MOJAK

EXERCISE BOOK

FOR

PEN OR PENCIL

Monday November 16th 1925.

I got up at five this morning and milked before day light so as to get a good start. I had to get some wood for Marj. before leaving so sawed up a couple of rails from the road fence and also the old apple tree that they cut down in front of the school house and which I lugged over here yesterday. I told Marj. if she ran out of wood to put coal on which she did before running short of wood and which was a good thing as the wind is cold to-night. I got over home in fairly good time and Dad. told me Niel had been in and offered him his price for Elgitha $65.00 saying as usual that he wouldn't make a cent on her but they had room for her in the car so wanted her. I went back to the gully and drove her up to the barn and then Dad. and I led her down to the car. We didn't have any trouble with her, poor old girl, it wasn't like the time we led her home from the same place. We weighed her and she surprised us by only weighing 1440 as we thought she would weigh more but she is old and not fat for her. I had to go up town to get some stuff and Dad went to Aunty's to wait for me. I asked him what he wanted of Elgithas price for boarding her and he said if I would get him a plug of Old Virginia at

Henderson's, he would be satisfied so I got him four half pound plugs. I paid up two or three small accounts around town as I felt mighty affluent when I stuffed $65.00 into my pocket after having been broke or nearly so for so long. When I finally got down to Auntys it was after twelve and Dad. was having dinner with them so I sat right down too. Frank was alone for dinner at home as Enah was down helping her father straighten up the house. Dad. and I came back to the farm right after dinner and bagged up a small grist and then caught 12 of Tim's ducks and put them in bags and took them up to Jack McBrides. They averaged 8 1/2 lbs apiece and Jack paid 16 cts a pound for them. I got home just before dark and spent the evening reading a LIbrary book called "The Sport of Fate" which I borrowed from Aunty Alice. Cloudy & strong cold north west wind, getting colder to-night. I noticed this morning before day light that I could see the reflection of the East End light every time it flashed quite plainly I never noticed it before from out here but it was very cloudy, so I suppose that accounted for it I had Harry B. out of bed looking at it and he seemed quite interested. Dad. had another letter from Mr Parks, very cheerful. He hopes the end of the month to settle things

Tuesday November 17th

I spent the fore noon doing chores and odd jobs. I shut my calf up in the shed as she has been determined lately to pasture off the wheat. I made her an oat box and gave her some but I don't think she ate them. One fool trick I did was to put the cream down at the road forgetting that this was not Charlies hauling day although he has been going on Wednesdays now for several weeks. Trum. took it down to the corner so I had to go after it. This after noon I went over to Cam's sale. There was a good crowd there but they were slow selling things Dunning had an understudy with him and he sold a lot of the junk but he was pretty poor at it. I bought a cracked iron frying pan which I had an idea Marj. wanted for a quarter and the corn planter which is a different model and better than the ordinary ones for fifty cents, and that was the extent of my purchases, but Dad. bought the hog rack and waggon box which is some of John Wesses manufacture so therefore the best. I nearly froze standing around so came home before every thing was sold. Roy Dell came with the bread while I was in here getting warm and what was very strange for him was in a very talkative mood and regaled us with old

dinner, which was the best insurance for a happy birthday all round that we could think of. They sent her out a doll by me yesterday and so we gave it to her at breakfast, and she was certainly tickled with it. Poor old Harry B. had a terrible craving for it but realizing that his usual "Might is Right" principle would be less than ever tolerated on Gay's birthday he didn't take it by force but resorted to all manner of coaxing to which Gay was impervious to it as she was to Marj's suggestions that maybe the baby would like her daddy to hold her for awhile. I drove down just before dinner and brought Aunty & Aunty Alice out. We had a regular birthday dinner with a cake and two burning candles in it. This after noon I took a bag of clothes over to the school house as Mabel had asked Marj. for some to give to a poverty stricken English woman back at Townsend Centre. On my way back I encountered Tupper who had got the grader while I was down town and was dragging the road. He is the new foreman. He kept me talking for quite awhile and then I threw the furrows out of some of the ditches I ploughed out yesterday. I drove Aunty & Aunty Alice back about four and went up to Dr. Cook's and got Marj. another bottle of medicine. Mild but cloudy.

Saturday November 21st

I spent a good part of the morning doing chores and went out to throw some more furrows out of the ditches in the corn stubble but ran across Art Quanbury who was cleaning out a ditch on the road and he talked so long that I didn't get much done before dinner. After dinner I rocked the Niblets for an hour in a vain effort to put him to sleep and then went out and made some strike outs in the corn stubble. It was a most discouraging job as the ground was so soft that it offered no resistance and I had to stop every few feet to take grass roots of the coulter's shear. In the wettest places, the horses had to just flounder through and with Queen so quick & Belle so slow and lame it was an impossibility for me to set up pretty crowns even if I was able to do it under favourable conditions, however I got nearly halfway across the field and I am hoping they will let some of the surplus water get away. Beautiful day clear & mild, strong wind.

Sunday November 22nd

We were late getting around this morning and didn't do much but odd jobs & chores. I lay around and read for awhile and went over and spwept out the school house. It was a very gloomy sort of day with a cold

wind and occasional snow flurries, but about three o'clock it seemed to clear up a little and as I wanted to go over home to get a bag of oats Marj. bundled the kids up and we all drove over. We were there for about an hour as Enah was giving Marj. some old clothes that she thought might be useful and some stuff that Miss Newell gave her to give Marj. It was beautiful new goods to make a dressing gown. It was nearly dark when we started for home and was beginning to snow. When we turned north, it was snowing hard and was striking us with very uncomfortable force almost full in the face. Harry B who was sitting down in the front couldn't or wouldn't put his head down to escape it but held it up and wailed dismally all the way home. Gay on my lap had her face turned away from the storm but she howled too in sympathy with Harry B, so we made a merry party. The baby was well covered up in Marj's arms so went to sleep. Marj. told Harry B made up stories about himself and the rabbits at the top of her voice to pacify him but with indifferent success, however we were none the worse

Monday November 23rd

Every thing was frozen tight this morning and the ground covered with snow so I didn't try to do any ploughing, but spent most of the time fixing up the chicken houses so that I could shut the chickens up. I shut the ones that roost in the little pen by the gate in before they got out this morning and I coaxed most of the remaining ones into the long pen with feed and shut them in and to-night I caught a few of the pullets that didn't go in this morning and some of the leghorns.

I sorted out all the leghorns I could find and put them in the colony house which I had put straw into. I picked up a few cider apples this afternoon. Wilbur came up to see what I wanted to do with the bull. He says he is no better feeder than ever so he thinks and I agreed with him that the best thing to do is to kill him for home consumption but I thought it was a little early in the season to have much meat on hand as it may turn mild again, so Wilbur said to let him go for a week and see what happened Sunny this fore noon but cloudy this after noon with cold north west wind all day & freezing to-night. We sat up till twelve o'clock to-night and finished reading "The Talisman aloud & Marj. made a dressing gown for Harry B. out of the goods Miss Newell sent her and has more than enough left to make one for Gay.

Tuesday November 24th

I spent the day puttering around doing chores, fooling with the chickens, and picking up cider apples. I had to make a couple of troughs for the chickens. I was surprised to find that there were still thirteen brown leghorns at large as I have twenty five shut up and I never could count more than thirty, that brings the total up to thirty eight and as I only had about forty three grow big enough to feather out well, I haven't lost as many since as I feared. The next problem is to catch them as I can't locate their roosting place. Ina was here washing all day and I drove her home to-night. Mr. & Mrs. Lampkin came over this evening. Still frozen up. Cold north west wind

Wednesday November 25th

I did up the chores this morning and then felt so tough that I came in and lay down. Harry B. told me a story that he made up and I went to sleep and stayed there until noon. I then got up had some dinner and felt better. It was cloudy and snowing this morning when I lay down but at noon the sun was shining and it was much milder. I wanted to go down and get some grit and feed for the chickens so Marj. said as it was such a lovely day she would like to go down to the Bagley's. We got away soon after two and I left them all at the Bagley's and then went down to Billy Lang's but his place was locked so I went on over home to get some wheat and there was no one around the house there so I went out to the field back of the orchard where Frank was cleaning out ditches and he said Dad. & Enah were both down town. I got my wheat and got home just at four. Mary & Nellie were out over by Willie Shand's fence so I had to put them in and as Mary ran up towards the house and then she & Nellie both ran down into the gully I had a lively time pursuing them. I finally got them all safely into the stable. I also fed the chickens and put some more coal on the fire so I was here for half an hour before I started back to town for the family. I stopped in at the farm on my way in and Dad. gave me forty five dollars of the money he got from Karl for the Rose heifer. I didn't know she had gone yet. He gave me some letters of Mr. Parks to read and said he got a cablegram to-day saying everything was satisfactory and he hoped to get before the judge in about a fortnight. He, Mr. Parks, has been saying all along that he hoped to wind it up the first of December but like the treasure that anchors the rainbow, it seems to be able to keep just beyond our grasp, but I suppose that merely adds to the interest and enhances the dime-novel effects

Thursday November 26th

This was a very cloudy morning with a cold north east wind and the ground frozen solid but as we had planned to go to town to-day we went. Marj. got very cold going in but the children didn't seem to mind it. We got to Aunty's a little before dinner time and so Marj. got thawed out before dinner Quint & Tim were there at noon Quint having just arrived home from the North with his deer last night. After dinner Marj. & I went up town, she to peddle her eggs & get her groceries, and I went to the bank to deposit the money Dad. gave me for the heifer I went up to Reynold's and renewed my subscription for the "Mail & Empire" and also sent renewals to "The Breeders Gazette" & the "International Book Review" When I got back to Aunty's Quint was just getting ready to go up home to get his deer and take it over to the slaughter house so I went with him. She was a nice big doe 110 lbs I think Quint said. She had a fawn with her & Quint shot it too, but didn't bring it home. It strikes me as a terribly perverted sense of "sport" that takes men hundreds of miles up into that wilderness at this time of year for the sole object of tracking down and killing from ambush one of those beautiful creatures so full of active life that do nobody harm and that haven't the least chance to defend themselves. I suppose it is the only chance the old barbarous instinct to take life has of cropping out under modern conditions, but it seems to me even our barbarous ancestors had to work themselves into a fury before they went on the warpath and didn't do it in cold blood. I never have the lust to kill except when I am mad, but I don't get mad at wild animals that stay where they belong and mind their own business. Karl Coleman & Fred. skinned the deer and are going to cut it up for Quint. Karl gave Quint a lecture on sticking the deer in the wrong place and a demonstration on the right way of doing it. When we got back to Aunty's we found Marj. had taken Harry B up to the doctors to have him innoculated for diptheria as it seems that McCarty the teacher has it and Tim was down to see him and Harry B was with Tim at noon and the doctor & Marj. thought that in view of the sore throat he had this fall it would be safer to give him the shot. Poor little cuss, it scared him and it looks sore to-night, but maybe it was better to do it. We didn't get home till dark and on the way home we saw Mary & Nellie down by Art Quanbury's. I yelled at Art not to let them go any farther and I came home & put

Queen in and then walked back to Art's after them. Bobbie didn't get out. I shouldn't have left them out this morning. It made us late with tea and to add to the lateness Gay upset the coal oil can and spilled a gallon or so all over the kitchen floor and it took Marj. some quite awhile to sop it up. Marj. saved a lot of it by squeezing it into the wash basin. I was late getting through with the chores. It is not quite so cold to-night.

Friday November 27th

I spent most of the fore noon trying to persuade Marj. it was time to get up. I didn't get out very early myself and called her first when I left to go over to the schoolhouse. She was still in bed when I came back so I called her again and then went out and milked. When I came in after that she and the rest of the family were all having such an enjoyable snooze that I thought it was a shame to wake them so I had breakfast by myself. I came in about 11 o'clock and Marj. was up but hadn't had breakfast yet so I had an early dinner and she a late breakfast all in one meal. She had given the children their breakfast. I put in quite a lot of time puttering around doing chores and sorted some more apples for Dorrie but haven't them all gone over yet. Marj. was going to have an early tea, but when tea time came didn't know what to have so we bethought as of our cheese which Stanton Monroe told us yesterday morning was at their place, and I walked over to get it. They were through tea over there & I went in and sat down and visited till nearly seven before I came back with the cheese. We took it out of the box and I carried it over my shoulder in a bag. Marj. had put the kids to bed and she & I had a supper principally composed of fresh cheese after which I milked. It has rained nearly all day but not hard.The frost is out of the ground again and it is very mild to-night.

Saturday November 28th

It turned cold again during the night and froze up solid and it has been very cold with a high nor' west wind all day. It snowed a little this fore-noon but has been clear the rest of the day. I walked down to Wilbur's this forenoon to tell him to take the bull over to Dad's. and I stopped in at Trum's to ask him to leave me some buckwheat when he takes the milk. I spent a long time after dinner trying to rock Harry B. to sleep but without success and I then

went over and swept the school house getting the mail on the way over. There was a letter from Mr. Parks saying he had received mine. When I got back home I found Dad. here. He had brought us over a piece of venison from Quint and a letter from Dick saying he was coming home for Christmas fortune or no fortune & expected to be here about December 15th. Dad. came over principally to see how Harry B was as Frank & Tim were both jabbed and he says they are about completely knocked out. Frank took it in the arm & can't use his arm for any thing. Dad. was greatly relieved to find Harry B as lively as usual and returned primed with caustic & scornful jeers to hurl at Frank and Tim for their lack of heroism. He was telling us about Rus. Skey being over there to dinner yesterday. He & Quint came across and Rus. said "Well Wess said to go back there for dinner if we didn't get invited to stay here but I said I was going to stay anyway." He sat down with his elbows on his knees and began in his usual manner. "Back to my execution, Monday. Just as soon be executed! Go down to the office, manager came along "Well Skey! Glad to see you back!" "Thank you (smiling & bowing) glad to be back (aside) damn liar - hate to be back". It is a beautiful morning (aside) "rotten morning". Got out my keys, go to the safe, turn the combination, take down my ledgers, and start with the grind. Add up a column of figures!," looking up briskly and pinching his thumb & fingers to-gether and moving his hand out {wide?} on a level with the top of his head a typical gesture of his which is comical enough in itself to provoke side shaping mirth. "See a deer, nip nipping along a ridge, brief interval of joy, then vision fades, back to earth again." Marj. listens to tales of these with cynical scorn and thinks he has a "screw loose". but I tell her if Dickens had immortalized him in a story as he most certainly would have done had he known him she would think of him not only as one of his most comical characters but also as one of his cleverest and probably most likeable in spite of his peculiar ways or more likely because of them. Ina was here all day ironing and choring around and Dad. drove her as far as the corner if not home wheh he left.

Sunday November 29th

Mr. Bagley was supposed to come out this morning and take us in, in time for church so we got up early and hustled around, and got the chores all done and the kids bundled up to be ready for him. He hadn't showed up when Mattias Shiltz went by

to church and we watched and waited will 11 o'clock and no sign of him so we were just going to walk over to the Lampkin's and accept a second invitation to dinner there when Mr. Bagley came along. We left Gay & the baby in Mrs. Bagley's care & Marj. Harry B and I went to church. We were pretty late but maybe it was just as well On H. B's account although he was as quiet as a mouse. It was children's service We went back to the Bagley's for dinner and were there for the after noon. I was very much afraid the kids would tear the house down before we got away as they were excited and in a terribly boisterous mood. Every thing is so spick & span and orderly around there that their rough treatment goes hard with it. Aunty came up for a while after dinner as she saw us in church and wanted to bring me some things for Marj's birthday, but had a hard time delivering them without Marj. discovering it. Mr. & Mrs. Bagley went to old Mrs. Whalen's funeral up at St. John's this after noon but as they were too late for the ceremony were not gone long. Belle Smith came over and spent the afternoon with us and seemed to enjoy the kids antics. Essie was in a good humour, so things went pretty well. Mr. & Mrs. Bagley came home with us before dark. Froze very hard, bright day

Monday November 30th

I spent most of the fore noon softening up a little putty and puttying up one of the storm windows. I had forgotten that they needed it, but most of the putty got loose on them when they were out on the hot bed this summer. I didn't get very much done at it. This after noon I went down town as Marj. had to have condensed milk for the baby and we were out of coal oil. I also got some stuff at Billy Langs for the chickens. To-night I walked over to town through the fields to band practice, and stopped in for a few minutes at the farm & at Aunty's on my way. I was in at Aunty's on my way home too. There was a good turnout and we had a good practice. They have made a few shifts in the horns. Evidently Ernie Knight & Sid. Beaumont are going to be with us regularly now so Sid has Mr. Bagleys slide. Ernie has Bridgwaters baritone. Bridgwater has Harper's Eb euphonium and Harper has gone into the alto section. Harper has been harping at them all fall to have new springs put in his valves so they sent the horn down and got it fixed up and now it has springs in it strong enough for a rat trap. It tires Bridgwater's fingers out to play it. The band is preparing for a social evening next week Every body is supposed to bring his family and

enough grub to feed them. I was {words obscured} to bring two pies. I told Marj. when I got home & she nearly woke up she was so mad at me for saying I would. I told them I would bring the pies but to heck with bringing the family. The wind which was north east this morning shifted to almost due south and it has been getting milder all day, but has been cloudy. When I started for town to-night the walking was good and it was quite bright moon-light but it started to snow soon afterwards and developed into a nasty storm of snow & rain so that the walking was quite bad coming home through the long grass, but it was bright moon-light and I had on my rubbers and socks so didn't get very wet. On my way over, as I got down towards the far end of Dad's back wheat stubble I heard a rustling in the grass and looking down saw the broad white strip of skunk's back. I side-stepped with alacrity and he went the other way so that fortunately there were no unpleasant results.

Tuesday December 1st

I spent nearly the whole day except for doing chores in softening putty and puttying up the storm windows and have part of one to do yet. I had to put a whole new pane in one of the windows. Ina was here washing and she washed the two windows that I got finished and I put them on to-night. I drove her home after tea. Cloudy milder

Wednesday December 2nd

It froze hard last night but has been a very nice day and is barely freezing to-night. I shook what few remaining apples there were on the trees down this morning while the ground was hard & picked them up. They have been frozen so many times that I don't know whether they will be much good for cider or not. I spent the rest of the day making a storm door for the dining room north door. I used the lumber I got for it a year ago and for some unknown reason it didn't match properly and I had a very trying time with it, finally I had to take my knife and whittle down the tongue so that it would fit. I put it to-gether in the doorway so as to be sure of it fitting when I got it made and now there is about half an inch space between it and one corner of the top of the door frame. I didn't have any hinges so I nailed it in place until I can get some I worked at it till nearly dark before I got the cross cleats on, and was all in to-night.

Thursday December 3rd

This being "mom-mom's" birthday we all went down to Aunty's to celebrate it as they had asked us last week. We got down just a little before dinner time in spite of making a try at getting away early. We had a roast of Quint's venison for dinner and Quint and Tim were both there Quint just got back from Detroit last night where he has been trying to raise some money from a bankrupt firm that he & young Stewart did a lot of work for a year ago. He didn't have much luck and seems to have reversed his former exalted opinion of the people of those United States and now thinks they are all a bunch of crooks. He & I went up town after Aunty's mail after dinner and I took 9 eggs all we could spare to Amy Turner Parker. Marj. took a dozen to Mrs. Skey and then went around to see Miss Newell who is in a very dilapitated state, but Marj. said she was very glad to see her and carry on a bit of gossip. Fine day, milder.

Friday December 4th

I spent the fore noon softening more putty and finishing up the storm window job. Tupper came in at noon and said if I could give them the time they were going to fill in the culvert at Lindsays to-morrow and wanted me to help so I said I would go over. This after noon I went down to Evan's and got him to put the handle in my shovel which has been at the shop since last spring. It was after four when I got home but I had time to let a little of the water off the corn stubble before dark but all I can do I am afraid won't ammount to much as the ground is completely water-logged. Marj. went over to the school house to-night as the Villa Nova Baptist young people's club held their meeting there and Mabel asked her to go over. I thought it was to be a sort of concert but Marj. who has had some experience among these affairs said it was a prayer meeting, and as they are a little out of my line, I didn't mind staying home and going to bed like a Christian in the least. Marj. said every thing went off according to Hoyle and there was a fair representation from the rest of the section who like me erroniously supposed there was a free show on and had no one steeped in religious lore and Baptist customs, like Marj. to set them right. This has been a beautiful day, quite warm and sunny.

Saturday December 5th

Marj. and I both got up early this morning and had breakfast at seven o'clock I did all the chores by lantern light and struck out for Lindsay's bridge about half past seven. The sun was just rising as I walked up the road and I have seldom seen a prettier sun-rise. The sun itself only appeared for a few minutes and then disappeared, a dull lustreless crimson globe, behind dense clouds, but the sky above this cloud mass was beautifully and delicately tinted and against this floated several slender graceful clouds long and yet not mere streaks. There was a fine sort of half mist & half drizzle at this time and it was certainly not a promising looking sunrise. I was back at the bridge for some little time before anyone else came but finally Tom Stone, his man and team came along. Tom had charge of the signal lanterns on the barricade and when he got them tended to we started in to fill along the bottom of the culvert. Pretty soon Art Quanbury came and said Tupper had commisioned him to boss the job and his idea was to use the teams and scrapers and scrape the earth to the top of the excavation and shovel it down, after a little argument between him and Tom we started on Arts scheme and worked till ten o'clock, by that time it was raining so hard that we had to leave I stopped off and swept the school house on my way home. Old Jimmie Robb came along with the milk while we were back there and gave us a full account of the row between him and Sid McBride which is to culminate in a lawsuit next Tuesday. His story is that he bought two gallons of gasoline from Sid and when he got it home measured it at Charlie Dixon's suggestion and found it fell short half a gallon. Lambert was there and Dixon said that Sid. had served him the same trick. Robb {swears?} he said no more about it but that night or the next Sid & Jim came into Robb's store while he was alone and Sid accused him of telling the tale around the country. Robb denied it and Sid. called him a certain kind of a liar whereat Robb returned the compliment. With this Sid with a curse threatened to kill him and grabbed him by the throat and a lively tussle ensued. Robb says he would have had Sid down but for Jim who grabbed his leg and as he is short of wind owing to a cold he has had all fall, he couldn't down him. Jim McBride at Sid's orders took the shells out of Robbs gun & prevented him from getting his cane, finally Sid. left and the next morning Robb went to Kelly and the trial is Tuesday morning. What Sid's version of the tale is I don't know, but although his temper is quick, I would

not have thought that his good sense would have let it carry him so far. I haven't the least doubt about his honesty nor has Robb I think but he has one of these machines for measuring gasoline and it may be out of kilter. It is too bad to have a thing like that mar the peaceful & neighborly relations of the Marburg community, especially just before Christmas. I didn't do much this afternoon but let a little more water off the cornfield when it stopped raining. Very mild

Sunday December 6th

It has been a very disagreeable day. Cloudy, windy and wet. We were very late getting up and had breakfast between nine and ten so didn't have any dinner at least not at noon. I sat around the house after I got the chores done till about two o'clock and then I walked over to the farm for awhile. Dad. and Tim were the only ones home. I came back about four and did the chores up before dark and about six we had a chicken dinner

Monday December 7th

It snowed five or six inches during the night but didn't freeze hard enough beneath it to make sleighing. I went over to the school house in good time and shovelled the snow and waited till after eight to see if Art. Quanbury came along to work at the bridge, but as he didn't I decided he thought the weather too bad and so I came home and made a storm door for the porch. This after noon I drove down town and settled up at the Canning Factory. My corn & peas to-gether ammounted to $110.99 but by the time seed and a load of silage I got last winter was deducted my cheque was $89.64. I went up town and paid my taxes and got some condensed milk and some hinges & latches for the new storm doors, also a pane of glass to put in the one on the porch. I was in at Billy Langs for over an hour as old Billy was in a talkative mood, so by the time I stopped in at Aunty's & the farm it was dark when I got home. I met Art Quanbury on the road and he asked me about going to work on the bridge to-morrow but I told him he had better get Dave or someone else Dad. had another bunch of letters from Mr. Park, in one he thought the case might be decided before Dad. got the letters then he found out that there was a case on the 9th and another on the 18th to be tried first and he didn't know how long they would last. Cloudy, raw. Roads very bad.

Tuesday December 8th

I spent the fore noon sorting apples and got all of Dorries baskets filled but had to go over about all we had in

the cellar to get enough. I put the tops on them after dinner and labeled them ready to ship. I had intended going over home to get the waggon and take them down but as it was late and was beginning to snow and I have got a cold Marj. wouldn't let me go.

Wednesday December 9th

I drove over home this morning and nearly froze. The wind was very cold and the roads very rough. Frank was home alone as Dad. & Enah had gone down town. I thought when I got over there that the roads & weather were too bad to take the apples down but Frank said he would come over with the waggon the first decent day. I went on down to Aunty's to tell them that I would not be down to the Band boys' shine to-night as my cold was too bad. Aunty Alice made me two pies to take to it so gave me one. I got home a little after noon I didn't do much but sit around this afternoon. Ina was here but walked home before supper. Very cold and bleak. Intervals of sunshine followed by snow flurries.

Thursday December 10th

I didn't do any thing much but chores to-day as I felt tough with a cold. My chest is sore with coughing I went down to the corner this after noon and got the cream can as I forgot it yesterday when I drove by. I stopped in at the Lampkin's for a few minutes on my way. The roads are frozen hard and the Gurney's were hauling gravel. Harry B was in bed with a cold on Monday & Tuesday but seems better now but the rest of us are getting it. Cold west wind and cloudy

Friday December 11th

Frank walked over this morning to see how we were and I was mighty glad he did as after I had done a few of the chores I felt about all in my chest was so sore. Frank got some wood for us and did up some of the chores and then about eleven o clock he and Marj. drove down town while I minded the kids They got back about three, and Frank did up the night chores before he went home so I didn't go out at all. Marj. went to the doctor's and got a lot of dope for each of us including the baby. They brought a cabelgram from Mr. Parks, that came last night, saying he expected a decision about Wednesday next. The longer it goes the more uncertain it seems. Fine day, not so cold.

Saturday December 12th

Frank came over twice to-day and did all the chores and got us a good supply of wood. I am burning

the rails of the fence along the road north of the lane. I haven't done any thing to-day but sit and read and hold Gay. She is pretty sick but too little to keep in bed. My cough is much better a least my chest isn't so sore, but my cold is bad yet and I feel rather weak. Marj. has it but seems to be staving the worst of it off. She hardly got any sleep last night as she lay on the lounge and didn't take her clothes off and was up several times with one or other of the children

Sunday December 13th

I got out this morning and did up the morning chores but didn't cut any wood. I felt better but weak. Dad. drove over at a little before noon and got wood and did up some more chores. He stayed to dinner with us but couldn't stay any longer. Mrs. Lampkin was over for awhile this after noon. I did the chores to night. Cold.

Monday December 14th

I went over to the school house this morning and swept and dusted but felt about all in when I got back. I managed to get the rest of the chores done. My eyes ached so and my stomach felt so upset that I didn't want any dinnner but spent most of the day rolled up on the lounge. Frank came over after dinner and did things up. Dad. shipped his five hogs this morning. They weighed 1060 and he got 12¼ cts for them which was a quarter higher than last week. Ina was here washing and sewing to-day and as Marj. wants her to do some more sewing to-morrow she is staying all night. Snowy but cold.

Tuesday December 15th

I have felt better to-day but haven't done very much outside. Frank came over and sawed up some more rails but I milked and fed things. Since I have been laid up we have just milked once a day as we get hardly anything anyway. After dinner we were much surprised to have a visit from Quint. He walked over and brought a loaf of bread from Aunty Alice. He got here just in time to help Marj. fix the sewing machine which and a bent needle jammed in it. He suggested coming over to-morrow to help me build a wood shed so I went out with him and sized up the site. He said they had had no word of Dick except a book came that he had evidently bought in Toronto. To-day was the day he was expected to arrive home. To-morrow is the day we should hear from Mr. Parks' but I "doubt and fear"

{Wee sketch of some clothing}

Wednesday December 16th

Marj. felt rather tough this morning and I was in helping her wash dishes when about eleven o'clock we heard a roaring and on looking out saw Dick, Quint & Frank arriving in Quint's old car Frank had the names of the French Canadians who had got the ram lambs so he and I had to fill out some registration and transfer papers and Quint and Dick went out and started to saw up lumber for the wood shed. Frank went over to Bill Sidway's with his sheep paper and expected to have dinner over there and Quint and I put the two sides of the shed to-gether. It is going to be very small 8 x 10' but Quint made it to fit the lumber and he couldn't find any scantling around the place longer than 10 feet. He is a whale to work when he gets started and doesn't waste any time. He and Dick had promised to go back to the farm for dinner, but Quint came out again about two and we put it up but didn't have enough stuff for rafters so just laid boards across the plates and Quint said he would get some stuff for rafters and bring them out. He went back about four and I did up the chores, feeling no better for being out, as my cough seems to be pretty bad still and I feel rather tough. Very cloudy & still quite cold.

Thursday December 17th

I haven't done any thing to-day but chores inside and out and go up to Shand's to telephone for the doctor. Marj. felt about all in and as I didn't feel like going to town and didn't know what on earth we would do if she got got right down and out, I thought that was the best thing to do. He came out about two o'clock and gave her some pills and cough medicine for both of us and I think she feels better to-night. My cough is still pretty bad. Brighter to-day but cold wind

Friday December 18th

Frank came over this fore noon to see how we were as Dr. Cook had told some of them he had been out. Frank also came out to tell us that they had a cablegram last night signed "Whites" instead of "Parks" and reading "Case partly heard, adjusted on particular question. Sorry for delay." None of us know just what it means except that it is not "Cheerio" nor will we know until we get a letter from Mr. Parks in about two weeks. I got Frank to help me cut down a big elm that shows signs of decay. It was down in the flats and it took quite a little sawing. I got rather tuckered as it is the first work I have done. Frank helped me saw up several of the limbs before he went home for dinner. Marj. arranged

with him to come out tomorrow afternoon and take her down town to do some shopping. She is feeling better. I didn't do much but chore around this after noon but I feel much better to-day. I walked over to Ollie Birdsel's sale about four o'clock as I wanted to bid on his hay but I met Dave Lampkin at the gate and he said everything was over, so I came right home again. I went late on purpose as I didn't want to stand around in the cold. I met young Dove with a load of gravel and he told me that Tupper had fired him because his father had waylaid and hit Albert Gurney last night because he the kid had complained to his father that Gurney had passed him on the road with a load and then thrown a stone at him because he kept yelling at him. The Robinson's came along as Dove left and said he was a little pest that Gurney had passed him on the road but hadn't thrown at him. Dove's poor old team's bones are just about poking through their skins at all points so it is time he quit. Cold and raw, tried to snow a little.

Saturday December 19th

I have felt very tough to-day and haven't done a thing but chores and sit around the house minding the kids. Dad. came out this morning to take Marj. to town as he thought if she waited till afternoon she would never get anything done so she had dinner down there and Dad. drove her home about three o'clock. Dad. had another cable last night from Mr. Parks himself reading "Don't worry. Send birth certificate, Toby's eldest boy." Not much in the way of elucidation but it looks as if things had not gone completely against us yet and also that there can be no decision till Harry B's certificate gets there. Dick is going to Toronto to-morrow and will send it Monday morning. Much milder, wind around in the south.

Sunday December 20th

I have felt a little better to-day but have done very little but sit around although I did go over to the school house and sweep. Marj. has grubbed around all day doing odd jobs around the house such as mopping off the kitchen floor. The coal out there makes things very dirty. We spoke of going over to the Lampkins but we didn't get around to it and it was a damp sort of day unfit to take the children out when they have been cooped up in the house so much. Neither of us spent a very Sabbath Sunday. It seems as if we seldom do anymore, we are retrograding

Monday December 21st

Garf. Porril came out this morning with a Quebec heater for us which we were informed was a Christmas present from old Dick, the old son-of-a-gun. Marj. knew about so as it was a mild morning we had let the fire out in the old box stove and Garf and I carried it around to the porch and put the new one up in its place. We spent some time at it as we shortened the zinc covered board that the old stove sat on and made it fit the new one. Garf was very important as he was alone with the stove and much grieved that he couldn't lift the stove out alone. Why before he was sick he wouldn't have thought nothin' of carrying that stove into the house, but he had an attack of "ammonia" flu and pleurisy all to-gether and it has left him weak I had to take the storm door that I had nailed up to the dining room door down so when Garf left I put the hinges on it. While I was at that job Dad. came in with a load of Pokahontas coal to burn in the new stove. It was a present from him & Enah for Christmas, so we have certainly fared well, and it proves the truth of "The Lord looks after the poor & needy." I tell Marj. it pays to be poor because folk have pity on us. Dad lit a fire in the new stove and showed us how to run it. I didn't do much this after noon but chores and sit around and bask in the genial warmth of the Quebec & Pokahontas combination. Marj. put in a busy day and she shouldn't have as she was not in fit condition to be doing any more than necessary but she had to clean up after the stove had been put up and then she walked over to the school house to see what Mabel intended to do about to-morrow as her aunt is going to Toronto to-night, and Mabel & her sister are going to be here for the school concert, so Marj. invited them over here for dinner. Then she sat up late to-night doing up boxes of home-made candy for Christmas presents, while I snoozed in the big chair. It snowed all the after noon but there is not enough for sleigh

Tuesday December 22nd

I went up into the attic this morning to get a basket of onions for Ina and as Marj. has shifted the bed around so that it is directly under the manhole I went up before I put my boots on and before she was out of bed. I got the onions and called to her to get them from me and when she reached up for them, she nearly fell from weakness. Upon investigation she discovered good cause for weakness so made no more attempts to get up. I got the kids dressed and gave them their breakfasts but

Marj. didn't want any. I have been doing house work all day and the house looks like it. It is a good thing Marj. is in bed and can't see it or she would be sicker than she is. Fortunately for us Frank came out this fore noon and got the apples for Dorrie & Phyl and took them down and expressed them for us, so we sent word by him to the doctor and he came out this after noon. He told Marj. to stay in bed for a couple of days and he thought she could go to the Christmas dinner all right but as it is at the farm on the day before Christmas which is the day after tomorrow we very much doubt if Marj. will get to it. I went over to the school house this fore noon to tell Mabel we couldn't have her over to dinner and that we wouldn't be able to get the kids over to her Christmas tree concert this after noon. She sent over a present for each of them a ball for the baby a broom & dust pan for Gay and a drawing book for Harry B. and in the mail we got a rattle a doll and a top, which we figured out was from Ina so they have had a great time with their new toys. I didn't get much done in the way of outside chores. I milked about two o'clock. Some of the young ones from the school came over this after noon to take Harry B. over to the concert but he wasn't dressed up and I couldn't get him ready so he didn't go. He didn't know about it so didn't miss it.

Wednesday December 23rd

I managed to get the kids dressed and fed and some breakfast for myself by about nine o'clock this morning and then Frank arrived so I turned the job of getting Marj's breakfast over to him and I went to do a few chores outside. (Frank brought a copy of a cablegram from Mr. Parks. - No, as Bill Donald would say I have got ahead of my story. I am writing this a week late and just got mixed.). Frank just brought some soup over from Enah and set to work to cook it as soon as he got here. Marj. was very anxious that I should get my hair cut before Christmas so suggested Frank staying here this after noon while I went down, so Frank always agreeable to anything suggested that I go down before dinner and as he had driven Joe over said for me to take her back and get some potatoes at Art Ryerse's on my way. It was about eleven when I left here and by the time I got the potatoes and got to the farm it was after twelve but as Dad. was busy drawing the big Christmas turkey, which as usual Huby provided, we didn't have dinner till about one and then Dad. and I walked down town. I went into Bob. Leaney's and Mackenzie was there alone but as he said Bob. would be in any minute I waited. I sat there for about two hours and was just ready to step

into Mac's chair when Bob. came in. It was about half past four when I got through so I didn't waste much time doing Christmas shopping as I was afraid they might be needing me at home. Frank's idea in having me go before dinner was so I could get back early, as he wanted to go to town this after noon. However when I got home every thing was all right and Frank had the house all slicked up in fair shape and as they all decided down town that the Christmas party should be postponed from to-morrow to Saturday on Marj's account, Frank wasn't so much concerned whether he got to town or not. Frank stayed to tea and washed up the dishes to-night. Charlie Shand came down for a while to see how Marj. was. Dr. Cook was out this after noon to see her as he told Aunty that if he happened to be out this way he would drop in and as she said she might call at the office to-night to see, he happened out this way on purpose. He told Marj. to use her own judgement and going to the party to-morrow, he said he wouldn't forbid it because he thought it was a terrible thing to be responsible for keeping anyone away from a Christmas dinner but she was to do what she thought best, so she had decided that there would be no Christmas dinner for her and was very relieved and delighted to hear it had been postponed. Dad. had a letter form Mr. Parks to-day which he told me about on my way through to-night but which I didn't take time to read. It was written before the case opened but he had had a consultation with Mr. Manning one of the counsels for our side and he said there had been a case once where a will read something like this one that the beneficiary must take the name & arms of the testator and if he failed or refused to do so within a certain time he forfeited his claim. He did fail because like Dad. he knew nothing about it until after the time specified had expired so lost the gift. Mr. manning said with that precedent, the name & arms clause in the Quintin Dick will might cause trouble and Mr. Parks is evidently worried over it, but Quintin Dicks will reads that if any one of his beneficiarys refuses or neglects to take the name & arms of Dick within three months after he is entitled to it, he forfeits his claim and that is a little different from the other will which read refuse or fail. Dad. wrote Mr. Parks and pointed out to him that he did not refuse and he did not neglect because according to any dictionary he referred to neglect means to omit through carelessness and as he did not know about it he could not be called careless about it However taking this with the cablegram news we have had since and the request for Harry B's birth certificate

it looks as if this was the particular question which has been adjusted and Dad. thinks possibly things will be held up till Harry B. comes of age, as Mr. Parks said that I who would be the next heir at law would be in the same position as Dad. as far as taking the name & arms was concerned and that Harry B. being an infant would have no chance to refuse until he was of age. It is rather disconcerting and seems ridiculous that a fund could be held up for such a long time over a little technicality especially as Mr. Parks says the estate over there now are very much against that sort of thing. He also said that if this judge decided adversely he would appeal it and that the appeal court is not bound by any precedent nor by the decision of a lower court, but in any case no cheerio for Christmas.

Thursday December 24th

It was this morning that Frank came out with a copy of a cablegram from Mr. Parks reading "Opinion your ultimate success, right heirs defeated, fund must go to Barrett family, suggest meeting you in New York." Of course none of us can figure out the exact meaning of it, but as near as we can guess it means that the court has decided against the right heirs in favour of the Barrett family but has not decided yet whether Dad. or Harry B. shall get it but in Mr. Parks own opinion Dad will be successful when the case is finally settled What he means by meeting him in New York we can't imagine but suppose he wants to appear still cheerful and suggests meetin Dad. halfway when he eventually goes to England. There is at least a ray of hope in this last message. Frank stayed all morning and washed up the dishes and did several chores around the house. He would not stay to dinner. Marj. got up this afternoon and dressed all by herself. I was in the kitchen and was very much surprised when she walked out. She naturally felt very weak & shaky but has sat up all the after noon and evening and superintended the hanging of the three stockings, small, smaller & smallest on the back of the old armchair where she used to hang her own on Christmas eve when they were the same size as the ones that hang there to-night. I spent the evening putting some last minute fixings on an aero"bird" that Harry B has been expecting Santa Claus to bring him A huge parcel came from Dorrie & Miss Bain to-day containing a plum pudding in a bag some shortcake and "brownies" and several other things which we are not opening till-to-morrow. Miss Martin also sent a parcel of things among them a most comical looking monkey

which when given sufficient encouragement by turning his arms around several times will turn summer saults in rapid succession across the floor and is very entertaining. Marj. also got a parcel of things from Phyl. containing some very nice picture books from Teddy & Jack.

Christmas Day

I was up before five this morning to get the baby's bottle ready for her as she woke up and was crying for it. Marj. said she had hardly slept last night. I accused her of being excited about Santa Claus but she said that wasn't the cause. Harry B. was awake early and when he was ready to get up I woke Gay and brought her out so that she wouldn't be behind hand in exploring the stockings. They took the matter very differently Harry B very excited at once excavated the farthest depths of his stocking but Gay, looking about as cheerful funeral and with no show of emotion picked the arrow-root biscuit off the top of her stocking and sat down to devour it and I think before she finished she consumed Harry B's biscuit as well. All hands then piled into "Mum-mum's" bed and raised cain till after daylight. On examining Dorrie's parcel we found a book each for Marj. & me. Mine was Canon Scott's "The Great War as I saw it." I have managed to get a few pages of it read and finds it gives a full account of the Canadian forces from the declaration of War to the Armstice but is written always from a chaplain's view-point and so is human and free from military or political bias. Marj's book was James Oliver Curwood's latest and supposed to be his best book "The Ancient Highway" a story of Quebec pulp & lumber business. They are the first books we have had for a long time amd the only ones we got this year. Marj. got up before breakfast and has been fairly active all day so is rather tired to-night. I have been kept busy doing chores inside and out. We were going to try having a Christmas service to ourselves but didn't get around to it. I spent considerable time cleaning up the cutter as some snow has fallen and there are cutters on the road so if there is any sleighing at all we can travel much more comfortably in the cutter to-morrow than we can in the buggy. Our Christmas dinner consisted of spare ribs that Mr. Lampkin brought over to us but we are shaping our faces for a feast to-morrow. Harry B & I went over to the Lampkin's this morning with the hand-sleigh and took Mrs. Lampkin a paper-white narcissus just ready to blossom Marj. has been growing it on purpose. Cold

Saturday December 26

We were all up in good time but it took us most of the forenoon to get ready for the party, but we finally all got packed into the cutter and away. We went down to the Donald's first to take Ina a basket of onions that she bargained for last week and also a Christmas present Marj. got for her and to find out if she could work in an extra day next week. It was noon when we got over home and we were the last of the party of 19 to arrive. Dad. had gone down town with the bobs and brought over all the ones from down there. Dinner was ready soon after our arrival and everyone tucked in heartily to a noble one. Turkey & fresh boiled unsmoked ham with corn squash & potatoes, cranberries & all the rest of it followed by plum pudding & mince pie with nuts raisins & candies, augmented the Christmas spirit with which everyone was filled anyway so that it of necessity bubbled over. Gay amused the entire gathering by her "saying nothing & sawing wood" attitude. She hardly spoke a word or cracked a smile all day but enjoyed herself immensely, she didn't even growl over her dinner as she usualy does at home, but she put away a handsome one just the same. Harry B. seemed out of sorts till after he got excited over the tree. I think he is tired as he has not been getting enough sleep lately. The baby - that is our baby was bewildered and a little frightened at first at the number of people. I don't think noise & commotion would frighten her as she is so used to it, but she was made quite happy with a large turkey bone and during the stripping of the tree sat on my knee and enjoyed the proceeding as much as anyone. Win's baby was very good, he is much bigger than Dorothy Mary and we thought she was a whopper, and old David couldn't have been better. He was full of the joy of life all day and didn't attempt to hide it. He smothered Gay with kisses when she came in, and she received them coldly and haughtily but that didn't phase David He took a round or two out of Quint and recited "Granny's come to our house." with great elocutionary inflection. He, Harry B. & Gay all had a great time unloading the tree. They of course got the bulk of the presents and when they weren't busy undoing their own they were carrying away and mixing up some one elses When we finally emerged from the sea of paper & string with which we were all but inundated, Marj. found that she had two market baskets full of presents to take home, most of them she didn't know who they came from and she wasn't sure they were all hers until after a great deal of sorting and consultation as the kids kept bringing her things and there was so much

commotion. What we are going to do with every thing I don't know as the house is so full now there is hardly room for us in it. The party broke up soon after four. Dad. took the town ones down in the bobs and we got home just before dark. It has been a nipping cold day but sunny and our fires were all right so the house was good and warm. The kids were all asleep when we got home and we laid them out on different beds. Harry B slept till it was time to put him to bed. Dad. had another cable from Mr. Parks saying asking for Marj's & my official marriage certificate and they sent to Ade Millman to get it, so that looks as if Harry B. was mixed up in the proceedings, but we had a very merry Christmas in spite of lighter hopes. We all got very pretty little calendars from Mr. & Mrs. Parks.

Sunday December 27th

It was a very cold night last night and has been a nipper of a day with a north west wind. We have lived shut up in the front part of the house where we have been quite comfortable around our Quebec heater. Marj. using it to fry bacon & boil the kettle on. We are just about out of coal so let the kitchen fire out during the day, but scraped up enough coal to put a fire on for the night but we moved the kids into this part of the house for the night. I went up to Harvey Shands about noon to ask him if Tuesday would suit him as well as to-morrow to audit the school books as I want to go after a load of coal or coke in the morning I thought the wind would freeze my face going up the road. Charlie told me it was 10° below this morning and was about zero at noon. I spent the day trying to get a chance to read my new book but not having much luck on account of the numerous chores Marj. had on. She has been on the go all day but feels pretty tired.

Monday December 28th

For some unaccountable reason, because the wind did not change, it turned milder during the night, and has been much milder though still cold enough all day. Harvey Shand told me that last night when he went to the barn just before dark, the mercury stood at 8° above and when he came back in less than an hour it had risen to 14° above; what caused it is a conundrum. I drove over home as soon as I could get away after breakfast and Frank and I went down to get a load of coke as they have no hard coal down there. We took Joe & Queen so made fairly good time but as I had to go up town for some condensed milk for the baby it was about noon when we got out here. We had

dinner here and then caught all the Danish leghorn pullets and put them in one of the crates Frank brought over the other day from Martin's. When we stopped in home Dad. thought it was too late to go down after coke for him as we had intended so we took the chickens over to Martin and then went down to Bill Langs after some feed for me. We were a long time at both places as we had to take the chickens over to the barn and weigh them and then hunt Chris up to find out what to do with them. They weighed nearly two pounds apiece which was more than I expected after the treatment they have had the last few weeks By the time we had waited for Billy Lang to mix up chicken feed for Fred Kull and then mix some for me and bag up bran it was getting late and as we had to unhook at the farm and I had to hook up to the cutter and load my stuff in it, it was after dark when I got home. Marj. said the coke fire went out twice during the after noon so she is not jubilant.

Tuesday December 29th

I spent most of the fore noon fixing things out in the cow stable to make it a little warmer now that the hay in front of them has got so low there is nothing to keep the draught from the north side of the barn from them so I cut the hay through to the ground and built a temporary partition in front of them and covered the top with loose boards and hay. It not only make it warmer but gives me a good wide feed alley. It took me till noon as we were late getting started so by the time I swept out the school house after dinner it was nearly three when I got up to the Shand's to help audit the school books and it was six o'clock and pitch dark when we finished. I got my fifty dollar cheque as usual. I had had fond hopes of being able to tell Harvey Shand that I did not need the caretaker job after this term and ask him to hunt up a new janitor but as things have turned out I didn't and merely asked him for a new broom. I shouldn't wonder if I would be very glad of the job for maybe years to come. Ina was here all day but left before I got home for which I was not sorry as it saved me hooking up. Not so cold.

Wednesday December 30th

I drove down town this morning to deposit my cheque and I wanted to get some oats from Frank and have them chopped. I came across Bert & Dick McPherson on Prospect Hill going down town with a hand sleigh and Bert hooked the sleigh behind the cutter and Dick rode down town on it. We gave him a merry ride and

I expected to spill him at every corner but he stuck like a leech. I saw Quint up town and he said Dad. & Dick (Barrett) were down town trying to telephone Ade Millman who had called up last night and asked to talk to Dad. As they had sent to Ade to get our marriage certificate from the Toronto registry office, they supposed some thing was wrong with it. Quint was on his way to Aunty's for dinner so I drove him down and I stayed there too. Bert & Dick came along with a sleigh load of parcels and hooked to the cutter again and this time Bert undertook to do the surf board stunt but the sleigh upset in front of George Thompson's house and spilled Bert and groceries along the road for about 20 feet. Dad. and Dick. came down to Aunty's just after we arrived. They had not been able to get Ade so Dick went up right after dinner to wait for Ade to call. Dad waited some time for Enah who was up town some place but wouldn't have dinner. He thought I would be too late for me to get any oats chopped. Aunty thought I had better go up to the drugstore to wait with Dick in case Ade wanted some data on our wedding which Dick would not be able to supply. We waited there for an hour or so. Ade had put in a call before Dick got up there and after we had been there for a long time one of the switch board beauties (?) told us that it had been cancelled, so then Dick called Ade up and found that he had spent the whole fore noon in spite of being very busy at the office in trying to get some corrections made on our certificate which had been filled in all wrong, most of the names were mispelled and in the place where Dad's name should appear they had Theobald Butler Barrett. Ade had got hold of Louise, Cousin Carrie and the old minister who married us and had finally got a declaration fixed up for Dad. to make before a notary, and was mailing it so for that reason had cancelled his call. Dick drove over to the farm with me as he was going to call on Imogen Ivy. Dad. had got another letter from Mr. Parks telling what happened at the court proceedings. It is not very clear to us but is evidently not what we suspected at all. He said Mr. Manning opened the case and every thing looked rosy until Gavin Simonds counsel for the right heirs got up and said that although he had nothing to say on behalf of his clients, he would like the judge to consider some matter concerning the conversion of the money into real estate, which was so technical that we couldn't understand it but it inolves Aunty Hattie in some way so that she now has to be represented in the proceedings. Mr. Parks said it

was a beastly rotten trick as it was of no interest to him or his clients and no one else had thought of it at all. The judge said that it was a bombshell thrown in to what he thought was going to be a very simple matter. That explains Mr. Parks cable where he suggests meeting Dad. in New York as he wanted to meet Dad. there and consult with Aunt Hattie and try to come to some amicable agreement with her. He says he doubts very much if she would succeed if she did contest Dad's claim so I don't suppose they will have much trouble over there. Dick is going to cable Mr. Parks to-night saying that Dad. is willing to meet him in New York when ever he comes. I didn't attempt to go to the mill but Dad. gave me a bag of chop and I took one of the bags of oats that Frank had bagged up for me. I agreed to buy $15.00 worth of oats from him and to pay him when McEwen sends the money for the ram lambs. He doesn't seem to consider that I should have any oats coming to me for the part I took in the harvesting of them although I pitched every sheaf of them and helped thrash them. I didn't put it up to him but hoped he would see it. He seems to think it all right for Dad. to supply me out of his share in spite of the fact that Dad. has let me have about $200.00 this year and that according to their agreement Frank was to stand crop expenses. Mrs. Lampkin was over this afternoon and invited us all over for New Year's dinner.

Thursday December 31st

Marj. had to go down to the doctor's to-day for some special treatment so we all went down for dinner. We didn't know we were so late leaving but when we got down to Aunty's we found they had given us up and had started dinner. Quint and Dick were both there. Marj. went up town soon after dinner and Dick and Frank Quint went up for the mail but I just sat around the house all the afternoon. Dad. came down after he got Ade's letter and with a copy of our marriage register which was about as full of errors as it was possible to be. He went up to McGaw McDonalds to swear that his name was W.H. instead of J.B. but McDonald was out of town. We called in at the farm on our way home and Enah gave Gay a little set of furs which she got from Clair Herring when she, Dick & Frank Quint went to Hamilton on Monday to see Eugenia. Marj. and I sat up to-night and saw the old year out and the New Year in and well in. It was not a premeditated vigil but we have fallen into the habit of late of sitting around our Pokohontas Christmas present and dozing the first part of the evening and then waking up late to give the baby her last bottle and being so wide awake that we don't feel like going to bed. There is a dance and watchnight service in town to-night. Frank will take in both and the whole family was going down to Pickford's for the evening & then to church.

January 1st 1926

We were very late getting up this morning and before we were through breakfast Davy came over on horseback to inform us that we would have to drive over there for dinner as the walking was bad. We had no intention of trying to walk, but I suppose Davy thought we needed the advice. It was noon before we got all the inside & outside chores done and the kids and ourselves dressed and packed into the cutter, but as Mrs. Lampkin didn't put the potatoes on until she should see a drive out of our lane and as she didn't see us until we drove up to her door we didn't keep dinner waiting. We has as usual a bang up and very rich dinner of pork backbone and followed by plum pudding and mince pie I got as far as the pudding but couldn't get around the pie much to Mrs. Lampkin's & Davy's distress. We sat around all the after noon and conversed as usual on neighborhood gossip which at present seems rather lacking in startling items. Davy, also as usual reviewed the history of his western exploits at Pilot Mound, Manitoby. We came home about five. We had no voting in the township to-day as the reeve & council all went in by acclaimation. Roy Misner reeve. Wess Boughner, deputy, Bob. Austin, Will Smith and I forget the other as I didn't know him. Very mild all day. Thawing.

Saturday January 2nd

I went over home this morning as soon as I could get around to it, to get a load of straw. I found the sleighing was about gone, especially on the side road where the new gravel is. We had to change the rack from the waggon to the sleighs and Dad. wanted to go down and get his cutter which Frank Taylor has been repairing for him before we took the box on the sleigh so it was nearly noon when we got back but we put on a small jag of straw all we thought we could haul over the nearly bare roads. Dick was over at the farm for dinner and we sat around for awhile waiting for Dave Ward to come with the mail but as he was so late we didn't wait till he did come but Frank and I came out here with the straw. When we got it off Marj. decided she would go back with us for the sake of the airing so bundled the kids up and loaded them on the rack. Tim came out with us so there was a grown-up to hold each young one & I was free to drive. Quint came out just as we starting with the rafters for the wood shed. He put them on alone while we were gone. It was nearly dark when we got back in the cutter and Quint wanted me to go back with him till he got past the deep snow between the top of the Winding Hill and Tupper's

so I went nearly to Art Quanbury's with him and got a ride back with {Au?} & Mrs. Lambert in a bob sleigh. I was standing in the road while they came up to me watching Quint through the gully and {Au.?} informed me that the "woman" was nervous as she thought I might mean mischief. While we were over home Marj. borrowed "Bleak House" from Dad. as she thinks a review of the case of Jarndyce & Jarndyce & the doings of the Court of Chancery will be encouraging to us just now. Dad. let me have a letter that he got from Mr. Parks to-day asking me to write him and instruct him to appoint a guardian for Harry B. as he will now have to be represented in the proceedings. In another letter he told Dad that if the fund should go to Harry B which he said "Heaven forbid." His guardian would supply him with ample funds for his education until he became of age and that would help out a little but I sincerely hope things won't turn out that way for Harry B's own sake as well as ours as the thought of him coming in for an enormous fortune when he was 21 years old with no one else having any legal control over it or him would be an awful bug-bear to me. However I am not worrying about it yet. Very mild and cloudy all day.

Sunday January 3rd

This is Aunty's birthday but we didn't get down to see her. It has been very foggy almost a fine rain all day and we didn't go anywhere or do any thing except the ordinary "messin' about". I went over and swept the school house - no I didn't either I'm mixed up again, don't remember very clearly what we did

Monday January 4th

I spent most of the fore noon putting up a couple of little shelves which Aunty gave us in the nursery for Marj. to keep the kids toys on. I also wrote to Mr. Parks as he had asked. This afternoon I did chores and helped Marj. do some washing that she wanted to get out of the way for Ina so she could employ her at ironing or some other job. We didn't know whether we would get any mail to-day or not as the new train schedule comes into effect to-day on the Canadian National lines and Dover only has one train a day on each track and on the Hamilton road it comes in at 9 p.m. However our mail with to-day's paper came about 3 o'clock and we learned later that it comes in on the one o'clock radial. It has been very foggy and misty to-day raining part of the time and every thing is very sloppy, very mild.

Tuesday January 5th

I went down to Sid's this morning and had Queen shod. She was badly in need of it and I thought that when it froze up after this thaw I wouldn't be able to get out with her if she wasn't sharp. I didn't get down there till nearly ten o'clock and Sid had 12 shoes to put on so I was going to come home again, but Harvey Shand & Jack Richardson who had the horses there said that they were not in a hurry and if I wanted to get back before noon would wait so Queen got shod first and I got home before dinner. Marj. had to go to the doctors again so as Ina was here we left Gay & the baby with her and took Harry B. with us. We sneaked off while Gay was asleep so there was no trouble from that quarter. I drove Ina home when we got back. It has been mild all day but very windy & colder to-night.

Wednesday January 6th

I spent most of the day finishing and hanging the storm door for the porch and helping Marj. around the house. I had to put the glass in the door and I made an "amateurish" as Mr. Bagley would say looking job of it, however it breaks the draught from the kitchen door and that is the main thing. Froze hard last night and has been blustery to-day.

Thursday January 7th

I went over to-day to get some oat chop and I took old Nellie over to the farm with me as Dad said she might as well be running around the stack over there when she wasn't milking. I found Frank cutting up pigs and Dad. was down town getting his declaration regarding our marriage certificate fixed up before McDonald who just got home. I hooked up Josie & old Charlie to the waggon & Frank helped me throw on four bags of oats which I took down to the mill before dinner and then went back and had dinner at the farm. Dad. stayed down town for dinner. I went down town after dinner and got five bunches of shingles for the wood shed and a bag of flour and one of corn at Bill Lang's and went around by Main street to the mill where I got my grist. I stopped in at Aunty's for a few minutes. Dad. came out home with me and took the team back. Frank cut up three of the pigs to-day after watching Dad. cut one yesterday. I brought home a lot of spare ribs & backbone from "our pig". They told me down town that the band was to serenade the Council to-night and the W.I were going to give us all a feed in the hall, so I walked in across the fields. We had a bang up supper and played a little but that was all there was to it, except for each member of the council on being called on for

Saturday January 9th

It snowed all night by the looks of things for this morning every thing was covered not only outdoors but in the porch & the barn and where ever the east wind could penetrate. It snowed most of the morning but hasn't been a bad day. I thought of going down to Archie Long's farm to look at some cheap hay he has stacked but as it snowed so much I didn't go. I spent the fore noon doing odd jobs and sweeping paths, and helping Marj. wash some flannels which is a terribly particular job, and requires a vast ammount of knowledge & experience. Marj. supplies that part all I do is run the squsher. We sat around for an hour or two after dinner readin Bleak House and then I went over and swept the school house and swept the snow off the steps as I thought if it should get a little soft and then stick to the cement I would have a bad job. I was over there till nearly dark.

Sunday January 10th

We haven't done much but sit around and read and write to-day. Marj. wanted to take the kids out for an airing as it was a nice sunny day but there was a cold west wind and she hadn't the energy to bundle them up so we put them all to sleep instead & Harry B. went out to-night to help me do chores.

Monday January 11th

I spent the fore noon "and then some" helping Marj. wash although it snowed all day and she couldn't hang them out. We sat around reading for awhile after dinner so I didn't get anything but chores done outside. There isn't much else to do anyway. Marj's Eaton order came this after noon and I now have a new pair of heavy rubbers which just set me back $2.29, my old ones are gone in the sole. I also got a diary blank book for this year. Windy.

Tuesday January 12th

I have been to Archie Long's this morning to look at his hay stack. I didn't get started till about eleven as Queen and Belle got out of the stable and I had to chase them all over the place two or three times before I could catch them. I ran across young fat-head Steele down in the Lampkin's flats. I thought he was hunting jacks but at the time I saw him he was hunting the rest of his pals, and seemed very distressed that he couldn't find them. There was no body around Archie Long's when I got there and no tractor

but I located what I was sure was the stack he spoke of and it is certainly rough feed but there may be some picking in it if the stock is hungry enough to pick at it. I came back to the farm & landed there just in time for dinner & just ahead of Dad. who had been down town. Dad. got another letter from Mr. Parks to-day enclosing a copy of one he had written to Aunty Hattie; saying he was coming out if she could meet him and telling her that he would like some help from her & her lawyer and telling her that Dad. intended giving her $50,000.00 if & when he became entitled to the fund, but saying nothing about her supposed claim. It occurred to me just lately and when I mentioned it to Dad. he made a note of it to ask Mr. Parks about as he had not thought of it, but as Uncle Frank died before Fa. I can't see how the court makes out any claim for him & much less for Aunt Hattie what ever. It looks to me as though instead of Aunt Hattie having a claim on this converted or unconverted property that they are arguing about it should be Aunty, Aunty Alice & Huby, however as none of us understand the legal points its not much use to discuss it although it is quite a lot of fun. I went on down town this after noon to see Archie Long but he had gone down to the farm. I told Mr. Long that I would give him $25.00 cash for the stack and a load of his thrashed bluegrass which is good feed. He is selling it for $10.00 a load and he told me he would let me have the stack for $20.00 I took Mr. Parks letter down to Aunty's but neither of them were there. Huby & David were there so I left it with Huby. I saw a cablegram on the sideboard and supposed it to be from Mr. Parks so read it and it said "Sailing on Montroyal 16th due 24th" I went back by the farm and told Dad. Mr. Parks said in his letter that he hoped to get back to England by the end of January and get before the judge again during February. I drove Ina home after tea to-night.

Wednesday January 13th

We all went down town to dinner to-day. The sleighing is fair now and so we could ride comfortably in the cutter. Marj. had to go to the doctor's again, but he thought she would not need any more treatments. She also went up to see Glad. Law. Quint and I took a walk up town after dinner and got the mail. Quint is much interested in the muskrat farming project if only he had enough money to launch into it. I went over and saw Archie Long and he took my offer for the hay, so we came home by way of the farm. Frank said if it was decent he would go down with me Friday and get a load. Quite cold.

Thursday January 14th

I cleaned the straw out of the big chicken house this morning and put fresh in. I didn't have enough straw to put in both pens. This after noon after I let the cows & horses down to the creek for water I got the paper and came in to the house and read it for about an hour and then went over to Charlie Munroe's after butter As we are not sending cream now he didn't leave us any butter. Marj. cut out and made herself a dress this afternoon out of an old one of Alie Buckwell's and this evening she made an apron for herself. Shes a hoosler when she gets a'goin". She set bread to-night after having had two failures due to cold sponge or bad yeast cakes we don't know what. I got one egg to-day and one on Tuesday the first we have had for two or three weeks. Very blizzardy not cold.

Friday January 15th

Harry B and I drove over home this morning as I had arranged with Frank to go after hay but when I got out on the road I decided the sleighing was too bad. The snow was softer than it has been but packed so hard where it had drifted that trail breaking with a load would be hard pulling and in other places the road is bare. My lane too will have to be dug out before we can come through it with a load. I had to drive out on the wheat to get through with the cutter. Frank and I drove down town to get some groceries for Enah and I got my egg crate which has been at the Custom House for about a month much to the indignation of Norman Holden. It was nearly noon when we got back to the farm and I was going to come right home but Harry B had helped Gran make a pudding and they wanted him to stay and as there was quite a young blizzard scampering in the region of the side road, we stayed and after dinner Dad. cut Harry B's hair. It improved his looks and I knew it would appease Marj's wrath if necessary because we told her we would be right back if we didn't go for hay. She said she didn't expect us back and although she had a headache she was in high spirits over the success of her baking, which was equal to any of her past triumphs in the art. She has only had about three failures so when two of them came hand running, she was naturally downcast and afraid that her hand had lost its cunning. I didn't do much the remainder of the after noon but sit around and read the paper and wash the dishes for Marj. The result of the division in the House on Meighan's lack of confidence amendment was 123 against & 120 for so the Progressives have saved the Government's scalp for the time being by 3 votes.

Marj. saw by yesterday's paper that the Murry Dillon's have twins a boy & a girl, which brings the total of their progeny up to five head.

Saturday January 16th

We were very late getting to bed last night as Marj. went in for a sewing bee and made a great number of waists for Harry B and aprons for herself and I don't now what all while I snoozed in my chair, but we were late getting around this morning so consequently I haven't done much to-day. I went over and swept the school house this morning and got the snow shovel over there and shovelled out the lane. The drift was not deep but it was a long one and took me over an hour to cut a canal through it. We sat around for awhile after dinner and Marj. read Bleak House while I rocked Harry B to sleep and then we went out and took a couple of pictures of the baby. Marj. had a busy day cleaning up the house and making pies and worked till midnight and after to-night cutting out shirts and bands for the baby out of some goods Mrs Bagley gave her which she had saved from the wreck of Elton's mill. The mill property was to have been sold by auction to-day in Simcoe. Very much milder and very sunny. It has thawed a lot.

Sunday January 17th

Marj. stayed in bed all morning and part of the afternoon as a precautionary measure so as to avoid a repetition of last month's mix up. I have just chored around the house all day and this after-noon wrote a letter to Dorrie to thank her for the book she sent me for Christmas. Marj. got up about four and stayed up all evening but felt pretty tough. Harry B woke up about ten o'clock and pitched up all he had eaten all day. I think it was the first time in his life that he ever vomited. He ruined all his bedclothes so slept on the dining room sofa all night but was very restless. Very soft, mostly cloudy and some rain. The horses got out into the barn this after noon & upset the oat chop and spilled all the oats & bran but fortunately there wasn't much to spill.

Monday January 18th

Marj. has been in bed all day but has got a lot of sewing done to the baby's shirts. I have been in the house all day trying to keep things ship shape. Harry B went to sleep after dinner and slept till 8 o'clock or after and then had a little tea & went to bed. He feels all right though. Rained more or less all day. Mild

Tuesday January 19th

Marj. was up all day to-day but as Ina was here didn't have to move around much so feels much better to-night. Ina worked like a nailer all day and has the house shining from one end to the other. I went down town before dinner and got some feed & Bill Laings and some coal oil. I had dinner at Aunty's and was in at the farm for about an hour. Dick is not home yet. They expect him to-morrow to go with Dad. to New York on Friday. I drove Ina home to-night and spent the evening trying to balance my last years books. As near as I can make out the farm went about $60.00 in the hole if I deduct interest on money invested. Of course I am in the hole a good deal more than that, but that is couning living expenses. Gay was sick at her stomach to-night just like Harry B. mild.

Wednesday January 20th

It has been very mild and spring like all day so I put the sheeting on the wood shed roof and got three courses of shingles laid on the north side. Neither Marj. nor I felt very well all day Marj. was quite bilious we don't know why and I have a sore throat, but the kids seem to be all right. My calf was bloated up badly to-night so I didn't feed her.

Thursday January 21st

It turned a little colder during the night and snowed a little but has been quite mild all day, thawing but cloudy. To-night however there is a wild north-east wind howling and it is very much colder I haven't felt much like working all day so haven't worked at anything but chores, and just sat around and read all day. Archie Lang came in about noon to get his money for the hay I bargained for. To-night I couldn't remember whether I buttoned the horse-stable door or not so went out and found that I hadn't and the horses were out and had upset the chicken feed and spilled all the oats, nearly a bushel I think.

Friday January 22nd

It was a very cold night last night and froze in the kitchen and has been a cold day but the wind has shifted to the north west and it has been sunny I went over home about eleven this morning and met Frank at John Evan's coming out to see if I was sick. I had dinner at the farm and Frank and I drove down this after noon and got a couple of bags of Pokohontas coal in the buggy as it was to cold and blustery to go with a waggon. We took Dad's grip down to Aunty's as he & Dick left for

New York to-night on the 4.30. Frank and I waited at Aunty's till it was time for them to leave for the train. Dad. was loathe to go but Dick was in high spirits and counting on giving Dad. a big time in New York. He just got home from Butler Pa. on Wednesday. He has been over there visiting the Henry's. Dad. had his club bag packed full of farm produce for Aunt Hattie comprising apples, jam and 7 lb chicken. He got the court proceedings back from Walter just as he was leaving together with Walter's opinion. It seems to be about as hard to understand as the rest but he evidently thinks Dads chances for success are very strong and thinks the objections raised are minor ones He said the document was very complicated and he didn't think the lawyers themselves were very clear about it. He also said the same as we did that he couldn't understand Uncle Frank's claim at all as he had died before Fa. I got home about five. Marj. had been making dougnuts and I never saw such fat ones as she turned out. My throat is still sore but I don't seem to have any cold. Marj. wanted me to go to the doctor but Dick gave me a bottle of dope he had been taking and I happened to remember while down in the barn of a certain deposit of Jonnie Walker's Black Label which Quint had produced the other day. Dick had given it to him just before he crossed the line the last time he went. He had intended taking it over but Quint had told him it would not be wise, so that helped a little.

Saturday January 23rd

I went over home this morning as soon as I got my own chores done but as it was cold and we were late getting up, it was nearly eleven when I got there. Frank had the chores all done up and had milked without any trouble, even Emily the heifer that I couldn't get near last summer stood quiet. He told me the old sow should go out to Wilbur Ryerse's but we thought we would have time to go down and get a small load of coal before dinner so had to take the rack off the sleighs and put the John Wess box on. We didnt understand just how the plank bottom of it worked and monkeyed with it so long before we finally got it to bit the sleigh holsters that it was dinner time, so we waited till after dinner and went down right after. Tim went with us as he was very anxious to get his grandmother's phonograph Mr. James had told him to take it

over to the farm so he thought while Dad. was away was the time to do it, and there is a possibility of them renting the house down there. We left Tim up town to go around and get the phonograph ready while we went and got a jag of coal and then came around and got Tim & the machine. We unloade the coal and I filled a couple of bags to take home. We then put the John Wess stock rack on the box experiencing the same difficulty in finding out the combinations as we did with the box but finally got it all right. We then had considerable trouble in persuading Gladys III to walk the gang plank from the barn door to the sleigh although we had it covered with straw and after a great deal of manoeuvering we did get her in and had no more trouble with her. It was a brute of an afternoon with a south west blizzard. It was nearly dark when I got home. To-night the wind raged and howled so that it felt as if it would lift the house.

Sunday January 24th

We got up late and did nothing but chores and read Bleak House which we finished to-night. I swept the school house this afternoon. Very blustery this forenoon but a fair after noon. Cold. 7 eggs again.