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Nov. 27. Sabbath. The day has been cloudy and the night is rainy. Geo. Lepee, who is now at work for himself on his own Ranch, took dinner with us. Luther and I went with the gig and gray mare to meeting, leaving Ada and Howard with their father. Mr. Nims, who was expected to preach for us as usual, did not come. After S. school therefore, we had a sing and a prayer meeting. When the exercises closed, old Mr. Rogers pronounced a benediction. Was it not almost blasphemy? Luther asked his grand father yesterday, "Grandpa, don't you have hair on your head?" He replied that he once had hair but had lost it. Luther entertained him all the time he was here, talking to him, and when he left, Luther nearly cried. (T.S.R. 45. 2 P.M. 58. S.S. 52.) Nov. 28. Monday. Weather still cloudy and rainy. I have been making soft soap today, for the first time since I kept house. I used potash, grease and water, and I think the soap will be very good. (T.S.R. 52. 2 P.M. 52. S.S. 52.) Nov. 29. Tuesday. Uncle took tea with us. We have just learned that the missing steamer, which had been due two weeks, has arrived, having been detained by running aground on some island in the Carribean Sea. No lives lost. (T.S.R. 44. 2 P.M. 61. S.S. 54.) Nov. 30. Wednesday. The weather is again cloudy and rainy. We have today received the long-delayed Eastern mail, and learn of the death of our cousin Aun Dunham. It is indeed sudden and unexpected to us. "Passing away is inscribed on everything mortal. I have today written to my parents. The subjects of my letter were. The long rain - Tardiness of mail. Thanksgiving My silk sack-Soft-soap - Death of A. C. Dunham and thoughts. Balloon travel. (T.S.R. 52. 2 P.M. 56. S.S. 55.) Dec. 1. Thursday. I will speak today of my general habits of life. I endeavor to rise at five in the morning, and retire as nearly as may be, at nine in the evening. I bathe my body twice a week now, but in the summer uncle oftener than this. I also give each of the children a bath daily, believing that the free use of water is a great promoter of health. My babe I treat as I did the others, nursing him once in three hours, and not at all in the night, and he scarcely ever wakes in the night time. I am also careful to keep his bowels open. (T.S.R. 49. 2 P.M. 59. S.S. 55.) Dec. 2. Friday. Aunt and Susie have visited me this afternoon. Susie did not remain to tea, but Aunt did, and Uncle was also here. (T.S.R. 39. 2 P.M. 58. S.S. 51.) Dec. 3. Saturday. Howard has had a scabby sore head for about a month. It seems to grow worse instead of better. I hope it will not be anything serious. Uncle took tea with us. He brought us the N. E. mail. Mother writes us of the marriages of Uncle Josiah Shaw, Mr. Elbridge Sprague and Uncle James Haynes. Tonight, as I was putting Luther to bed, he asked me if I should feel bad if he and Ada should go way down in the well, where the buckets do. I replied that I should. He then said, "You've got the baby, so you wouldn't be fussy," meaning, I suppose, that I need not feel bad, as long as the baby was left. We think this shows much thought for a boy but little more than three and one-half years old. But the thought of losing him and Ada is so dreadful, I do not like to think about it. (T.S.R. 38. 2 P.M. 56. S.S. 51.) Dec. 4. Sabbath. This has been a cloudy day. I have commenced reading "The Merchant Vessel," a book written by the author of "Man-of-war Life." I have never known or read much of sailor life, and I now wish to make myself familiar with its differenced phases. (T.S.R. 44. 2 P.M. 54. S.S. 53.) Dec. 5. Monday. A very cold wind has been blowing all day, and the temperature in the middle of the day is not often lower. A man, looking for work, dined here. (T.S.R. 35. 2 P.M. 45. S.S. 42.) Dec. 6. Tuesday. This morning we found our plants, and indeed the whole surface of the ground, covered with a
Date Original
November 1859
Dates Covered
1858-1861
Source
Original diary dimensions: 22 x 33 cm.
Resource Identifier
Locke_Diary_1858-1861_Image104.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
