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 back 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 her 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 Haby’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 her Hazen worked so late, he 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 {Lile?} down town with us thwo mince pies and the turkey we killed for Christmas which Aunty took down to help to cook. Dad did chores and we had a cold lunch after which Dad & I went down to Alfred's followed by Miss Tige & the white kitten

[Left page] 2. to take him {illegible} wooden cross puzzle which he seemed very pleased to get. We went down his love & home {illegible} 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 tear, 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 Furnet’s, and told us he couldn't not be home to night. Aunty stayed down to & Dad {illegible} & I came home about eleven. It has been very mild & sunny

Thursday January 2nd I got up very late this morning. Dad & and I did chores and Glenn & Willar Ryesie came along for a half mornings visit. Willar wanted Dad. to buy a pure bred Durham bull calf for fifty dollars, but Dad told him he would go ones & look at it before investing. At eleven Dad. went down to Haly’s and brought Aunty home. This after noon he went down again and saw liaise up town who solicited auto 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 cleaned up some of the old rubbish heap in

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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 thing either, but Win sent her over at couple of aprons. Aunty remembers they are just she wanted Dad. Aunty and I drove down town in the hunler waggon this afternoon morning. Aunty went in to see Enah who was up walking around and then down to Halys to get Dads. old medicine cupboard and the contents dose of ready for removal to the farm. Dad & and I went down to the beach and down there were great as the sand was frozen aweigh to hold the wheels up and get not too much to shovel. The ire hanps are very high down there. We came up around by Haly’s and got Aunty and the old euphourd which we are going to use as a stove house for Frank’s & my belongings. We are preparing tine in the against young before development. Dad & I did chores this after noon and they sorted Dad's medicine. It started to rain this morning which turned to an old day snow storm. Colder to night but not freezing

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Saturday January 4th Charlie Martin was over for an hour's 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. Maylaughlin had a baby girl about two days after Enah's boy came. Dad thought they aught to trade as Mrs.Maylaughlin was all prepared for & had a boy named and it was the other way sound will 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 fire train for the Boston show. We also saw Charlie's {illegible} horse but which has an awfully sore looking leg on it. I cut wood and practice on my horn when I got home. Lily 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 ever cises 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

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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 suprised us very much but she said she didn't think it would last 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 rougd. Dad went down and got Faulkner to bring Enah & the boy home in the covered in bus an it didn't hurt either one in the least Al drove at a snails pace. She was telling Dad his opinion of {illegible} She spoke in the grieved monotone which he assumes for such occasions and said "I told Elyse, 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!" yessir 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.

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Monday January 6th we did up all the chores this morning. Frank carried of 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 {illegible name} was elected reeve with John Walker, Henderson,Carl Coleman & Billy Laings as councilmen. She 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 proveked at Harry Graham & Art Lawson because they wouldn't play as they were sure 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 hand 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 got home about eleven to night.

Tuesday January 7th

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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 after noon. Quint came over to tea to night but Dick felt pretty miserable all evening, Quint stayed all night. Stormed all dayhalf rain turning to sleet & ice so that everything 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, sleepd all day. Frank started back to school this morning. Dick felt very miserable but said he must go to work and feltmuch better to night when he got home. We did up thr 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 staylittle 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