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.

Thursday, July 30, 1914

So many things have been happening that I haven't had time to write them. Last Thursday Uncle Chas. and his family, Mrs. Krause and the kids and Mama and I went to Camp Ground for a picnic. We went in the auto with the Krauses and certainly enjoyed ourselves. In the afternoon Miles took the Robert kids for an 8 mile ride and when they got back, the rest of us went to see Mrs. Blacet. Helen said she wouldn't have missed it for 8. On the way home we stopped to see Mr. Gasa. Mrs. Krause and we kids peeped in the kitchen window to see what was there -- and we saw. He invited us to go into the front room but he couldn't ask us to sit down because there was only one chair and the floor was too dirty to sit on. When we got home we cleaned up and went to prayer meeting. Dr. Wait, Mr. Tom Calame and Ethel Armet had just arrived at Krause's in an auto as they started for meeting. Mr. Krause, Harold and Dr. Wait stayed at home but the rest came on as soon as they had lunch. They went to Nokomis the next day. Sunday we took dinner at Uncle George's. Monday we went over to Gerke's and up town in the afternoon. After supper Irene went riding with us. Tuesday afternoon Irene and I went up to Ina's. She is going to start on a 4 days river trip to-morrow. We hadn't been there long till Frances and Virginia came so we had a fine time. We were all working on the same kind of lace. Ina served cake and lemonade. Coming home we all got weighed. Irene and I weigh 109.5, Frances 103, Ina 95, Virginia 94. Yesterday we went up to Mrs. Kruger's. Mr. and Mrs. Smith were there and Mrs. Kruger's niece. I didn't understand her name. She has a little girl just three weeks younger than Frances. It was a picnic to watch those babies play. Last night Irene and I practiced.

Monday, July 21, 1914

Friday Mama and I went over to Krauses again. Alice and Margaret and I played croquet in the morning. Irene came home Saturday on the 4 o'clock train. They didn't expect her till 7 and her mother was uptown. I went over as soon as I heard she was here. She said I gave her a warmer welcome than her mother did. ha! ha!

Yesterday Aunt Lella, Paul, Adele and Evelyn were here for dinner. We had lots of fun out of Evelyn. I gave her a doll with a trunk full of clothes that I was getting ready for Marguerite Cook. She was perfectly delighted. She said that she thought that was almost too much for her but she guessed she ought to keep them.

Neva Yong left for Iowa Friday noon, She has a fine position in a lawyer's office there. She was too busy to come over but she telephoned for us to go over there and tell her good-bye. We went Thurs. afternoon.

Tuesday, July 14, 1914

The mercury reached 108 degrees Saturday. Sunday was 105 degrees. The kids (Gladys, Paul and Cecil) were in Sunday night. It was too hot during the day. They brought me home. Just a little after I got here the fire alarm blew. Papa and I started to the fire. We heard that it was Jernigan's livery barn. When we had gone two blocks from home Papa said I had better come back after Mama. When I got here she and Maude Dulaney were already starting. The fire did about $8.900 worth of damage. It burnt the livery barn with seven horses, a second hand store next door and a brick house across the alley besides damaging the Thomas House, Advocate building, Potthast's store and our building. Did about $550 worth of damage to us.

Yesterday I went over to see Helen K. We played golf and checkers.

Saturday, July 11, 1914

Got a card from Irene yesterday. Last night we were down at Uncle George's. He got home Tuesday.

Mama and Cecil are up town getting Cecil a new suit. We did everything yesterday so I've nothing to do today. I got a piece, variations on Old Black Joe Wednesday. It came while I was out at Uncle Charlie's. I can play most of it now.

Old Black Joe by Stephen Foster

Gone are the days when my heart was young and gay,
Gone are my friends from the cotton fields away,
Gone from the earth to a better land I know,
I hear those gentle voices calling Old Black Joe.

Chorus:

I'm coming, I'm coming,

for my head is bending low,

I hear those gentle voices calling

Old Black Joe.

Why do I weep, when my heart should feel no pain,
Why do I sigh that my friends come not again?
Grieving for forms now departed long ago.
I hear those gentle voices calling Old Black Joe.

Where are the hearts once so happy and so free?
The children so dear that I held upon my knee?
Gone to the shore where my soul has longed to go,
I hear those gentle voices calling Old Black Joe.

Thursday, July 9, 1914

Went to the ladies Bible reading Wednesday afternoon. Mama, Papa, Raymond and I played croquet in the evening. Mama and Raymond beat Papa and me in the 1st and Mama and I beat Papa and R. in the 2nd.

Thursday night we went to prayer meeting as usual. Friday afternoon I went over to see Margaret and Alice Dilzel who are visiting the Waits from New Orleans. They have a little brother Walter, about 18 months old since the last time they were here. Sat. (July 4th) we had our first spring chicken for dinner. In the afternoon we drove to Pocahontas. Broke our single tree* on the way and had to borrow one from Mr. Seiver. We got there about 4 o'clock. Mr. and Mrs. Calame were at the store and we stayed up town awhile. I went over into the park. Saw a little boys' sack race and nearly died laughing. Saw Katie. She w1s w3th 1 b215 s4 3 th45ght 3'd b2tt29 84t b5tt 38 18d sp21k t4 h29, 2sp2c3166y 1s sh2 d3d8't s22 72. 3 h1pp282d to k84w f947 4th27s' 2xp29328c2 th1t g396s w3th b215x d48't w18t th239 63tt62 s3st29s t1gg38g 1648g.** Ha! Ha!

We had a great big supper at Calame's and after supper Papa went to the store with Mr. Calame while Mama, Mrs. Calame and I went down to see the lots.

Monday morning I went over to Irene's to get the Etudes. I have them all while they are in Chicago. She was going on the 1:40 PM train and had been ready ever since 8 o'clock. We played some of the duets over before I came home.

In the evening when we were out riding I saw Louise and the boys over at her grandmother's. Didn't know she was here. I haven't had a chance to go over there and I don't know whether she's still here or not.

Tuesday I got a card from Katie asking me to go to the county graduating in the evening. I had already told Mrs. Krause I would go to YPM (Young Peoples' Meeting) at her house so I couldn't go. We finished lunch at Krauses at almost ten o'clock and then I went home with Paul and Gladys. We got there at about 11 0'clock. 3 th38k 3t w1s 1 63tt62 1ft29 482 17 wh28 G61dys & 3 w2nt t4 s622p. 3'7 g61d 7171 c18't 921d th3s d3162ct.***

Yesterday evening Papa and Mama came out after me. I had some music lesson today. Miss Plant gave me a new book -- Czerny Book I. She said it might be too easy for me and if it was I could exchange it for Book II.

*The pivoted or swinging bar to which the traces of a harnessed horse are fixed; a whiffletree.

** Code Translation 1: "She was with a beau so I thought I'd better not butt in and speak to her, especially as she didn't see me. I happened to know from others' experience that girls with beaux don't want their little sisters tagging along."

***Code Translation 2: "I think it was a little after one AM when Gladys and I went to sleep. I'm glad Mama can't read this dialect."

Tuesday, June 30, 1914

I have been sick naturally after having such a good time as that last recorded. Saturday I didn't feel well but I had to do most of the morning work so Mama could finish Aunt Lillie's waist. Uncle George went in her place so she didn't call for it till about noon after all Mama's hurrying to get in done in time for her to put the lace on and wear the waist when she left at 11:05. Saturday afternoon I went to bed and stayed there till a little after five when Mama woke me and told me Papa's feet hurt and he wanted me to hitch up and go after him. I did and when I got home I lay on the couch until Mama got back from taking Papa to the store after supper. Then I had to unhitch (Mama doesn't know how). After that I stayed in bed till a little after twelve Sunday. Aunt Lillie and Ruth came home to dinner with Mama, and I got up when they came. I stayed on the couch the rest of the day. Yesterday I felt pretty well but tired. Raymond Howell and I played croquet all afternoon. He beat 11 to 3.