunkin's to see how many lambs he had; but he has had no better luck than we, for his flock has only increased by one ewe lamb. He is really worse off than we are because two of his ewes now won't have lambs till they are three years old wile ours are all yearlings and if any thing will be better off. Dunkin him self was at church but his son was home, he gave Dad. guinea fowl to mate with the one Jonas gave us but when we got it home we learned they were both of the feminine gender from the fact that the new comer requests imaginary foes

to retrace their steps by the imperitave sentence "Go back" and it seems the gentlemanbird of the species is not addicted to that habit. It was nearly six when we got home. Enah was down at Art Ryersie's with Tiddums the Wicked. Dick has been gone all the after noon and has patronized the church again to-night as he said he would be home to tea if he didn't. Frank has been knocking around the woods all the afternoon. He tried to bargain with Tupper for a guinea cock but he had no success.

It has been sunny to-day but a cold wind. Walt McCall & his retinue came over in his automobile this morning and was agreeably surprised in Dolly. He says he is going to take her up and train her now. He wants Dad to keep his mare for him this summer. Frank Faulkner was over this morning too to see about bringing over his heifer calf to pasture. He brought her over to-night. It froze ice last night and I wrote to Aunty Alice & Uncle Hal to-night.

Monday May 12th

We didn't do any thing much the first part of the morning but Dad. went and cleaned out the ditch in the oat field. I barricaded two of the four little trees which are in the pasture field to protect them from the ravages of Queen. Dad. took Alfred's shovel back and I barricaded the other two trees. Frank started off about nine o'clock this morning on his wheel for Dunkin's to return the guinea hen which he had tied in an old sack on his back. Just as we were thinking of starting out to look for him to night about four o'clock he came home with a rooster guinea which sings properly in a bass voice. He had stayed up there to dinner and explored the country. When he got home we planted a few rows of spuds in the garden.

Jonas came over to-night to ask us if we could deliver him his hay in the morning, he also got some apples. To-night we played hide & go seek and then came in and kicked up such a rumpus that Tiddums couldn't go to sleep, and Enah got mad and said she wouldn't press Dick's pants in time for the dance, but she is pressing them now - and we weren't making much noise and Tiddums didn't want to go to sleep anyway much. Tapper told Dad. to-day that he killed his pup yesterday and intended to keep Fanny but she followed him down town to-day and he ran over her with the waggon and killed her, he said he thought he would send Blakie a funeral notice. A week or two ago the Dover council

advertised for a cop. They got fifty something applicants some all the way from Calgary. They engaged a man from Hamilton who has been on duty before. Good man for the job. big, Scotch & total abstainer. He came to this morning. Now he is in bed at the Dominion sleeping off a drunk-fired. We're still Dover. It froze a little again last night and there has been a raw breeze to-day but it is much milder and looks rainy

Monday Tuesday May 13th

Dad went over to Martin's this morning to try to telephone to Krompart and find out why he hasn't come down but Charlie wasn't home so he didn't go in, he then went over to Quanbury's and as John was in better health than when I went to interview him Dad found out that he wanted about half a ton of any kind of hay. We pitched on a load for Jonas, (he bought all that was left of the thrashed bluegrass) before dinner.

Dick rode home at noon as he had got about half an hour's leave of absence to tell us that the station agent wanted our manure spreader unloaded as it was holding the car so Dad. & I had to go down after dinner. Dad understood the agent to say that we were to let Krompart in Simcoe know as soon as the spreader arrived and he would come down and set it up at the station and we could haul it home from there, so he was naturally pretty hot at them for not coming. The men at the station were also getting into a state of rightful indignation as their car had to be sent back tomorrow. As we were in our farm uniform we didn't want to go up town so Dad. went up to the Norfolk House and telephoned Kompart Wyatt Waddle was there and he told Dad that they understood Dad was going to take the thing off the car and they were to come to the farm to set it up, and that they would be down in a day or two. Dad. went for him over the 'phone but of course that wasn't much satisfaction. We went home and took Jona's hay down and put it off and then went down to the station with the rack to get the spreader as it was too wide for the waggon, with the aid of Truman Roadhouse and a couple of fishermen we got it loaded all right and were home soon after six

To-night Dick and I went down to the dance but I got a headache from some uncertain cause and had to come home at twelve. Nice day but with rather a cold wind looks as if it might possibly rain to-night or sooner.

Wednesday May 14th

We took a small jag. of hay down to John Quanbury this morning on an improvised {rack?} which Dad rigged by laying boards across the waggon box, as we didn't want to unload the manure spreader off our rack. When we got back from there we took some posts back around by the side road and left them in places where the fence was down with the intention of coming back at a future date to repair the damage done by the Good Friday wind. We also took some material and fixed the old gate going into the gully off the road.

We found the cattle all out of the far end of the gully and in the blue grass field so I took them back while Dad. went up with the waggon, they were all there but the Artful Dodger and he was nowhere to be found, so this after noon Dad. and I went back to look for him. We went into the wood and saw there had been a lot of cows in there and after a little search found our missing calf in John Wess McBride's place in the corner of the fence where he had walked and finding he could go no further stayed there we chased him into the gully to be left till called for while we went over to Tapper's to borrow his post auger, the consequence was of course that we didn't do a thing all the afternoon and didn't get home till about five or after

We saw everything on the place from his oat field down to the baby. We saw some things off his farm too such as Charlie Butlers colt which got an awful kick in the face from its mother and Dave Lamkins white heifer which was on the road and which was worth fifty dollars but he sold it for forty five, also Art Walker who was rolling on his cornground. We had a very entertaining after noon and enjoyed it much better than digging post holes.

To-night I went down to band practice Dick with me. Theodore Brown came up and entreated Walt to play "Way down upon the Swanee River" promising him some beer but Walt said he couldn't. Theodore tried to impress up on us as a bit of good advice that "We could borrow from a thief but not from a liar." Weather about the same

Thursday May 15th

Dad and I went back and fixed up most of the fence this morning. Mr. Evans' came along the side road and wanted to Dad. to look at his horses teeth so Dad. told him to come in at noon on his way back. He did and Dad. floated them as the poor old horse's tongue was just about cut in two. We also found when we got here at noon what Wyatt Waddle and his man Mr. Hillis were in the barn setting up the spreader. They got it

all up and we took out a load before they left so they could show Dad how to run it. Joe & Ginger pulled it alone and a couple of times Ginger's whipple tree caught and she pulled it all alone.

I went down to band practice. I came very nearly staying there for awhile. for we all got locked in. The door fastens on the out side with a rasp and staple, the padlock is broken. The door was open and some one who was getting cold ordered it shut. Jack Smith kicked it to and the rasp sprung over the staple and stayed there. Perce Brock tried desparatly to open it but failing turned to John. and told him frantically that he would be the first to satiate our appetites when we got ravenous, he then mounted the table under the window and proceeded to let the {word heavily scored out} anybody who happened to be around (it was pouring rain) {word scored out} know of our fate.

Perce remarked sorrowfully that it was the first time he had ever been behind the bars trying to get out. (The bandroom is in the old lockup). Dick {Faulmshy?} was the first to be alarmed by the pitiful cries but the hard hearted jay refused to come saying he didn't know the combination on the door. How ever Walt McCall was soon aroused and he and some other fellows came up and released us. They say Long Geordie Long nearly committed suicide last night, it seems his wife put him on the Indian List, but Geordie got full and he & his wife were having a quarrel down by the dam when Geordie told her he was going to drown him self. She told him to give her his coat to hold for him, but I guess Geordie & water don't go well to-gether for as far as he got on his desperate deed was to twist his legs well around the post and let go the railing with his hand, then go home. After he got there he was again seized with a mad desire to leave this unhappy world and left the house with a razor asserting that he was about to sever his carotid artery Mrs. Geordie gave him about an hour to perform the opperation but upon investigation found him out side in a dormant condition but was disappointed to hear him snoring heavily and in perfect health.

Cold all day. very cold before dark and poured rain all night with terrific thunder & vivid lightening. Dick & I stayed at Huby's all night. I planted some onion seed to night.

Friday May 16th

We didn't do anything much to-day. Dick & I got home before they had breakfast here but it was late when we went out and then Bill Donald came in to

talk about the spreader and before he left Allan Law rode in to have the wolf teeth pulled out of his sorrel for fear they would affect his eyesight. It was noon when he left us. After dinner Bob. Miller came in to get his ewe and lamb and of course the sheep were nearly to the gully Dad. wrote a letter to Aunty Alice while Bob & I were after the sheep and then saddled Joe and I rode down town to post it. I was only gone about fifteen minutes. but when I got back we read the "Maple Leaf." after which we did chores. I went to bed soon after tea. We let Harry & Belle out this after noon. Fine but cool.

Saturday May 17th

I started first thing this morning and raked over about half the garden, it raked fine because the rain the other night had softened the lumps. Dad. fixed fence around the orchard to keep the sheep & calves in. Frank went down town to sell some duck eggs to the car {tapper?}.

This after noon we all worked in the garden and have about all the small seeds in, onion, carrot, beet, cabbage & peas, a few beans. Allan Law was over to borow the disks also John Wess came to get some stuff for his horse which has colic. We turned the four calves in the orchard at noon. Lila came over to spend the day. Huby ran a nail in his foot yesterday and was unable to work to-day.

Enah took Tiddums down to Mrs. Laws to get the butter this afternoon, there was another baby about Tiddum's age there which he was greatly interested in until it began to "talk?" when Tiddums got badly frightened. Lovely warm day rain to-night.

Sunday May 18th

The boy's went to sunday scholl. I to church late. different preacher. Dad. rode Joe down to see Huby while we were at church, he went in to see the John Deere spreader on his way back. This after noon Dick & I went for a drive with Joe, not far. Winnie & Lila came over this after noon & stayed to tea. We let Belle, Ginger & Harry out to-day and had a hard time catching the latter. Lovely day with a little shower at noon and rather cloudy

Monday May 19th

We hauled out manure to-day as we didn't get a very early start we only got out eleven loads, & most of it was dry clover chaff. The spreader works fine in spite of the fact that there are one or two nuts & keys missing from various parts of the gearing machine. Dad

found one large key on the road was unable to locate the place where it was missing. Sam Law was over this morning to see about keeping the disks a little longer. Mrs. McBride was here to-day.

This after noon we were agreeably surprised to have a visit from Ed. & Marion. Ed. came home on Saturday as he has left his job in Brantford he is going back to the Falls for the summer. To-night Dick and I printed pictures and had fairly good luck. Huby sent word over by Ed. that Dad's steel boot had saved his life on account of easing his injured foot. Dick says he only has one on, one steel & one leather one. It froze last night again but has been a nice day with cold breeze. Dick bought me a saddle & bridle to-day for six dollars he got them from Bobbie Leany and says they are nearly new.

Tuesday May 20th

We got one less load out to-day than yesterday but I think we have good ground for excuse in the fact that it was so hard to load. A lot of it was dry clover chaff burnt to powder and there was a layer of it just ike a board which had to be chopped up with an axe, we didn't get any earlier start either. Erie cut her eyeball to-day someway, likely on barbed wire.

Jonas came over to-night to see if he could get some turkey or duck eggs or get Dad. to plow his garden, he couldn't get any of the three so took the rhubarb roots out in the lawn. He was relating to us some of the heroic deeds performed by him in the past & United States, of how he headed a torch light procession and was so disguised by his uniform & medal that he was not recognised by his father, he also saved a young man's life from drowning and was rewarded by his boss the young man's father by a ten dollar bill & three weeks board free. Another time he stopped a train wreck by his presence of mind and drew another ten dollars as a pass to go where ever he wanted to on the railroad or a chance to learn braking, he stayed at the job a week and one day when he was in a reckless mood (good mood for a train man) he boarded a train which was headed he didn't know where and was landed in Niagara Falls where he got acquainted with his wife, and in course of time drifted to the condition in which we now see him.

Frank & I drove down town to-night and took Jonas & his rhubarb roots home, and got the saddle & bridle

from Bobbie Leany, they are roughly made, the saddle being half covered and riveted but they are nearly new & I think are worth six dollars. When we got back we found Dad. & Dick had gone down to the Scotch man who works for Harry Ansley to minister to a cow which is not enjoying the best of health. Nice day may rain soon.

Wednesday May 21st

It rained a little this morning and looked cloudy so we just did odd jobs. Dad. took up some of the rotten apples out of the cellar and drew off what cider was left in the barrel. I didn't do anything much but took a walk around by the wheat & oat fields whcih are doing fine.

This after noon we got the spreader into commission again and hauled out seven loads. The shed is nearly empty now. I fixed Dad's. saddle rack up on the wall in the drive house and started to make one for mine between loads, while Dad was out spreading. A big thunder storm blew up about tea time to-night but it stopped raining long enough for me to go down to band practice, but it more than pelted when Dick & I came home. Dick had to work to-night. He got a telephone from who he thought was Roy referring to his 24th of May visit but it afterwards transpired to be Wiggins down at the drug store enjoying himself at Dick's expense.

Thursday May 22nd

It rained hard during the night so we couldn't do much, we made an {ewe?} trough for the west side of the old house and made the rest of the saddle rack I started yesterday. Dad. also opened some ditches out in the oat field.

This after noon Dad would have liked to have started plowing the corn ground but as there were several errands to do in town, we we thought this would be a good time to go. We got some groceries, and Dad got a chain for Dreadnought and a ring for his nose. We took the waggon wheel down for Butler to put the bands on as they were both broken. Dad. was very pleased that Vyse saw him going down with the wheel and inquired after it as it was off "the best waggon made" which he got from Vyse. We bought a little giant sprayer from Huby for ten dollars, they are no use as sprayers but have a good tank which was what Dad wanted to put out at the pump for watering stock, a good pair of wheels & a tongue besides a lot of old iron, Huby is selling them for Jack Paine

Jack told him to sell the ten for for $100. and, Huby has been selling them at $10 apiece and he says Paine called him up, and gave him a great calling down, he wanted him to sell them all to one man. Huby told him he was a fool and asked him what one man would want to buy 10 no-account sprayers. I went down to band practice to-night, and got back after eleven. Nice day, but cloudy.

Friday May 23rd

I planted out some lettuce plants this morning and Dad & I got some rails and took them back in the waggon to the gully to repair the fence there, we also hauled up some for the house. About noon I drove down town with Dick's valise as he went going to Toronto to-night to stay till Monday night. Frank went down to see him off.

After dinner Mr. Krompart drove in with a Gould. Shapley & Muir agent who talked a little about a windmill but didn't bother many. Mr. Krompart went over the spreader ajusted several mistakes in the setting up which the other fellows made the principal one being changing the double trees on the evener. The way they had it, the single horse had the short end and so was pulling twice as much as the team. When they went Dad. & I went and cobbled up the gully fence and opened the gap so as to let the cows in the far end as the grass in there is getting rank.

Frank says the old black & white cat has a large family on her hands now, but her hands are equipped with six or seven fingers each. Poor Fits had part of her tail nearly cut off in the door to-night. Dad was going to finish the job but forgot. It has been cloudy all day but quite cool. Old {Roy?} has succeeded in overthrowing the election on the school by-law. He got ten illegal votes, his own son's among them and it seems every illegal vote no matter on which side it was polled counts against the majority.

Saturday May 24th

Dad. started to plow the corn ground to day he plowed a headland all around the field this morning so as he wouldn't have to tramp on the clover at the north end of the field. This after noon he got quite a strip plowed and harrowed over. I put in the day cutting lawn and it was awful. It hadn't been cut for over a week and all this rain to-gether with a dull lawn mower wasn't a very good combination to make a satisfactory job. Frank worked around this morning and this afternoon went down to the creek to fish with the rest of the

inhabitants of this part of the country, but I guess only drowned worms as he wasn't hardened with luck on his return. Winnie came over after dinner and I drove her home to-night. Enah to Tiddums down town and I shunted the buggy down to the side walk for her Win went down & came back with her. To day at noon we placed a ring just below the septum nose of poor Dreadnought. It has rained once or twice to-day and been cloudy & sunny & hot by turns.

Sunday May 25th

Frank went to Sunday school and church this morning but was the only member of the family who attended. Dad & I went up to Ham Thompson's to tell him we named Dreadnought. and he will soon get the registration papers. We were up there quite awhile and it was after noon when we got back.

This afternoon we put the saddle on Ginger - and gave her a lesson, I didn't get on her because Dad. says it is no use "breaking" her, she has to be "trained." Dad, & Enah & Tiddums drove out to Shand's but there was no body home. Lila & Frank went out after merells but didn't get any. Nice day rather inclined to be cloudy, quite cool to-night.

Monday May 26th

I spent the day cleaning up back of the woodshed and the east side of the old house and have it looking pretty decent now. I also cleaned out the gear case of the separator. Dad. plowed all day and got a nice chunk done. Enah went down town about noon to buy wall paper and stayed for the afternoon. The stores were all closed to-day instead of Saturday so the drug store was only open for a couple of hours. Dad & I had dinner alone.

To-night Frank and I drove down and met Dick. The old turkey that was sitting in the old house hatched out to-day Dick got home safely and had a good time. Everyone was well in Toronto. Cloudy and cool all day.

Tuesday May 27th

Right after breakfast Dad went down to Sam Laws and got a roller and rolled down all he had plowed. The calves got out of the orchard and Dad and I had a devil of a time getting them back in again. We hauled out one load of manure.

In the afternoon it drizzled rain most of the time and we helped Mrs McBride put down the carpet and paper Auntys room. They are working there yet. (9.15pm). Cold miserable day. To Richard, thanks.

Wednesday May 28th

We hauled out eleven loads to-day one of them was pitched on yesterday. We are only going to haul a little more and then work up the corn ground. The old turkey which was sitting in the old house got out with her family to-day, there are nine of them and they all look lively.

I went down to band practice to-night they had the regular one as there is a dance on to-morrow night. Harry Moon was present for the first time in many weeks, I had began to think he had been wiped off the map, but it looks more as if the map had been wiped of him or at least buried with whiskers. He has some thing the matter with his face and can't shave. They have the Ivey gang about {winched?} now on the school board as Blight who was on Ivey's side has dropped out and that gives the other side the majority and they can elect any man they like to take Blight's place, before there was a deadlock. Gus Smith fell off a scaffold somewhere to-day and broke his shoulder or some thing I couldn't hear any details from any one but over heard Harry Moon saying some thing about it up in the band room which was so chuck full of noise you couldn't drive a nail in it.

Johnny Walker's mother & old Mrs. O'Harra of Norkway died yesterday & to-day. It was quite mild this morning but there is a cold wind to-night.

Thursday May 29th

We hauled out enough manure to-day to go over to the hickory nut tree which is as far as we are going to put corn in. We got along very slowly the first part of the day as we were getting it out of the old shed where the implements are and it took us about an hour to put on a load, but we have it just about cleared out of there now and this after noon hauled five loads out of the barn yard, that is enough for awhile now.

Vyse was over for awhile this morning. Fred & Carl Coleman were over this after noon. I rode Ginger for the first time tonight. Dad. - got on her first - and rode her to the end of the lane, then I took her down to Sam Law's corner. We have

had the little saddle on her every night but one since Sunday, and she has behaved a little better each time. To-night Dad. put his heavy saddle on her There was another dance on to-night but owing to "pecuniary liabilitys" I spent a quiet evening at home. Dick worked till after midnight so did not feel in much humor to attend either. Warmer to-day.

Friday May 30th

Dad. plowed all day with Harry & Belle, and I disked with Joe & Ginger as neither they nor I are much account on either end of a plow. Dad. will finish plowing to-morrow if all's well and it won't take us long to work it up. Mr. Henderson & Ronald were down this morning for Dad to have a look at their horse.

To-night Mr. & Mrs. Jim Waddle & the little girls came in and Jim & Dad talked till about nine o'clock, before we had tea. Dick had work late again to-night. I had another little ride on Ginger to-night she turned in at the open gate into the corn field and also onto Sam Law's lane, but otherwise was pretty good. It has been cloudy most of the day and sprinkled a few drops now & then, a lot warmer to-day.

Saturday May 31st

Dad. plowed all day but is not quite done yet. I disked with the little team all morning but as Dad. saw he couldn't finish plowing to-day said I might as well not work them this after noon but cut lawn which I did. He disked and harrowed over all he had plowed to-day. before he turned out.

Peg. Long & Bill Dunbar came over to day after Bob. Miller's hay which was to be part payment for {Ray?}. I helped them put it on and they took a good one. Jimmy Corbett was in at noon to get Dad. to go down to see his sick colt but Dad declined the invitation on the grounds that he was too busy but told him what to do. Lila spent the after noon and night over here.

Tiddums is growing a tooth now and is pretty cranky. Tige appeared to show an interest in Tiddums to-night whent he was out in his buggy but when Tiddums endeavored to get a strangle hold on her eye she ceased her attentions. Dick did not get home to-night, as this is the last day of the month I suppose he had to work. Cloudy this morning, clearing and developing into about the hottest day this month. We didn't put the saddle on Ginger to-night. I have been barefooted most of the afternoon.

Sunday June 1st

The boys went to sunday school & church & I went down to church. It began to rain soon after we got out so we went down to Huby's after for dinner. Huby was in his bare feet and had just finished hoeing his garden. Frank & I came home soon after dinner but Dick went up town.

Dad. & I went for a little ride to night. I rode Joe & Dad. Ginger. Mr. Fleming, Vyse, Roy Bannister & Allan Law were over here to night day. I saw Jim Blaike down town this morning. It has been very hot to-day with two heavy showers the last of which was to-night.

Monday June 2nd

Dad. was greatly surprised this morning as he was going to the cow stable, to hear a strange whinny in the horse stable and upon investigation to find Belle the grand possessor of a colt full brother to Queen. He is a lively & strong little fellow and has been on his feet nearly all day. He is about the same color as Davy & has the same triangular spot on his fore head he has two white feet both on the same side and his legs are as crooked as rams' horns.

We heard yesterday that Johnnie Walker had been made take his horse off the dray on account of a sore neck which it had. and as we were very anxious to get the corn field finished up and as the advent of Belle's colt has knocked the use of her, we drove down to see what arrangements we could make for getting Johnnie's horse. We met him just coming out, and he said he wanted to get the horse out to pasture and that we could take him, but would have to be careful about working him or that "thingh" by which he meant Aikens I suppose would be jumping on him again.

Aikens was the one who raised the row and it was nothing but a dirty piece of spite work. He didn't go to Johnnie him self but to Ellis Ryersie who was driving for Johnnie as it was while Mrs. Walker was dead in the house, and told him to tell Johnnie to take the horse off. Ellis evidently thought there was enough trouble in the house so refrained from mentioning it, whereupon Aikens tried to get out a summons against Jack, but Bond wouldn't issue one. Most people seem to think it was a low down trick of Aikens to bother Jack at such a time especially when it is none of his business anyway. Dad. went up and saw the old horse whose name is Joe. and found he has a sore shoulder as well as a

sore neck but decided to bring him home and try to fix him up. We got a collar at the barn there for him and Dad put a short pad under it, and as the draught comes above the lump on his shoulder there is no weight on the raw part at all. As long as we plow harrow and disk with him there will be no weight on his neck so he promises to be just what we want. Dad plowed a couple of rounds with him & Harry before dinner and he says they make a dandy plow team and Joe never felt his shoulder in the least. He finished plowing that piece quite early in the after noon and says he wouldn't have finished with Belle but this team doesn't feel the plow any more than a waggon.

I spent about half the after noon printing Dads. name on the cream can and there is room for improvement on the job at that. the other half I spent mowing the rest of the lawn. Mrs. McBride was washing here all day. Dick had to work late tonight but he and Frank both get a holiday tomorrow as it is the anniversary of the King's birthday. They say the Polocks got on a tear last night and broke all the lamp in the park. It has been quite cold this afternoon. It looked this morning as if it would be hot but a wind got up at noon.

Tuesday June 3rd

Dad. went down with Joe & Ginger this morning and borrowed Vyse's roller while I went out and disked with Joe Walker & Harry. Dad rolled the field and then harrowed After dinner he went out with Joe Walker & Harry and disked. I played catch with Dick and hoed.. for about an hour and a half - and then brought the little team out and Dad harrowed with them while disked. He started to roll crosswise to-night but didn't get half over it and Vyse told him to bring the roller home to-night - although when he got as far as Martin's Odd. told him Vyse had said they could have it in the morning.

Dick spent the morning in bed & the afternoon down town playing ball. Frank cut weeds in the fore noon and went fishing up in the upper pond this after noon but I guess his visit will soon be forgotten by the finny inhabitants of that spot as what few did happen to run into his hook, he did not deem worth of transportation home so kindly returned them to their natural element. He has been hearing great tales of the angler's luck out at the celp and built on-going out to-day but could find no one to accompany him. Jack Ivey came over this after noon to buy hay. Dad told him he could have the hay but

unless it rained we wouldn't be able to haul it, but they sent their team over and got a few forkfulls for to-night. We found one of the little turkeys nearly dead, this is hard weather on them, we were hoping it wouldn't rain but he said they had six thousand little osters wich needed rain badly. Jack Martin told Dad to night that the latest piece of devilment of Old Ivey is to have Cousin Willie & Bob Miller disqualified as school trustees as Cousin Willie drew up the papers for trans ferring Mrs. Gordon's property over to the school and the school have bought brooms from Bagley & Miller some time. Both men I think have gone to Simcoe to see Kelly about it, and Dad. went over to Martin's tonight to remind Jack that Old Stringer has done carpenter work for the school and so should be put off too if it is legal. Mrs. Charlie Martin was the only one home so he left the message with her.

They found out to-day that it wasn't the Polocks that committed the depradation in the park the other night but a couple of pesky Yankees who are working at the fish shanties. Hugh McQueen & Aikens went down to arrest them to-night. Hugh got one but Aikens chased the other one down the plank road and I don't know whether he caught him or not, they ought to run Aikens in with them. It was pretty hot all day. A big thunder storn blew up late this after noon and for awhile it looked as if we were in for a "souser" but it only rained enough to chase us in off the field and then stopped

Wednesday June 4th As Toby went to band practice tonight or at least Wednesday and Thursday nights he is behind in writing this up as this is Friday night We finished working the corn ground Toby disced all day and I rolled it twice and harrowed it once we have it in first rate shape. Cold wind nearly all day.

Thursday June 5th

First thing after breakfast I went over where Bill was working at Iveys and drove his team while he came over here and marked our corn ground, he finished at noon. After dinner Toby went down and borrowed a planter from Mr Fleming and we got more than half the field planted There was quite a frost last night.

Friday June 5 6th We did not get out very early this morning, several interruptions before we got in the field and just as I was going to begin to plant Will Donald drove along and well, "Talk about talking". Toby went down to Alfreds to see if he could get a corn planter that would do better work than Mr. Flemings, he got one but it was worse. We did not finish at noon there were still 13 rows to plant.

I had to go to a raising at Frank Ryerses, there were lots of men there and they had every thing done before seven O'Clock, We had a grand lay out at tea and I came home with Mr. Fleming. Toby had finished the corn, and he & Frank had (the pens all ran out of ink so I am finishing this to-morrow night myself) the chores all done when Dad. got home. Jonnie came over tonight and & got a little field corn and an ear of Golden Bantam to plant in his garden, he stayed a little while but as no body made any effort at carrying on a conversation he soon left. Jack Walker came after Dad to night as he was nicely in his first sleep about twelve o'clock to go down and see his new horse which had colic or some thing and which was quite recovered when Dad arrived. Al. Faulkner & Charlie Long were both in attendance. Dick did not get home till late owing to surplus of labor. The Woodsons all came yesterday after noon. It was hot all day and almost suffocating to-night, looks like a big thunder storm.

Saturday June 6 7 th

Dad. & I went down to Bruce's this morning but found that he & Mr. Ashbow U.S of Caledonia were up Mud. Street on a "professional visit, so we drove up the town line till we met them and brought them up here to have a look at Dave & Osprey who have not been acting as we would like to see them lately. They were here to dinner and Mr. Ashbow proved to be a very entertaining talker.

This after noon Dad. went down town and got his hair cut, while Frank went over and worked in John Quanbury's garden for him. I hoed a little in the garden here but spent most of the time hunting crows with Frank's rifle, although I had several good shots I failed to inflict any visible injury on the villains they have been preying upon the little turkeys and now will be at the corn field when an opportunity offers. I scared

them off with a bullet everytime I saw them light this afternoon. Dick did not get home to tea again to-night. It rained hard last night and this morning but cleared off and has been quite cool & windy to-day.

Sunday 8 9th

The boys went down to Sunday school and church Dad (after a good deal of squirming) also attended the morning service, he tried to induce me to go but when I unselfishly offerd to stay at home to take his place he couldn't very well get out of it.

I cut a little wood watered the horses & fooled around. I went out once with the rifle in quest of crows but as none were in evidence in the vicinity of the cornfield I in my wrath sought to drive a bullet to the heart of the hickory nut tree, but owing to my unpracticed marksmanship it escaped unscathed.

Lila came over this afternoon and she and Frank went back to the gully armed with the rifle and returned this evening with a quantity of wild strawberries, which we were not aware of being developed into an edible condition, Dad, Enah & Tiddums went down to the Woodson's till the latter grew into such a state of excitement which was unequaled in magnitude & noise to any of his former vocal exercises, so much so that Dad. grew anxious about him and brought him home. I started to read Hamlet while they were gone. Dick spent this post meridian in town. Enah & I took in church to-night and we all had tea after we came home It has been cold & raw wind all day again to-day.

Monday June 9 8th

We were late this morning anyway and before Dad got the team out Walt. & Tom McCall with Dick {Faulmshy?} came in and their visit culminated in Dad. going back with them to see a colt of Walt's which just came this morning, they weren't gone very long, When Dad. refused to take five dollars from Walt. for just taking him down town & back in his automobile, Walt said he was glad to see him in such affluent circumstances financially but Dad told him that if he had a little pile the fiver would have added to it and persuade him to accept it but as he was penniless that amount would only be tantalizing, this was before he knew that Tom Abbott had been in while he was away and left a cream check for twenty five dollars for the month of May, which we don't consider bad for three cows & two heifers one of

which (Erie) doesn't produce much more than a quart of milk. Dad started to plow the old garden before dinner we are going to put in potatoes, mangels & turnips there if all's well as it is such a loamy spot, he only got a few rounds done before dinner.

At noon he got thinking about the little colt down town and as he knew that it wouldn't be properly looked after down there where there were so many around he thought he would like to have it over here as he hated to think of it dying, so he went over to the Martin's and telephoned Walt. and told him if the colt wasn't any better and he liked to bring it over here to do so, which he did about four o'clock. He, Bob. Rankin & I suppose Jack Davis Yeagers man & the colt came over in the automobile and Billy Loan led the mare over, she is the gentlest thing to handle & work around ever lived. They were here for quite awhile and gave the colt some refreshments they have to hold it up it is so weak but it is well aparently every other way and is willing enough get up but can only flounder around.

Dad got up at midnight and fed it. He gave it some whisky & milk but it didn't like it much This colt to-gether with old Joe begins to make Barrett's farm look like an infirmary for afflicted members of the equine race.

This afternoon I wed a few carrots till Dad. yelled at me to tell me the cattle were in the clover on the north side of the gully. I wemt over with some wire & pinchers and found the miscreants were John & Fred's calf, but one wasn't enough to put them back through the hole they got through so I left them & Dad & I put them back to-night.

Bob. Rankin & Mrs. Rankin drove over to night to have Dad. look at their horses feet which I guess are all right. Vyse was over to say that our roller has come but is the wrong kind owing to a mistake of his in the order, and I suppose will have to be shipped back. We didn't get through till very late to-night. It froze last night and there has been a cold wind all day & it is cold to night.

Tuesday June 10th

As soon as it got warm enough we got the mare & colt out of the boxstall and put them in front of the drive house in the lane so she doesn't move more than ten feet away from it. This after noon it got a little cold there so we put it around between the drive house & barn. It shows great improvement to day. It can now stand up a little while by itself and has got up by itself a couple of times when we

saw it and I don't know how many times besides. Walt. Mrs McCall, Tom & a couple of his pals were over this morning to see it. Dad finished plowing the old garden at noon & this afternoon I disked it while Dad. harrowed over the corn ground. This morning I went back and fixed the hole in the fence where the calves got through, I also cleaned up the lawn mower.

We didn't get any word from Aunty to-day and as she said in her last letter she would like to come home with Miss Battersby to-night we didn't know whether to expect her or not. Frank went down to the station and met her as she did come. to-night. She went to Huby's for to night she had written Aunty Maude a card yesterday but she had failed to let us know about it. It froze again last night but has been a little warmer to-day but raw wind Dick went down to a surprise party at the Culp's to-night given for Ray who is leaving town in the near future

Wednesday June 11th

Dad harrowed the old garden this morning but says it will have to be left till the sods dry out before we can work anymore on it. Bob. Miller & Bill Dunbar were over talking to him for about an hour and bought Taurus for sixty two & a half dollars. Bob. offered sixty & Dad. asked sixty five, they wont take him till the first of July when he will likely be worth seventy. I cut some wood and a little lawn.

This afternoon I went over to Tupper's to get him to come over and shear our sheep. I found him just finishing up his own. He came over about half past three or four and sheared three. Dad. started on one and Tupper finished it for him. He makes a very nice job of it and doesn't mind leaving a few nicks in the hide, we worked rather late but he said he would be back in the morning. The poor little colt died to-night. We noticed when we brought her out this morning she wasn't nearly as lively as yesterday and she has just been getting weaker all day, and to to-night she just "gain out".

I went down to band practice to-night and told George {Faulmshy?} about it. Walt was in Delhi and had not got home yet. The poor old mare feels pretty badly. It has been quite summery today.

Thursday June 12th

Tupper came over before we had breakfast this morning and "proceeded" to shear the rest of the sheep, we chased them around into the barn so as we could catch them easily. He got through about eleven and as he

had his wool with him to take to market I went down in his rig with ours. We had 45 1/2lbs and at 18cts got $8.19. Dad get 1/7 of that. Frank gets 1/4 of what is left & I get the balance. Tupper beat us by a dollar and he only had six fleeces to our seven but his were bigger sheep, he had fifty something pounds & got the same price. We took it down here to Penman's. Vyse was working on Uncle Ward's side hill so I went to see him about the roller that is here for us but he says it isn't the right one.

This afternoon Dad. buried the little colt and I worked a little in the garden. Mrs. Brad Bowlby came in to see Tiddums I guess and Aunty & Enah went down town Aunty stayed all night. Ada. & Hubert Lawrie were over for awhile. Hubert is just here for a day or so. About five o'clock Dad. & I drove Belle out to Jim Waddle's.

I went down to band practice to-night and didn't get to bed till twelve. Dick came home with me his new suit came to-day. Pretty hot, breezy. Tom Law's automobile upset last night the other side of Simcoe and nearly killed Harry Dyer and injured Tom. They thought at first that Dyer's back was broken but that report was contradicted later, but he is in pretty bad shape in Simcoe

Friday June 13th

Dad. went down town this morning with the waggon and got Joe & Ginger shod, he also got Aunty Maude's refrigerator. I cut a little lawn and chored around till noon. About twelve Enah heard the fire bell, and I set out hot foot for the town but when I got over behind Vyse's I noticed the smoke over by Mrs. Munroe's. I got there just as Al Faulkner arrived on the {hump?} with the bus & fire pails. It was the house I think that Bill Philips used to live in, but is now occupied by a fellow by the name of Smith and is owned by Person. They soon had the fire checked but not before it had burned down the kitchen and part of the roof.

It was late when we got through dinner. Dad. and I went down to the mill to get some flour & chop. Dad took some grist down this morning. When we got home, he went out and harrowed over the old garden, I didn't do any thing much as I felt lazier than a yellow dog.

Mrs. Skey & Mrs. Battersby came over this after noon. Aunty came over after noon she got a ride with old Fawset. Lila also came over to spend the night. Frank & I went down to the stump to-night, the water was fine it was the first time in for me this year. It was very hot to-day.

Saturday June 14th

We caught all the calves but Bobbie's when we fed them this morning, they have not been feeling very lively to-day. Bill Oaks came over for a drink and visited for about half an hour. He is going to leave Ivey to-day. We cut potatoes most of the morning.

This after noon we got some ice out to put in the refrigerator, it is meling a lot but seems all right in side. Frank went to a picnic this after noon that Mrs. Tuck was having for her Sunday School class. We did not get out in the field till about three and then Dad ploughed some furrows to plant potatoes in the old garden and we planted four rows. We planted Huby's early ones which he has been telling us ought to be planted for the last month. two rows from the west side of the east section.

Alfred came over while we were out there and paid a short visit. Dad. & I had to go down town to-night for some stuff. Lila went down with us. Tupper went past to-day and told Dad he was going to begin road work on Tuesday.

Sunday June 15th

Frank went to Sunday school but Dick didn't get up in time; he, Dad. & I drove down to church. Dad. & I went in the choir. The Rev. Larry Shey prought about the Dominion Alliance and its efforts in trying to "Abolish the bar". I walked home with Paul Lee Woodson. Dick stayed down and is not home yet (9.10 P.M.)

This afternoon I read till I went to sleep, and then read again. Mr. & Mrs. Frank Faulkner were over, and Walt McCall, Dave. Waddle, Powell McKintosh & Bill Davis came over. Walt. said he would send over his mare in the morning. Dad. & Tiddums went down to Alfreds so missed all visitors. Enah intended to go to church to-night but Tiddums woke up about that time so she stayed home. It has rained quite a few times to-day and has been sunny & hot in between.

Monday June 16th

Dad. & I planted the rest of the potatoes this morning and went over to Sam Law's before dinner. This afternoon we moved the kitchen stove from the inside kitchen to the woodshed, we didn't have enough hands and the consequence was the base got broken and now the stove is supported by columns of brick, we then went out and planted three rows of mangels. We had a garden line which was to short and had to be stretched

twice in the same line. Dad had to make the drill with a stick and I shook the seed in with a can with a hole in the bottom, which worked all right. Tonight I went down to band practice and got home just at twelve. Aunty went down and spent the evening with Mrs. Bumpas at Mrs. Skey's. It was too late to wait for me so she came back alone. This has been about the hottest day we have had 90 in the shade I think

We are hearing a lot of talk now about the enormous almmount of money the government & the railway are going to spend on harbour improvements. I found our poor black & white cat killed this morning in Joe's stall I suppose she has run up after a mouse and frightenend Joe when she stepped on her. Frank has undertaken to raise her family for her but has a hard job making them drink. We heard yesterday that Harry Dyer was dead but I heard to-day that he was better yesterday.

Tuesday June 17th

Dad. & I worked on the road all day, we took Harry & little Joe and the plow. Tupper, Mrs Flemming, Mr. Walker & Ben were all there with teams. They plowed a ditch from the corner to the top of the gully on our side of the road and took the dirt and filled up the holes around the culvert and covered the stones that have been the source of many a cross word coming from travellers mounting the hill. Of course there are a lot of kickers, that feel called upon to tell us that a worse mess couldn't be made than the job we are doing but they cant suggest a remedy. One mug told us we might better be home in bed. Dad. told him we would much rather he.

Roy telephoned Dick to-day that Aunty Louisa died this morning so Aunty went down on the five train. Tonight I went down with Dick intending to go to Aunty Maude's & Ada's party at Mrs Scofield's but when I found out that it was to be mostly {illegible} I thought I had better be in bed. The Woodson boys went down with us, and Dick his best to persuade us to go up but they didn't want to go so we came home and Dick stayed and says he had a good time and any ammount of dancing. Lewis treated the four of us to a dish of ice cream. Pretty warm but not so bad as yesterday.

Wednesday June 18th

We worked on the road all morning. As our time

was finished at noon by Dad. & the team alone. Tupper rewarded me with a dollar for my services, he said he knew I wasn't worth it but as it was a government job, he would let it go. at that. This afternoon we planted a few more mangles and have another row to plant yet.

To-night I went down to band concert, it was the first night we have been out this year and the first night I ever played in public, I guess I did as well as ever, but just about froze on the stand and was so stiff I could hardly walk home. Very much cooler and cloudier to-day.

Thursday June19th

I went out this morning and planted the rest of the mangels (one row). Dad disked up the unsowed part to the garden and then started to plow the other half of the corn field for wheat, This after noon I raked the garden and got a place ready to plant corn but only got one row of Golden Bantam in on account of the rain. Dad. plowed all the after noon

Our corn is coming up very nicely except in a few hard spots which are as dry as a bone. Dick came home to-night and we had some music to-night. We had quite a thunder shower about noon and another about tea time We needed them badly but they weren't enough

Friday June 20th

Vyse came over this morning and told us our roller was at the station. so Dad told him that we would go right down and get it and for him to wait for us to set it up. When we got there it proved to be a nine foot instead of an eight foot one which was ordered so Dad. did not accept it. We went up by town to get some cream jars at the hardware store and around by the Spaints for Vyse to inquire after Alex. who was taken sick last Monday night, and they have been afraid he would have to be operated upon. He is better this morning.

I planted the rest of the corn when we got home and Dad. went back to fix the gully fence where Fred's calf got into the field. I went over to the Quanbury's at noon and got some tomato and cauliflower plants, but just as I got home it began to rain and poured all the afternoon. There were a few very close claps of thunder but I don't think anything around here was struck. The ground was just about flooded but it didn't take it long to run off & in. I read myself to sleep and slumbered till about five when I went out and we planted out the tomato & cauliflower. It is raining quietly again to night. Very hot this morning. My Frank brought us over a lovely bunch of peonys this morning.

Saturday June 21st

As it was too muddy for Dick to walk or ride his wheel (which was down town any way), I drove him down town as far as Mrs. Lawson's, I didn't care to go any farther on account of my appearance. Frank & I wed out a few onions. Frank got quite a lot done, he is getting skilled at the job from his practice at the Quanbury's. Dad. started to clean out the wood shed and we helped him a little. We also steadied & levelled the separator. It took nearly all the afternoon to the the wood shed cleaned but it looks a lot better now. Frank went over to Mrs. Martin's with the cream and got eight more tomato plants from John to fill out the row. I put them out and helped him put out some Cabbage plants, he has sixty out now. He got another hatch of chickens over at Jack Martin's these are single combed ones to keep for ourselves, he also went over to Law's and got the butter.

To night he and Dad. have driven down town after the mail & some groceries, as Dick did not come home to tea. Dad. wants to see Emery about a corn cultivator which I saw he had for sale this morning. It has been cool and cloudy all day.

Sunday June 22nd

The boys went down to church and Sunday School this morning but I went back to the gully for an hour or two instead and I guess was just as much benifited as if I had gone to church. I found a breach in the fence where I suppose John gets through into the alsike and patched it up as well as I could. I took a walk way up around by Robert John's and fell in with Edmond England coming from Ivey's where he has three heifer's pastured.

While I was gone Dad. went down town and got Huby and Lila to come over for dinner and see the farm. Win came over after dinner. This after noon Harry & Mrs. Moon and Jack & Mrs. Walker came over. Harry spent about half an hour trying to take a picture of Queen & the colt, but Queen was too tame and wanted to examine the camera while the colt was a little shy and would get behind Belle. Then Old Harry seemed to think tnat it was his likeness which was wanted or else Ginger would take a run across the field and the rest would all be after her. At last however Johnny got Mrs. Walker's parasol and attracted their attention enough for Harry to get a couple. Dad. drove Huby home soon after dinner and

I drove Enah, Win & Lila down and Enah. Win & I went to church. We over took all the Woodson's but Lewis coming over here after church. When they left we had some sanwiches is place of tea which we missed. Lovely day sunny but not hot cool to-night.

Monday June 23rd

Sam & Allan Law came over this morning to borrow our waggon, Lewis Woodson also came over with a scythe blade to be sharpened. I spent the day in clearing the blue grass field of daisys and strawberries there were some fat ones back there. When I went out this morning I had designs on a patch of daisys which we could see from here and which I thought I could corner in an hour or two but when I over there I found a lot more on the side bilt, and they took me the most of the day. I pulled them, which took a good deal longer than to cut them as I had first intended, so I am not through yet with the patch I set out after.

Dad plowed all day. and at noon drove down to see Emery about his cultivator but Emery couldn't find the teeth for it then. but. I went down to-night to band practice and he told me he had gone out to his fathers and found them out there so I guess we will buy it. It was half past eleven when Dick and I got home. pretty fairly hot.

Tuesday June 24th

I went back and harvested the remainder of my flower garden. and got through a little before noon with out feeling any regret at leaving. At noon Dad went down to Emery's and brought the cultivator home. I cut a little lawn while he was gone.

As the trip down town delayed dinner we were late getting out and by the time we got Belle in and harnessed to put on the cultivator it was about three o'clock, but it was just as well for she was inclined to be pretty balky and mad at six. Dad drove her up and down the field once then she balked and soon got her to behave fairly well, and got a nice start on the cornfield to-night

I worked in the garden till dark and then Frank and I went for a swim and got back about ten. Frank had just started his exams today and appears to be very interested in them, he thinks he passed in the subjects he had to-day. Arithmetic, Spelling & Writing. Hot & sultry I have felt about half asleep all day. Dad's head ached and he felt pretty rotten about noon

Wednesday June 25th

As it showed symtoms this morning of being an extra hot day and as Belle's colt didn't seem very well this morning on account of being away from her while she was working yesterday, and because she cut up rather rustily yesterday. Dad. went over to Sam Law's before break fast and borrowed old Ben. to cultivate our corn. Dad. plowed all day with Harry & Joe Walker so I was sentenced to keep Bent and the cultivator in the straight and narrow way lying between the corn rows. He went pretty well all morning and for awhile after dinner till I started to go crosswise; but then I couldn't do anything with him, he did his best to step on every hill and wouldn't mind at all. Dad. took him a couple of rounds or so while I plowed and said he went pretty well but I couldn't see any improvement. When Frank got home from school he rode him for awhile and things went better. Tonight Frank took him home and we decided not to cultivate any more till he got through with school, he is just having his exams now and tomorrow & Friday is his last day. Frank's guinea hen started setting today. Drat {ink blotch on page}

Thursday June 26th

I worked in the garden all day, and got most of the weeds out but nothing else done. Dad. plowed all day and finished the rest of the corn field for summer fallow. Wyatt Waddle came in this afternoon with a duplicate of the broken casting on the manure spreader.

Aunty came home tonight. Dick met her and she stayed at Huby's all night. Dick started the other day to take music lessons from Miss Wimmer. Allan Law brought our waggon back this morning. Very hot and sultry to-day.

Friday June 27th

It rained last night and the thunder which accompanied it was deafening. There was one clap that fairly shook Dad out of bed, and he went around shutting all the windows. When he got to ours I partly woke up but if it hadn't been for him I would never have known there was any thunder. It has been a very stifling day. It was about 90° in the shade and so muggy and wet we could hardly breathe. Dad. plowed all day on the old corn stubble and nearly croaked with the heat and his uncomfortable footwear. I planted

out a few tomato plants which Frank found coming up from seed among the potatoes. I was to lazy to do any thing else much. Aunty came over about noon.

This after noon I put on a bathing suit and hooked up Joe and took the buggy down here to the grist mill and gave it a good washing. Lila came over just as I was starting so got on a bathing suit and went down with me and I think enjoyed herself immensely, going right up under the dam and all over. I got well washed off by by getting under the stream that overflows from the flume but there was awful force to it. I went down at seven to-night and attended the Methodist strawberry fistival with the rest of the band. Dad. Dick, Frank & Enah were all there. Aunty & Lila took care of Tiddums. We got home pretty fairly early and had a good time.

Saturday Saturday June 28th

I plowed all day to-day. Dad made three strike outs yesterday and I turned then under leaving about three feet for Dad. to finish up on each land. I got around three strike outs, and didn't do so very badly considering it was the first day I had put in at the job never before plowing more than three or four rounds at a time. It seemed to go much better and I made a better looking job this morning than after dinner. I had old Harry and Joe Walker who made a pretty good team once they got started of but I generally had some trouble at the ends - as neither one of them much more than enough braints to make a square meal for a chipmonk. Dad. took Belle out to cultivate but she acted pretty mean so Frank came out to hold her she was still bad till Dad. took her and Frank took the cultivator, when she worked like a charm and they continued operations all day in this manner but did not quite get over the field. About five o'clock the colts came up the lane and some way knocked down the bars into the field and took a race down the corn field and back, but we soon got them out.

Aunty went down town to see Mrs. Bompas who I think is going away soon. They expected Quint home to-night but he didn't come, but may be here yet for the first. Fairly warm but nothing like yesterday.

Sunday June 29th

We got up fairly early this morning and Dad drove Aunty up to the cemetry with some flowers before Sunday School. None of us went down to church except Frank. Hubert & Edith Lawrie came over with Aunty after church for the afternoon.

I left at half past one as this was decoration day for the odd fellows - and the band furnishes them with music for them. We had to march from the Dominion Hotel to the School house - and as it was the first march for me I didn't enjoy it much, what made it triply hard for me, I had no music harp for my horn so had to hold the music with half of one hand, play with half of the other and hold the horn with half of each so I couldn't do any thing properly. Then I got out of step about half a dozen times in every block and every body suggested hobbles or some other contrivance to keep my length of step at about a foot & a half instead of three feet. We rode up to the back from the cemetry on Val. Lany's dray with Johnnie Walker's team. We played a few old hymns up there and marched back from the school house to Harry Graham's store to "Auld Lang Syne". There is a great change for the better in the appearance of the cemetry since Munroe has been looking after it.

When I got home I found Mr. Blaikie here, his arm is badly crippled with rheumatism, he just came up for the first, was going to Alfred's to spend the night, and to Simcoe to-morrow. There was great excitement up the Radical road last night, as Art Williams was going home after midnight he saw Geordie Waldick's barn opposite Cory's place on fire, Geordie wasn't home so he alarmed Stringer's. They just nicely got it out when they saw a fire at Chart Wooley's so they going over there, they saved the barn but the straw stack was burned. Next thing a blaze was noticed over at John King's, who being more unlucky than the other two lost his barn and all his implements. It was evident that this was the work of some man, and for some reason I think they tracked him they suspect the fellow who lives at Cory's. I forget his name any way they had the house watched, but as Dad. & Enah told were going to church to-night they were very much surprised to meet this same man walking leisurely along the road in front of this place. Dad. informed Art Quanbury - and this led to Hugh McQueen and Faulkner in Al's automobile starting in pursuit

and his recapture on the way to Renton. He deserves all he gets for being fool enough to keep to the road. Yordie Waldick and some other fellow were in here while Dad. was at church to see him about some vetinary business. Mr. Blaikie and Alfred were also over. Lila stayed all night over here. Very hot for me to-day, breezy and not extraordinary for other people.

Monday June 30th

I plowed a few rounds this morning but made such a mess of it that Dad. took it and Frank and I cultivated corn. I led Belle and he held the cultivator she went fine, we got over the rest of the corn crosswise and nearly half over it lengthwise. To night I went down to band practice, Aunty polished my horn up beautifully for me this after noon she went down with me to see Quint if he came, but he didn't. Dick waited for the late train which did not get in till after eleven in hopes that Quint would be aboard but was disappointed. I saw {Stuffy?} to-night. Mrs. McBride was here this after noon washing. It has been pretty hot all day but a nice breeze, awfully hot to-night. Quite a few are into their hay now.

Tuesday July 1st

Dad went down to Vyse's, and from there down town to get the roller, it came all right this time and they set it up at Vyse's and left in there for the present. He had to stop in at Martin's on his way down to see their cow who got into the chicken cook-house the other night and filled up on every thing she could find. and now is in a rather critical condition.

Among other things I hoed some of the corn in the garden this morning and then Frank and I went to the stump and enjoyed a good swim. Frank went on down town with the lawn mower to have it sharpened, but I came home, and had dinner as I had to be down town by one as the band started performing then, we played for awhile on the bandstand, and then went around town, they took us in to the three hotels and to Jake's.

Jack Paine was very much in evidence on these occasions making all sorts of rash promises to the band, such as sending up a new set of instruments or anything else they wanted if each member would send him twentyfive bulldog ammonia coupons. At the lower hotel, they struck up, "He's a jolly good fellow". and Jack and the rest of them down there danced and kicked up a row, till they got out

of wind and then he commenced to talk, but as they were waiting for us out side, we had to leave him much to his disgust, without all the good wine he had been promising us. I rode Frank's wheel home to tea and changed my once white pants as I thought I might take in the dance. We played awhile over in the park till the orchestra had to go in to the dance, by that time I didn't feel much like dancing so sat around with Egg Thompson & some others and came home early

Among the chief numbers on the list of sports was were a a slow horse race which Hazen entered but was disqualified because his horse stopped, and which ended in a dispute, as some thought that Dave Fields who came in last let his horse stop, but others said that it didn't stop for although it wasn't making any progress its feet were going. Another was a tug of war between Simcoe & Dover. The Dover end of the rope was supported by Hugh McQueen, Sandy Leitch etc. and walkeded right down the road with Simcoe, but it also ended with {picking?} for some reason or other. Harry Moon yelled him self hoarse at that,

An unadvertised sensation was created by the arresting of a motor cyclist by Val. Leany. It seems the fellow either through non control of his machine or whisky or pure devilment or all three was {illegible} the roads through the crowd at a very reckless and dangerous rate. He did stop at last and evidently objected to peaceably accompany Val to the cooler, so that gentleman picked him up, put him under his arm and carried him in out of the hot sun. I heard afterwards that Bond tried him and that he contributed nineteen dollars to the municipal treasary.

A Simcoe man dropped dead over at the Dominion at noon. I suppose he collapsed with the heat, that didn't cause much excitement though as everybody else felt the same way. It was almost unbearably hot especially under a coat that has been collecting the bandroom dirt for an unknown number of ages.

Wednesday July 2nd

Dad. plowed and. Frank. Belle & I cultivated corn all day. We finished the field lengthwise and got up as far crosswise as where Frank & Dad. begun the other day. We are going to leave it that way for awhile now. To-night I went down to the regular weekly night band concert. Lila came over and spent

the night, she cut her lip quite badly inside by falling off Frank's wheel several times. It swelled up like a sick toad or we wouldn't have known she hurt as she didn't feel it. Aunty went down town to-day and to-night Mrs. & Miss Woodson came over to inquire after her as the cook though some delusion on her part had told them she fainted while going through their place this afternoon. It rained a few drops this morning and has been a most comfortable breezy day.

Thursday July 3rd

Vyse came in this morning with our roller, he and Aikens were going out to haul in his hay. Dad had to go over to Martin's to see their cow and when he came back he got the mower out and cleaned it up I turned the grindstone while he sharpened one of the knives. Mrs. McPherson and her three angels came overe to spend the day. I hope they enjoyed thenselves, for then somebody would have. Arthur would have if they had let him spend a little more time in the blacking box and flour tin.

After dinner Dad took the mower back the other side of the gully and started on the half of the old wheat stubble, the other half is in alsike. I went back with him till he cut a round. He didn't quite finish the field to-night but has a couple or so hours more, he said none of it would be fit to rake before tomorrow noon anyway. When I came up I worked in the garden till six. Frank thinned out the carrots and Paris Greened the potatoes. Dick got home to tea to-night. Very hot again to-day.

As the cats have been taking a duck or two lately Frank has moved them, the ducks, out on the front lawn. They don't add to the beauty of the place any, but I guess no body in particular cares a cent. Dad had to go over to Martin's again to-night as the cow is in a worse condition, he punched a hole in her stomach and has created a spring of chicken feed with the above mentioned stomach as the source.

Friday July 4th

Dad. went back as early as he could, which was pretty late to finish mowing. I didn't do any thing much but start to make a rack for the beans to climb on, about ten I went back to shake up some of the hay which Dad. cut yesterday but mowed instead Dad. went to shake up the hay but found there wasn't enough of it to make it necessary so went

over and visited with John Wess McBride who while cultivating corn was taking things as coolly as possible. Some men were there putting a new roof on his barn and he wasn't at all satisfied with it. We finished mowing about noon. When we got to the house we found Huby there with a horse and buggy out electioneering. This was the day, they voted on the by law to fix the canning factory's taxes. but every body had forgotten about it. even the canners themselves. Vyse told them he had forgotten and had been thinking it was the twelfth, and telling people that was the date.

Huby stayed to dinner and Dad. & Aunty drove down afterwards with Joe, while Huby went after Uncle Ward & others. Win came over with him but went home with Edith who also came over as she pretended to be scared of the horse which ran away several times so Huby said. Mrs. McBride came this morning to paper our room and Frank has been helping her all day. It rained all the afternoon so I didn't do any thing much. Dad. cleaned out the cellar and I helped a little break the sprouts of some apples potatoes. Mrs. McBride & Frank finished the room to-night all but the border on one side which they didn't have enough of

Bill Dunbar and some other fellow came after poor old Taurus this morning they led him down and although he was quiet enough they had a little time with him as he didn't know what being tied up meant. After dinner both the Dr. Burts. from Simcoe came in to see Dad. They had come down to look at Martin's cow but she was just about dead, she died soon after. Dick didnt come home till late but hadn't heard how the election went.

Saturday July 5th

I drove Dick down this morning as the roads were too muddy for him to ride or walk. He got me the rest of the roll of border and a few other things to bring home. Martin's were just about to inter the remains of their cow when I came home and were evidently waiting for Dad to come and hold a post mortem as he told them he wanted to yesterday, he went over but said it was to long after her death to make any observations.

He and Frank then went down to the mill with some grist for chop. I tied binder twine together to make a trellis for the beans to climb on. This afternoon I just walked around the garden. Frank planted out another row of cabbages. Dad. cut weeds around here

and put up the other piece of larder. Aunty went down town this afternoon but came back to tea. After tea Dad. & I drove down town I tried to get some coarse salt but couldn't but got some chloroform for {Yran's?} butterfly. I then went over to the dance - and put in a very miserable time - as no body would dance or have anything to do wth me. Dick was there and never missed a dance. It rained hard last night but there has and has been pretty hot all day although there was a very nice cool breeze off the lake this after noon.

Sunday July 6th

Dad. & Frank did all the chores this morning as I didn't get up very early. Aunty & Frank went down to Sunday school and Dick and I went to church. This after noon Dad. Enah, Aunty and Tiddums went out to the Shand's and stayed to tea. We did chores. Dick spent the afternoon down town in swimming. Frank went back to the gully and I tried to draw a picure but didn't make much of a job of it.

To-night the boys fed the little ducks some whisky soaked grain and they got lazy eyed two or three could hardly walk, and would roll over & over. It has been cool & quite windy all day. It rained a short time this after noon.

Monday July 7th

This was Dad's. birthday so we didn't get a very early start although we never do any other day either. Dad. went over and raked up the hay he cut and finished at noon I went back with him and started to cock up.

Frank had to take a consignment of sick little chickens over to Jack Martin to have their case diagnosed, he pronounced it chickenpox and ordered them to be quartined, fumigated, disinfected, vaccinated and about half a dozen other things, when he got back he came and cocked up too.This afternoon we took the waggon back and put on a load. It took us nearly two hours as the the hay was very loose & short and the wind was very strong. Frank went a head of us and bunched it out of the windrow, Dad. pitched on & I loaded or piled it on the rack. We cocked up a little before we came up with the load.

Aunty Maude, Win and Lila came over to-night to wish Dad. a happy birth day. I went down to band practice and got home soon after eleven. It has been very cool and a strong wind all day.

Tuesday July 8th

We cocked up all morning and finished about noon all but about one load in the north west corner

we then all went over to John Wess. McBride's to get some information regarding slings, as Dad. never used them before. We found out all we wanted to and he gave us an ash board to make the uprights which bolt on the rack. We were over there quite awhile and didn't get back till after one so by the time we had dinner did chores and pitched off the load on the rack it was pretty late. It looked a little like rain so we went out and got the load that was in windrow instead of rigging the slings. We couldn't take it quite all in one load but it didn't rain anyway. Frank bunched it all up, so as to make it easier to pitch on. I loaded it again and it didn't upset. It was after six by the time we got up with it. Winnie came over this after noon and stayed all night. Lila went home. Very nice cool day and not so windy.

Wednesday July 9th

We spent the whole morning in fixing the sling rigging on the rack and oiling the pulleys and making general preparation for getting in the rest of our hay. We also put off the load by hand which was on the rack We got a good start after dinner, but as it was the first time we had ever had the sling ropes to bother with, we didn't get on extra fast, but we got it off with out any trouble as the slings worked fine. We went back and got about half a load on when a very heavy thunder storm blew up and we all got soaked to the skin. It didn't last long as we left the field as soon as it began and it had nearly stopped when we got to the barn. We had a hard time coming up the hill as it was too slippery for the horses. Old Harry fell right down once on his nose - and they both came down on their knees two or three times, but I don't think either of them sustained any serious injuries.

Lila came over after dinner and came out to the field with us. so got soaked with the rest of us. Dad took down a panel of the barnyard fence when he drove the team through into the field with the sling rope so had to take the horses out of the field, he put Belle & her colt in the boxstall and turned Ginger & Queen back the lane in fear & trembling best they should get into the barbed wire, and to-night before tea we noticed Queen in the pasture field and on investigation Dad. found she had jumped the lane fence, and had a few scratches on her but otherwise was not hurt. Ginger was all right. I went down to band practice concert to-night. Dad. & Frank drove me down but I was late. I

just missed the first piece. I came home with Dick. Very cool and breezy. They got their smoke stack up to-night at the canning factory.

Thursday July 10th

Frank and I cultivated corn all day, we started to go twice in a row but made such little headway that we knew we wouldn't get over all of it so went once in a row. We also went up between the potatoes rows, they are coming slowly but the grass is bad in them and they need hoeing. I am afraid our mangel crop is a failure, it looks as if the seed was no good.

Dad. started to cut the new meadow this side of the gully where the wheat was last year, he only started to cut a part of it which was west of the old garden but didnt get it quite done. One of the sections on the blade got loose this morning, and he was delayed quite awhile fixing it, then at noon we sharpened the other knife. Lila has spent the whole day going back and forth from the house to the fields, watching her chance to drive the horses or hold the cultivator, she wanted to go home to-night as to-morrow is her music lesson day. but Aunty thought she would be too tired so persuaded her to stay.

Aunty & I went over to the Woodson's to-night and spent a very enjoyable evening. Most of the family were out in the kitchen assisting the cook to entertain her two gentlemen callers, who were a mexican who Paul Lee says is the Ingram's cook and a negro dwarf from Simcoe, they had a banjo or some instrument but were stage struck before so large an audience. We got home about half past ten and every one was in bed. Dick stayed down late to the dance to-night and forgot to put the light out when he got home.

I discovered to-day that my big knife was gone out of my overalls pocket and I am afraid I have lost it in the load of hay, which means that it is gone forever, it was a dandy too. Very cool all day cold to-night

Friday July 11th

Lila went home when Dick went to the Bank. He, Toby & Frank drew in two loads of hay in the morning and unloaded them with the sling it worked beautifully it was a lovely day to work "clear and cool", in the afternoon they raked the hay that was cut and put part of it in cock, they were quite late coming in from the field, and we were very late having tea

Hattie had a long visit from Mr. Law, who brought the butter. before tea I went over to see Mrs Battersby and Ethel, Hattie took the baby out for a little while. Dick came home to tea he wrote to Ferdie Wiser and went to bed very early. Harry and Hattie drove out to {see?} Harvey Shand in the evening.

Saturday July 12th

It began to rain this morning before the boys got out in the field, and rained heavily nearly all the forenoon. They were very disappointed that so much hay was out, but they were busy all the morning with the numerous odd's and sod's which are left waiting for a rainy day. Harry helped us with one or two bits of work in the house, while the two boys began to tidy the drive house, he then went to help them at that, they got it finished and Frank cleaned his chicken house. I made a mistake in saying the rain began before they went to work, it looked very like rain early this morning, but it was cool and windy so Harry and the boys did go out and raked up more of the hay, hoping to draw more in today, but the rain came on and drove them in.

After dinner Toby drove Enah down town Dick did not come home to tea, he is staying over for the dance. We heard from Roy, he said Jean was coming to the Woodson's tonight. Since tea Toby and Frank have been for a bathe at the mill. This is Cousin Lila's Birthday, Enah went to see her, and took her some cream.

Sunday July 13th

Aunty and the boys went down to Sunday school and I met them at church. Aunty stayed down at MIss Battersby's for dinner, she came over to-night with Lila. Dick went down to the lake this after noon and didn't get back till about eight o'clock.

Dad. Frank and I took a drive after dinner. We went out to the Winding Hills east to Black Creek. South to the Dag's Nest and up this road home. We were pleased to note that the other neighbours are not much farther ahead than we are and their crops except the wheat are not much better than ours

I didn't feel very husky this afternoon, I guess I haven't had enough sleep lately. Nice day, but windy.

Wednesday July 16th

We got up extra early this morning in order to get in a good day hauling hay, we got out soon after seven to unload the load standing on the barn floor. While Dad. and I were in the field after a load Frank took the pulleys and ropes down out of the barn as we want to fill up our horse stable mow with the hay we are now hauling in. Dad. had to change the car from one track to another when we came in and that took half an hour, then we found our slings wouldn't work there, the first lift nearly knocked the old ventilator chute over, there was one would hardly go in the doors and the hay all dropped out of the last one for some unknown reason we got the fork to lift what had dropped but it wouldn't work in the short blue grass.

It took us about two hours to get through which was rather discouraging, we got in one more load before noon and two this afternoon, they went up all right but we didn't put on nearly as big ones. We quit on time as this was the night of Dad's party out at the Shand's, and we had to have the hay rack to carry them all. One of the Miss Shand's drove in this afternoon and took Enah and Tiddums out, they will stay all night as Tiddums wouldn't go very well with the load. There were twenty two of us on the rack and lots of room, besides all the crowd at the Woodson's (10) there were Mrs. Hobbes and Miss Prest. Aunty Maude and Lila Ada, Miss Beemer and Edith Lawrie, Dad., Aunty and we three boys made a nice load. There was quite a bunch out there consisting of Shand's and relations of Shands, Mr. & Mrs. Nixon and very sleepy son from Renton and a Mr. Hare with his mother, who is a sister of Mrs. Shand's came all the way from Jarvis.

Mr. Hare had his clarinet with him and also his violin, but he wouldn't play the latter after he had heard Miss Prest. He is the leader of the Jarvis Band which had just started this year. I had to miss the band concert to-night. We had music of every description and a good time. We didn't leave till after mid-night. and it was about half past two when we got all the passengers delivered at their different places of abode and got home and the horses put away. I was dead sleepy. We didn't see a living creature down town but Mr. Hobbes was stalking up and down like a ghost past the bank waiting anxiously for his family

A fierce cat fight some where in the neighbourhood of Billy Frank's cottages made us aware that Dover was not completely enveloped in slumber. Winnie went to Waterford to-day with the other Miss Beemer, she will be in a very joyful state of mind as she passed entrance with honors. Poor Lila failed and feels badly although nobody would know it from her behaviour. Nice, cool breezy day, cloudy to-night and sprinkling a few drops of rain when we got home.

Thursday July 17th

Dad. got up a little later than usual this morning, I slept till after seven and Frank spent the best part of the morning in bed, but it had rained quite a spatter so we couldn't do much in the field. We just puttered around. Dad. worked a little in the garden and cut some of the grass and all the young plum trees on the front lawn and some of the thistles in the plum orchard. I mowed lawn.

This after noon Dad. went back and started in to cut the alsike I cut more lawn and thinned some onions while Frank scythed thistles. About five I went back and cut alsike till dark while Dad came up and did chores and had tea. He had been having a hard time with it clogging up the knife, as it was wet and a lot of stuff in the bottom. I had just as had a time for awhile but it got better. Dad. Dick and Frank all came back when it got pretty dark and Dad. thought we could finish it to-night, but decided that we had better leave it till morning. It was about half past nine when we got up to the house.

The Miss Shands drove Enah and Tiddums home this afternoon. Tiddums was tickled nearly to busting at getting back home again. Damp and muggy drizzled nearly all morning.

Friday July 18

Dad. went back this morning to finish cutting the alsike Frank and I went out to cock up the rest of the hay in windrow, but found it too wet so just turned it out and went over to the alsike field. Dad. told us to go up and get the rack ready to put on a load, so we went up and threw off the hay which was left on from the night of the party and put on the ladders and sling standards. Dad. came up just as we got about through.

Mr & Mrs. Harry Dyer with Nancy drove in about this time and Harry was dickering with Dad. about his lots on St. George St. Dad. told him he could have the two for $6.00 but he wouldn't sell one separate. Harry said he would decide and let Dick.

know to-morrow. We went out and got one load before dinner. Mr. Lamb came over to see if he could get some hay. Dad said if he would send a couple of men and a team & waggon over he could get a load but we didn't have time to haul it, so he said he would.

This afternoon we got another load in and unloaded, and then went out to cock up the rest of the wind rows. One of the little black kittens followed us out and caught a very young mouse and gobbled it. We didn't get quite through before tea, so Dad. went out after tea and worked at it till nearly ten and still left some.

Frank and I drove down town after tea as Dick didn't come home and Frank wanted to see the Maple Leaf to know his fate - as to whether he passed his exams. although he made it seem as though getting his wheel was the real object of our trip. The wheel wasn't done so we went down to Huby's to see the paper, he was very disappointed not to find his name among the successful candidates as he was pretty confident he had passed.

Poor old Jim Low was killed to-day by Dave Turner's engine. He was crazy with drink and as near as we know jumped in front of the engine before Dave could stop for him, the engine threw him and I think fractured his skull. He died an hour or two afterwards without becoming conscious.

Aunty, Enah & Tiddums went visiting this afternoon at the Johnston's and Martin's, Aunty went over to Mrs. McBride's to find out why Frank didn't come to pick cherries but no-one was home. Dick didn't get home till after midnight as he went up to Mrs. Scofields where Ada and the rest were having a dance, Pretty warm to-day.

Saturday July 19th

Dad went out early as soon as he got up and raked up the alsike, he finished about eight. I got the cows and milked. While Dad. was having his breakfast Ivey's men came and got a load of hay out of the field, after we had cocked up the hay which Dad. didn't finish last night. we went over and started to bunch the alsike, it was pretty dry but did not seem to be shelling out much. It was about ten o'clock when we went out, and as we had quite a lot done by noon, we took the rack back with us after dinner, and when we finished bunching the alsike, put on a load of the old clover & weed hay. It was six when we got it on.

When we came up Mrs. McBride was here picking cherries, Frank has run away again they haven't seen him since Wednesday morning, there is a search party composed of Jane on the look out for him now.

Aunty went down this after noon to stay all night. Frank wanted me to go for a swim to-night but it was too late. While I was milking this morning one of the little black kittens crawled up the edg of the pail I had filled and fell in I pulled her out as as soon as I could but was a little doubtful about using the cream from that pail. However we did separate it into a separate dish as we thought there was lots worse things than kitten often coming in contact with cream, and the separator is supposed to take all dirt out of the milk any way.

The alsike back there is full of bees' nests. Dad got stung over the eye while he was raking and his face is so swollen up that I believe he would scare some people at first glance for that side of his face is exactly like poor old Simply Jim's. Windy and cool looks rainy.

Sunday July 20th

The boys went down to church and Sunday school but I went for a swim instead. I went in down below Quanbury's as Chris told me there was a good place. There is a good bottom and you can wade out a long way. Dad. went off without any dinner to take Huby to Jim Low's funeral. It was private but they didn't know it and so were the only ones at it. They didn't get home till late as Huby wanted to go down and see the canning factory's corn field at King's and also Mrs. Bill Oakes to see if she would come and pick cherries. Dad says their corn field is only a few inches high. About four o'clock I dressed up and went down town I intended to get a film for my camera but was too late, so didn't go up town. Dad drove Enah and Tiddums down when he went home and we all stayed at Huby's to tea.

Aunty kept Tiddums while Enah and Aunty Maude went to church. I went to church and expected to hear the choir boys sing as they were there this morning but they didn't show up, there was a big crowd there expecting them, thery are camping down here and got fooling around so could get dressed in time to get to church. Instead we had a little shrimp of a lay reader from Vittoria who chewed the rag about some thing or other which was supposed to be a sermon for about three quarters of an hour. After church Dad. drove Enah, Tiddums & Aunty home. I started to walk the same time they did and beat them. They met the Bawlby's with Louise in an automobile on their way home, she expects to be down some time this week. Nice day threatening, and rained quite a shower before tea.

Monday July 21st

I started to cut the timothy this morning but made

so little progress and became so exasperated at old Harry & Joe Walker who were pulling the machine for me that I had turn the job over to Dad. They were driven nearly wild by the flies but that wasn't my fault. Old Joe would walk leisurely along next the standing grass and stop now and then to munch tomothy heads or bite a fly while old Harry at the same time would get a fly chewing him and as he seemed to be of the opinion that he could run out from under the flys if he went fast enough he would everlastingly rip things, however Dad took them and finished the piece soon after six to-night. Frank and I cultivated corn all day we got it done lengthwise from where we left off the other day and crosswise up to the hickory nut tree from the road.

Sam Law came over and borrowed our spreader this morning and spread all their pile which they had back in the field they are going to put wheat on. Allan brought it back to-night and said they had lost the crank to wind back the apron Clark Matthews brought Teddy over to pasture this afternoon. He saw Dad yesterday and told him he hadn't a care in the world except his wife a white cat and Teddy, who according to his own assertion knows as much as a man. He is going for a long trip to the coast I think, and is taking his wife with him, I don't know what will become of the white cat, and he wanted to know if Teddy could come over here, so Dad told him if it wouldn't add to his care in stead of lessen it to have him surrounded by barbed wire fences in a very bad state of repair, Teddy might come over and stay with our colts for awhile. Jean and Adelena came over this after noon to stay for a few days.

Tonight I went down to band practice, there were only a few of us there as Harry Graham was having a dance over in the pavillion Walt. had some new music there which proved very unpopular and punk. Aunty went down town with me to stay all night, and Dick went to the dance. Cool.

Tuesday July 22nd

Dad raked up the hay he cut yesterday first thing I hoed potatoes till he got enough to start cocking up then went at that. Frank also started but it got to heavy for him so he hoed some more potatoes. The hay is mostly pretty thin it is not so bad at this end but up at the other end of the field the cocks are few and far between. It is pretty fair hay blue grass & timothy except in

the low holes which Dad. didn't rake. we didn't get finished to-night. This afternoon every body but Dad and I went to the Sunday school picnic. Enah got home about eight, and Frank & the girls about half past nine. Win who got home from Waterford to-day came over with them. Dad. & I quit at five o'clock so as Dad could go to the mill for a bag of flour. just as we were coming up we noticed two men departing in an automobile we supposed it was Walt McCall, whoever it was left two cigars behind on the gate post.

Frank McBeed was over this morning to pick black currants but there were none ripe. Isaac Johnston drove a couple over at noon who had a little spaniel with a split toe nail which they had brought over to Dad for advice as to treatment. Dick I guess is working to-night. Cool and windy.

Wednesday July 23rd

Dad. & I went out this morning and finished working up the timothy; we then came in and threw off the load of clover and weeds that was on the rack by hand as we put it over at the barn for the sheep and didn't want to change our car for one load. We went out and got one load before dinner. After dinner we unloaded it and got two more unloaded, one of our sling ropes broke in the middle loop, on the last load we couldn't have got another in to-night anyway.

Lila went up in the mow with Frank to-night and while running around up there stepped on a fork full of hay which was lying just over the top of the chute, the hay was loose and she took a drop of about sixteen feet to the cement floor with about a half a forkfull of hay under her which likely came down with her, she cut her tongue and scrapped both thighs a little but was not hurt seriously, it is a wonder she wasn't killed.

I went down to band concert to-night, it was raining a little when I went down and they didn't start playing till a while after eight. Louis came to-night, so I stayed down at Huby's till I heard them start so was late. It was raining so hard when I started home that I went down to Huby's and stayed all night. Dick came to the window soon after I got in to bed and said he was going to stay so came around to the back door and crawled in with me.

I took the sling rope in to Jim Bannister to-night and he said he would splice it. I saw Vyse sitting out on his veranda and he seems to be in pretty bad shape, he says he is not going to try to do anything for a month. Betty Woodson came over to-day and the girls all went back to the woods with a bottle of hard cider which may account for Lila's conduct. Cool and windy.

Thursday July 24th (mistake)

Dick and I both got up about six this morning, Dick went around by town to post a letter and I went home. I went through Martin's and got soaked on the long grass Dick beat me home. Huby didn't have to go to work this morning as they laid the whole gang off last night on account of some unbusinesslike bungle, so none of the house hold was up. Aunty came out just as I was leaving to wish me a happy birthday, for it is just eighteen years ago to-day that I first squeaked. Dad. and Frank had the chores nearly done when I got home. I got all sorst of presents from every body. Dad. found my knife the other day that I thought I had lost in the hay, it was not hurt much. Dick did not hear about it till this morning and had bought me a new one but he exchanged it for a necktie before he told me.

After breakfast this morning I drove down to bring Aunty and Louise over. Louise was not ready so I took Win. up town to get a plug of tobacco for Dad. before we got back we met Aunty on her way up town so we drove her up to get a tin pail to replace the one the Sunday school lost for us she also got some ice cream but forgot about it till to-night and then it was in rather a mushified condition. Before dinner we ran the binder out of the wood shed and this after noon Dad started to cut wheat he only got a few rounds but it will be a good start for to-morrow. Dick did not get home till late to-night he said the canning factory gang had gone to work again about nine o'clock all except Huby & Bill Oakes who had gone fishing up to Doan's. Louise and Aunty went back to Huby's to-night. After tea Mr. & Mrs. Bob Rankin drove over to have Dad look at their horse who has a few pimples on it in various places. Hot this morning but cooler this afternoon.

Friday July 25th

We got a pretty early start this morning and finished the wheat field at just six to-night. Dad cut all day and is nearly shaken to pieces from dropping into the ditches. Frank and I shocked up, and we each took one side & one end so by this means kept up with the binder. Jean came out this after noon and helped us for awhile, its a pretty slim crop but won't take long to handle. Louise and Frank went down town after tea to-night. It has been a very nice day.

Saturday July 26th

We hauled hay to-day, but only got in four loads, we were unloading with the hay fork as the loft is getting too full for the slings to work well. I went down town to-night to get my hair cut. Dad. drove me down and I got a ride home with Tupper and Jonas. Aunty and Louise stayed here all night so Frank and I slept out in the hay. Dick stayed down to the dance and did not get home till late. He got word to-day that he would have a ruise of fifty dollars in his salary. Lovely day.

Sunday July 27th

I drove Aunty, Jean & Adelena down right after breakfast and they wanted to be down in time to get ready for Sunday school. I started to get ready for church but couldn't get a necktie that would slip through my collar before I got mad so just drove Enah & Louise down and waited for them at Huby's. I tied Joe in front of the gate. Dave Waddle and Harry Battersby came and stayed most of the time I was there. This after noon Frank and I went down to get the scow to go up creek. Huby had just let a couple of the Polocks have it but he whistled for them and they brought it back, Winnie and Lila went up with us, we went up nearly as far as we could and did not get back in time for me to get ready for church. Dick went to church to-night as he slept till to late to go this morning.

Mr. Lawrie and Edith came over and spent the afternoon Dad. drove Mr. Lawrie over to see John Wess McBride but he was not at home so they Mr. Blaikie who is helping John Wess this summer. It has been very hot and sultry all day and to-night wound up in a teriffic thunder storm. The rain started with the worst crash of thunder I ever heard. and the only one that ever made me cringe, it rained very hard but I don't think it lasted long.

Monday July 28th

Owing to the rain last night we were unable to do any thing with the hay, so I drove Aunty and Dick down town this morning and got Joe's shoes set of course it took Butler nearly all the morning but I looked at "The Literary Digest", and listened to Jack Spain talk when I wasn't holding Joe. I had to give her one small licking because she teased Butler to

much, I went over to Billy Langs while I was there and got a sack of binder twine to be ready for cutting the oats. Aunty came back home with me. Lila is sick to-day and put in a very bad night of it, Huby is still not working, they are having a meeting of the share holders of the canning factory this morning down on the band stand.

When we got home about noon Dad. & Frank were out straightening up the wheat sheaves that were down. They had fixed up the hay in the barn ready to put the alsike in. Dad. nearly killed himself while he was trying to tighten up the track in the barn. He had the big monkey wrench and could hardly reach to get it on the nut while working with it, it fell and struck him in the eye with a force which knocked him down and nearly stunned him, it left him with a headache for the rest of the day.

This afternoon, he & I went out to finish straightening up the wheat, we didn't bother with the thistly sheaves, we went down to see Alfred for awhile who was cutting grass along the fence in his wheat stubble across the road. We saw that Mr. Fleming was hauing alsike though it can't be fit. He has a lot more dead ripe to cut and his oats ought to be cut so we aren't so very far behind.

Frank went over to Martins this after noon and got some more chickens, he also returned Sam Law's binder twine. I had an attack of the blues to-day caused I think from seeing the garden and lawn in such an eye sore state, but we got about half an hour's pulling weeds in the garden this evening so I felt a little better.

To-night I drove Louise up to Mr. Frank Bowlby's. She would probably have had to walk from Lynn Valley there if I had not. It was after six when we left and I got back about nine in time to go to band practice Dad and Frank brought my horn down town and took Joe home, I stopped in at the Smyth's on my way home but Pud. was having a swim. I saw signs of the new railroad for the firss time. It has been very hot to day and to-night.

Tuesday July 29th

We hauled in hay all day but only got in four loads. Dad. & Enah went down to the church concert to-night and Aunty stayed here to mind Tiddums. Frank and I worked in the garden till after dark and to night I am so dead sleepy I can hardly hold my head up. Very hot to-day.

Wednesday July 30th

We hauled wheat to-day. Dad. loaded because he can do it so much faster than I can and I pitched on. We only got in two loads before dinner and at noon I thought I was tuckered out but this afternoon got rested some way by working harder than ever and we got in three loads. This morning I laid them in the mow and Dad. pitched off but after dinner we made a change Dad. could mow them twice as fast as I could so I got on and pitched off. I took my shirt off and left it in the sun to dry and then I everlastingly threw them, I just about covered old Frank up two or three times as I couldn't get time to turn them but we made things hum. The neighbours are hauling in wheat to-day too. Sam Law we thought was going a little faster than we were but he could go from the field right into the barn. Mr. Fleming was going about the same and John Wess was too far away for us to tell....

Quint came home last night for a couple of days and this after noon came over here for a little while, he seems to like his job well and is enjoying himself. Tonight I went down to band concert, and didn't get home till about eleven as I went down after wards with Quint to get some ice cream. The canning factory gang are still not at work. They had a meeting of the share holders to-night. It has been terribly hot to-day.

Thursday July 31st

We got up early this morning to get a good start but were sorely hindered. Dad. noticed strange cows in the lane as soon as he went out and found upon investigation that every heard of Vyse's stock had got in to our place. The horses were way back on the timothy sod near the oats and the cows in the lane although we don't know where they got in, it just took about an hour to get them back, we found the cows had been right through the corn but besides eating thirty or more hills had not done it very much damage. It was really my fault for leaving our wheat field gate open but I never thought a thing about it last night, and the animals had some way got Vyse's gate open about three feet and walked a cross the road into our place. Owing to other small but aggravating delays we didn't get out at all early and just got our wheat in and unloaded

by noon, we made two trips of it but could have taken it in one load if we had kneeded to. It just comes up to the first beam in the bit opposite the granary in the old barn and is the smallest wheat crop we ever want to have. We spent all the afternoon getting in the rest of the hay on this side of the gully, there was were just two small loads. It has been pretty hot to-day.

Friday August 1st

We started to haul alsike to-day but although we did our best we only got one load in and un loaded this morning, we got if off about eleven so instead of going back we did up all the chores before dinner and Frank and I planted some turnip seed in the garden. This afternoon we did better, we worked till nearly eight and got in three loads, there is a lot of it but we think we can get it all in to-morrow if we can get out good and early

Quint went away this morning so Aunty came over here. Jean & Adelena with the McPherson kids this after noon Dick came home early to go for a swim but as I couldn't go with him, he went back, had a swim at the lake and came back to tea. Nice and cool to-day.

Saturday August 2nd

We got up before sunrise this morning and for the first time this summer got out at seven. It took us a long time to get the first load this morning as it was miserable stuff to pitch, we just got in two loads this morning and two this after noon, and have all the best of the alsike, there is another load over there but it is very grassy and we did not think it would be worth thrashing especially as we are getting a little cramped for more room, so we shall likely put this over the cow stable. I pitched on both yesterday & today. this. alsike where it is good is very light and easy to pitch and as it has been bunched up so long it lifts nicely.

When we came up with the last load the old pig was out in the barn yard evidently looking for a nest as during the night some time a family of fifteen piglets arrived. Frank is going to raise three of them on the bottle owing to lack of lunch counter accommodation on the part of the old sow. Dick was late to-night - dance. Much hotter to-day and very windy.

Sunday August 3rd

I got up about half past six this morning and

instead of doing a chore I went down to the stump and had a good swim. I needed it the worst way. Dick and I went to church this morning. Dad & Enah drove down and Aunty minded Tiddums. Frank went to Sunday school but not to church.

This after noon I read myself to sleep, and don't know what the rest of the family did except that Dick went down town. I drove Aunty down to church to-night but as I had a little pain I didn't go but after taking Joe over to Silverthorn's took Pud. Slocomb for a drive up the Radical and down the Gravel. Pud has heard that he passed and is going to Normal in Hamilton next month. Gordy failed. Lila came over this morning with Dad. & Enah and is staying here all night, she feels well now but is weak yet. Huby says he has quit the canning factory, and is not going to do anything now, but I think likely he will. It was very hot all day, cooler and threatening rain to-night.

Monday August 4th

Dad cut oats all day but did not finish the field, it is the one west of the lane next the gully, he had old Joe Walker and Harry, and said he could have finished it if he had had little Joe in stead of Joe Walker. Frank and I shocked up, Frank didn't feel well at all and had to feed his little pigs quite often so we didn't nearly keep up with the binder. I went down to band practice to-night but as Walt. Steele and Bob. Rankin were the only members present we didn't have any - and I came home early. I scared the gizard out of Frank when I got home to-night, they were all sitting tin the parlor where Enah was playing, and I went up and shook the pear tree by the window which Frank was near and as it was a still night old Frankus felt mighty uncomfortable. Mr. Hall, an old friend of Enah's came over to dinner to-day escorted by Cecil McPherson who greatly entertained us with his wonderful fairy tales of his experiences & exploits. The gang at the canning factory went back to work to-day but Huby has quit and I am afraid is not doing anything. Nice day, cool morning and evening.

Tuesday August 5th

Dad. finished cutting the oats and we got them shocked up by noon. It is a pretty fair crop very good in some spots. This after noon we put off the load of alsike which was on the waggon and went back

and got all the rest of it except three or four bunches which we will bring up with the hay. It made a tremendous load but we got up safely with it. Frank went back with us to pick blackberries or thimble berries but didn't get many as they are not ripe yet. Harry Battersby came over this after noon to see us as he is leaving tomorrow, Lila went back home with him. Aunty went over to dinner and spent the afternoon at Mrs. Battersby's. Warm day & cool night.

Wednesday August 6th

We unloaded the load of alsike which we hauled yesterday. It just went in and there was no room to spare. Dad & I had to dig a runway for it first. We then loaded the wire that Robert John bought from Sid McBride a year ago to put up along our woods between him & us on the rack and took it back we rolled it all out flat along the woods and this after noon Frank and I went back and cleared away the old fence and rubbish around it and trimmed the tree branches off so as the wire can be just tacked up temporally till Sid. McBride can come to stretch it as we want to turn the cows in the field which the woods are in.

Aunty and I drove down town we got a lot of groceries and I got one of Joe's shoes set which she pulled a couple of nails out of someway. Lila came back with us. Huby has gone back to work again at the canning factory, and we are all very glad of it. I went down to band concert to-night. It has been cloudy and cooler all day and rained a shower before tea.

Thursday August 7th

Aunty and I got started about nine o'clock for Burford to see Mr. Hanmer and his sheep. We stopped for awhile at St. John's Church which is getting nearly finished and for awhile at Simcoe but arrived in Scotland near where Uncle Robuck lives about two o'clock, we stayed at Uncle Robuck's for dinner and as Aunty and I both went to sleep there we didn't leave for Burford till nearly five. It was about seven miles farther on and we got there about six Mr. Hanmer was just going to dip some sheep that were to be shipped to the other side, he had a government vetinary inspector there and so we saw the whole performance. As we were almost strangers to them we felt a little uncomfortable at paying them such an

such an unexpected visit at such a time of day, but they couldn't have been nicer or more hospitable and wouldn't hear of us going elsewhere to spend the night. Before going to bed to-night we found Joe had put her foot through a board in the stable floor and had to be moved. It has seemed to us like a lovely day, it has not been too hot and a little breeze the roads were fine and as we met very few vehicles of any kind were not bothered at all with the dust, the country is very dry though.

Friday August 8th

I don't know what time I got up this morning but I wandered around out side for a good while before I found anybody, but when I went out to give Josie a cleaning off I found her all cleaned, fed & watered. Mr. Hanmer had tended to her, he thinks a lot of horses and admired Joe very much, he has a nice team of hackneys now and his daughter has taken a good many prizes & ribbons for driving. We didn't have breakfast till rather late and as he had some business to do after wards, I didn't have such a lot of time as I would have liked, however he showed me a good many of his sheep and one ram especially which I may buy, he wants fifty dollars for him so I thought I had better speak to Dad. first. We also saw a few imported sheep which were going through Burford, but Mr. Hanmer thought he had lots that could beat them.

As Aunty had said we would be at Uncle Robuck's for dinner we thought we had better go although they pressed us to stay there. We left at twenty minutes to twelve and got to Uncle Robuck's at about twenty five minutes after. We stayed there to dinner and left about three. Harry was off thrashing but came home just before we left. We went home by way of Waterford. and Aunty went to see Mrs. York & Mrs. Boughner there for awhile. We got home before seven and although we enjoyed our drive & visit immensly were very glad to be home again, we had to ask the way a few times but didn't get off the road much, they are fixing a bridge at the bottom of Decou's hill so we had to drive a little way down the fourth concession and get to the third through Sol. Smith's lane.

It has been another very nice day, roads fine and quite a breeze in our face. It looked rainy to this morning but seemed to clear off again but to-night it is thundering and shows signs of a big storm. I don't know all that

Dad. and Frank did while we were gone but yesterday they tacked up the wire along the edge of the bush enough to keep the cattle out of Robert John's till Sid. McBride can stretch it and turned the cattle in there. To-day Frank took the team and went over all the summer fallow with the disks and Dad. cut weeds and tidied up. Jean & Adelena are over here to-night.

Saturday August 9th

It rained cats and dog's last night and things are so flooded we can do nothing outdoors. I didn't hear any thingh all night but they said the thunder was terrific. I drove Dick down this morning and didn't do much else all morning as it kept raining a little. It cleared off at noon - and I drove Jean & Adelena down town as Jean's grand mother wanted to see her about something we got some groceries and came home I wrote a letter to Mr. Hanmer telling him that Dad. was willing for me to get his fifty dollar ram, it seems a lot to pay but if we never get any good headers for our flock we will never have any good stock. Frank and I went down to the mill for a bathe after tea and had a good one as there is a big head of water coming over. it began to thunder & lightening & rain heavily again before we went to bed. Dick did not come home at all to-night.

Sunday August 10th

It rained harder than ever last night and the cannonade of thunder was terrific with a steady blaze of lightening. It didn't bother me any, I don't think I would have wakened at all but Frank was afraid the barns would be struck and got up over me to investigate Aunty also got up to look around. but Dick slept through it.

It was too wet for any of us to go to church or Sunday school so we didn't do any thing much all day. I drew a little and Dad went down and drove Dick home to dinner, but he went down again this afternoon as Wiggins wanted him to help him hang pictures in his room. It began to rain again about five to-night so I put on my bathing suit to go after the cows as Dad. couldn't have got them this morning if it had not been for Tige as the stream was so swollen as to be impassable. He found that they had been in John Wess peas the other night so shut them out of the woods. We heard that Joe Long had a horse killed the night before last with the lightening

Monday August 11th

Dad. went back to John Wess's first thing this morning to get Frank Faulkner's heifer which had got into John Wess's peas with the rest of the cattle but had not come back with them so was taken by John Wess & put in with his. He was not at home but Blaikie was there so Dad. didn't get back very soon. I cut lawn off and on most of the day, I started to get the part across the the ditch cut as it had grown up pretty long. When Dad came home we started to dig a culvert across the front of the lane but after it was pretty well dug Dad. discovered that we couldn't make a satisfactory job of it with the material we had so we had to fill it in again.

Dad. shocked up the oats over again all the after noon he said they were soaked right through and every shock had to be changed he didn't get finished of course. Frank thinned out the carrots this after noon and to-night. he & I went to the moving picture show which wasn't bad. Dad. drove Jean & Adelena & Lila down as the two former are going home on Thursday. Huby & Lila came over about noon. Huby had taken a day off to settle up some insurance business and Aunty went back with him. Mr. Bowby brought Louise down to-night, she was here when Frank & I got home. Dick didn't get home till late, he is kept pretty busy now as Mr. Hobbes is taking his holidays. It has been sunny and very cool to-day. the storm has quite cleared off. To-day's papers are full of the news of great damage to property and general depradation caused by the lightening last Saturday night and the night before, all is not known yet as telegraph & telephone wires are down all over.

Tuesday August 12th

Frank and I drove down and got Louise's trunk first thing this morning. Frank also got a new carborundum scythe stone which I broke on the scythe in a short time, Dad. sharpened the scythe while we were gone and I started to cut weeds around the fences as soon as I got home, by to-night I had all around the wheat field and on three sides of the summer fallow and corn there was none to cut on the fourth side, but my ribs and back ached so that I could hardly wiggle. It's hard work when one's not used to it. Dad turned nearly all the rest of the oat shocks to-day, he didn't quite finish it's a miserable job I would rather cut weeds even if

if it does break my back. Frank picked black currants from the old garden and nursed his young hogs most of the day. Sunny & nice to-day. Vyse was in for quite awhile this morning, he told Dad he was going to sell out entirely and go West for awhile on account of his health. Lila came over for the afternoon. Frank went home with her to-night. Old Jonas was in to-night Ivy's have taken him back.

Wednesday August 13th

Dad finished turning and setting the oat shocks this morning. I went out and cut all around the field he was working in, and a little around the house, before dinner we put of the load of old hay that was on the rack we put what we could of it over the cow stable and left the rest in the shed, it was after noon when we got through so we got a pretty late start. after dinner Dad started to cut the oats over by the side road, we went out with him but didn't shock any up as we had to wait for quite awhile before there was room and we quit early to go up and do chores as I went down to band concert but Dad. kept on cutting till sundown, the ground is pretty soft, he has to cut around the holes and there is water standing in some of the furrows.

Frank went down with me to-night, and got some machine oil and went to see the movies. There was quite an accident downtown to-day, the bridge going over the road into Bucks Park broke with a crowd on it, we don't know very much about it but there were none killed and I don't know that there were any very seriously hurt, but there were a good many bones broken, the canning factory is going full tilt now, Huby and the rest worked till dark to-night. Nice day, cool but sunny.

Thursday August 14th

Mr. Flemming came over this morning with the woful tidings that he wanted two men to help thrash this after noon, so Frank went over to John Wesses to get Blaikie to come in Dad's place. John Wess was about to start cutting peas but insisted on Mr. Blaikie coming. Dad. cut oats most of the day and finished some time during the after noon. I shocked up a few in the morning and after dinner Mr. Blaikie & I lit out for Flemmings, we got a pretty late start as the machine wasn't there on time so will have to go back in the morning. We got word this after noon that

there was sheep down at the station for us we were so busy we couldn't go till night, then Dad. & I went down in the waggon, we picked Huby up who was in a great state of excitement over the ram, (for it proved to be the one I ordered from Mr. Hanmer), if we hadn't come down he was going to have it sent over, he wasn't any the worse for his trip, as all hands at the station had been careful to keep him in the shade. I was very surprised to see him as I under stood Mr. Hanmer to say he wouldn't ship him till after he had been shown at the different fairs, he is certainly a beauty. Hot.

Friday August 15th

Dad. went with me to Mr. Flemming's this morning we finished there and had our dinner about eleven. Sam Law wanted us to go and help thrash his stuff and as he thrashed his oats out of the field he wanted our team and rack so we went out and put a load of our oats on to take over it wasn't a big load but we got forty seven bushels of good plump oats out of it, which will last us till we have time to thrash. We finished at Sam's a little after six and had our tea there so we were rather late doing our chores. Pretty hot to-day.

Saturday August 16th

Dad. and I went out this morning before the dew was off and turned out every shock of the first cutting of oats, we then went over and shocked up some of the others, we didn't finish but quit at noon and this afternoon hauled the others, we got them all in, there were only four more good sized loads, but it took us till about nine o'clock the last one, it was so dark we could hardly find the shocks, of course we didn't unload this last load. Aunty brought us out a little lunch at six and we had some more when we came in. Very hot and looks like rain soon

Sunday August 17th

I didn't get up till about nine o'clock this morning and then we three boys all went to the stump and had a good swim, about half the kids in town were down there, and we didn't hurry at all, it was about one when we got home. I didn't do any thing much this after noon but perspire. I started to read but went to sleep, it was too hot to sleep and I started to write but it was too hot to think, so I had to quit that. It rained pretty hard for a short time before tea.

Monday August 18th

Owing to the little shower we had yesterday it was a little too wet to haul any oats this morning as we had intended, Dad. and Frank took a load of grist to the mill first thing, they waited till it was chopped and then went down to Mrs. Battersbys where Frank Slocomb is laying side walk and got a load of yellow sand from him to put in front of the lane gate where there is such a mud hole, they then went and got a load of rails.

I raked up the weeds and chopped the grass with the lawn mower back of the old house and along the east side of it, I worked at it all day and although it looks a lot better there is lots of room for improvement yet. This afternoon Dad. went out and shooked up the rest of the oats. Dr. Hicks & Cousin Willie went out to ask him if he would run against Bob. Taylor in the election for a school trustee next Monday, as he hates to see them so tied up in their business he said he would, but woudn't take time to get out & work at all.

Enah and Louise drove Joe down town this afternoon Jean Marks came over to say that she and Louise were wanted in Toronto to help christen Rebecca Lee Scott next Friday. Louise hadn't intended going till next Monday but I guess she will have to go Wednesday now. Aunty thinks she will go down with them. Dad and I went out about six tonight and brought in one load of oats. It has been hot all day cooler to-night.

Tuesday August 19th

We hauled in oats to-day but as we didn't get out very early and quit early we only got in four loads. We stopped work at five as I had to be down town at seven to accompany the band to a {havana?} social at Port Ryersie. It wasn't a full band as Bob. Rankine had a lame back & Johnny Walker had no one to run his engine at the picture show for him, Miss. Thompson & Old Silverthorne took a load of girls up on the Victoria but the lake was so rough they could hardly land and they would not go back any way but by land so some came in one of the band rigs and Theodore Brown brought the rest down We had a time although the wind was cold and the torches blew so we could hardly see. I got home a little after twelve and Dick who spent the evening at the Hobbes got home soon after. Very cool all day

Wednesday August 20th

We hauled in all the rest of the oats to-day. There were just two loads and a jag. We brought the jag in about three o'clock and Dad. & Frank pitched it off while I got Joe ready to drive Louise & her trunk to the station. She, Aunty and Jean all got off to-night. While I was down town Dad took the mower out and cut around the holes in the oat field which he couldn't do with the binder on account of them being so wet. I came home around by Huby's to get some peony roots and he was just getting ready to go to work as he is night watchman these days at the works.

I went down to band concert to-night, after we got through on the stand Johnny Walker very kindly offerd us each a free ticket to the moving picture show so we all went down, tore off a piece in front of "The Gem" and then went in, he put on the three reels almost solely for our benefit as there were very few others in there. Edith came over this after noon and is going to stay for a few days or a week. Warmer than yesterday but not too hot.

Thursday August 21st

Dad. and I went out this morning with the rack and got the oats which were around the edge of the water holes and which Dad had cut with the mower, it took along time as Dad. just raked the stuff up in piles with his pitch fork. I set fire to the grass & weeds which I cut the other day between the corn field and the wheat stubble and had to watch it that it didn't do any damage.

This after noon Dad went out and rolled the summer fallow but it was very hard and lumpy. Frank and I cleaned all the rubbish and burdocks out of the yard between the horse stable and the hay barn and fixed the fence so that we can turn the old ram out.

To-night we printed pictures and got some good ones mostly of Tiddums. Dick did not come home to-night. Nice day not too hot. It got very black this evening and rained a little before tea.

Friday August 22nd

It began to rain quietly about six this morning but stopped about nine or ten. Dad. patched the roof on the old barn and Frank held on to the rope to which Dad was tied. This after noon it got too windy to shingle so Dad plowed a little more of the old corn stubble. I started to clean up the limbs out of the orchard and got quite a lot done, Frank and I had to go down town to-night about five for groceries. Cloudy and cool.

Saturday August 23rd

Dad. plowed at the old corn ground all morning while I worked in the orchard. This after noon Dad took the the team and waggon and we took all the brush and piled & burned it in the north end of the orchard where the little trees are mostly dead, we then took the big limbs and piled them behind the wood shed for storewood it took us all the afternoon but it has made a great improvement in the looks of the orchard.

This was Baughner Picnic day but Frank was the only one who celebrated from here. Doctor Hicks & Doctor Cook were over before tea to talk election to Dad. They said things were going pretty well although there are several working against him. Vyse was over this morning to say he wanted us to go & thrash on Monday. Edith left this after noon. Lila came over this morning for her music but didn't stay long None of us went down to meet Aunty to-night as we think likely she will stay ay Huby's to-night. It as been very cool all day and mostly cloudy, regular fall day.

Sunday August 24th

This was the sunday that they decided to have Tiddums christened. Aunty came over before Sunday school and brought Tiddums a lot of presents she got for him in Toronto and which Vernon and Mrs. Marks sent up. We all went down to church. Dad. drove Enah down and she & Tiddums stayed over at the Harding's till the time of the christening arrived - and then she & Dad. brought him in Huby was the extra godfather, and has been studdying the service up for the last few nights. Tiddums never let a whimper out of him but sat on Dad's hand, and jumped, stared, laughed and crowed a little although they said he was getting sleepy before the end. Dad. & Enah drove right home with him but the rest of us waited for the rest of the service.

This after noon Dick and I went down town. I went to see Harry & Mrs. Moon bur they weren't home so after calling at the bank where the whole staff except Mr. Hobbs were hard at work and at Huby's for a minute or two I came home. Dick got back for tea Dad. and Enah drove down to church to-night as Enah had to play the organ for {Elsa?}; when they got home Dick and I drove down to post a couple of letters for Aunty. Cool & windy all day Cold to-night.

Monday August 25th

Dad. and I both went over to Vyse's to help thrash and were there till noon, although he didn't have much stuff. but it was awkward getting it out and we were late getting started. Dad. made a mistake by going at all for this was election day, when he was running against Bob. Taylor for school trustee, and Vyse sent two of Martin's men home saying he had enough hands, then went down town as soon as we got started and I suppose worked as hard as he could for Taylor.

This after noon I went up to the glen with a picnic party of Mrs Hobbe's, Dick got off and went with us we went up in the "Victoria" and had a fine time. We got back a little after dark, and went up to Mrs. Hobbes and danced till about twelve, most of the music was supplied by Col. Smith's gramophone about the first news we heard when we struck town was that Dad. had beaten Taylor by a majority of 9. He was down town all the afternoon and had an exciting time. The school board can now do business as Tibbets and Miller were not disqualified and they will have a majority on their side. Lovely day, cool & sunny.

Tuesday August 26th

Dad. and I went over to help thrash at Martin's this morning, it didn't take long to thrash their oats out but they had a few interruptions so we just got through about eleven and had our dinner.This after noon Dad disked on the summer fallow, and I cut at the lawn but didn't get much done. Allan Law had to pull Vyse out of a hole to-day, he found him beating his little balky mare unmercifully, because she balked with a load of 16 bags of wheat Vyse told him he would kill her if he had ambition enough. Cool and threatening.

Wednesday August 27th

Dad. disked and harrowed on the summer fallow all day and I cut the rest of the front lawn this side of the ditch and worked around at other odd jobs. Frank and I fixed a couple of bars at the end of the horse stable to block the yard south and west of the horse stable, and then turned old 4700 out, he spent most of the afternoon under an old door leaning against the fence. Frank noticed today that he is club footed behind, we couldn't see his foot before in the stable. I went down to band concert to-night. It has been a nice sunny day but cool.

Thursday August 28th

When Tom Albert came this morning he said there was a loose horse on the road, Dad got her and put her in, she had a halter on but Dad. didn't know her, but we had an idea she belonged to Bill George so when Dick went down he happened to see the above mentioned Bill. and told him whereupon that gentleman came over immediately and took the mare home. We started to haul manure to-day but owing to interuptions such as oiling the spreader and as it was drizzling rain we were undecided whether to go to to work or not; we didn't get started till after ten, we got four loads out and one on the spreader by twelve and one out after dinner, but it started to rain so hard that we put the horses and machine away.

I then drove Enah down town to Mrs. {Scobrams?} and had to wait quite awhile for her, we got home at five and I drove Aunty down, she to the old German Roller canary who has not been in a healthy condition for "some time back" down to Mrs. Tusk for repair, she also got a student lamp from Miss Battersby who made a present of it to Dad. It has drizzled nearly all day and to-night another big thunder storm came up with an awful downpour. About ten o'clock Aunty & Dad. noticed fire north of here, where some poor fellow's barn had been struck.

Friday August 29

It was too wet this morning to work on the land so Dad opened up ditches on the summer fallow and I sawed up the old apple limbs and rubbish behind the wood shed. This afternoon, I went to see if the field next the woods across the gully was fit to plow but found water lying in the furrows and ditches. Frank and Lila went back as far as the gully with me to look for mushrooms. I set out three little rose bushes on the mound just for fun I don't expect them to grow, but the were in the lawn and I didn't know what else to do with them.

I took John Wess McBride's rope back to him, which Dad had borrowed the day he brought Frank Faulkner's heifer home. I saw Mr. Blaike and he told me it was Bob. Winter's barn that was burned last night he lives on the townline just north and one lot west of this place. I came home around by R. J. Watson's, and Charlie McQueens. I also went over to Lorne Myers where Geordie Murphy is ditching I got home about four and then Frank & I went down to Martins where Frank got some grit for his chickens and I got some information re planting out straw berries & pruning grape vines from John Quanbury. Dad. had to go to a school board meeting to-night, he hasn't felt very well all the after noon. Frank is better to-day he was quite sick yesterday. Sunny and breezy to-day.

Saturday August 30th

I spent the whole day working around the garden. I cut the two high patches of weeds and pulled them out as well as I could of the onion bed, This after noon I cut the lawn behind the house and about five drove Enah down town for supplies. We got word to-day that Walter was coming to-night he has been in Toronto for the last few days - and Roy & Vernon may come up with him, if we have been making preparations for them all day.

Dad. went over to John Wess McBrides this morning to see his lame cow and get advice about the field back there we were going to put wheat on but there is so much blue grass on it we that we would not likely get half a crop especially now that we wouldn't be able to get in in early, so we thought of fall ploughing it and summer fallowing it then plow in June & put wheat on it next fall, that was just what John Wess said he would do as that will just about fix the blue grass.

This afternoon Dad plowed up a strip in the garden where the potatoes were and which I am going to try to work up in shape to set out a few straw berryplants. Dad. and Aunty drove down to-night to meet Walter and the others if they came. They did come but it took about half the night to collect them all. It had been arranged that Vernon would spend the night at the Woodson's - and Walter & Roy would come here, so Dad. drove Vernon over, and then came on home with the impedimenta, leaving Aunty to come home with Walter & Roy. He just nicely got in the lane when Walter came in alone. He had come up town with Dick (who had to work till midnight.) to get some cigarettes and had forgotten whether Roy and Aunty were waiting for him or not and evidently didn't care a hang so came on over by him self - getting information concerning the route from some of the Woodson's who were outside as he came past.

We were just about to start off with the lanterns in search of the other two when Roy came up, ignorant of the whereabouts of Aunty saying he had left her in front of the Dominion waiting for Walter while he went down to the canning factory to see Huby, but couldn't find him so came on over, he was very indignant at finding Walter here - and proceded to call him down as he well could and Walter smoked and enjoyed it all as he well could while Dad. and I started to hook Joe up and go in quest of Aunty, however we just nicely got the buggy when

poor Aunty came up, she had waited a long time and then went up to the bank and found out from Dick that Walter had gone home, so she followed, when each ones evidence had been given and the mystery of the mix-up unravelled we all had tea - after which we talked till after Dick came home. Nice day, cloudy & cool.

Sunday August 31st

We all went to church this morning except Dad. who went over to John Wess McBrides to see his lame cow and spent a very enjoyable morning and Enah who had household duties & Tiddums to attend to. I drove Walter & Roy down, as I was supposed to drive Vernon back to dinner but she was booked for dinner at the Woodson's so I drove Aunty and Frank part way home then went back and got Walter & Win who had gone up to see Cousin Bessy for a few minutes. Huby. came over with Roy, as we had a couple of Franks ducks for dinner. He says he was there last night when Walter & Roy paid their separate visits but as they are going to get him a clock to "punch" he has to make the most of his unregistered time unless he can get George Gamble to figure out a scheme to punch the clock all at one time, in all probability George is quite capable of doing such a thing.

This afternoon we inspected the livestock, the gully & mound - and such things besides "settin around". Tupper & his Englishman came over & spent the afternoon visiting with Dad. To-night Dad. and Enah drove down to church as Enah had to play the organ. Vernon came over to tea and she & Roy went down to Mrs. Battersby's for awhile. Cool and nice.

Monday September 1st

Dad's cold was very bad to-day and he felt too rotten to do anything, I didn't do anything to speak of all morning but this afternoon I put some manure on my strawberry bed and chopped it up pretty well with the hoe. Frank chored around all morning and this afternoon went down town with the Ryersie's, he has to go back to school in the morning, poor kid, I feel sorry for him.

This being Labor Day the bank was closed but Dick went down and worked for an hour or two this morning and was down town all the after noon. Dad. drove Roy down to the station to-night as he & Vernon couldn't stay away from business & baby (respectively) any longer. Aunty and Walter stayed at Huby's for tea. Cloudy & threatening this forenoon Hot & sunny this afternoon. Old Jonas was

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over to-night for a long visit during which Queen broke out of the pasture and caused us a lot of trouble getting her in, then I traipsed all over the pasture looking for the others and fearing they were out on the road but at last found them all safe in the pasture. Roy is thinking quite seriously of coming up here and starting a poultry ranch for the city market. I which he would. but.

Tuesday September 2th

Jonas came over this morning with a basket of tomatoes which he promised us last night. He came before seven but if he had not been in such a hurry and left them to enjoy a few more sunny hours they would have been in much better condition. He also brought a boquet of about three asters, two gladioli & one geranium with one foot in the grave. It was very kind of him though.

Poor Frank went back to jail this morning but got out for the afternoon. Dad. & I hauled out manure. We monkeyed around till after ten o'clock so only got out about 10 loads all day. This afternoon Carl Coleman & Perce {Kindren?} came over and got Edmond England's heifer that has been sending the summer with our cows. having crossed the dilapitaded line fence from Ivys where she & three others were boarding, as we didn't have time, means or enough inclination to repair the fence, our gully has furnished her with free board and lodging. I think Walter slept & read most of the day except when he rode out with Dad. on the spreader load. and when Aunty with some difficulty induced him to call on Mrs Battersby with her. Edith came over this after noon to say good bye, as she is going back to Toronto on Thursday.

Tiddums has not felt very lively to-day, they think he is enlarging upon his dental equipment. Cecil Lamb has been very ill for a week or more wth typhoid fever and now Dick says they don't expect him to live. Vyse left this morning for the West, I don't know how he expects Dover to exist without him. Very hot & hard to work

Wednesday September 3rd

Dad. & I pitched manure all day we got out 12 or 13 loads which we thought was pretty good considering the circumstances. we were getting it from between the barn & the stack where we can't get in with the spreader so have to carry it quite a way. We don't think the spreader is sowing it at 16 loads per acre which it is set at. This afternoon Aunty and Walter went down town

and stayed at Huby's to tea. I went down to band practice to-night and Frank went to the moving pictures. This was the last concert of the season and Walt. was going to treat the boys over at the Dominion afterwards but I came right home with Carl. Coleman, Frank & Jonas. Jonas seemed in a melancholy state of mind to-night. {Sairy?} was sick and had evidently been calling him down about something, anyway he told us he did not lead a happy life and he didn't care who knew it. Very hot & thundery & rainy.

Thursday September 4th

Dad. and I started to tear up the old stable floor which was half buried in manure so that we could drive right through instead of steering clear of this old rubbish heap, but Dad. felt so rotten we had to quit and he couldn't do any thing all day.

This after noon I mussed around a little and cut weeds along the side road, gully and lane fences. Aunty and Walter went down town this afternoon and to-night they went over to see Mrs. Battersby. We were all asleep whent they got home. Aunty has at last decided to go as far as Winnipeg with Walter on her way to Fort Saskatchewan. Very much cooler, fine day to work.

Friday September 5th

Dad. didn't feel much better to-day but worked all day in spite of his illness, he says his bones ache all over and he is so weak he has to exert himself to double up his fist. This morning we took the team and snaked the sleepers of the old stable out of the manure and piled them up in the yard and out of our way.

About eleven o'clock I drove Aunty over to the Shand's as she wanted very much to say good bye to them before she went west and thought she might not get a better chance. we got back about noon, we lost a little time putting John & Snowdrop in the gully as they had got on the road through the culvert. but Joe made up for lost time by the rate she got over the pike. Dad. had two or three more sleepers to get out when I left but he finished all but one which is too deeply buried and not at all in the road so he left it till some other time.

This after noon we didn't think it was worthwhile getting started hauling manure as one of us had to drive Walter's suitcase to the station, so Dad. plowed all the afternoon. I was out with him for awhile but about four I drove Aunty and Walter to the station. I hung around till after the train went out and then brought Aunty home with me, she is going to meet Walter in Toronto next Wednesday Tuesday and go west

with him, from there as he is going to stay a few days with Roy before he leaves. Very nice day a little warmer We had to shut old 4700 up in the boxstall to stay to day as to-night Dad. noticed he had rubbed a big wad of wool of his shoulder on the bars where he was trying to get through, he aparently enjoys it just as much in confinement as he does when out in the yard where he sees & hears the other sheep.

Saturday September 6th

Although Dad feels very miserable yet he worked all day, we didn't get a very early start this morning but had Frank nearly all the time to help us and I think we got out 14 loads of manure. We were delayed for awhile this after noon when the spreader was incapacitated through a lot of stuff being jammed between the beater and the comb above it. Dad lost quite a little time adjusting it.

Lila has been over all day and has spent nearly the whole time riding Frank's wheel up and down the road, she went down town on it once for Enah. Aunty has been down town nearly all day preparing for her journey. Fine day - pretty warm this afternoon

Sunday September 7th

Dad. Aunty & Frank left about eight o'clock this morning for Port Rowan as Aunty wanted to say goodbye to Aunt Ida before she left and they took Frank as a part compensation for him missing a trip to the Toronto Exhibition. I finished up the chores and went to church alone as Dick was in bed till noon Lila went down this morning to sunday school but this afternoon does not feel very well so Dick says, due probably to her violent exercise on Frank's wheel yesterday. I slept this after noon for two or three hours and then milked and did chores which aren't much with Josie away and the other horses out.

Dick was down town swimming with the girls all the afternoon. Dad. Aunty and Frank got home about nine o'clock. They had quite a day of it, saw Aunt Ida, Clara and the Howe bunch, and Aunty got some rare flowers on the way home. It has been a lovely day but pretty hot.

Monday September 8th

We hauled out six loads of manure this fore noon but had to go thrashing down at Alfreds, we were there all the afternoon. I stayed {heart shaped ink blot here} tea but Dad. came home to drive Aunty's valise down town, he was gone quite awhile

as he got some thing in his eye this afternoon and had to go to the doctors to have it taken out. I had all the cows but the two heifers milked when he and Frank got back so he did up all the rest of the chores while I took Joe and drove Mrs. McBride home, she has been here all day washing and picking plums, she took a lot home with her. Nice day with east wind.

Tuesday September 9th

We got up extra early this morning and Dad. Frank and I drove down to see Aunty off. Mr. Wiggins was going home on his holidays so she would have company all the way. On our way back we met Tupper who wanted one of us to go and help thrash, he expected the machine there between ten & eleven. I went over about ten but there wasn't a sigh of the machine and Tupper was plowing I hung around till after dinner, they started soon after dinner and didn't stop once till after six, we put through about 650 bushels of oats in the afternoon I was getting pretty well worked out when they stopped, it was Win Law's outfit. Tupper got disgusted with Sam. last year so wouldn't have him again. I got a ride home with Mr. Flemming. Dad plowed all the afternoon and is all finished but about two rounds, it was an awful job when he got into the land next the fence which was plowed up last spring and the weeds were there are four feet high. I feel pretty sick to-night but have to go back in the morning. It has been very cold all day.

Wednesday September 10th

I was over at Tupper's soon after seven this morning and we started to work soon after I got there and through about half past eleven, we thrashed wheat, and it was an awful mess of thistles, the down was so thick it was as if some one had shaken out a feather pillow. I came home before dinner with Bill Philips was there for Mr Flemming, I was glad to be done as it did me up for most of the afternoon. Dad. went to the mill this morning and got some oats chopped and finished plowing and disked down what he plowed. After dinner we hauled out seven loads of manure, the piece north of the orchard all covered now and we have four loads on the piece east of the orchard.

Allan Law was over after dinner and borrowed the roller. they are putting their wheat in. They are working two teams, old Ben, and Bert Monroe's little mare, each with one of the big team, Jonas was over to-night to get some plums and he helped me put in some srawberry plants which Frank got to-night from Jack. Martin. It froze last night but has been warmer to-day Tiddums is not feeling well to-day.

Thursday September 11th

We got a good early start this morning at the manure and broke all previous records, we got out 16 loads, and have got just about all there is that is suitable for top dressing. Allan Law came over this morning and borrowed the waggon and drill, they finished up over there to-night and he brought the things home. Jonas was over again to-night and picked some more plums, he stayed for about an hour telling Frank and me stories of his experiences in a lumber camp. Betty Woodson was also over and brought us another kitten which she got from some kids who were going to drown it. Tiddums seems to be quite well again to-day. Much warmer looks rainy

Friday September 12th

We got out 16 loads of manure to-day but could have got out another, but as the field was covered all but a little strip we put the spreader away, we didn't put much on the little side hills as the spreader sloughs and does not work well there, Mr. Morgan came over this morning and stayed to dinner.

This after noon Winnie came over to borrow some books and Frank's camera, she is not at school as she has hives. Betty & the twins were past here to-day with three hounds and another dog, one of the hounds got in our corn field and they were a long time getting it out. Cloudy and threatening to-day.

Saturday September 13th

We worked both teams on the land all day and now have the piece between the orchard and the corn in pretty nice shape. I disked all day and Dad rolled & harrowed on both pieces of ground. Frank dug around and mulched some of the peach trees this afternoon. Dick expected Ferdie to-night but I guess he didn't come as he said if he had any luggage he would leave it in the barber shop, for I told him I would be in to get my hair cut. Dad. & I went down to get some groceries but it was so cold I didn't get my locks trimmed, however I went to see if Ferdie's impedimenta was there but it wasn't and there was no sighn of Dick we came home alone I suppose Dick has gone to the dance - the last of the season I think.

We saw Huby to-night coming from home where he had been to fill his lantern, he says he has ordered twine but he thinks they can't get anything from the states now. Mrs. McBride was over this morning to pick plums, Very cold wind all day Clear & cold to-night.

Sunday September 14th

It froze hard enough last night to crimp the tomato tops and corn leaves, but I don't think it will hurt the corn except the leaves for fodder. I didn't get up till late & felt so rotten with a bad cold in my head that I didn't

try to do much or go to church. Frank has just the same cold but he went down to Sunday school and church. First thing this morning we put up the little stove in the kitchen and it makes things much more comfortable. Old Jonas came over this afternoon to look at the corn he is going to help cut it but it won't be ready for awhile yet. Johnny Walker also came over to have a look at old Joe. he drove down with Dad. Enah & Tiddums, the two latter stayed at Huby's till church time and Dad. came home to help do chores and then went down again to go to church with Enah. They have heard so much about the famous & rich preacher the same one who was there last Sunday that they thought they would like to hear him so Aunty Maude will keep the baby for them while they are gone.

Walt. Steele sent me over ten dollars to-day by Dick which is for my playing with the band all summer, and which I consider easy money. Ferdie didn't come last night Dick got a card from him saying he has lost his job and isn't coming at all I guess. Dick went up the beach to a corn roast last night and has been down town all this afternoon. Dad. turned the old sow out this morning, he is going to wean the little pigs now, he let her in with them again to-night after they had had a good supper so as not to wean them too suddenly. We put poor old Dave in this afternoon and gave him a bath his three white feet are in awful shape all swollen way up his legs and terribly broken out around the feet. The only thing we can think of that can ail him is alsike poisoning which we have heard of before but which Dad never believed in much. Neither Osprey nor Dolly seem affected and they both have white feet.

Tiddums didn't stay asleep long down at Huby's during church and when he awoke and found himself among strangers he became homesick and cried so lustily that they were forced to send to church after Enah to come and pacify him.

Monday September 15th

I finished cross disking on the piece where I left of Saturday and started to roll it all this morning while Dad. harrowed awhile on the other piece and then went with Frank over to John Wess McBride's to get the seed. John Wess has gone to Grand Rapids but Blaikie was there and they cleaned up nearly {21?} bushels, and got back before dinner. Blaikie and Bill Lemons are keeping {batch?} over there.

This after noon I finished rolling that piece and then started to disk the other piece deeply, and Dad. & Frank drilled in the small piece they put in about 8 1/2 bushels, they started with the drill set at 2 bus. & a peck but thought it was overrunning so changed it to 2 bus.

Frank stayed home partly on account of his cold and partly to help Dad keep the drill from clogging up on the straw & grass which didn't all work in. Tonight old Jonas came over and stayed about half the night trying to sell Dad some seed oats (heavy yielders). Dad. didn't order any much to the grief of Jonas but promised him he would Dad. bathed and powdered poor Davy's feet to-night, they certainly are in awful shape and he is as thin as a board. I have felt pretty rotten all day.

It froze again last night but has been warm and sunny all day. The men struck at the canning factory to-day as they haven't been payed for two pay days or more. Dick said to-night that he heard Harry Graham has failed, and that George Gamble they are afraid has typhoid fever. Gordie Faulkner has it not badly & Cecil Lamb's fever didn't break yesterday when the three weeks was up

Tuesday September 16th

We both worked on the land all day. I disked all morning and Dad harrowed over the sowed piece and part of the other. It began to drizzle soon after dinner so Dad took my team and ran out the ditches in the sowed field also the cross ditches in the other. I then took little Joe & Belle and began to roll but the earth at last got so wet that about four o'clock I put them in, when Dad. got through with the others team I disked awhile but not long as I began to get too wet for comfort, so I came in Dad. did chores as I felt too tough except to help milk. Franks cold was too bad for him to go to school to-day. this morning he went down and saw the operations of the canning factory, they are working full blast to-day as the men are promised money to-night or tomorrow It didn't freeze last night and looked rainy all morning

Saturday Wednesday September 17th

I cross disked all morning, Dad. went over and borrowed Ivy's disks and started to cross from the other end we nearly met by noon. It looked so {nebulous?}that Dad thought he would drill it in this after noon though under other circumstances we would have rolled & harrowed it yet. I finished disking while Dad was getting the seed and drill out. and then started to go over the dead furrows lengthways. Dad. got about two or three rounds drilled when it began to rain so hard we were forced put our teams in much to Dad's disgust. as we couldn't do anything but chore the rest of the day and he is afraid we won't be able to get back on the land for quite awhile. Alfred came over

just before it began to rain and brought back the old cultivator. I think I forgot to mention at the time but the ice ran out a week or so ago, it lasted pretty well but we think we can make it do better next year by putting in more sawdust and making better drainage Frank stayed home from school again to-day, my cold is better to-night but Dad thinks he is getting another one now. Frank took a boquet of wild flowers down to exhibit at the horticultural show to-morrow night. Cloudy all day, didn't rain very long.

Thursday September 18th

I haven't done a tap of work all day, I have felt all day like a cake of soap after a hard day's washing and just lay around the house. This morning Dad. thought it was a little too wet to work on the land so after he did chores he went out and got a load of rails and took back Ivey's disks. This after noon he drilled in the rest of the wheat. He ran out of seed when he was within a round or two of finishing and had to go down to Alfred's to get another bag, when he got back it was too late to finish so he will have to wait till morning, he thinks Alfred's wheat a better sample that John Wess's as there is not so much cracked wheat in it.

Frank went back to school this morning but Dad. kept him home this afternoon to help him drill. Enah and Tiddums went down to see the flower show, she said it was not as large as other years and that Frank didn't get a prize on his wild flowers. Frank did not go down to see it. Dick did not get home till late as he went to the dance in the pavillion the last of the season. The men and women at the canning factory did not get their wages as they had been promised so have all struck again except Huby & the engineer. It has been a nice day - I think

Friday September 19th

I did not do much more to-day than yesterday. I started to clean out the stables but became so exhausted that I had to give it up and just poke around, this afternoon I read and answered an advertisement I saw in "The Literary Digest" for a fellow who tells how to get strong, if he fails to help me I think I shall take to dressmaking or something of that nature. Dad. finished drilling before Frank went to school this morning and then harrowed the field over, he started to run the furrows before dinner but old Harry & Joe proved so incompetent that it took him the whole after noon to finish the job, the last five of the dead furrows were so crooked that he harrowed them out and ran them over again

He intended to go down and help Mr. Flemming this after noon as Alfred told him yesterday that he is far behind with his work having been sick, and unable to work ever since Tupper thrashed, Dad may go down tomorrow if Mr. Flemming wants him. Jonas was over for a short visit to-night. We have had to keep Belle tied up all day as we turned her out twice and she jumped right back in to the lane in front of the house immediately, she & Harry got in the night before last and ate all the Golden Bantam corn down to within a foot of the ground. Dad. had to get up at half past four to shut them in the stable and then he didn't go back to bed again. It has been a nice sunny day. Sun set clear to-night.

Saturday September 20th

I felt quite a lot better to-day but my throat is still sore I intended to go back and cut the clover seed this morning but there were two rivets that had to be replaced in the pitman rod of the mower before it could be used so I took it down to Butler's for repair. Dad. told me that if no one else was in the shop I might as well get Joe's shoes set, as they needed it badly, I did, so did not get home till after noon This after noon Frank & I cleaned out the stables which haven't been properly cleaned for about a week and then drove down town to get stuff on our way back we stopped at Uncle Wards and he & Frank picked a bushel of tomatoes which we brought home for Enah to do up. He has a good many there going to waste as he put in a lot for the canning factory but they closed down before he got them all picked.

It got very black while we were there and just as we left began to sprinkle and just as we got home to rain hard. Dick got in just behind us the first time he has been home so early all summer I believe. It did not rain long nor exra heavily and there was only about one hard crack of thunder, but I don't know whether it is all over yet or not.

Dad. has been cleaning ditches all day but has more to do yet. Frank went down this morning to ask Mr. Flemming if Dad. could help him any if he came down but Mr. Flemming said he expected Ern. up and would be through this afternoon. Frank went over to John Wess McBride to return the bags they brought the wheat over in. Blaikie was cutting the buckwheat with a scythe he couldnt manage it with a cradle. Frank saw a black squirrel on the line fence when he was over there Dad and we three boys had a bath to-night, I needed one badly

Sunday September 21st

I sat around the house all day except to help do chores and

finished reading Hamlet. I don't want to got to church till I get my hair cut for fear some body taking me for a wild creature would put me out. Enah still having a desire to hear the Irish preacher of the two preceding Sunday's went down driven by Dick. Frank walked down to Sunday school and church Dad. looked after Tiddums and the house. Tiddums has not been himself to day, for some obscure reason. Dick spent the afternoon at home for a change, reading. Cars. Rankin and Arly McCarter drove over this afternoon to have Dad look at Car's horse's foot which got burned on a rope. It has been dull & chilly & wet off & on all day

Monday September 22nd

It rainded nearly all night and most of the day, the roads being inconsequence in such a condition as to prohibit travel by bicycle, so I drove the boys to the scenes of their labors and as there was nothing pressing in progress here and not knowing when a better oportunity would present itself I put Joe in at Hendersons and proceeded to have, my hair cut, a shave, and my teeth cleaned, this last item I promised Aunty I would have seen to on the first favorable occasion which presented itself.

I arrived home after getting a roll of roofing paper to repair the cow shed roof and some other articles a little before noon, we read and did chores most of the remainder of the day, although we did go out for awhile to strengthen the grain barn floor as in one place it is too much decayed to permit the safe passage of the thrashing machine over it, but as from time to time we must go outside and come in contact with the disagreeable weather, there was no pleasure in it so we postponed the duty to a future and fairer day.

Mrs McBride was here allday performing her biweekly labors and it being such a 'dirty' night Dad. drove her home while I got the cows. I began to read "The White Company" to-day and I am afraid it will be a hard one to leave at the call of duty. Dick is not expected home to-night.

Tuesday September 23rd

Sam Law came in this morning and informed us that he was going up to Clarke Matthew's old place to thrash to-day, and would thrash his own three loads of oats on his way back and then come here, Allan came in tonight and told us that they just pulled the machine into their barn to night and would not be over here till noon to-morrow. This morning Dad & I levelled the butt of the old stack and this afternoon we finished fixing the barn floor and sweeping out the granary bins.

To-night when Frank got home from school he & I drove down town to purchase provisions and warn out Mr. Fleming & the Martins. Dad. has gone over to Mrs. McBrides to-night to see if he can her to help Enah to-morrow. It has been sunny all day but with a cold wind

Wednesday September 24th

We went over about eight o'clock this morning to help Sam. Law, we thrashed out their three loads in a very short time and then came home and hauled a load of rails and made general preparations for them here. They got here about twelve, and were just about ready to start after dinner Frank stayed home from school and first thing went on his wheel to secure the aid of a man from Tupper's and one from Billy Louis as they promised one when Dad gave them free treatment for their cow. Mr. Fleming himself came and brought Bill Philips. Martin's sent two men and Alfred & Jonas both came so we had plenty of help. Mrs. McBride came to help Enah and Ada came over and looked after Tiddums the whole afternoon.

We thrashed out all the oats 513 bushels, and made quite a hole in the wheat which is coming pretty slowly. I helped Bill Philips carry away the oats and they kept us on the hump we got 320 bushels off the 10 acres by the side road and about 240 off the 8 acres back the lane, counting the load we thrashed before over at Sam's, we expect the wheat to go about 10 bushels to the acre.

To-night I drove Mrs. McBride and Ada home, it was awfully dark and I nearly ran into a waggon and did run over a log, across the road. Lovely day sunny and warm

Thursday September 25th

We finished up the wheat about nine o'clock this morning it went better than we expected. 133 bushels and we didn't look for more than 100. It wasn't a very big thrashing but might have been worse. About ten o'clock Jonas and I lit into the corn field, and at noon had 1307 14 shocks put up. Jonas doesn't use a horse but I think he would be better off if he did, as one blows down now and then and takes longer to set it up than it would to move a horse quite a few times. I didn't go out to help him this afternoon but Frank went out some time after dinner with a pail of water for him, and he wasn't there we saw him going up the road afterwards about half past three, but he got ten more shocks cut by six, he said he felt pretty sick after dinner.

We trimmed up the sheep and let the old ram out in the orchard. Frank saw when he went after the mail that Butler had the tires on the waggon set so he and Dad went down before tea and brought it home. Cousins Loll & Phoebe were over for awhile this after noon Mrs. Dave Waddle died to-day at five o'clock, she has been sick for a long time but only a few days in bed, she was down town on Monday. It has been hot to-day and hazy looking all around

Friday September 26th

When Dad. got up this morning he found the old sow had knocked down the orchard gate and let all the ewes out. We got them in with out much difficulty but noticed the ram was up at the north end of the orchard lying down by himself. When we went to look at him we saw at once that he was very sick, so brought him down and put him in his old yard between the drive house and the big barn, he has laid around all day and wont eat or drink, he is not bloated but is quite hollow and does not seem in any pain but now and then stretches out his neck and swells his sides like a dog trying to vomit.

Dad. and I went up to Dunkin's this morning to see him as we got a letter from him yesterday morning saying he had a ram he would let us have for awhile not knowing of course that we had one, we expected to be back at noon but it began to rain soon after we got started and kept up so long that we stayed there for dinner and did not get home till half past four, we didn't think his sheep much ahead of ours and his rams not a patch on $4700. When we got home Enah told us the old sow was out and had wandered down the road but Frank brought her home on his way home from school so we shut her up in Queen's boxstall and nailed up the door. To-night the ram got in the barn and we gave him a drench, he does not seem any better but no worse.

Jonas cut corn this morning to cut corn and cut till it rained. and this after noon tore down the old fence around the hill, he was over to-night to see if we would haul it for him to morrow Dad. told him he would try to. When I went back after the cows to-night I found Bobby & Fred's calf missing and walked way out to the Winding Hill to see them but when I got back they were standing at the culvert and Dad. & Frank were just going to let them in, the fence was down at the culvert and there was an empty whisky bottle near it.

Saturday September 27th

When we went out this morning we found the ram had gone out of the barn into the yard and seemed weaker than last night After breakfast we went out and Dad gave him some more dope, but while we were there we tried to get him to stand up but his feet just shook from under him and he stretched out and died we spent the rest of the morning skinning and burying him, we think of it a rough bit of luck but suppose it is all in the game, we will get a lovely mat off him if we can get it tanned right. what through life held his worth after his death will hold another's wealth. Dad held a post mortem on him and found that it was inflamation of the bladder which

killed him, we didn't look for any thing like that, and Dad says nothing could have been done for him. This afternoon Dad. & Frank cleaned up some of the wheat and oats that were on the floor and took it down to the mill to be chopped they went down town to take Elva's cream and get stuff. I took Harry & Joe and the hay rack and went down to help old Jonas get some of his fence up as he won't be back to cut corn till it is off the highway, he is so afraid of the law, I only got up two loads as it is hard stuff to load alone and Jonas had Leitch's team and waggon so didn't help me any, and I had to knock half of it to pieces, I did not get home till nearly dark. Lovely fall day.

Sunday September 28th

Frank was the only member of the family who attended church and Sunday school. I read most of the morning but got dressed up about noon and this afternoon Dick and I went down to Mrs. Waddles funeral. Dad. drove us down and his went down and got Huby & Lila and they drove up to the cemetery. There was an awful crowd at the house and there must have been over a hundred rigs in the procession.

Dick and I knocked around town til Dad. got back then I came home with him but Dick stayed down to go to church to-night. When we got home we found Emery & his whole family here as well as Mrs. Smythe with Susie & George. they stayed to tea so we were late getting the chores done. Beautiful day.

Monday September 29th

Jonas came over to cut corn this morning but after cutting for about an hour came in, in a great state of excitement vowing that he would cut no more corn with a sickle as he had cut an other piece off his finger, and said that if he couldn't a corn hook which he was used to in Dover he would got to Simcoe after one. Dad. put some turpentine on his finger which he said just had the skin nicked, and told me that I might as well drive Jonas to Simcoe and take old 4700's hide up to be tanned, we left here about nine and went about half a dozen places in Simcoe, and got home about half past twelve, Jonas got his corn hook, some stuff at Fall's, some half stake from Billy Barlow's, a drink of beer and a prize list of the Simcoe Fair. I saw Mr. Hogg and gave Mr. Shaver the hide, and went to see Kompart about getting a new crank for the spreader to replace the one Allan Law lost but although all the doors in the place were wide open there wasn't a sign of a living creature around.

This after noon I got started to cut clover seed but as I had to grind the knives and get the horses in I didn't get started till after three so only got a little more than seven rounds cut. Dad. cleaned out the ditches in the wheat field and Jonas got in a pretty

good afternoon cutting corn. George Slocomb Sr. was over this afternoon with a sore shouldered horse. To-night Dad. had to go down to a school board meeting and I guess wished that R. M. Taylor had beaten him on the election It has been cloudy and mild all day and looks like rain

Tuesday September 30th

I finished cutting the clover seed this afternoon and got two rounds cut in the field next the wood which is all weeds, some of them are up to the horses backs. Dad. helped Jonas cut corn all day and they got a lot done, but Dad. had old Jonas pretty well tired out to-night, Jonas says it is the best corn he ever cut.

It has been a nice bright breezy day, doesn't look so rainy. When we got up this morning we found that the old sow had knocked the gate of the orchard down and let the sheep all out, she her self was sleeping peacefully in a comfortable nest in the hay on the big barn floor. The cows cattle all got in through the bars at the end of the orchard and had wandered all through the corn and over the wheat, they were on the oat stubble when Dad. went out this morning, to-night he shut the cows in the horse pasture

Wednesday September October 1st

The old sow repeated the same performance as last night, but the young stock did not bother the bars at the end of the orchard, but as soon as the cows were turned in with them they went back and broke in through the gully fence and Dad. & Jonas had to stop cutting corn to put them out. Dad. had to stop later on to get Clark Matthews some wheat & oats which he came over to buy for Teddy & his chickens. In spite of these hindrances they got quite a bit cut and had the field half cut at noon.

I cut weeds all morning in the back field, I think I could have finished it to-night but Jonas came over at noon to tell us that he had to help Bob. Leitch thrash so I stayed up to help Dad. cut corn we just nicely got started when we had to chase the cattle out of the field again this time we put them all up in the horse pasture but lost quite a lot of time doing it, before we got out again to work Walt. McCall, Mrs. McCall & three kids including Tommy came in, in Al. Faulkners automobile (as Walt has sold his) to see the colts. so it was about the middle of the afternoon when we got settled down to work, then I cut my finger and had to come up to tie it up but Frank came out and helped us a little after school so we got about twenty two or three shocks cut. I cut a poor little half grown rabbits foot nearly off in the mower this morning but did not kill it, because I thought like Niel Elliot's man that life was sweet. Frank caught a broken winged crow on Sunday and is trying to tame it. Nice day, still looks rainy

Thursday October 2nd

It began to rain about six o'clock this morning and rained all the first part of the morning and most of the afternoon but isn't raining to-night. I drove Dick down to work first thing as the roads were too bad for him to wheel, I dug up some of the onions when I got home and left them right on the ground till they dry, Dad. cleaned out the pig. pen and Frank who has a holiday to-day on account of the teachers' convention and tomorrow because Mrs. Smith is going to judge at the rural school fall fair which is to be held in the town hall tomorrow.

We had dinner about eleven and three of us left as soon as possible after it for Dunkin's to get the ram he told us about. We went past the rail road construction camp which is on the side road on the north of Charlie Dixon's place just as the men and teams were coming in to dinner, they made quite an army. We left Frank on the road about 3/4's of a mile this side of Dunkin's while we went on to get the ram, he is a big heavy fellow and pretty good looking, he looks very long but that is because the fellow Duncan let have him last year did not shear him. It began to rain soon after we left his place and we just nicely got home when it commenced coming down heavily, it was pretty late then so we had an early tea and did chores after. Dad. is going down to Quanbury's to a surprise pedro party for John. He told them he would go but but he would not go through the mud

Friday October 3rd

We did not get up till seven o'clock this morning as Dad played pedro last night very late and came home at two o'clock this morning with the booby prize, as he is always first up and calls the rest we were late. Jonas came over at seven and cut corn all day I helped him this morning, and we got a shock or two over two rows cut which wasn't so bad considering I did not get out till nine o'clock. Dad. helped him this afternoon and they got another two rows cut. I cut weeds all afternoon in the back field but did not quite finish. Frank and Dad. got a load of rails this morning and repaired the gully fence and turned the cattle back, besides other odd jobs.

This afternoon Frank went back to Charlie McQueen's after nuts. Enah & Tiddums went down to see the rural school fair held in Buck's pavillion. She said there was a big exhibit of every thing the shape of farm produce & house keeping all produced & collected by the school children. Lila came back with her to stay all night. Johnny Manning came up to-night from the gully where he had been in quest of mushrooms but failed to discover any. Dick is at a party of Inez Schram's It has been cool and coudy all day but fair. Clear to-night.

Saturday October 4th

I finished cutting the weeds in the back field a

little before noon and brought the mower up. Dad. & Jonas did not get started cutting corn till about half past eight it was so wet from the frost on it thawing, so they did not finish the field till after dinner. When Dad. settled up with him he owed him $7.25 as he paid him at the rate of $1.50 a day for cutting corn and $2.00 for thrashing and as Dad. & Frank went down with the team after they got through to help him haul fence Jonas took $2.50 off for the two quarter days last Saturday and this. They did not get the fence all up.

This after noon I cut a little lawn and picked up over two bushels of pears & apples of the lawn and gave them to the chickens. I did not get much done and quit early to do chores. To-night Frank and I drove down town for provisions and I finished reading "The White Company" aloud to Dad. when I got home, very sorry to finish it. Mrs. Woodson & Betty were over for awhile this after noon. Lovely day.

Sunday October 5th

Frank went down to Sunday school and I drove Enah down to church but as we were as usual late I went up behind the organ, where also was Charlie Martin he having come later even than we. When we came past the Martin's they were all out prepared to drive down to church in Jack's automobile but as the tire was flat they had decided to walk so we brought old Mrs Martin down with us, however they got the tire pumped up afterwards and he stayed long enough to take them down town. The Rev. Mr. Armstrong of Delhi conducted the service while Mr. Johnston was off somewhere else. Johnny Walker sang a solo by way of a special attraction. Dad. stayed home & looked after the house and Tiddums while we were gone and also wrote a poem on the death of 4700 and an epitaph to send to Louise in answer to one she sent us. Dick spent the morning in bed but went down this afternoon and stayed down to tea & church getting home quite late. {Musa?}. Dyer sang a solo to-night in church.

This after noon Ed. Moon, Marion & Alice Miller came over and spent the afternoon. Ed. is working already in the mill in Sloan's place but says he will come over some Saturday afternoon and do some fixing up. I was delighted this morning by discovering a book entitled "Sir Nigel" by A Conan Doyle and upon looking into it finding that it dealt with many of the same characters as "The White Company". I began it to-night.

Tom Abbot came in this afternoon to inquire whether Jonas was a reliable person to make a business transaction with as he had bargained for some wood and then Jonas showed signs of backing out of his agreement but Dad. reassured Tom. It has been a very nice day, sunny & warm

Monday October 6th

I went with Jonas right after breakfast to help him take his cows down to the cattle pen where Niel Elliot was shipping. Old {Jug?} at the mill bought them and Niel was going to take them to Jarvis for him in with his stuff that he was shipping. They were back here in Jugs gully and we & Sairy had quite a time catching them but got them down with out much trouble and put them in the pen which was chock full of hogs. Jonas had to squabble with Jug for awhile as he wouldn't take any thing but cash for his cows not even a cheque and then Elliot did not want to take them at all with his hogs but they at last got things smoothed out and Jonas got his money and they tied the cows in the car. It was noon when I got home I had spent most of the morning with Skinny Ryersie who was looking after the stock.

Dad. started to rake up the clover seed this afternoon morning and finished this after noon we burned what we could of the weeds & grass in the back field this afternoon and most of it burned but there are patches where the fire did not run, it ran in the grass, along the fence bottom and burned about 1/3 of the posts and stakes it also chased the same little rabbit out into the field whos legs I injured with mowing machine the other day. I brought him up to the barn I suppose he has been along the fence ever since I put him there Nice day but very hot.

Tuesday October 7th

Dad. and I cocked up all the clover seed this morning except a few cocks which we did yesterday. We intended to haul a load this afternoon but Loyd Ryersie came over at noon to tell Dad. they wanted to see him down town this after noon at four o'clock to interview the High School Inspector. He went down a little late (he took Enah & Tiddums) but said he might as well have stayed home, as it was all over, and they had had it up at the school house the {kid?} told him to go down town, but it wasn't any regular meeting any way. I felt as lazy as a drunk toad this afternoon but managed to get the barn floor pretty well cleared up of the thrashing refuse. Frank helping me when he got home from school.

Dick says he is pretty sure he saw old Jonas coming home bozy-eyed last night and nobody but Frank has seen anything of him to-day, but he said last night that he would not be over except to set up some shocks he left down as he was going to buy some figs, and I guess he set up the shocks. It has been a a lovely day a little more breeze and not as hot as yesterday Dick came home before tea to-night and started to clean the buggy he says he is going to finish it in the morning. He wants it on Thursday.

Wednesday October 8th

We hauled in clover seed all day today but only got

in three loads, we did not get out till nearly ten this morning but got one load on and off before dinner, this afternoon we got two loads in and left one unloaded, there is just one more small one out yet. Dad. let poor old Dave back the lane this after noon and he spent the afternoon on top of the hill with the other colts in the boiling sun. Mrs. Art Ryerise paid Enah a visit to-day, she has been over in Chicago for a week or so, she said that {Clipha?} Flemming & Wil{--} Ryersie were to have been married to-day. but as we have heard no other report of it, are not sure about it. Pretty hot.

Thursday October 9th

We were late on the start this morning, and just as Dad. & I were going out to pitch off the load we left on the barn floor last night we noticed the cattle on the wheat, and all over the oat stubble and clover. It took us quite awhile to get them back in the gully, so by the time we got the load pitched off and the jag that was left back there up to the barn it was noon we burned one or two of the cocks which were composed solely of leaves & dead grass. This afternoon we went back over the gully to burn the rest of the weeds in the back field. We thought they would burn well after all the hot weather but the fire wouldn't burn at all not nearly so well as it did the other day so we just had to carry it around on our forks and by this means got it pretty well cremated but it took us all the afternoon. Jonas husked corn all day to-day and says it goes a little better than before but he says he is not going to make as much money as he expected, he is husking for four cents a bushel. Dick came home at noon to-day and took Joe and went for a drive with some girl down town Enah and Tiddums went down town this afternoon. It has been fine and hot to-day but looks rainy.

Friday October 10th

We hauled out manure to-day from the horse stable pile and put it on the oat stubble along the side road. It was such a long way to haul it so we did not get on very fast. and as all the top part of the pile was nothing but burned or dry straw - and we wanted to mix rotten stuff with it took us quite awhile to put on a load. We did not get out till ten o'clock this morning and got out nine loads. Jonas husked corn all day but gets on pretty slowly. I had to take some binder twine out to-night and help him put up a couple of shocks. Lila came over to-night to spend the night, on Frank's wheel, he went down after school to get stuff and a bushel basket for which he went in {illegible}, and he walked home. Fine and hot to-day

Saturday October 11th

It looked so much like rain this morning just before we hooked to the spreader that we decided to hook to the waggon first and get the husked corn, but just as we were about to start it began to rain so we put the horses in again. Old Jonas came in from the field, and entertained us for a while with a wild west personal experience of how he was stranded out west somewhere in Michigan fell in with a gambling cowboy, and {made?} a pile in a hurry & revolvers knives, etc. Jonas has seen some awful times in his day if all accounts are true.

We then got the sheep in the barn and marked them all with blue chalk and Dad. put the new tag we got from Dunkin in his sheep's ear and stuck up the tame ones ear with sticking plaster as she caught her tag in some thing the other day and tore her ear the full length. By this time the rain had let up and Jonas gone back to husk so we went out with the waggon and got about a load (21 bushels) but before we came in it was raining hard and we got pretty wet.

It rained most of the afternoon, I read a little and the rest of the family cracked hickory nuts, while thus engaged a small yearling heifer with a freshly broken horn and a long thin rope around its neck came into the garden followed by very bedraggled man in hip rubber boots and a small freckle faced youth. I found out that he was the man from whom Jonas had purchased his heifer and that the afore mentioned critter was her. As Dad. had told Jonas that he might turn her in with our cows, Frank and I proceeded tp help him catch her, get the rope off her and put her in the lane, but we found we had undertaken a task which we were incapable of performing, for the heifer was as wild as a deer.

The man (Smith his name was) had already chased her over nearly every road between here and Marburg, but she was still very game. First she jumped into the pig yard where I caught the trailing rope, but I might as well have had hold of an engine the rope was so small and wet and she was so small and wild that I was forced to let go, she then leaped over the fence and down the lane toward the road where Dave. the small boy headed her off, I opened the gate into the barn yard, hoping to get her cornered in there but she got from there into the pig yard, then into the wheat field up the wheat field to the gully down the gully fence to the side road. then over the fence into the gully making straigt for the gap into the blue grass field where I headed her off from there and the three of us followed her up to the gully cross fence. (Dave. stayed back in the barn yard), there the man caught the rope but let go again immediately, she jumped back in to the wheat field and ran the while length of both wheat fields

down to the little corner of the south east corner of the plum orchard where Frank & I both got a fall in the clay bank in an attemt to get the rope Frank did lay hands on it but she flopped him, after chasing her half way up the lane fence again, we let her go and the last we saw of her she standing in the north east corner of the oat stubble next the gully & side road. We couldn't get her with the other cows with out getting her in the lane as the cows are shut out of the east end of the gully. The man & boy went on down to tell Jonas that he had delivered his heifer and for Jonas to get his rope for him

Frank Lila and I drove down town Lila stayed and Frank and I came back with provisions we drove Mr. Blaikie part way home Tonigh I finished reading "Sir Nigel" and "The Iron Trail" aloud.

Sunday October 12th

Frank rode his wheel down to Sunday school and Dick and I drove down to church. This afternoon Dick went down town and Frank went over to Charlie McQueen's and got some chestnuts, he also got soaking with his best clothes on. I read most of the after noon a great book I found in a box up over the woodshed. It's about an hundred years or so old, and is "Lord Chesterfield's advice to his son", its rich.

Jonas came over to look for his heifer but failed to find any trace of her so I suppose she is back at Marburg by this time. Poor Jonas is broken hearted - and wishes he had never bought her, he was very foolish I think to sell his good big three years old for forty dollars and then turn around around and pay twenty for this runt of a yearling what he wants with them any way in his position is more than I can see. Sam Law came in this morning to get Dad. to go over and cut a lump off his calf. It froze last night and was a lovely sunny morning but rained most of the afternoon.

Monday October 13th

I had to go thrashing down to Flemming's this morning as he came over on Saturday to "warn us out". Tupper's man did not come till late and Walker never came at all so we were a little short handed I was on the table and pitched on to the feeder, after we got well started it kept me pretty busy and to-night I feel stiff and plugged up as they put some of the straw in the barn and made it pretty dusty. He only thrashed his oats and as he only had four hundred and forty something bushels we got through before noon although we got a very late start and stopped several times, it was near enough noon however for us to stay there for dinner.

When I got home I found Jonas's mare in the stable and his democrat out side, and Enah said he and Dad. had just gone back the lane in quest of his heifer, which he told Dad he had seen in our back field but when Dad found it, it was in Evan's back field. Dad got home

about three o'clock leading the heifer almost tame and Jonas following almost wild behind. They had evidently had just such a chase for her over Evan's place - as we had on Saturday over this place, but they got her cornered at last in Evan's cowshed and Dad. went over and borrowed a rope and humbug from John Wess McBride and once he got the ropes on her he soon mustered her, he broke the little clothes line that was on her a couple of times.

He said it was pitiful and laughable to watch old Jonas, every time the heifer would break away from them. Jonas would almost weep and swear he would shoot her if he could get a rifle. Evan's wasn't home and Dad. said they got every loose gate and board around the place to barricade the barn yard but she would break through and once climbed about half way up the straw stack. When they brought her home they put her in with the rest of the cows and although Jonas vowed she would get out she seems to be quite contented. Dad. told him that he would give Jonas $20 for her if she got out and $18 is she stayed in so Jonas said he wouldnt sell her till she got out.

I drove Enah & Tiddums down town to Mrs. Schrams this after noon. Belle jumped the fence out by the big barn to-nigh and knocked a couple of panels flat. It froze last night and has been very chilly all day.

Tuesday October 14th

I greased my old boots this morning and Dad took Mrs. Martin over the pint of cream she spoke for yesterday. We also haulded two loads of loam & sod. from along the road side under the old wild cherry tree in the wheat stubble, and filled in the holes at this end of the lane in the barn yard, where the horses have pawed a hole when they are drinking from the tub in front of the windmill. and under the gate at the north end of the horse stable.

This afternoon we hauled out four loads of manure, Walt McCall. Dave Waddle Billy Loan & Tom. McCall came over to-night and we caught Dolly and Dave led her home he put a rope in her mouth although she would have led all right with just a halter and after walking a little way with her got in the automobile, and led her from it.

Just about dark to-night Mr. Blaikie came over and got Dad to go over and look at John Wess's cow which was badly bloated and John Wess was away. Dad. went over, stayed to tea and as John Wess got back before he left, he did not get home till about nine o'clock. Frank and I did up the chores. Dad says the cow will get alright. It froze very hard last night but has been a beautiful day, very clear to-night.

Wednesday October 15th

We hauled out all the rest of the pile of manure at the horse stable and got through a little before four this after noon and took out

eight loads, when we put the spreader away we hooked on to the waggon and got in a load of corn (22 bushels), we sorted it in the field and there is some fine looking corn in it, Jonas has been husking all day. At noon he came in and told us he had an awful foolish notion in his head, we wondered if he was just beginning to realize the fact, as there is nothing much else to him but foolishness, but at last when he got courage enough to "spit out" what he wanted, he asked Enah if she would iron a shirt for him to-night to wear to the Simcoe fair to-morrow as he could never get his "woman" to do any thing like that for him. Enah told him she would if he would bring it over to-night but he never showed up at all.

Art Ryersie came over just before tea to tell Dad. he had a cow down there which wouldn't attempt to chew her cud and was panting like a lizard, as he considered her a valuable animal he wanted Dad. to go down and see her, so Dad. & Frank have gone down since tea. I cleaned out the cage I have my rabbit in this morning. his feet are nearly healed up and he can hop and jump pretty well. I think I shall let him go soon Enah and Tiddums went down town this after noon and to say goodbye to the Woodson's as they are going next week but no-one was home. It has been a beautiful day. not quite so hot as last week.

Thursday October 16th

We started from here for Simcoe to attend the fair at about ten this morning and got there just about noon, after driving past the various livery stables in town and finding them all crammed we went back to Yeagers and put Joe in there. Yeager was there and told Dad. she was welcome. The three of us Dad. Frank and I spent the whole after noon on the grounds, but didn't see quite every thing, we didn't see the cattle at all except on parade there wasn't a very big exhibit of sheep or pigs, but the rest of the fair was good. They had a good bunch of horses, especially roadsters.

Frank Temmons and Charlie Butler both showed in the carriage horse class but neither got prizes. Yeager took most of the prizes in this class of course. We saw Mr. Hanmer there showing his hackneys but didn't get a chance to speak to him. We saw Harry Langs for a little while. There was an awful crowd on the grounds and about as much fun could be derived from it as any thing else. Yeager had a team of grey mules up there hitched to one of his fancy carriages and driven by King Brown (Theodore's son) in uniform costume who jujding from his countenance was the happiest man in Simcoe, he paraded around in the ring all the afternoon and lined his mules up in every judging class The number of boys on the back of his carriage increased steadily all the after noon and when we left we noticed Frank Temmons was one of them. King's black face shone as brilliantly as

it's complexion would let it above a suit of checkered cloth covered with a motley display of ribbons, on one side of his woolly pate was a little flat hat about as big as a post card and each of his mules had a red ticket tied to its their ears. As a winding up feature they had a girl make a balloon ascention. She went up about as far as you could see her and then descended with a parachute, about a half amile away from where he went up, every body wondering whether she would light in a tree mud hole or straddle a fence. I heard one lady exclaim that she wouldnt do that for "nothing.'

It must have been nearly five when we left Yeager's and as we were trying to get home before Art Ryersie who we passed and then were passed by just out of Simcoe, we got home about six, but I guess Art beat us and beat us well, he went the back road and we kept the gravel all the way but we didn't see a sign of him after he turned at St. John's. Enah and Tiddums spent the day down town. It looked like rain all morning but faired off into an ideal day.

Friday October 17th

Dad. and I hauled a load of rails to the house this morning and got about all the good ones there were in the fence bottom running west from the side road along the north end of the wheat stubble We also got a small load of sand to put in front of the north stable door, we then went down to Preston's and got a bushel of potatoes. This after noon we took things pretty easy did chores and Dad. fixed the little ladder goin up into the horse stable loft. which big Joe bumped his head on and broke this morning.

Jonas husked corn all morning but as it rained this after noon he spent it trying to build himself a barn to keep his horses and cattle in all winter. He was in a very joyful mood this morning after being at the show and was in a great hurry for Dick to get up as he wanted him to send {illegible} for him, but to-night he is in the worst state of despair as he evidently did not have very much success building his barn out of the old fence rubbish. Dad. told him he was foolish to try and might far better sell his stock and put the money away till he needed it and then have that much more firewood. It has been very cloudy all day drizzling most of the after noon and to-night

Saturday October 18th

I drove Dick and his bicycle down to the corner this morning and then went down to the mill to get a bag of flour. Old Jonas was working at his barn which is about the size of a big packing box, he only had a few scantlings nailed to-gether for a starter. he said he was nearly wild with apprehension for the coming winter. When I got home Tupper was just

leaving, he and Harry his man were going down to fix the hill in front of Preston's and came in to borrow a fork to pitch sods. We didn't do much, this morning we started to fix the old shed next the cow stable as Dad. wants to separate his pigs and put some of them in there, we didn't get much done at it. Lila came over and this afternoon she and I drove down town principally to take Dick's suitcase down as he is going to Toronto to-night. Dad. spent the afternoon cleaning ducks and a chicken. Winnnie came back with Lila and me but didn't stay to tea. Lila is staying all night.

This is the fifteenth anniversary of Frank's birthday and he celebrated it by cleaning out and white-washing the chicken house. We put Queen and Ginger in to-night as it is pretty cold out. Queen behaves just as if she was fifty years old. It rained quite hard last night and to day has been muddy, cloudy and cold with a little more rain, very raw wind this afternoon.

Sunday October 19th

Frank and Lila went down to Sunday school and I drove Enah down for church, we were early for once. Enah expected {Elva?} would be away but she wasn't, enah played the organ any way. This was a children's day and they had the whole contents of the Sunday school in the front seats. As a little extra, Sam Jacques had his baby christened. Mr. Johnson kept referring to it all through the as he or him but its name turned out to be Helen Isabel or something similar.This afternoon Dad. put the saddle on Joe and I went for a ride. She nearly put me off while I was getting on the first time but she didn't and I rode out to the Shands I found them just starting off to the Hares who live on the town-line about three miles this side of Jarvis, to wish old Mrs. Nixon a happy birthday she was 90 years old. Charlie put the saddle on his horse and I went with him, we beat them all of course both coming and going.

I got home just about dark and to-night feel pretty stiff I guess Josie is tired too. I lost a nice little tie pin I suppose on the road. Cousin Clare gave it to me and I was very sorry to lose it. It has been cloudy and cold all day, drizzly to-night.

Monday October 20th

This was Thanksgiving day but has been exceedingly rotten. It rained the greater part of last night and most of the morning and has been cold, raw and muddy. This morning Dad. went down town to ship the barrel of apples to Uncle Hal. and Aunty Alice which he got from Bill Duncan and which have been down at the station since Saturday. He also saw Butler about getting a plow but as he walked down he couldn't bring it home. He is going to get a Cockshutt to try and if we don't like it we will get a Wilkinson. I didn't do any thing much all morning My muscles are all stiff and sore from my ride yesterday

I guess it was too far when I haven't been used to it, it must have been about fifteen miles. Frank cleaned off the walls of the cow stable and this after noon white washed. it. Dad made a box for the wheel barrow after dinner so that I can carry out a much bigger load of manure. Then he and Frank went and struck out a few loads in the oat stubble while I cleaned out the stables.

Belle jumped into the pig yard from the barn yard tonight and when I went to chase her back she jumped the wire fence into the lane, caught her foot in it and bent a panel of it badly. Ginger and Queen both ran back the lane to the gully. Queen came up with Dad. when he went after the cows but Ginger is back there yet with the colts, which she has been trying to get with all summer.

To-night Dad. and Frank walked down to meet Dick he said he wouldn't be home till the late train so they were going to the moving picture show. Frank has been coaxing Dad. to go for quite awhile. Mrs. McBride was here washing to-day.

Tuesday October 21st

Dad. plowed all day and got on pretty well. I did chores and cleaned out the alley way in front of the cows where the calves spent last winter. That took me the biggest part of the day. I spent about half an hour chasing cattle back into their proper quarters after they had jumped over or crawled through the old fence around the barn yard. This morning Bill Stamp came and got four bushels of wheat for this chickens. Aleeta McBride came over this afternoon to iron. Jonas husked corn all day. I felt rather rotten having a sore throat and getting an all around cold. Cold, windy, cloudy & wet.

Wednesday October 22nd

Dad. plowed all morning, and I did chores and started to clean out the pile of rubbish in the corner of the big barn but the wind got so bad I stopped and came in to the house. This afternoon we went out with the waggon and got alload of corn. We got mostly all Jonas has husked. 26 bushels. We sort it out there and leave the poor stuff to gather up afterwards, there isn't much of it. Niel Elliot came in before dinner to see if we had any cattle for sale but of course we hadn't. Jonas husked all day. It has been a miserable day. It rained this morning and drizzled part of the afternoon, being cold, cloudy, muddy and windy all day. I feel rottener.

Thursday October 23rd

Dad. lay awake in bed this morning from five to seven thinking from the sound of the wind that it was pouring rain but on getting up found it a beautiful morning. He got out as soon as possible after breakfast and plowed till about eleven.

I did up all the chores and then went out and plowed till noon, while Dad. came up to shave as he had to be bearer at Mrs. Birely's funeral this afternoon, he left a couple of strike oats for me to finish up after dinner and I ran myself out of a job about four o'clock. I left about a round or two on each land for Dad. to finish and as I couldn't strike out I unhooked but when I got to the top of the orchard. I saw Dad. cutting wood so yelled at him and he came out and plowed till dark. Jonas husked corn all day, he is full of an idea now to go south and work for {Eumer?} Johnson, housing niggers working in his orchard. He says they are anxious to have him go and his going to try to get there.

Aleta McBride was over ironing again to-day, she minded Tiddums while Enah went down to the funeral after dinner. My little rabbit died yesterday. It has been avery nice day cloudy, but mild, & breezy. Trying to rain to-night.

Friday October 24th

Since I watered & fed the horses before breakfast this morning I haven't done another {tap?} all day, except read. I had quite a bad pain in my "stumick" this morning and have put in a bad day on account of my cold in my head. It rained steadily all day so I didn't lose much in the way of work. Dad. couldn't do any thing but chores. Mrs. McBride came over this morning according to promise to see if she could do anything towards house cleaning, but of course couldn't.

Cars. Rankin drove over this afternoon to have Dad. look at his horse, which Dad. says has nothing the matter with it. He also wanted Dad. to keep it here and fix it up, but as we will be crowded for room this winter for our own horses, he refused.

Saturday October 25th

As far as work is concerned

took the plow out there and unloaded it. Vyse's three horses were on the road this morning and came into our lane, Dad. told him on his way down town so he and little Frank came after them. Allan Law was in to-night and Dad. paid him for thrashing. He told us that Jack Philips was very dangerously ill with typhoid fever. Dick got home fairly early to-night, with the mail, and the news that Mr. & Mrs. Gilbert Lynch are the proud parents of another boy. Dad. heard in town today that some "public spirited citizens of Port Dover are canvassing the town with a petition to have Jack Walker's picture show classed as a public nuisance. Fine & windy, everything very wet.

Sunday October 26th

Frank went to church and Sunday school, but was the only member of the family who did. I sat around all day and read. the "Literary Digest" for this week, through completely. This after noon the whole family except me went down to wish Lila a happy birthday. Dad. Enah and Tiddums drove down but the latter was too sleepy to enjoy himself, so they didn't stay long but the boys stayed to tea.

Jack Walker came over while they were gone and got old Joe, he says he has to have him now as the corn is coming in and one team can't stand it; he says he thinks he could make a dicker with Dad. for him, but as he seems to think old Joe worth $100. I think it very doubtful as Dad wouldn't give more than fifty for him. It has been fair cloudy and raw all day.

Monday October 27th

Dad. plowed with Harry & Belle all day and got on pretty well, after I got all the chores done up, I started to pick the spies but didn't get on very fast before dinner. It took me all the afternoon to get the rest of the spies and there isn't so very many and they are not sorted yet, I also picked all the Kings but there were only fifteen of them on the tree, I got thirteen of them, one fell off and I bruised another knocking it off with a stick.

Tonight Frank and I went down to the concert given by a travelling company for the band, and had a good time, there was a ventriloquist with them who was good, as well as an elocutionist and tenor. They had a dance afterwards and Dick and I stayed till it was over I got home about half past one and Dick a little later as he went home with some girl. Frank waited till it was nearly over but was asleep when I got home. Mr. Hodge came over with the tax notices this morning, they are just about the same as last year. It has been cloudy and threatening all day, and just as I got home to-night I felt a drop or two.

Tuesday October 28th

When I got up about seven o'clock this morning it was blowing a gale and raining, so after we did the chores we didn't do much else all day, although it didn't rain long

we didn't even get the stables cleaned out. Alfred came over this morning for awhile. This afternoon I drove Enah down town this afternoon to have her dress fitted at Mrs. Schram's I also practiced a little on my horn, Cloudy, windy and cold.

Wednesday October 29th

Dad. plowed all day and is now just half over the oat stubble or just at the pile of stoanes, the top of which just sticks up over the surface of the ground, it took me nearly all day morning to clean out the stables, get in straw and cut wood, but this afternoon I picked apples. First I picked up all the good Canada Red's which blew down in night before last's wind, they blew down more than the others, I put them down cellar in one big box I picked an orange crate of Talman Sweets, which wil be enough for us, the pigs will likely get the rest, they are beauties. I also picked what few sweet russets I could but as they seem to grow mostly on very tips of the limbs I had to shake most of them down, there were very few barely an orange crate full.

It began to rain about three o'clock and although it didn't rain hard it was very steady and wet through everything I had to go out and help Jonas put up some of the husked corn, the threw down a lot but as it began to rain didn't get it husked we didn't put it up. Mully got into the east end of the gully to-night and jumped the fence and came right up the wheat to the bars.

Thursday October 30th

Dad. plowed all day and got on well. Jonas husked all day. I picked apples after I got the chores done. Mrs. McBride was here house cleaning all day so I had to beat carpet at noon. This morning Frank took a sack down to Preston's, and they filled it with potatoes and left it outside the gate, I drove down and got it. Frank went back to look for the turkeys after school, he couldn't find them at their old roost in the gully but he saw R. J. Watson who told him he had seen them Tuesday on the road in front of McQueen's. Dick told us last night that Harry Dyer fell off a scaffold yesterday and broke his ankle. It has been sharper to-day, and rained a little this afternoon. Dad. should have gone down to a school board meeting to-night but it is raining and dark so he isn't going

Friday October 31st

It froze quite hard last night and snowed a little. Robert John Watson came over this morning just as Dad was getting out to work to get his heifer which had got in with our cows, as I was just going back to fix the fence where Mully and Jim got into the back field where we burned off the grass, I went with him to help him get her home, she was very quiet, so we had no trouble in driving her but it took us all morning to get her to stay in Robert John's place, we got her into Ivey's place but she jumped through the old

fence back into our gully, then we drove up along the woods into John Vyse's back field, then into Robert John's field then into his gully from where she ran directly back and jumped into Ivey's again, but we didn't have much trouble getting her from there into his gully again where I left him with her, I then drove Mully & Jim out of the field as they had got in while we were chasing the heifer, and made a good fix on the fence, it was a little after twelve when I got back to the house and Dad. was up with the team.

This afternoon we hauled in two loads of corn fifty-two bushels. Jonas was in the seventh heaven odf delighted as he had Jim Law helping him husk. Jim husks about two bushels to Jonas' one and teases the life out of him at the same time. Frank went to look for his turkeys after school to-night, he went to McQueens and Charlie told him there were eight there and had been there with theirs for a month but Frank wasn't sure whether they were his or not and besides there should be eleven and Robert John said he saw that number last Tuesday, on the road, while Sid McBride was doing some other fencing for Robert John they stretched the piece between him and us so we got out of that job. We were reminded of this being Hallowe'en by hearing the school bell ringing to-night. Tiddums was playing on our bed with some blocks this afternoon and crawled off the edge and gave himself a bad bump on his head and cut his eye quite badly, he was up on his hands and knees when Enah found him. Cold and windy all day, two short but blinding snow storms, one this morning, the worst one this afternoon.

Saturday November 1st

It froze the ground so hard last night that we couldn't haul corn as we intended so Dad. plowed all morning. Frank went after his turkeys and got home with nine of them about noon They were over at McQueens and he thinks the other two must have been shot. I did chores and cleaned some of the boards out of the old shed by the cow stable and piled them in the corner of the barn. I finished the job after dinner while Dad. and Frank went down town, they took some oats to the mill to be chopped. and went on down town to get the mail and some provisions. When they got back about four we all three went out and got the soft corn out of the field. There was nearly a waggon box full of it and it was just about dark when we got up so we just hauled it in on the barn floor.

Just as we were starting for the corn field Jonas came along and told Dad. he would like some money. Dad. wanted him to wait till we got the load in but Jonas wanted it right away so Dad went itno the house to get it. Just as he went in he told Jonas he was a darned old nuisance and that he would sooner have a boil on his ear (or words to that effect) than have him around. This Jonas considered an insult and started off for home declaring that he would take no money nor husk any more corn, by the time Dad. came out he was half way home, but Frank went after him and prevailed on him to take the money, he is still pretty mad though. It has been very windy but not very cold all day.

{Duplicate of page 145}

Sunday November 2nd

Frank went down to church and Sunday school, nobody else went down this morning. Mr. Buck came over and got Dad to go down and see his cow which he thought was sick but which was quite well when Dad got there. I did chores and Dick slept till dinner. This afternoon Mr. Birely came over ans stayed quite awhile and to-night Dad. and I went down to church, Dick was down to Huby's to tea, and went to church afterwards. We stopped in at Huby's on our way down and took him the "Every body's Magazines" that Aunty Alice has been sending us all year. He said he might be over to husk corn to-morrow.

This has been a day of disaster, when Dad. first went out this morning he found one of his pigs all in and the others going for it. He carried it over to the barn and later came to the conclusion that its leg was broken up in the "ham" so will have to kill it to-morrow. He also found the old gobbler sick and diagnosed the case as black-head, he died this afternoon. Enah considered he was worth five dollars. Then we noticed a big hard lump under Queenie's jaw to-night which Dad. says is very like distemper although she has no cough I noticed a small lump there some time ago but thought nothing of it. Lovely day much milder.

Monday November 3rd

I didn't do any chores before breakfast but wrote to Aunty instead. After breakfast I did up all the chores and about half past eleven went out and plowed a little, Huby came over with his gun before dinner but didn't get a shot at any thing, old Jonas came back again and he & Huby husked all the after noon and got on well. Tom. Abbot said this morning that he might get one of the Bush's to come up and help husk for us. Dad. and I both went out after dinner, and he made two or three strike outs, and then went up to kill his poor little broken legged pig and I kept on plowing we will soon have the oat stubble plowed. Dad. hated to kill his pig but got forty pounds of dressed pork from him besides the jiblets.

Jonas came over to-night, he is afraid the money that he sent to Tildson bouy, has gone astray, but Dad. assured him that he wouldn't lose it as he has the receit of his bank money order, he also gave us quite an entertainment on the mouth organ. It was a lovely morning but has been cloudy and rainy all the afternoon

Tuesday November 4th

Dad. plowed all day to-day and is nearly over the road fence, I did chores this morning and transplanted the peony roots which I put in the garden the day Walter went away. This afternoon I pulled all the carrots and beets and nearly all the onions, we piled the carrots and beets in a pile to-night and covered

them for fear of frost, there were 6 1/2 bus. of carrots, what we have eaten so far would I think make 7, a yield at the rate of 784.1 busels to the acre. and 4 big bushels of beets on not half the ammout of ground as the carrots were on or a yield of 1102.78 bushels to the acre.*

The onions were small and a lot of them soft, I just got a small basket full of them and there is another line to dig yet. Huby has husked all day and Jonas was here all morning but just got here in time to husk a couple of bushels before dark. Huby got a shot at a black duck in one of the holes in the timothy field but was too faraway, he was afraid he scared them away but they were back this afternoon but did not light although he scattered some corn in the swail hole. Dick got home to tea to-night for a change. Cloudy and cold all day looks rainy. *These figures are according to my calculations and may not be absolutely correct.

Wednesday November 5th

Frank caught a skunk under the cow stable in the trap he set last night. He and Tige are next to impossible to live with. He drove all the kids in school about crazy to-day. The cow stable was so thick aired that it tainted the cream. He skinned him to-night, he says it isn't a very good skin as there is too much white on it. Dad. plowed all day and finished the oat stubble. I went out with him at noon and we put on a load of rails from the gully fence and he hauled them up before he backed to the plow. I unloaded the load of soft corn that was on the waggon (21 bus) this morning and this afternoon I unloaded rhe rails, cut some of them up and sorted the Northern Spys. Huby and Jonas husked all day. It froze quite hard last night but has been a beautiful day. Frank and his Meccano outfit down for Cecil Lamb to play with.

Thursday November 6th

Dad. set off as soon as he could for Dunkin's with the ram this morning, he took Harry and Belle - and didn't get back till a quarter past two. He brought the imported ram back with him. I started to clean out a canal between one of the water holes in the timothy sod to the one in the oat stubble with the tile under in, I got it pretty well started, but found it would take a very deep ditch to carry it, and as the clay was so stiff I didn't get on very fast, I stopped when Dad. came home to help him unload the ram. and he said there was no use trying to plow the timothy sod this fall. as it is impossible to plow either through or around the water holes and it will waste too much time digging ditches between them so he is going to start on the other side of the gully. D. O. to-morrow and we will try to put tile in there after it freezes up. Huby husked all day but Jonas was only here for an hour or so at noon he has been sick with "information" all day, Huby says he wept bitterly out there for awhile, and then went to see the doctor. Beautiful day. Huby says it is Indian Summer and it certainly looks like it.

Friday November 7th

We got out good and early this morning as it didn't freeze at all last night. Dad took the new plow back over the gully and started to plow the field which we cut clover seed off. We got a good day in. Huby was over at seven o'clock this morning and got a full day in, although Jonas never showed up all day. I helped him all the after noon.

This morning I carried all the apples amd vegetables down cellar. Lila came over after school to stay all night. Enah and Tiddums went down to see Cousin Clare who came yesterday. Cars. Rankin came over this after noon and took the light saddle and bridle which I am positive I bought from Dick last spring, but Dick evidently thinks he owns them as he sold them to Cars. for six dollars, I don't want tho the saddle particularly only if I have paid for them I would like the money. It has been a beautiful day; mild and sunny but is raining to-night.

Saturday November 8th

It rained all night and has kept up a steady and soaking in down pour all day with short intervals of no rain but no sunshine at all. After I did up the chores this morning I came in and chopped suet, cleaned lamp chimney's, and tidyed up all the papers which were stacked all around the kitchen. Dad. spent the whole morning in opening up ditches in the field he has plowed, he also paced it off and found it is nearly 10 acres. Frank cleaned the windows in the kitchen and played with Lila. This afternoon we did chores, I read a little and cut a little wood, about five o'clock Arthur Preston came over to inform us that they had our potatoes all and bagged up and could we could get them anytime, so Dad. hooked up Joe and Ginger and we went after them. we took Lila down to the corner with us and she walked on home. We got 24 bushels of potatoes and they were 60 cts a bushel Joe & Ginger were feeling pretty good as Joe hasn't been hooked up for over a week and Ginger all summer. Joe was glad to get beside Ginger again and "kissed" her profusely. We saw Jonas on our way home, he looks pretty sick and says the doctor told him he had a cut in his digestion.

Sunday November 9th

Soon after I got up this morning it began to snow although quite mild not having frozen all night. It turned to rain about noon and kept up all the afternoon with increasing severity, and to-night is terrific, but the snow has nearly all disappeared. Frank went down to church and Sunday school but the rest of us hardly went out of the house, except for Dad. and I to do chores, and this after noon Frank and Dad. went out and drove the sheep from the orchard to the shed at

the hay barn. Dad. also opened the smoke house door to afford shelter for the old sow, she took advantage of it, and soon made a bed out of the alsike chaff he put in for her, taking the precaution to root the bricks from around the edge into the middle of it. Dad. and Frank also moved Frank's pigs from the old shed where they were about submerged to the barn floor which was dry. Dad. didn't milk to-night and didn't put any of the cows in thinking it would be warmer out around the stack and in the shed than in their stable as the wind coming in above the old barn doors which space has not been boarded up since we thrashed makes it cold and draughty. I read "The Wonders of Science in Modern Life" nearly all day. Dick slept most of the morning, had a bath, this afternoon, wrote to Aunty read and played checkers with Frank.

Monday November 10th

Soon after breakfast this morning, I went down and got Huby to come over and help up move the cook stove from the woodshed to the inside kitchen, Dad had it all ready to move when we got here so it didn't take long to move it Huby went back home together to dinner As Dad put the little stove up in the dining room as soon as he took it out of the kitchen it was well past into the afternoon when he got both stoves set up and late when we had dinner. After dinner I went down town and got some groceries, but didn't stay long. I read the rest of the time. The old sow broke out of the orchard last night and she and the sheep have been roaming at liberty all day. Art. Walker & Charlie Butler were in with, the cream, can, check and butter saving Tom a trip, the check was $2.47 which was better than we expected as we have sent so little cream and bought all the butter there. It looks as if winter had set in. It has been freezing quite hard all day and snowing with a strong and very cold wind.

Tuesday November 11th

I cut a good big pile of wood this morning while Dad. was doing chores, we then went out and tore down quite a strip of the gully fence intending to haul it in this afternoon. Huby came over to husk corn soon after dinner. As it snowed most of the afternoon Dad thought he would not take the team out to haul the rails so we pitched off the load of clover seed instead. Dad also shovelled down to see if he could find the hole in the oat bin through which all the grain is escaping, but could find no sign of it. About four Dad. and I went out and helped Huby husk and stayed till a little after five and got four unhusked shocks husked.

It was mighty inclement out there but Huby had a very comfortable wind break constructed of sheaves. Frank went to see Jonas to-night and says he is worrying terribly about everything, he wants Frank to feed his mare & colt a little hay and chop once a day, I suppose he expects them to live at that rate

I started to practice on my horn to-night but found the little nib broken off the second valve. Toaty has fixed it on twice already, so I don't think it is much use taking it to him again. It was nice and sunny this morning but turned cloudy and snowed all the afternoon, cold and windy all day.

Wednesday November 12th

Huby came over at seven o'clock this morning and husked corn all day, we both went out and helped him as soon as we could so got quite a lot done. Dad. had to go down to Flemming's at noon to see Chris Quanbury's cow which has some swelling on its jaw. I went down town after supper to get some groceries, footwear and my hair cut, Andrews was closed but I did the rest of my errands and took the valve of my horn to Toatys again for repairs. Walt said if I sent it to Whaley Royce & co. it might be three weeks before I could get it again.

I went up to the bank and waited there for an hour or two for Dick, he got back from the moving picture show about a quarter to ten and then worked awhile, Hazen was there when I went literally "stripped to the waist" looking for a mistake they made or have been looking for for about a week. Hazen & Wiggins were looking for it when we left. I decorated Hazen's photograph album a little while I was there. Tupper was here while I was in town and wants one of us to go and thrash to-morrow. He ran a nail in his hand, and is just about laid up with it. Very much milder to-day, would have been perfect Indian Summer, but for a cold wind

Thursday November 13th

It was raining when we got up this morning so we did not hurry to get over to Tupper's. After breakfast it did let up for awhile so I went, it soon began to rain again and we didn't do a thing all morning, except talk, it is the most amusing, entertaining and typical conversation when Bill Donald, Win. Law and Tupper get to-gether. I stayed to dinner and we thrashed all the afternoon as it cleared off quite fine. I came home as far as the corner with Win Law who was driving to town Tupper will have about 60 bushels of alsike seed when he gets through some of it pretty good, he sold it to Green's man to-day for 8.50 cleaned up, he has a very sore hand where re ran the nail in it. I have to go back to-morrow.

Huby husked corn this afternoon Dad said he worked out in all the rain and got the cow stable roof well repaired, and the chicken house roof nearly fixed, both with roofing paper, he also did up all the chores and to-night braided what seed corn we have up.

Friday November 14th

I got over to Tupper's about 8.30 this morning and they had just started when I got there, we finished the alsike just at noon, it was a pretty dirty job even after they put the blower out side before that it was a fright. After dinner we thrashed out his

three loads of Hungarian grass with the separator, it didn't take long which was lucky for if it had I for one would have croaked. Art. Walker, Harry & I were in the mow and they had the blower shooting the chaff over our heads, and about as much came back on us as we were pitching out, and the air was full of it. While they ran the separator out and the clover mill in from the far barn I crawled over in the clover seed to enjoy a few minutes of rest, there were only three loads of clover seed and it took an hour and forty minutes to finish it up. I spent that short time in agony. For some reason or other all the muscles in my back and legs ached horribly and I thought they would never throw up the last forkful, I was pitching on the table to Art. Walker. We got through about five and I lit out for home before supper, after they had indulged in a very prolonged and ragtimey whistle to express their joy at being through with that job as they have been there over a week I think.

On my way home I came on Sam. and his outfit at the foot of the big hill at the side road, the old engine evidently wouldn't go uphill without sliding so they were just putting the big calks on the wheels. They only had half enoug for one wheel which caused it to slide twice as much as the other and was hard to hold the front wheels in the middle of the road. It was dark when I got to the cornfield but I saw old Nig. in there and after a little hunting found Huby. and waited there with him till six, when I got to the house I was about ready to drop with cold and fatigue so crawled up as close to the stove as possible, I went to bed right after tea. I guess Dad. put in a busy day, he finished fixing the hen house roof, hauled in two loads of rails and a jag of corn. Huby husked from the middle of the forenoon on till six.

This storm has been awful in Western Ontario and on the Upper Lakes especially Lake Huron. Over twenty wrecks and over three hunderd lives lost according to the papers which are full of it. We know old Quint is safe though as the Algonquin was reported at Port Coulborne on Monday I think he he has to make one more trip to Montreal before he goes up the lakes, after wheat, that will be the last of the season. In spite of the beautiful night last night it was raining when we got up this morning, but it soon cleared off bright, and is clear and cold to-night.

Saturday November 15th

We have had a busy day to-day. Huby was over at day break and went back first thing to the gully to see if he could get a shot at a duck, when he got to the top of the gully, he saw one a little way up from where he was but thought he saw another closer so crept up on it, he heard the one up the creek fly but thought he was sure of this one, as it didn't fly till he got so close to it and then discovered it to be a muskrat, he didn't shoot it at such close range for fear of spoiling its skin so came back empty handed and went to husking corn. It was frozen stiff early so

we thought it an extra good chance to get in the corn, we put off the jag (18 bush) which Dad. got in yesterday and got in three more before noon averaging 25 bushels apiece. Huby helped us while we were in the field and then went back to husking, so with Frank we got on fast. We brought the soft corn in at the same time in the back of the load it ran about five bushels to the load and we put it up above the pig pen.

After dinner Dad. and Frank had to go down town to get coal oil, flour and do some other errands, which took up a lot of valuable time, I cleaned out the horse stables and got load in while they were gone, but when they got back it was snowing, however they got in two more loads, the last one of which they ran into the barn. I only helped get in part of the first load as the sheep got out on the wheat so I stopped to put them in and the last load I spent in putting the cows in and feeding them. Lila came over this morning and went back with Huby to-night.

Sunday November 16th

We got up very late this morning and Frank went to church and Sunday school and came around by McBains to tend to Jonas's horses. He says Jonas is worse to-day. The indigestion has gone down on his lungs; poor fellow is in bad shape. Dad. and I went down to see Chris Quanbury's cow after we did up the chores but as neither Chris nor Mr. Flemming were home and the cow was out, Dad. couldn't see much. We saw Jack Spain and Vyse on the latter's place and had a talk with them principally about the wrecks on the lake. Vyse says they are getting up a fund to help the widows and orphans of the drowned sailors. This after noon Huby came over with a fish and an awful pile of side line which Dave. Law had given him to make a line for digging and ditch, all the string where the nets were fastened has to be taken off. He and I then went back to the gully where we fell in with Frank who had previously gone back with his book "Trappers Guide" which he got from John {Hallam?}, it is the first thing in the literature line he has ever showed any interest in.

Huby scattered corn all along the creek to coax the ducks and then we went back into the woods we saw one rabbit but Huby didn't get a shot at it, he got a lot of moss and ferns and a small bird's nest which he says he is going to use for a hunt {match?} receptacle. Dick went down town this afternoon, stayed to tea at Huby's, went to church and came home right after, he and I then made so much noise that Tiddums and Dad. had much difficulty one in staying asleep and the other in writing a letter to Aunty. Cloudy and raw.

Monday November 17th

Dad. and I unloaded the load of corn they ran in on the barn floor, Saturday night, it took a very long time as we had to sorted it out of the waggon, we then went after another load. and got it unloaded a little after noon. Huby helped us load and un-

load it as the corncrib is getting so full, that I had to stay in there to dump the bushels as far back as possible. This load took nearly all the good there is husked, there is not a load out there now. This after noon Dad. started plowing again over the gully. I cleaned out the cow stables and then helped Huby husk corn till dark. Cold and cloudy with raw wind.

Tuesday November 18th

Dad. plowed all day and got on fairly well. Mr. Blaikie came back and had a visit with him this afternoon. I did chores this morning and braided some corn. I am going to have the drive house beautifully decorated with seed corn when I get it all braided. We were disappointed that Huby didn't show up all morning we don't know just why, but he came over at noon and he and I husked till about five o'clock it was nearly dark then. we got just five shocks husked, Jonas came over this morning, we don't know what his message was, he looks pretty sick and hardly talks above a whisper, but I think that is because he doesn't want to move than because he can't, the old jay has bought eight pigs and has nothing to feed them and is paying a man $2.00 a day to finish building his barn to shelter them. It has been a very disagreeable day, very foggy cloudy and a fine drizzle, one quite hard shower this after noon.

DIARY. 1913

T B Barrett,

Port Dover, Ontario

The Farm

From November 19th 1913 to December 31st 1913.

Wednesday November 19th 1913.

Dad and I got up pretty early this morning and I braided some corn before breakfast. Huby came over but instead of husking this morning he helped me pick up apples for cider, I shook them down and he gathered them up and carried them over to the waggon which was in the lane as it was too soft to take it into the orchard. There were just enough apples left in the orchard to make the waggon-box full (26 bus) and we took them all except a bushel of Newton Pippins which I picked to put down cellar. Dad thinks we will have too many but Huby and I thought it best to be on the safe side, as we have Huby's two 10 gallon kegs to fill this time besides our 42 gallon barrel. We also scalded out the barrel and kegs, and hung up the braided corn in the drive house, we didn't finish the apples till half past two this afternoon, and then I picked the Newton Pippins cut wood and did chores till six, Huby husked corn till after dark, and just about when I was thinking of going out to see if any thing had happened to him, he came in drenched to the skin, he said he just wanted to finish the shock.

He killed one of the drakes after dinner, he is going to get another later. Dad plowed all day and to-night had to go down to a school board meeting although it is a fierce night. I spent the evening braiding a long rope of seed corn. It has been cloudy and raining all day, not steadily nor hard but a kind of half hearted drizzle about every ten minutes, till about five o'clock to-night when it more than poured down and soaked Huby who stayed out in it to finish his shock. Every thing is covered in water. Dad. got back early from the school meeting, we don't know whether Dick will be home to-night or not.

Thursday November 20th

Dad and I left a little after nine for Walker Waddle's with our apples