Wednesday, September 30, 1914

Mr. Niedermeyer, who was called to his home in Decatur by the death of his father Friday returned today. He looks nice in his new black suit.

Monday, September 28, 1914

Mr. Potter seated in the middle

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday Miss Martha worked at Mrs. Krause's. She had already made Mama's black dress. Friday Papa, Mama, and Miss Martha went to Pocahontas and ate dinner at Calame's. Mr. Potter came Wednesday evening. He was over Saturday morning to tell Miss Martha good-bye but she was uptown. Saturday afternoon Mrs. Krause came around and took us to the 3:50 train to see Miss Martha off. She didn't want to go at all but she had promised Harriet Krause she would be there today to make her dress for the VP Ball. Mr. Potter was here for supper Saturday.

Cecil and Ruth were baptised here yesterday at 9:30 by Mr. Potter. Calames were over for dinner yesterday. Mr. Potter left early this morning for Witt to visit Winters and the settlement of Calames around there.

Born -- September 23, 1914 in Los Angeles

Gilbert Edward Mojonier

Sunday, September 20, 1914

"Uncle Charlie's" kids: Gladys, Paul (Muryl's future husband), Adele and Cecil Robert

Miss Martha is going to be here all this week. Saturday afternoon Aunt Lillie and Miss Rachel M. came over. Sunday afternoon we went out to Uncle Charlie's. Krauses came too and Howard Hawk with them. Mrs. Krause, Helen, Harold, and Howard came home with Papa and the rest of us came in the auto. Uncle Charlie's have painted everything except les petite mezzau* (spelling doesn't count in French) and have built a new silo. The place looks fine**.

Last Monday we stayed at home. Tuesday Mama, Aunt Lillie, and Miss M. spent the day at Mutrix's. Wednesday our family all took supper at Smiths. Thursday Mama, Miss M., Mrs. Hubbard, and Miss Rachel spent the day at Aunt Lille's. Papa and I went after them and after dropping Mrs. Hubbard, we took a ride before supper. Friday our family took dinner at Mrs. Krause's. After school we went auto riding. Yesterday we stayed at home till after supper when we went over to Mrs. Enloe's. Just at present everybody but me is asleep. We're going riding when they wake up. Mr. E. Bruce came from St. Louis Friday. He is going to work in the Paris tailoring shop.

* La Petite Maison ("the little house"): Euphemism for the outhouse

**A note on the usage of the word "fine" which is one of Muryl's favorite adjectives. I believe she uses it in the sense that was more prevalent in her day than ours, and is described in this 1850s-era Webster's dictionary:

"The uses of this word are so numerous and indefinite, as to preclude a particular definition of each. In general, fine, in popular language, expresses whatever is excellent, showy or magnificent."

So when Muryl says something, or some event was "fine" she means it was excellent!

Friday, September 11, 1914

Muryl (L) and 8th Grade friends

Had a fine time with the Provost family Sunday evening. Started to school Monday. It is fine but it seems like no matter which way I turn I miss Mr. Mitchell. He is teaching in the Iowa State Normal this year. I suppose it's a good thing for him that our school board dropped him like they did but anyway it was a dirty trick.

My teachers are

Algebra Miss Colcord

Latin " "

English Miss Sewell

Ancient History Mr. Simpson

Music Mr. Niedermeyer

Oh, how I miss Mr. Mitchell's tenor in music. I never knew how I loved that tenor until Mr. Niedermeyer started singing bass the other day. He doesn't get us worked up over singing like Mr. Mitchell did. Lets us choose the songs ourselves.

Miss Martha came Monday evening. Wednesday Miss Hoefut (the singing teacher for the upper grades) was here and has started two Glee Clubs in high school -- one boys' and one girls'. She is really cute. Wednesday evening Mama, Miss M., and I went to the band concert. Ina, Irene, and Blanche were there too. Yesterday afternoon Mama and Miss M. were invited to Mrs. Kruger's and I was invited to come after school. Helen and I went together. Refreshments were banana salad, cookies and brick ice cream.

Sunday, September 6, 1914

Muryl and Ina

School opens tomorrow.

Force -- Prof. S.S. Simpson, Supt.

Prof. A.W. Niedermeyer, Princ.

Miss Knowls

Miss Graff

Miss Colcord

Miss Sewell

I don't know how many of them I will run up against.

I don't remember what happened the first part of week before last. Friday, Helen came over to learn a lace pattern and Adele Hite came over

with Dorothy. Last Sunday Mr. Armet was here and the whole day was taken up in meetings. Monday Virginia and Frances came over. Later, Mrs. Biggs came, and still later Mrs. Hull and Mrs. Tuckey. We girls skipped to Irene's. Tuesday we washed, Wednesday we ironed. In the afternoon I went to the Ladies Bible Reading. In the evening we went to the band concert. I was with Ina a little while. Thursday morning I started a crepe nightgown and in the afternoon Ina and I went to see Virginia and Frances. They were out at the farm so we came over here. We went around by Blanche's to see if we could get a glimpse of her but didn't see her. She just got home from Three Lakes that morning. Irene's Sunday School class had walked to Smithboro and expected to come home on the train so we went down to meet the 5:21. Alice and Margaret had gone too. When we got home little Walter Dilzell came out to meet us so the whole crowd turned in here. After supper Mama and I went to prayer meeting. Friday Pearl J., Mary G., Helen and Gertrude Oeschner, came over and we finished those tracts Neva Young left.

Yesterday we sewed until about 4:30 when Mrs. Mange came over. We got a letter from Martha Bibes announcing that she expects to arrive for a visit tomorrow at 6:008. Earl and Fay Provost and their baby, Ethel, of St. Louis, are coming over for supper this evening. Irene, Margaret, Alice and I went skating by moonlight Friday night. Ruby Hawls was with us a little while. We went in at about 8:45 and played "Rook" at Irene's till 9:30. I just got through writing to Neva.

We have four kittens at the barn -- 1 maltese, 1 gray, 2 black, the awfullest eaters I ever saw.

Monday, August 24, 1914

Thursday Irene entertained her Sunday School class and she asked me to come. We played duets for them and had a fine time in general. Aunt Lillie, Ruth, and Gladys were here for supper. Friday we were invited up to Mrs. Kruger's for the afternoon. On the way we went up to Mrs. Johnston's to see Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Davis, Emma, and Nina who were here for a few days. Those present at Krugers were Mmes. FA Smith, Geo. Smith Reed (of St. Louis), Allen Krause, Grandma Krause, Rutschley, Mama, Helen, Harold, and I. (Also, 8-wk-old Esther Allen). We had ice cream and cake, and a very nice time.

This afternoon we entertained Mmes. FA Smith, Geo. Smith Reed, Rutschley, and Krause and Helen. Yesterday we took dinner at Mrs. Rutschley's. We have been having enough RAIN to more than make up for our long dry spell.

My time is mostly taken up between tatting and reading war news. England, France, Belgium, Russia, Serbia, and Japan are all working on Germany and Austria. So far the Allies are getting the worst of it.

Tuesday, August 18, 1914

Famous Barr Building

I have missed putting in a lot of nice things but I can't remember very far back. Last Tuesday Mrs. Gerke's Sunday School class was entertained at Mrs. Fridelle's and Irene and I played for them. After the program was over Irene, Wilbur, and I served. We had 3-of-a-kind ice and 2 kinds of cake. Tues. evening we went to the Children's Fairy Fete in Hoiles Grove on Beaumont Ave.

Wed. afternoon we went to St. Louis. Thurs. Mrs Classen went 40 miles up the river with us. In the evening we went to the New Grand Central. they were showing Brazilian Travels of Burton Holmes. http://www.burtonholmes.org/life/bio.html

Friday we took dinner at Mrs. Cuendet's. Supper at Classen's and spent the evening at Forrest Park Highlands. Sat. we took dinner and supper at Mrs. Provost's. In the afternoon we walked over to Earl's and to O'Fallon Park.

Sun. morning I walked to meeting. no one was there when I got there but the Wilson boys. We went home with Mrs. Cuendet for dinner. Martha is staying there since her mother dies and she said maybe she's give us a visit this summer. Hope she will. After dinner Helen and I went to Sunday School. I was in Mrs. Smith's class. (All boys except Dorothy Jacobson) We took supper at Smith's. In the evening Mr. Armet preached. Yesterday we went shopping. I dumped my breakfast on the street and didn't dare to eat much dinner for fear it would treat me the same way. I was hungry when I got home. We went six stories up in Famous*. I wanted to go clear up but Mama wouldn't. We got home at 6:08 last night.

*Famous-Barr was a department store built in 1914.