Friday, December 31, 2010

Saturday, January 1, 1898

Lennie writes few words today.
Went to bed 2:30.
Got up 7:00

nice day
slid on hill
Happy New Years

Looks as if Lennie stayed up late and got about four and a half hours of sleep. There must have been snow on the ground as Lennie (and probably his friends) went sledding.

And even though Lennie is short on words, plenty was happening all around him. Buried amongst other news, this day's Omaha Daily Bee reported that thirty miles from Wakefield, near Bancroft, Nebraska, "Carl Skoot, a Swedish farmer residing on the reservation, three miles northeast of this place, was instantly killed today, while engaged in digging a well. Mr. Skoot was at work in the bottom of a ninety-foot well when one of the buckets which was being used to haul the dirt up in, when about forty feet from the top, slipped off the windlass hook and fell to the bottom, striking him on the head."

End of article. End of poor Mr. Skoot who died in a terrible accident. I wonder if Mr. Skoot left behind a Mrs. Skoot any any little Skoots?


Weatherwise, the Omaha Daily Bee forecasts "fair, southwestery winds". The Bee also noted a heavy snow storm in western Pennsylvania with six to ten inches on the ground and more to arrive.

Snuggle up, Folks. January can be the longest, coldest month of the winter.
.


Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Upon Which We Begin Reading Lennie's Diary


Inside the front cover of Lennie's Diary: Stamped with rubber stamp...
LENNIE DAVIS
In hand-written script...
Chas. L. Davis, Wakefield, Dixon Co., Nebraska
IN CASE OF ACCIDENT OR SERIOUS ILLNESS PLEASE NOTIFY...
Rawlings Bros. Wakefield, Nebraska.
My weight..150 and my height... 5 feet 9 inches on January 1st, 1898
Size of my hat 7-1/8 Gloves 8-1/2 Pants 33-33
Collar 15-1/2 Cuffs 10 Shoes 8 Hosiery 10

In Lennie's handwriting...
Be plain in dress, and sober in your diet
In short, my deary, kiss me and be quiet.

In front of book Lennie had written these addresses:
Lew M. Walden, Phoenix Arizona (Lewis M. Walden)
Richard Knapp, St. Thomas, North Dakota
Pinckney's (book store), 414 Fourth St., Sioux City, Iowa
Herbert Brewer, Leelyward, Iowa
Claude Hart, Dakota, Nebr
J. Williams, 2315-28th Ave, Omaha, Nebr
Mead Cycle Co., Chicago, Ill
Flora E. Town, Shell Rock, Iowa
B. G. Hunter, Lincoln, Nebr

Lennie wrote his school grades in front of the book for January 21, 1898.
Algebra 75 Civics 70 Physics 80
Botany 78 Rhetoric 55
I hereby sware off. Signed C. L. D.

Lennie had three entries in 1897 before beginning the Year 1898.
Dec. 28 Mrs. Haskel had party. Sweed Xmas tree. (Swedish Lutheran Church)
Dec 30 Took Chas. S. pigs 100 lbs. Sweed Xmas. Cold night wind blew.
Dec. 31 Nice day. Lodge met and had a watch (New Year's) party.

Next entry will be January 1.