18-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Monday, June 16, 1913: After having been absent about for a week Ruthie returned at last this evening. Now it won’t be so lonesome for me. She brought me a souvenir and ever so much to talk about.
Hail stones rained from the sky in great abundance after she got here.
Washington, DC box
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
Grandma’s sister Ruth returned from a week-long trip to Washington DC. I can just picture Ruth sitting at the kitchen table, and happily sharing the story of her wonderful adventure.
What was the souvenir that she brought back for Grandma?
18-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Friday, June 13, 1913: Went to Sunday School this morning. Children’s Day Services were held up at the church this evening, which I attended, although Ruth wasn’t here to be my escort.
It probably was lonesome walking home alone after the service. At least it was near the summer solstice, so it probably was still daylight.
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
Grandma’s sister Ruth was still away on a trip to Washington, DC. Throughout the diary there’s a bit a sibling tension between Grandma and Ruth—and she calls Ruth, “Rufus” in the entries when she was upset with her.
I’m sure that Grandma had more farm chores when Ruth was gone—and I’d previously wondered if that was the primary reason that Grandma missed Ruth. But this entry sounds like she genuinely missed her sister’s companionship.
18-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Friday, June 13, 1913: Started to take music lessons today. Went up to McEwensville this afternoon on some business.
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
I assume that the lessons will be piano lessons since Grandma wrote on March 29, 1913:
. . . Ma bought a piano. I’m so glad for now I can learn to play.
Grandma was 18-years-old. This seems relatively old to me to be starting piano lessons. Was she looking for new activities now that she had graduated from high school?
18-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Thursday, June 12, 1913: I was a bad girl today and am taking myself to task.
When Pa came home he brought me a graduating present. It was the crowning star of them all: a five dollar bill.
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
This is one of the few time that Grandma mentioned her father in the diary. It generally seemed like he probably spent much of his time out in the barn or fields—and that he wasn’t very involved in household activities
The previous day Grandma wrote that her father was away and that her married sister Ruth had come out to “help take care of us for Pop was away.”
What was he doing when he was away? Whatever it was must have gone extremely well, if he felt prosperous enough to give Grandma a five dollar bill for a graduation present. This would be the equivalent of about $120 today.
The graduation gifts sure straggled in over a long time period,Grandma graduated from McEwensville High School on April 23. In April she wrote that her mother gave her a $2 gold piece. It’s surprising that her father gave a separate gift, and that it took him a month and a half to give it to her.
Grandma made quite a haul. This is at least the 22nd gift that she received.
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Overall a good day—but Grandma was mad at herself. Why did she do that she was taking herself to task?
18-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Wednesday, June 11, 1913: Besse came out this evening to stay overnight and take care of us for Pop was away.
Besse (Muffly) Hester
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
Where did Grandma’s father go? . . . and why? Farmers generally stay pretty close to home—especially during the busy planting and harvesting seasons.
Besse was Grandma’s oldest sister. She was married and lived in the nearby town of Watsontown.
Why did the family need to be cared for when their father was gone? Grandma was 18-years-old and her mother probably was also at home (at least the entry doesn’t indicate that she went anywhere). Seven-year-old Jimmie was the only person who seems like he may have needed any care–but I don’t picture that her father was generally very involved in taking care of him.
You’d think that two adult women won’t need another one to take care of them.
Maybe what Grandma really meant was that Besse came out to help with all of the farm work. The diary entry two days ago said that Grandma’s sister Ruth had gone on a trip to Washington, DC, so the farm was short-handed by two people .
18-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Monday, June 9, 1913: Our dear Ruthie left this morning for Washington DC. Wonder what I will do without. She won’t be home for a week at least. I surely will be lonely while she’s gone.
Am fixing my last summer’s white dress. It got too tight around the waist. Isn’t that a calamity?
Post card of US Capitol, Washington, DC (circa, 1913)
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
Even today, trips to Washington, DC are often considered really special trips. I wonder why Grandma’s sister Ruth went to DC. Was it a holiday trip with friends?
. . . Or maybe the trip was work related. Ruth was a teacher at a one-room school house—maybe teachers were able to take trips to DC for professional development reasons.
Post card of Union Station,Washington, DC (circa 1913)
In any case, Grandma sounds bummed. Is she most concerned about the extra work she’d have to do (there were definitely more cows to milk twice a day without Ruth, and probably lots of other additional chores). . . or about being lonely without a sister to talk with?
And, any day is a bad day when you realize you’ve gained a few pounds.
18-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Sunday, June 8, 1913: Went to Sunday School this morning. From there I went along home with Margaret. Spent the afternoon and I came home later on.
I can picture Grandma and Margaret happily chatting as they walked down this street on a nice June day a hundred years ago.
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
Another minor mystery–Margaret could refer to one of two friends: Margaret Bryson or Margaret G. (I don’t know Margaret G.’s last name. )
My gut feeling is that Grandma went home with Margaret Bryson after Sunday School (though I don’t think that Margaret Bryson generally attended the same church–the McEwensville Baptist Church– as Grandma), because she is the Margaret most recently mentioned in the diary. She was the sister of Blanche Bryson and on May 13, 1913, Grandma wrote:
. . . The Bryson girls were down.
But, then again, Margaret might refer to another friend, Margaret G. On January 29, 1913 Grandma wrote:
. . . Margaret G. came home with me to stay till tomorrow. We had a dandy time this evening, although I am afraid our lessons suffered some. Rufus made candy. And so the evening went.
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I’d like to thank Janet Shuman for making a comment on the previous post about the Bryson girls. She told me that Margaret was the name of Blanche’s sister. Janet is related to the Brysons—and her comments have really helped me learn more about them.
