MARY EDITH RAFF DIARY ENTRIES 1914
The following information was transcribed by Elaine Rathmann, of Davenport, Iowa. Footnote details provided at the end of the entries.
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Thursday, January 1: Stockers here in P.M. Take walk in evening. Snowy. |
Friday, January 2 : F.S. takes flashlights [32]. Very good for 1st experience. One of the piano and flowers and the other of F.S. and self the former standing behind piano bench, the latter seated. |
Monday, January 5 : Back in Jackson III. Good to be in harness again. Had word that Anna Kern spent Xmas in Hospital in Los Angeles. Poor Kernie has a hard time. |
Friday January 9 : F.S. and I go to A-Muse-U. Read afterward. |
Sunday, January 11: F.S. and I take walk and go down to Slough where skating is fine. |
Tuesday, January 13: Altioras are entertained by Anna Prosser Young. Nice time. |
Friday, January 16: F.S. and I go driving out Iowa City Road. |
Sunday, January 18: Rev. Wilburn Clapp of Waterloo spoke at church. F.S. and I take walk in snow before B.Y.P.U. Long talk after church. |
Tuesday, January 20 : Snap shot (Flash light of Contest Board at church.) Walk afterward. Like spring outside. |
Thursday, January 22: Mr. Whitcher led Prayer Meeting. F.S. comes in. |
Saturday, January 24: Jessie K. and I go to Davenport on Interurban. Take in "Garden of Allah," having fine scenery and acting. 200 people in car. Desert scenes and scenes in "Garden of Allah" beautiful. Supper at Peterson's. Home on Interurban at 10:00. Beautiful day. |
Sunday, January 25: Walk with F.S. on East Hill. Then "jungles" across to Park Place and end of car line. Back in on car. F.S. F.S. here for supper and came from church afterward to spend evening. |
Saturday, February 7: Went to A-Muse-U in afternoon with Jess. In evening Edith Althaus and I went to Palace. Good music and pictures. |
Tuesday, February 10: Went to Palace with Jessie K. |
Tuesday, February 24: Lyman Home with F.S. Good pictures. |
Tuesday, March 3: Grand finale to D.A. Baraca Contest. Baracas served D.A.'s with fine chicken supper ending with pie-a-la-mode. D.A.'s furnished program. Toasts excellent.
Music by D.A. Quartette. Anna Young and Iva Girls. Reading-Mrs. Samuels. |
Tuesday, March 10: Edith Althaus, Jessie and I went to Davenport on Interurban. Shopped. Had dinner at Petersons. 3 hours on road returning. Car off track. Disagreeable weather. |
Wednesday, March 11: Frank (Aunt Francis) papered my room-rose bud pattern. Staid for dinner. My room all in pink. New rocker, matching curtains pictures. Very pretty. |
Friday, March 13: Went to "Peg-of-my-Heart" at Opera House. Good. Went with Edith A. |
Sunday, March 15: F.S. and I take ride to Wyoming Hill. Beautiful day. Some snapshots on top the Hill. Two weeks vacation owing to Small Pox scare. About 30 cases in all. All school children ordered vaccinated. |
Wednesday, March 18: F.S. and I play "Rook" at Altenbernds. |
Wednesday, March 25: Clinton and Jessie here for the evening. Played Rook. |
Wednesday, April 1: Penn College Glee Club at our church. Very good. |
Sunday, April 5: Took 3 o'clock Interurban to Davenport. Arrived at 4:30. Took in "Style Show" until 5:20. Round the Loup. Supper at Newport. Home at 8:15 (start). Reached here at 10 P.M. |
Sunday, May 3: Led B.Y.P.U. Subject-Faith. Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen. |
Sunday, May 10: Went to Davenport on the Interurban. Started at 1:30. Spent afternoon at Oakdale. Supper at Schaffers. Something sweet at Greeks. Home at 10 P.M. |
Friday, May 8: Driving on River Road. Moon full. Boat going North. |
Friday, May 22: Jackson School Marms entertained by Mrs. Young. Delicious refreshments. Impromptu program. Josephine Stirlen, whistled. Anna Y. played and Miss Roland recited. |
Sunday, May 24: There is no cheap way in which a man may count for good. He must be what he ought to be, he must aim to keep himself at his at his best-he must be willing to give himself unstintedly to others, sharing directly or indirectly his best with them. Rational Living. Lowell promises "if one follows the call of duty he shall find her finally more beautiful than Pleasure and with vastly more to give." Think good thoughts and the evil cannot stay. "One cannot think with concentrated attention of two thoughts at the same time. This is the principle of expelling the evil by the good. Character and happiness and influence all alike require self-forgetfulness as a prime condition. "The best way to live well is to work well." "Not the size of the task but the spirit shown in the task is the measure of the man." Be your whole self. Be completely in earnest with your intellectual sincerity, with your conscientiousness, with your love of fellowmen, with your aspiration for all that is good and you will find that a sense of God is the moving spring of the whole. |
Decoration Day, Saturday, May 30: F.S. and I gather ferns on the Bluff Road. Started about 1 P.M., home at 9:30. Pop quenches thirst nicely, also makes neat decoration on S.'s shirt. Supper enroute. Maiden hair ferns as trophies. Sam Jones was once riding on a train in company with a man dying of consumption. Sam gave up his berth to this man who had none. All night he spent ministering to this dying man and when he was not needed went into the smoker to watch a poker game. Next day the papers printed in large type, "Sam Jones so interested in poker game forgets to go to bed." Moral: against passing judgment. "Judge not that ye be not judged." [33] |
Thursday, June 18: Baptist excursion to Davenport. Arriving at D. after pleasant trip including lunch on board shared by F.S. Mama went up on hill. I shopped for awhile then met F.S. Ice-cream at Krells,, then trip to Bettendorf. Home at 7:15. Fine weather and good crowd on board. $73 clear. |
Wednesday, July 1: Moonlight drive out River Road and in from Flat Iron Point. |
Saturday, July 4: Celebrated in Davenport. F.S. and I take 10:30 Interurban, reaching D. at noon. After a "look" at the stores went to Fejervary Park where we had dinner under shade of big trees. At 2:00 Band Concert began lasting until 4:00. Then "day fireworks" followed. Went back to D. and had Ice-Cream at Krells. Took walk on bridge and 6 o'clock Interurban for home. Reached here in time to see fireworks at Olivers. Fun day. |
July (date unknown): Cause of "slump" in American affairs according to T.C. Dem. administration has as one platform. Tariff question. Dem. Party never been able to follow out ideas so completely before, of taking off tariff from many articles. Thinks we will not be affected in this part of country much. Banks here safe. Income tax very unpopular. Everyone having over $3,000 taxed. If Presidential Election held this year, Dem. Party would be snowed under. Hopes. Rep. And Progressives unite before next Presidential Election. |
Tuesday, July 14 : Went to Davenport on 9 o'clock Interurban. Home at 6:00. Beautiful day. Shopped. |
Friday, July 17: F.S. took me to Ball Game. Keokuk vs. Muscy. Score 1:2 in favor of former. Went to Slough and rowed until after dark. Walked home. Beautiful and cool today. |
Tuesday, July 21: Went with Jessie and Edith A. to Burlington on U. B. Excursion. Nice day, nice time. Home at 11:30. |
Friday, July 24: Went driving with F.S. around Five Mile Drive. |
Tuesday, July 28: Had launch ride in Speed Away and supper at Geneva with A.B.N. and O.W.M. Ice-Cream at Chocolate Shop. |
Friday, August 7: Went on Slough with F.S. Fine evening. Moon. |
Sunday, August 16: F.S. and I start for Davenport but while waiting for Interurban are invited to take auto ride. Visited Fruitland and surrounding country. |
Monday, August 17: Farther Lights meeting at Schoemakers on Cedar. Hot evening. |
Tuesday, August 18: First day of White Way Picnic. [34] Crowd in town. Went down town morning, afternoon and evening. Hydroplane performed in afternoon. Auto parade in evening. 2nd St. looks beautiful with lights and flags. |
Wednesday, August 19: Rain. Aunt J. says I am too dependent. Let's reform and polish up our independence from now henceforth and forever. |
Tuesday, September 1: or heaven sake keep your mouth shut. Noncommital is the word. |