to New York to get Aunt Hattie affadavit, then he has some other business to attend to in Boston, where Quint is most anxious to accompany him and he hopes to sail for home from Montreal on the Montroyal which is due to leave on the 22nd a week from to-day. Lovely day. Sunset clear.

Saturday May 16th

I put out the rest of the strawberry plants I had dug this morning and now have three rows across the triangular patch set out. I then moved the old hut bed frame around by the rhubarb bed and this after noon filled it with earth and transplanted out a lot of tomato plants. I put it over a thick mat of couch grass and spread manure over the grass to kill it but not enough to make much heat. I also dug a little patch out there for Marj. to plant some radish & spinach seed. The cows got out a couple of times, the old rail fence along the edge of the woods from the orchard to Davy's line is getting pretty poor in spots. It has looked very dark and thundery nearly all day and did rain a little this after noon and to-night there was a heavy downpour, which was much needed. It has been warm and rather sultry all day.

Sunday May 17th

I put in rather a busy day and broke the Sabbath at several points, but as Aunty Alice presented me with a new spade on Friday I found many occasions to use it around the place. I also had to fix the fence where the cows got out which I did with some green basswood poles I cut. I also put a heavy one across the creek at Davy's line as Bobby has been in there a couple of times, and it seems rather a pity for her to be stuffing herself on his pasture when the poor old fellow is nearly breaking his neck every day trying to get his own cows down to the creek and back without them getting a bite of grass. I went over there for a short time to return his shovel. Mrs. Lampkin said she was much better and gave me a pie to bring home. This after dinner I swept out the school house an cleaned out the calf pen. I suppose my Sunday activities would probably shock, grieve or anger some of our Puritan citizens provided they knew of it, but I sometimes think that possibly they forget that the first part of the 4th commandment requires us to work six days & do all that there is to do, and as that with me at this time of year is a physical impossibility since I am not equipped with all the man-servants, maid-servants, cattle and strangers within the gates as it is implied were at the command of those under