Sisters–You Can’t Live with Them, and You Can’t Live Without Them

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 from McEwensville without her sister. At least we're near the summer soistice so it probably was still daylight. — 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.

It reminds me of a comment Dianna made several days ago:

You know how siblings can be: can’t live with ‘em, can’t live without ‘em. (Oh wait, maybe that’s MEN…!)

Causes of Death in Pennsylvania During March, 1913

18-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:

Saturday, June 14, 1913: Nothing much doing.

Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:

Did you ever wonder if people died from different causes a hundred years ago than what they do today? Since Grandma didn’t write much a hundred years ago today, I’ll share an interesting article I found in the June 16, 1913 issue of the Milton Evening Standard.

Births Exceed Deaths in State During March

Births in Pennsylvania during March numbers 18,945, but to offset this increase in population the deaths numbered 11,000, the ratio of deaths to births being higher than the average.

Pneumonia, which always exacts heavy toll during the winter, caused 1,721 deaths in March. The deaths were distributed among the various diseases and other causes about as usual.

Following are the figures compiled by the bureau of vital statistics of the state department of health:

Typhoid fever. . .62

Scarlet fever. . . 100

Diphtheria. . . 171

Measles. . . 314

Whooping cough . . . 77

Smallpox. . . 1

Influenza. . .211

Malaria. . . 4

Tuberculosis of lungs . . . 817

Tuberculosis of other organs . . . 118

Cancer. . . 485

Diabetes. . .63

Meningitis . . . 87

Acute anterior poliomyelitis. . 7

Pneumonia . . . 1721

Diarrhea and enteritis, under 2 yrs. . . 240

Diarrhea and enteritis, over 2 yrs. . 63

Bright’s disease and nephritis . . . 716

Early infancy. . . 716

Suicide . . . 76

Accidents in mines. . . 80

Railway injuries. . . 85

Other form of violence. . . 462

All other diseases. . . 4343

Began Piano Lessons

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?

$5 Bill is Crowning Star of Graduation Gifts

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.

—

Overall a good day—but Grandma was mad at herself. Why did she do that she was taking herself to task?

Married Sister “Taking Care” of Family

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.

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 .

Old Washington DC Excursion Train Ad

18-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:

Tuesday, June 10, 1913: Nothing much doing.

Source: Watsontown Record and Star (May 1, 1914)

$3.00 LOW RATE

Sunday Excursion

Washington

Sunday, May 3

A Rare Chance to Visit the National Capital

SPECIAL TRAIN LEAVES

Williamsport . . . 12:01 A.M.

Market Street. . . 12:05 A.M.

Muncy . . . 12:30 A.M.

Montgomery. . . 12: 38 A.M.

Dewart. . . 12:47 A.M.

Watsontown . . . 12:52 A.M.

Milton. . . 1:02 A.M.

Returning, Special Train will leave Washington. . . 5:40 P.M.

The Trip of a life-time. An education as well as a delight. An opportunity to see “The Heart of the Nation,” a city of magnificent distances, unlike any other city in the country.

An Ideal Sunday Outing

See the New National Museum, Library of Congress, Capitol Building, Concoran Art Gallery, and the varied sights of Washington, “The City Beautiful.”

Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:

Grandma’s sister Ruth left the previous day for a week-long trip to Washington DC.

Today the 200 mile drive from McEwensville to Washington DC takes at least 3 1/2 hours. I have no idea how low the train ride was a hundred years ago.

It is not what Ruth did, but I was surprised to discover that back then there were one-day excursion trips to DC from central Pennsylvania. The train left Williamsport right after midnight—and picked up people in several nearby towns and then raced to DC. The route would be reversed in the evening.

Imagine the excitement of catching a train in the middle of the night—and pulling into Union Station at dawn. . . and seeing the capitol outlined in the early morning sunlight.

Dang—I almost put myself into the story—and was ready to book a seat on the next excursion train; then I remembered that it was 2013.

Sister Visits Washington, DC

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?

DC.capitol.1913 — 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.