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Wednesday, January 4th. Snowed very fast during a great part of the day. After I came up from milking this morning Mother told me I should have the day to myself and spent the day in sewing, helped to fold clothes in the evening. Thursday, January 5th. The snow which fell yesterday was very much drifted this morning in the fields, don’t know how it is in the roads, hope however that it has not spoiled the sleighing. Amanda and I ironed, were all done before dinner, except the fine shirts and collars, which I finished afterwards. While Amanda was milking this evening I worked the button-holes in Joseph’s wedding shirt, which Mother had just finished making, with that exception. Jonathan went over to Rickabaugh’s this evening to see if he could borrow the “Old Yellow” for Saturday, has not returned yet, so that I don’t know whether he was successful or not. Friday, January 6th. A beautiful day throughout. Amanda and I swept up stairs, rather cold employment. In the afternoon Rachel and Jonathan went to the funeral of Daniel Showalter, who, for several years, lived near neighbor to us, since that time, however, he has seemed to be very unfortunate in business, went West, buried his wife and younger child, returned to his native state with one child about a year since, became depressed in spirit, and on night before last he terminated his unhappy existence by suspending himself to a nail or rafter in the garret. He has gone to receive the reward of his actions at an impartial tribunal. Oh! with what an awful weight must the cares and trouble of life press upon the human soul ere it could thus willingly and prematurely usher itself into the immediate presence of its Maker! In the evening David Clemens came over, had not been in long before John and Mary Jane Detwiler and Mattie Fricker came driving up in a sleigh, spent a very pleasant evening. Saturday, January 7th. Cloudy in the morning, we arose very late. Ellie Cornog came over before breakfast to see about going down to Mr. Baker’s in Delaware County . We accordingly agreed to start at 10 A.M. at which time Ellie and Naomi came over in their sleigh. Amanda got in with Ellie and Naomi got in the “Old Yellow” with Rachel, Jonathan and myself. The sleighing was splendid; we arrived at our destination just as the family had finished dinner, found Miss Mary and Emma both at home had a very pleasant visit, but about and hour and a half before tea-time it commenced raining which gave us a touch of the “fidgets.” We were for starting home instanter, but they would not hear to us going before tea, which they were to have prepared by 5 o’clock in order that their father, who is an “Odd Fellow”, might meet his lodge, and we yielded to their persuasions. But the longer we remained the worse grew the weather, and when we started it was raining finely, We wrapped ourselves up well in the horse blankets, buffalo robe, and coverlet, and had two umbrellas, one in each sleigh so that we were not much wet when we reached home. Had a real jolly time of it coming home, every one we met seemed to be highly pleased to know that others as well as themselves had been “caught out”, at least most of them had a broad grin on their countenances at our appearance thus verifying the old adage: “Misery loves company.” Sunday January 8th. Very foggy nearly all day, could see but a short distance from one’s self. Mother, Amanda, Jonathan and myself went to the Valley, heard |
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