What Does Lillian Want To Know?

Friday, July 4, 1919: Dad, Ruby & I went to Galena this morning went in to see if our waists were in the Post Office. But no, no waists*. I was awful sore. Well, when we got ready to go to Scales Mound the weather didn’t look very favorable but we went. A very big crowd there. Uncle Bens from Woodbine and Uncle Dan, Uncle Henrys, Uncle Joes, Uncle Georges, Irish Virtues and lots more were there. It rained several showers but not enough to settle the dust. Made a person rather nervous. About half after four we started for home as the weather didn’t look good. It rained a little on the way home. After we were home awhile it rain very hard and rain so hard about all night.


Saturday we didn’t go anywhere. Didn’t know if we should go tonight or not. Wanted to go awful bad. Would like to know something awful bad.** Sunday Dad, Ma, & I went to church in the morning. Lottie was there. I found out some things I wanted to know about B. Lottie came over this afternoon. Had supper. We thought we would go to Galena to the Methodist church this eve. But when we got in there church looked to be shut up so we call on Tippets awhile.

Monday we hauled two loads of hay in the afternoon. Tuesday we hauled a load of hay this morning but it came to rain so couldn’t haul anymore. We washed. Wednesday my waist came. My first Georgette waist, white with blue embroidery and collar.*** We got a letter from Uncle Thomas. It stormed nearly all afternoon. A very heavy rain and hard storm. We baked bread and cookies on the oil stove. Mrs. Seck was buried today. Thursday, July 10, 1919: We didn’t haul any hay. It was too wet. I cut a little lawn. Ruby & I cleaned out the carbon from the combustion chamber of the car in the forenoon. We all rode down to Tresidder’s.

* Waists are much like what we would call blouses. They overlapped the skirt.
** This might be about the mysterious person that Lillian was writing to earlier in World War II or it may be about Ben Young, who was courting Lillian's sister, Ruby.
*** We actually have this waist. It was found in the Trudgian home among other left behind clothing.

Watch Out For Those Grass Seeders

Friday April 25,1919: Cold again today. Had an awful hard frost last night. I think ice on a tub of water. Made bread and coffee cake and a cake. Well, this evening Ruby and I went over to the Miner’s Social with Josie, Helen & Bert. We walked. Quite a crowd there. Had a very good program. Tresidders were over. Blanche had to sit on the platform holding a doll while Mrs. Wingler sang. Baskets sold well, none below a dollar. Ruby’s brought a dollar. Joe Dower had hers.He had two others. Archie Virtue bought mine for a dollar and a half and also Miss Reddington’s. Fourth time I got a Virtue. First time a cousin of theirs, second and third time Charlie Virtue and now Archie Virtue. Had a very nice time. Very interesting. Got home at half past twelve.


Saturday was very nice day. A great celebration at Galena today. One hundredth anniversary of the Odd Fellows.* We didn’t go. Ma & Ruby made some garden today. The first we made. Sunday was rainy in the morning. Ma & Ruby went up on the hill this morning but didn’t see anybody at church so came home again. Uncle Edd and Aunt Annie came down to dinner today. Rainy this afternoon and eve. Monday was well cloudy in the morninbg and road muddy. Dad & Ruby went to town to the big celebration this forenoon with Old Pet in the buggy. I had a chance to go with Uncle Edd but didn’t know what to do. Just awfully dissappointed. In spite of the muddy roads just an awful lot of cars went by also teams. They saw Charles Trudgian in town. He has been home since Wednesday. He’s working roads now driving tractor. It wasn’t such a bad day after all (the weather).

Tuesday we cleaned the rag room. At noon John Tresidder asked to borrow our grass seeder. After dinner he came up to get it. Came up in the car. I was looking out the window to see him crank it. It back fired and hurt his arm or wrist. We bathed it in hot water thought probably it was only a sprain. Also put linament on it. It began to swell. Couldn’t use his hand, so I drove him home. He had the spark to far advanced that why he broke his arm. Also the car was missing one cylinder. Then Agnes thought he’d better got to the doctor so I said I would take him in. I had to have other clothes on so we drove back up. His car went so bad that we took our car. The doctor said the both bones in his arm were broken. Said it would be four weeks before it could be taken out of the cask. Ruby went to town too. Then when we got home I had to drive John’s car down again.

Wednesday, was  raining all day today. Ruby cleaned Dad’s & Ma’s room today. Thursday,May 1, 1919, it rained a little. Cleared up this afternoon. Ma washed today or finished. She started yesterday.

*Odd Fellows: An altruistic and benevolent fraternal organization dedicate to improving and elevation the character of mankind, aiding the community, the less fortunate, youth and the elderly. ( You will be happy to know that starting with Vol. 2 there is a glossary that covers many of the words and expressions that you may not be familiar with. If, when reading Lillian, you see a word that you think needs to be defined just let me know through the blog or on Facebook Group "Lillian's Readers" and I will add it to the glossary for Vol. 3, which will be out in August 2011 in honor of Lillian's birthday)

Basket Socials Still a Draw in Galena

Friday, March 21, 1919: Busy getting ready for the social but didn’t know how to go. Thought probably B. would say something but didn’t. We didn’t know if we should ask Weis or not. Ma went with us up to Uncle Edd’s. Then he had to get ready yet. I was quite late but not too late when we got there. A fairly good crowd. Good program. Twenty-nine baskets I believe. Charlie Virtue bought mine for two dollar and five cents. Ruby’s was sold first for a dollar five. Charlie Zarndt was the buyer. B & E* were there. They bought two baskets a piece. It was about half past twelve when we got home. Weises didn’t go.


Saturday Ruby & I drove up to Scales Mound in the buggy. Had a sale up there so there was a big crowd. Roads are quite good till the foot of Temperly's Hill. Up the Mound they are bad. Ruby & I each got a new spring bonnet. Each of shiny black straw, mine is green in under and some on top. Ruby’s was five fifty mine four fifty. Sunday was a very nice spring day. Dad & Ruby walked over the Station to Quarterly Meeting Services. John T. did also. He came back with them. Had dinner here. Agnes, Milton & Blanche came up this afternoon. Didn’t have any company. Don’t have anybody to expect now I’m sure. Monday Dad, Ruby & I burned a brush pile up in the orchard in the  afternoon. Also cleaned up lots more trees and limbs. Started to rake lawn.

Tuesday we washed. Also baked bread and raked some lawn. Wednesday was cooler. Ironed today. Baked patty cakes**. Pumped tires and etc. Neighbors are plowing with tractors. Thursday web fiddled away some time looking over car and raked some lawn today. Uncle Edd & Aunt Annie came down this evening.

B & E*  = I believe these are the Young boys , Ben and Elmer. People who knew the Trudgian family back then have said that Ruby was once in "love" with Ben. I have always wondered if Lillian was interested in his brother Elmer.
 
Patty cakes** = is one of the terms which appear in the glossary found in Vol. II of " Lillian's Diaires: Whispers of Galena's Past".

Dubuque, Digging and Death

Saturday April 18, 1925: Dad, Ma, Ruby & I went to town this afternoon. Before we came home we drove over to Tippet’s on Park Ave., thinking Uncle Edd and the Aunts were there getting ready for the Snows, Mattie and Grandpa to come home. Snow was going to meet them about 200 mi down state with the car. They were there already. Got home about twelve oclock. Today is Grandpa Tippet’s ninetieth birthday. Saw Mary and the children. Stormy after we got home but didn’t rain very much. Friday all felt tired. Baked and etz. Thursday morning Sally had six little puppies out in the summer kitchen. Len & Ruby drowned four and left two. Then Friday morning they drowned one more.

Thursday’s morning about eight thirty the Stauss came on their way to Dubuque. So we jumped in our clothes, put together some lunch and went. We met Stauss in town. Went thro Menominee. Ate our dinner before we got to East Dubuque. About eleven thirty we got there. Well, Ruby got a hat and I a dress. Paid twelve dollars for it. An odd dress and odd color. Yellowish brown. Mother got a brown coat. Mrs. Stauss got a coat and dress. Edna a coat and hat & Eloise a hat. They went home by Hazel Green & New Diggings. Wednesday, morning all but Mother went to town. Ruby had Dr. Stone fill our teeth for her. I had one pulled - upper right side next to the wisdom tooth. It didn’t hurt but it was a terror to pull. Broke up so. And the roots was hooked. Came right home. Hurt awfully this afternoon. Some easier this eve. Mother & Ruby tore off the paper in Ruby’s room this afternoon.

Tuesday I worked about the car in the afternoon. Mother and Ruby made a little more garden. Edna Stauss went along to Galena with J. Virtues. They stopped. They, Raymonds & Mr. & Mrs. Stauss want to go to Dubuque some day soon. Said Len could ride along or take his own car and go along. Monday we washed. Aunt Margaret came down. The others had gone to town. They came down this evening. Last Sunday was Easter. A most beautiful day. Very warm and roads very dusty. We all went to Galena to services that morning. The church was full. Had to use chairs. Mr. & Mrs. Jack Combellick’s five week old baby girl had died Friday and was buried from the house at one oclock. Mrs. Whitham’s funeral was at three on Easter afternoon. We didn’t have any company that day.

A Typical October Week

Wed. Oct. 27, 1926 : We ironed today. Dad, Ma & I went to Galena this afternoon. It was a nice warm day. Yesterday, Mother churned butter and also baked. Len & Ruby were busy husking corn on the Weis’ place*.

On Monday we washed. We also brought in the celery. The Aunts & Uncles* came down this evening.

Sunday the weather looked nice in the morning. And the roads still looked good so we packed our lunch and went to town to church. We ate our dinner in the car over by the park and then we went on the cement to Robert Virtue’s.* We found them home. Mr & Mrs. Charlie Gray and 4 children were there also. They wanted us to stay for supper but we didn’t. We thought it would be too late to get our choring done. They thought we ought to have come to spend the day. Vera teaches at Derinda, IL.

* Len and Ruby rented a piece of the Weis' property and farmed it for a few years.

* The aunts and uncles would have been Annie and Edd Tippet with Tillie, Maggie and Dan Dittmar.

* The present owners of the Trudgian house are related to the Virtues. They are the ones who have seen a elderly ghost in the back yard by the old barn dressed for farming and sitting on what is left of a brick wall from one of theout buildings.