Oct 1 – Pleasant. I packed all day to day and was pretty tired at night. I expect to start for home next saturday if nothing happens. Louis was here to supper to night.
Oct 2 – Pleasant. I finished packing up my things in Muir to day at the gallery.
Oct 3 – Rainey. Packed all day at the house. Get most every thing packed at the house to day and start for home to morrow night if nothing happens.
Oct 4 – Rainey. We finished packing and got the goods at the depot after noon. We started from Muir ½ past five went over to Lyons to take the cars and they were late so we did not get away until after mid night. Took a freight from Lansing to Jackson.
Oct 5 – Rainey in the morning and cleared off at noon, but rained again at night. We had to stay all day at Jackson. Got home about ½ past 8 oclock in the evening.
Oct 6 – Awful cold to day at Pa’s. Ethan took us down to Fathers and staid to dinner then he and me went to Mr Riddlers to a raising. We staid to Fathers all night. Alfred Luley was there too.
Oct 7 – Pleasant. Alfred Luley and me went down to the burg and got my trunk. Hannah came home to day. Stoped at fathers and staid till Nancy and me went down that night. We staid all night at Pa’s.
Oct 8 – Pleasant and very warm. We went up to Aunt Katies with Pa’s Horse and wagon. Aunt Fledia[89] went up with us, she stayed. Ethan went as far as Busters to work. When we came back Nancy stoped to Fathers and I took bill home then I come back.
Oct 9 – Pleasant. I have written in Wednesday what I ought to write to day so I will write here what I ought to write for Wednesday. We washed to day and I husked two shocks of corn and helped pick up.
Oct 10 – Pleasant. Father and me went to Hartwells to make cider and in the afternoon we picked up some Butnuts and I carried them up stairs. Father went down to Galesburg with a load of wheat. He got 1.35 for it. Croock-neck Squash and carry me home. Weve spliced to day.
Oct 11 – Rained a little this morning. I sowed plaster to day. This eve Father, Will, Fred and I went to the Burg. Nancy went up to Pa’s. Ethan went to the Burg with us. Pa lanced Hannahs Felon[90] to night. Mrs Earl, Hattie and Libbie Taylor visited at Pa’s this afternoon.
Oct 12 – Pleasant. We were at Fathers all day. We looked for Gustus Chase[91] and his wife but Tip and Rasstus and Charley[92] went up there so they did not get down. Mother and Nancy worked all day getting my cloths ready to go to Chicago.
Oct 13 – Pleasant. Nancy and me went down to Galesburg this morning to take my trunk down. We called on Mrs Alfred and Mrs Barber. Then we stoped at Pa’s and staid and Father took the team home. Father, Mother and Will came down to Pa’s in the evening. I started for Chicago 11.58 P.M.
Oct 14 – Pleasant all day. I arived in Chicago this morning about 7.00 oclock AM. I walked up Michigan St to Clark and up Clark to the North Chicago City Railway office. Found Uncle and he introduced me to Mr Squiers and he gave me a job.
Oct 15 – Pleasant. I comenced work for N.C.C.R. yesterday afternoon as student and worked all day to day as student. I wrote a letter to Nancy this after noon.
Oct 16 – Pleasant but cool. I ran as student this forenoon and ran for My Tutor this afternoon. Got to bed about 10 oclock P.M. I was pretty tired when I got to bed.
Oct 17 – Cool but not very bad. I did not get a run to day so I strolled about the streets. I went down to the river and on board of some of the steamers and saw the sights. Got lost but soon found myself.
Oct 18 – Some rainey and cool. It rained and blew quite hard last night in the night, blew up some side walk. I got a run this afternoon and did not get in until almost mid night and was pretty tired.
Oct 19 – Cool raw wind. I did not get up until 7.00 am, ate breakfast and went down to the office but did not get a run so went down to the lake and to the water works. Came home and got dinner and went to work on extra, recived 1.50.
Oct 20 – Pleasant but cool. I did not get any run to day so I went up to the park this forenoon and saw the sights. Afternoon I went down to state street and Madison. Sold my silver for 5.00 and left my watch to be repired at Severns.
Oct 21 – Cloudy and coold. I have not worked any to day. I went down to the lake and all over north side. Got a letter from my Nancy to day, answerd it to night. She is not very well.
Oct 22 – Cool in the morning but warm in the after noon. I went on this morning and worked until about six oclock Making about 11 hours. I run to day on lincoln avenue for George Haskin on set car.
Oct 23 – Cool in the morning but warm through the day and cool in the evening. I have been running for the same man to day that I did yesterday. Comenced 10.56 am and quit 12.00 mid night.
Oct 24 – Cool but pleasant. Dust flew awfuly. I worked on Lincoln ave to day. Got in at midnight. I am not feeling very well.
Oct 25 – Cool but pleasant, warmer in the middle of the day. I did not do any thing to day only loaf. Got a letter from Mother and Nancy to day.
Oct 26 – Coold and rainey. Loafed all day again. I comenced a letter to Nancy but did not finish it.
No further daily entries.
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[89] Alfleda (Starr) Keith, widow of Luke Keith’s brother, Harvey
[90] Deep inflammation on finger or toe
[91] His maternal first cousin, Julius Augustus Chase
[92] Erastus and Charles Towne; Tip might be their brother Cullen Towne
Letters & Diary Entries From the 1860s through the 1890s 