Aug 1 – Pleasant part of the day and cloudy and hot. I went to bed last night feeling pretty near like haveing the ague but did not have it. I woke up and was awful sick, vomited the rest of the night and was sick most all day to day. Sweet comenced work for me to day.
Aug 2 – Pleasant. Aunt Lib and Uncle Geo[81] were down to Muir and I went to up home with them to stay all night. I left about ¼ to four in the afternoon. I did not feel very well and I thought I ought to take a little rest. We got up there about 6 oclock.
Aug 3 – Pleasant and cool. At Uncle Georges. Lewis and I went over to Marys and got her in the morning. We had green corn for dinner. After dinner Lewis took Mary and me and came within 3 miles of Muir and then I got out and he went to take Mary home.
Aug 4 – Very pleasant. It has been a rather busy day but not much pay. I ripped up my dark tent and made back ground and curtains of it. I went up and played with the band a little while then came down and got to talking with the tinner and talked until bed time.
Aug 5 – Pleasant. It has been very dull today. I got a letter from Nina and one from Mother. Comenced answering Nina’s to day. Took a negative of my room this afternoon, took a negative of Prof Bengamin, teacher of the brass band. Added 1 oz of Silver to my neg bath.
Aug 6 – Pleasant but warm. I printed to day. Was not very busy. Took in 3.00 after 4 oclock. I went to band meeting and learned one piece. I sent a letter to Nina with a picture of the Gallery and a dollar in money. I have had the blues some to day if I know myself.
Aug 7 – Pleasant and warm. I done more business to day than any day before. Went a seranading with the brass band. Had lots of wine, apples and cake. Got home after midnight a little. I am going to print tomorrow.
Aug 8 – Pleasant, but very warm. I printed to day. Have not taken in but three dollars and a quarter to day. Mr Sweet has been here part of the day. I packed a bunch of shingles to day for the first time in my life. I am lonesome to night or home sick or something.
Aug 9 – Pleasant and warm. I have been lonesome to day as bussiness has been dull. Harvey Holbrook has been here to day. Wanted me to go home with him but I could not go. I feel some like the ague but am not going to have it.
Aug 10 – Pleasant and very hot. I went to church this forenoon and then went over to see Mrs Long. She aggreed to do our washing for .40 a week and is to do mine washing and ironing until Nina gets here for the same and She furnishes soap and starch.
Aug 11 – Pleasant but very warm. Harvey Holbrook was here stoped on his way to Partland. He gave me two apples. Today has been the best day I have had since I came to Muir. I have taken 7.05. The Lyons Artist was here to day and I went over there this evening.
Aug 12 – Warm and Showery. I rec’d a letter from Nina and one from Father and mother. I have read them several times through and it does me more good to read them than it does to eat. My stomach is in a very bad condition. I never had it feel so before.
Aug 13 – Pleasant but warm. I had a pretty good day of it today. Mailed a letter to Nina and one to Faher. Sent Nina 16 dollars this afternoon. I dont fell very well yet but think I shall get along all right.
Aug 14 – Cool this forenoon and very warm in the afternoon. I printed to day. Went over to Lyons to night. It has been very dull all day out. I have taken some pictures, did not take any until after three oclock.
Aug 15 – Rainey and dull. I took 4 gems but did not get pay for them. The first day since I have been in Muir but what I took in something. I went out a seranading with the band last night. Did not get home until after midnight. Went out in the country.
Aug 16 – Pleasant and cool. I feel pretty well considering that I was out on a drunk last night. It has not been a very busy day but I have taken 6.40. I could not go to dinner so I went over about three oclock and had a boal of bred and milk.
Aug 17 – Pleasant but threatning rain. I went to church and when I came back I went to the P.O. and got a letter from Nina. She will be here in a week from next tuesday if nothing happens. I comencd answering it right off so as to get it out to morrow.
Aug 18 – Pleasant. I finished writing to my Nina to day and mailed it to her. I have been pretty busy to day takeing tintypes. Took one negative of a man on my own hook. If nothing happens I will have less flies to morrow than I have had to day as I netted my windows.
Aug 19 – Pleasant but very warm. It has been very warm to day and very dull. I rented the room over Probascos Brocks store to day and paid 4.00 in advance for them at 1.00 per week. I wrote a letter to my Mothers to day and got one from Mother.
Aug 20 – Very warm and threatning rain. I have printed to day but have not taken in a cent. I orderd a bill of goods to day. A young lady came here to day and said she would learn the trade to comence next Monday morning for 10.00.
Aug 21 – Very hot this fornoon. I did not take any pictures until afternoon. I rained very nice this afternoon. The lighning stuck one House in Muir. I got a letter from Nina to day and mailed one to her this afternoon. She sent me a bill of our goods.
Aug 22 – Very warm. I took babys pictures all the afternoon. Did not have very good success only took in 2.45. I receved a bill of goods to day, 3 yds carpet and a back ground and some other little things amt 20.75. I had to borrow 2.00 of Pussey Burt.
Aug 23 – Cooler to day, cloudy and very dull. I have not taken in a cent to day. I am strapped and worse and feel as though I could go right down through the floor. My throat is most awful sore to day, cant hardly swallow. Plainly speaking I have got the blues.
Aug 24 – Warm and pleasant. I went to church in the forenoon, staid to Sabath. I took charge of Mrs Ransoms class. I received a letter from Nina to day. She is comeing Tuesday on mail. It has been a very long day to day.
Aug 25 – Pleasant but hot. I am sick, brok out with the heat. It has been a pretty good day for busines to day. I went down to the Plaining mill to get my Frame but they had made a mistake and made it 4 ft square instead of eight.
Aug 26 – Cloudy in the morning, cleared of about noon but cloudy afternoon. Nina came to day on mail and the goods arrived here yes this morning and Hank brought them over after dinner. We ate supper at home alone to night in Muir for the first time.
Aug 27 – Pleasant but warm. I did not do much to day, awful dull only took in .50 and we got three chairs and some curtains. Went to bed pretty tired to night. Have not got settled yet but still it seems like home. We sent a letter to Ma to day.
Aug 28 – Pleasant. I took in .35 cts to day. Put up my back ground to day. Took one picture of Nina and she put it up. I helped Nina wash the woodwork to night. We sat and talked and looked out of the window a good while. Nancy is feeling pretty well.
Aug 29 – Cloudy and foggy in the morning. This morning about 6 o’clock a freight train ran into the morning express doing fearful damage, several killed and a large number wounded. At night more died through the day. I scrubbed out the Galery this afternoon. Nina went over and helped wash dishes at the hotel.
Aug 30 – Pleasant and a very dull day. Did not take in a cent. Uncle George came down and we went home with him. The past week has been the dullest week since I got up here. I am strapped and am not doing any work at all. No one comes, have not done any thing to amt to any thing since Monday.
Aug 31 – Rainey and hot. Uncle Georges folks and us went over to Marys and after supper they came and brought us home. I am pretty near sick and so is Nina. Johney Long came and brought our cloths home after I had got to bed.
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[81] Investigation continues as to their identity
Letters & Diary Entries From the 1860s through the 1890s 