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1887. four months. She has not been at all troubled with asthma while there, and has gained flesh, so that she looks hale and hearty. I have written to Horace. (T.S.R. 31. 2 P.M. 53. S.S. 47.)
Dec. 17. Saturday. Mary had a more restful night last night. I have written to Mr. Moore. (T.S.R. 32. 2 P.M. 53. S.S. 47.)
Dec. 18. Sabbath. The sore on Mary's leg still discharges abundantly. Received a letter from Willie. (T.S.R. 32. 2 P.M. 54. S.S. 48.)
Dec. 19. Monday. Chester is now two years old, large, bright, active and mischievous. I have written to Ada and received letters from Horace and Mr. Moore. (T.S.R. 32. 2 P.M. 54. S.S. 48.)
Dec. 20. Tuesday. We have had a north wind and blowing this P.M. and evening. This is the only day in the whole month that the thermometer rose as high as to 60-. We are having uncommonly cold weather this month. (T.S.R. 28. 2 P.M. 60. S.S. 54.)
Dec. 21. Wednesday. The octagon schoolhouse, so closely connected with the history of the present generation of Lockeford, is now a thing of the past. Since the erection of the new school house it has been used as a dwelling house by different families, of late by the Mexican family of Corbombia. But they moved out and the school children played in it, until they took to abusing it, breaking the windows until not a pane of glass remained, and then filling the rooms with dirt and filth. We requested the teacher to forbid the children to go there but he took no notice of our request. Then Howard went to the school trustees and urged them to interfere, without avail - they did nothing about the matter. So to save the property, Howard had it pulled down today, and will use the lumber to repair the barn and stables. We all regretted having to pull it down, but it seemed the best thing to do under the circumstances. So one landmark after another is removed and makes us sad. I have written to Willie and sent him a little Christmas package. (T.S.R. 35. 2 P.M. 55. S.S. 47.)
Dec. 22. Thursday. Mrs. Cooke called. They now live at the old Foster ranch. (T.S.R. 34. 2 P.M. 54. S.S. 49.)
Dec. 23. Friday. We have made little stockings of different colors of cambrie to be used as candy bags for the Christmas tree this year. Ida
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1887. gave us the idea and the pattern and cut out and made most of the candy-bags, with Eunice's help. Those made of strips of red, white and blue, are the pretties of all. I think we have made just a hundred, and Susie and her girls came over this afternoon and brought the candy and helped to fill them, ready for the tree of tomorrow night. O how the little ones enjoy these yearly Christmas festivals. Have written to Horace and received letters from Ada and Will Moore. (T.S.R. 39. 2 P.M. 52. S.S. 47.)
Dec. 24. Saturday. They had the Christmas trees this evening, and after they were unloaded, all worked together and cleaned out the church, preparatory to the Sunday services of the morrow. Calvin and Eddie went up to the hills and got the trees and they were fine ones. One hundred children were made glad and happy by receiving the pretty stockings filled to their toes with candy. The two trees were completely covered with presents, and then they overflowed and covered the table also. There seemed to be more than the usual number of presents this year. This afternoon, the children brought me as their united gift, the picture of my dear lost husband enlarged from his photo and set in a handsome gilt frame. It is very good, very life-like, but somehow brought such a feeling of disappointment and heartache over me, because it had always been his cherished plan that our two pictures should be enlarged at the same time and hang side by side. And now I am feeling too keenly that we cannot always in this life, have things just as we wish or expect. Five other presents - I received - three beautiful Christmas cards - one from Aunt Susie, one from Lou, and the most beautiful from Mary - in the form of a book - also a hand some hakf. from Horace, a wall pocket made of card board from Grandma, and I must not forget a sweet little Christmas card too, from dear Theresa. Poor Mary, sick in bed and full of pain, was abundantly remembered with 13 presents - all valuable and pretty - and I have sent to Will Moore, who could not be here to the tree, twentyfive dollars in gold, for him to apply on the debt he owes the doctors for
Date Original
January 1885
Dates Covered
1885-1891
Circa Date
circa 1885-1891
Source
Original dimensions: 21 x 34 cm.
Resource Identifier
Locke_Diary_1885-1891_Image_139.tif
Publisher
Holt-Atherton Special Collections, University of the Pacific Library
Rights Management
To view additional information on copyright and related rights of this item, such as to purchase copies of images and/or obtain permission to publish them, click here to view the Holt-Atherton Special Collections policies.
Keywords
Delia Locke, diaries, women, diarist, California, Locke-Hammond Family Papers, Lockeford, CA, Dean Jewett Locke, rural life, rural California, 19th Century, church, temperance organizations, Mokelumne River Ladies' Sewing Circle, temperature recordings, journal
