Not counted

Most of research, genealogical and otherwise, is a systematic, plodding process with few surprises. And then there are days where you find an ancestor's name on an unexpected document. 

This happened just yesterday, working through the shaky leaves on one branch of my family tree (for those people who only deal with the living, the shaky leaves are an indication that Ancestry's logarithm has turned up a potential source of information on a person; when your tree is extensive like mine, there are literally hundreds of leaves to sort through.). 

The leaf in question led to a birth certificate from Deer Lodge, Montana for my grandaunt Florence (my maternal grandmother's sister). Florence was the family 'keeper:' the one who stashed letters and objects and documents--neatly labeled in her square-block handwriting, and opened her home when her sister Ella was widowed, taking in more than one of her five children. Florence had two children of her own, as chronicled in the family history she so painstakingly curated and passed down, so I wasn't surprised to see a hint for a birth certificate with her listed as the mother (and her husband as the father). 

What made me gasp though--and I did gasp--was the information in the certificate. The first name of the child was blank. Perhaps they hadn't named her yet? Not unheard of. But then the date, March 21, 1910, which was years off from my records, and the notation, "stillborn." Florence and Claude's second child, a girl, was born dead. 

We have lost a daughter to stillbirth; the pain may be more subdued now, but things like this do jar me and tears well in my eyes: for my own pain, and now, for Florence's pain. I understand how wrought something as innocuous as the question, "how many children do you have?" is. The 1910 census where her small family appears is dated April 18, not even a month after she and Claude lost their daughter. "Mother of how many children?" it asks; column 10 asks "Number born" and column 11, "Number now living." Both columns in her entry say "1." For instructions to the enumerators state, "stillborn children are not to be counted." Even though they very much do. 

1910 Census

Richardson Family Papers: Volume II | Introduction

By Madge Richardson Walsh, 1991

Ruth Catherine Richardson 1910 

Northfield High School graduation portrait

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A MEMORY BOOK

Ruth in the family parlor of the
D.F Richardson home, Northfield, Minnesota

In Volume I of these annals, Florence Richardson Street reminisced about her parents, D.F. and Clemmie Richardson, and her brothers and sisters. She looked back to the time they lived in Northfield, Minnesota before the turn of the century, up to 1908. By then, Florence had married Claude Street and had her only child, Paul. Ella, the oldest sister, married Claude's brother Bernard (it was a double wedding) and had Harold, the first of her five children.

In Volume II, we have a diary and a series of articles by Ruth Richardson Smith, third child and youngest sister (these are being shared courtesy of her children). In her Private Diary, Ruth gives us a con­temporary account of the period 1907 - 1909, written during her teenage years at North­field High School, and illustrated with her own charming drawings.

Some of the gaps in the Diary I have been able to bridge with clippings from the Northfield News. For these, I shall forever bless the unnamed souls who indexed the newspaper. I also owe thanks to local Northfield teenager Reenie Martin, who spent a good part of her 1983 summer vacation in the library, reading microfilm to find the articles on my want list and making copies of them.

As her sisters did, Ruth went to Carleton College (Class of 1914, though she did not graduate). She worked as a nurse at St. Luke's in St. Paul for a year until moving to Suther­lin, Oregon in September, 1913 with her parents. On April 29, 1916, at Suther­lin, she married Arthur Gerald Smith, rancher.

Their first child was not born until 1921, and her early years on the ranch were lonely and often demanding. During this time she wrote an account of her experiences; later, during the Depres­sion when cash was hard to come by, she offered her writings to the editor of the Roseburg News-Review. The news­paper published her articles anonymously as Letters of an Oregon Bride. Though the incidents were true, the names were fictional (but she used quite a few family names and some individuals were composites).

The first series of 12 letters appeared daily from January 17 to 30, 1934 (six days a week - there was no paper on Sunday). These were so popular that she was "persuaded" to continue the series for an addi­tion­al 15 letters. These ran from April 17 to May 3, 1934. The letters covered an apparent time period of two years. The newspaper was in the habit of run­ning such serials - romances, mysteries, or adventure stories - by then-popular authors never heard of since (except for one, perhaps - Ben Ames Williams). But they were fictional, and the Letters were unusual in being true.

Ruth told no one that she was doing this, though Art must have known. Florence thought he might have considered it a reflec­tion on him that she had so rugged a life. Her children say they watched for the articles eagerly, never suspecting their own mother had written them.

Many years later, she got permission from the news­paper to publish the Letters as a book. Early in 1963 she sent a big envelope of them in manuscript to her sister Florence, asking her to type them. "Hurry!" Florence was astounded at the hidden talent of her sister; "I've never appreciated Ruth before."

Florence did have the letters typed before she died in July, 1963; but nothing more was done, and Ruth her­self died the following year.

The only "editing" of the Letters I found necessary was to correct the typist's obvious mistakes, and to add occasional clarifying remarks or illustrations.

The text of the remembrance read at her Memorial Service con­cludes this volume.

Ruth Richardson Smith has left us a true "Memory Book" to pour over, evoking times past in a style that is refresh­ingly ingenuous, often humorous, sometimes poignant: truly a gift of herself.

Madge Richardson Walsh 

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Ruth Richardson Memorial

MEMORIAL

RUTH RICHARDSON SMITH

1892 – 1964

Ruth died October 6, 1964 at Monmouth, Oregon. The Memorial Service was held at Wesley Methodist Church, Monmouth, on October 8, 1964, Wayne L. Hill, Minister. The words of the Memorial were composed and read by her daughter Genevieve Smith Hansen.

Ruth and Art

MEMORIAL

On the wall of their ranch house in Southern Oregon, Ruth and Art Smith hung a simple motto. It read:

There is so much good in the worst of us,
And so much bad in the best of us
That it hardly behooves any of us
To talk about the rest of us.

It was a homely poem, but it tells much about the people who hung it there - for they were good people, kind people, and above all, they were completely unjudging. Indeed, Ruth Richardson Smith's entire life was a passion­ate protest against injustice of every kind, and a constant reiteration of her belief in the essential dignity of every human being. So fair, so just, so honest was she, that the battle was often unequal - but her spirit endured if not always pre­vailed.

Her home was full of books and music and laughter. She was a raconteur of the highest order, and from the storehouse of memories of her girlhood in the little college town of Northfield, Minnesota, she recon­structed for her children, and later her grand­children, the story of her growing up in that late Victorian era - a sort of never­-never land and time when ladies in sweeping gowns and large plumed hats still made formal calls, where little girls wearing long white stockings and enormous bows in their hair still planned elaborate tea parties for their dolls, where lawn parties, and sleigh rides and hot cocoa after church parties and cold lemonade following croquet all were a part of the good life.

To her, the Methodist Church, the Republican Party, and Carleton College, her alma mater, were not mere institutions, but a way of life. She was an absolute authority on snow - and many a wet and dripping afternoon under Oregon skies was enlivened with her talk of bob­sleds, and ice skates, and great bon-fires. She excelled at telling stories and puns and jokes - she was a perfect mimic - and the conversation around her dinner table was always sparkling, occasionally spirited, and never dull. It was here that the family shared their ideas - no two alike - and books and politics and religion and current events all mingled with the day's happenings as standard fare; and it was here, too, that she encouraged her children to stand up and speak out - to follow the truth wherever it might lead them, no matter how unpopular or unorthodox it might be, for to her, Shakespeare's admoni­tion "To thine own self be true, thou cans't not then be false to any man" was a rule of life.

She was an accomplished musician; her piano gave her many hours of great pleasure. She taught her chil­dren to sing and play, and she and Art joined with them. For many years, she was the pianist at the little Methodist Church in Sutherlin. This, and her efforts on behalf of the Children's Farm Home in Corvallis, and the book study club to which she belonged were food for her heart and mind.

Her love of books and good reading she shared with her family. Each evening after dinner, she would read aloud from whatever she might be reading, and with her lovely voice she made the characters from Mark Twain and the Uncle Remus stories, and Robert Louis Stevenson and Eugene Field and Edgar Guest and John Steinbeck and John Gunther and Sinclair Lewis and, of course, the Bible, come alive and join them in their living room. Both she and Art were pretty good Biblical scholars and the verses flavored their speech as well as their conduct. They came closer to practising what they preached than many of us ever will.

She liked games of any kind - Monopoly, Authors, Rook, Anagrams - and so did Art - and the checker tournament which they conducted daily throughout their marriage became almost legendary. It was two games out of three - and the winner had to defend the title of Smith Family World Checker Champion at any challenge. Her idea of perfect enter­tain­ment would have been a triple feature bill starring Will Rogers, Charlie Chaplin, and Harold Lloyd. She could become convulsed with laughter at the mere mention of any of them.

Her life was not always either easy or happy. As a child, she had been sickly and unwell. Her mother was fiercely protective - and she sometimes felt she was but a spectator, not an actor, of life's drama. She was a deeply sensitive person, often hurt, frequently misunderstood and misunderstanding. She had a quick tongue, and an equally quick apology. She never let the sun set on her anger and she greeted each day with a verse she learned to love from Art's beloved mother. "This is the day that the Lord has made. Rejoice and be glad in it."

The care and concern for her aging parents were a reality for much of her middle years - and the Great Depression left a scar on her spirit it took long to heal. Her sense of independence, her personal pride, her very security were placed in jeopardy, and it was only her indomi­table will - an euphemism for sheer stubbornness - that sustained her. Her family cherishes the memory of a time she announced that her cook book contained a hundred and one different ways to pre­pare potatoes, and she thought it would be fun to try them all. For some two months she served potatoes in a dif­ferent way every night - potato soup, potatoes au gratin, Delmonico potatoes, hash brown potatoes, Golden Glow potatoes - potatoes and potatoes and potatoes. Her chil­dren loved them. It was not for many years that they learned that potatoes were all there was to serve, and what had seemed to them an exciting culinary adventure, was in reality, a neces­sity. This anecdote was characteristic of her life - she did the best with what she had, and enjoyed it.

The ten years in which the Smiths maintained a real estate brokerage in Redmond were perhaps the best and happiest of all their lives. They loved it there, the climate, the community, the people, the hunting and fish­ing, the picnicking. For the first time ever they had no family responsibilities, they experienced a degree of eco­nomic freedom they had never before known, they were rich in dear friends, and they were both doing the things they loved best. Art was showing and selling ranches and farm lands, and fishing and hunting at every opportunity. If the opportunity failed to present itself, he created it, and while scouting a real estate deal, he managed to keep his eye on every buck deer, every flock of geese, every China rooster, and every big trout in Central Oregon - so that on the opening day of any given season, he and his little black dog, Bugs, could go and help themselves.

Ruth delighted in being a business woman, and going off to the office every day. Like her merchant father before her, she was a good sales woman, and she found deep satisfaction in it. She enjoyed wearing pretty clothes, sharing coffee­-breaks with other working women, being a part of a vital community. Her lovely voice, experienced from years of reading to her family, lent itself to a daily radio program. She was active in the affairs of the community - the Com­munity Church, the Eastern Star, the Chamber of Com­merce, and the Toastmistress Club. The Smiths had a love affair with all of Central Oregon, Deschutes County, the city of Redmond, and the block where they lived. It was reciprocal.

Eight years ago this week, on a gold and blue October afternoon, on just the kind of a day that any right­-thinking hunting man would order for opening day of duck season, her beloved Art died - and with him, a part of her died too. His kind of death [of a massive heart attack while hunting] seemed almost a special benediction to a fine life, nobly and generously and lov­ingly lived - but for her it was an enormous injustice from which she never truly recovered.

Complicated by the problems of her own failing health, she began to die a little. The merriness of her laugh, her quick wit and high humor, her spirit and her will died too - and bit by bit she drifted away. The tired little woman who died this week was not the bright and handsome woman with a gay laugh, a spring in her step, a twinkle in her eye; not the good friend, devoted mother, proud grand­parent, and delightful human being we once knew and whose memory we love. That person died long ago - only her shadow lingered.

We celebrate the life of Ruth Smith. We celebrate it because it was a good life, a decent life, and a kind life. We celebrate it because it touched on all of ours. We celebrate it for its devotion to all those she loved, for its dedication to the prin­ciples and stan­dards she held high, for the sense of dignity and propriety and en­thu­siasm it instilled in others. We cele­brate it for its courage, for its loyalty, for its perseverance. We celebrate it for its love.

Death came as a friend to awaken her from what had become a nightmare. We rejoice in her deliverance. Now she becomes immortal in the shrine of our hearts. We can say of her, as she always said of herself - she only did her best.

The End

 

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Private Diary of Ruth Catherine Richardson, Part 1

PRIVATE DIARY OF
RUTH CATHERINE RICHARDSON
Part I

1907 - '08 - '09

416 E 5th St., Winona
Northfield, Minn.

Born June 6, 1892.

Who reads this book without my per­mis­sion, is no true friend of mine.

This book shall never, under any con­ditions, be read except to very particular friends of mine.

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PRIVATE DIARY

January

January 1, 1907
Tuesday

I thot that I would keep a journal this year as it would be interesting to read in later years. I will begin with a description of our family. There are Mamma, Papa, Ella, Florence, Fay and Russell and me, and Aunt Emma.

This is Ella's and Florence's first year of teaching away from home. Ella is small, both ways, and quite pretty. I guess that Bernard Street likes her pretty well. She is very sweet tempered and obliging, but she isn't very orderly. She is neat about herself but not about her room. She is very undecided. She can never decide what she wants. For instance, she had been needing a new dress and it was to be either blue, brown or red. She had decided on the blue but when she came back from town she had the red. She then remembered that brown was to be the leading color for spring, so now she is going to lay the red cloth away until some future time and get the brown. She has a good time because quite a few boys think she is pretty nice. She is only twenty-two and she doesn't look that old, either. She is always making such funny blunders. We always laugh at her but she doesn't care if we do. Ella can play the piano and sing.

Florence isn't so pretty. We both look alike, people say. She has pretty brown hair which she does very nicely. She is about the same build as Ella but people get the impres­sion that she is larger because her face is quite plump. She only weighs 111 lbs. But Florence is a dear. I love her so much. Florence isn't as good a cook as Ella but she always makes us children have lots of fun. She is twenty-one. Florence can draw simply fine, ‑I‑ think but she never has had a chance to take but a few lessons. She is teaching in Morton this year. Ella is teaching in Windom. Claude Street (teaching in Utah) has been ‑quite‑ nice to Florence for nearly a year. He isn't ‑nearly‑ as nice looking as his brother but I like him the best. So does Florence.

Mamma is short and plump but really, she isn't what you could call fat. She is so good it just makes me ashamed of myself. No matter what I do, break dishes, spill things, spoil the breakfast food, she never loses her temper. She is 45 years old but you wouldn't know it. She has hardly a grey hair in her head. She is a dandy cook and housekeeper in general. She belongs to the Pioneer Club and she does quite a bit of reading for that.

Papa is just about the same height as Mamma but stouter. His hair is getting grey and their is a spot where there isn't any hair, grey or otherwise. He is 52 years old. He works so hard for us. Oh, he is so to me. He is always joking with me about something. He gets dreadfully tired tho. He can play the best game of checkers of anyone I ever saw. He always beats me, but then it is fun to play with him anyway. I guess he has quite a good income, but we always spend more than he can afford. Isn't that awful! But it is so sur­prising how fast a dollar will go.

Aunt Emma is Papa's sister. This is her home where she comes at the holidays. She and Florence both teach at Morton. She is so good to all of us. Why! she is kind of a second mother. She used to be sick a great deal and so she was home a great share of the time. She is good height and good form. She has beautiful golden hair without a grey hair in it. She dresses very tastily and prettily.

Then next come my two brothers Fay and Russell. They make a pretty good pair. Fay was thirteen in Dec. and Russell will be twelve in April. They are almost the same height, but Fay is gaining on Russell a little. Fay is dark and Russell is light. Fay is quite good looking but Russell is a handsome little fellow. Fay and Russell are both so good to me. Fay explained all about his workshop to me the other day. He knows all the names of the tools. He has a business head on him I tell you. I think Russell would make a good doctor. He has always said that he was going to be one until a little while ago. He says that he isn't going to be a doctor.

And me! They call me Ruth. I don't see how I look like Florence because I am so homely. I have dark hair, greenish­-blueish eyes, large mouth. I am short and stout, but never-the­-less, I have a very good time all the time. I have been taking painting lessons lately. I just love to paint but I can't do much at it. I have taken piano lessons for a long time. I enjoy it very much but my school work is to heavy to take any more lessons until spring. I like to read and sew, but, oh! I love to skate. I could skate and never stop unless I got tired. But cook! I can't cook to save me. I like to straighten the rooms up but I don't care much about cooking. I like school very much, also. It is so interesting.

There is a boy, David Weeks, that is always wanting to take me home from skating. About a week ago he asked if he could take me home. I told him that I had to do a lot of errands on the way home - I really had only one but I guess he is kind of mad. Anyway, I haven't seen him since. I don't care much though. He'll be all right in a little while, I guess. I am fourteen years but most everyone thinks that I am about twelve. I am 4 ft. 11 in. and weight 104 lbs.

Well, so much for family description.

I went down to the Church for New Year's dinner. I had quite a good time, although none of the girls that I go with were there. Fay and Russell asked me to go sliding with them. I had a fine time but I got cold so I came home.

Bernard Street has just come to see Ella. She didn't say so, but I think she would just as soon have me stay upstairs. My! but he is handsome!

Fay and Russell popped some corn. We all played a game of "Flinch." Russell and Florence won. Papa played a game with me of checkers. He won, of course but he didn't beat me very much. Fay and I had a game and I beat him quite a bit.

Jan. 2, 1906/7
Wednesday

It is very disagreeable out today. I cannot tell whether it is raining, hailing, or snowing.

This morning Florence told me that she was engaged to Claude Street. She told Mamma and Papa and Ella last night. We are not to tell anyone until next June. They think that they will be married next Christmas. And then Claude will carry her away down to Utah. She can't even come home for Thanksgiving and Christmas. It costs an awful lot for the round trip from here to Park City, Utah. Aunt Emma or Fay and Russell don't know it yet. Claude is getting ninety dollars a month and this is his first year teaching. Papa thinks that he is a fine fellow and that it is just as well to be married quite soon. I don't think that there is much sense in waiting and waiting as long as he is getting a good salary. I don't suppose that Florence will teach next year. Won't it be fun to have her home! Of course she will just be home until Christmas.

Jan. 3, 1907
Thursday

This morning I slept later than usual because I didn't sleep very well during the night. I was all done with breakfast before half-past nine, tho.

Then I worked on the raffia bag that I am making.

After dinner I went over to Eloise Schmidt. Eloise and Margaret and Margaret Hoppin and I coasted down Greg's Hill until 4 o'clock. We had lots o fun. I steered twice and I nearly ran them into a tele­phone post once. After that we went up to Schmidt's house. We were all hungry so we made or rather, Eloise made some lemon­ade. It was real good. We each ate two cookies. Then we went into the other room and told each other's fortunes. They found two invita­tions to a party at Hazel Barnard's. I telephoned home to see if I was invited, but I wasn't, yet. Margaret Hoppin was invited, too. I was beginning to think that I couldn't have been invited but when I got home there was my invitation. Ruth Pyatt had written me a letter, too. She writes very interesting letters.

This evening Mamma and Ella had their Sunday School class up. We played several games and then we had refreshments. Sand­wiches, pickles, ice-cream, cookies, cake and candy. But I thot they would never go home. Mamma finally had to tell them (in a very polite way) to go home.

I get a dollar a month for my allowance. I have 80₵ left. I think that I am doing pretty well.

Jan. 4, 1907
Friday

I haven't been feeling well today. The boys' party doesn't seem to have a very good effect on me.

I have my bag almost done. It will be quite pretty. Bernard Street took Florence out for a long ride this morning. Ella and he have gone coasting this afternoon. Jessie Richardson came over to spend the afternoon. She said that Lucile was almost over with the mumps ‑[Uncle Earl's daughters]‑.

Oh! I feel so sick and uncomfortable. Not really sick, but sickish.

I wrote part of this in the afternoon. I am feeling better now. Frances Tchann and Carrie Stern were up this afternoon.

An accident happened over at the hill this afternoon. Eloise Schmidt was steering their bobs coming down the hill when someone got in the way. In trying to steer out of their way she ran into the boys' bobs and then ‑into‑ the bridge. As she was the front one she received the most of the shock. It knocked her senseless for a few minutes but she walked home. It threw Fay (he was pulling the other bobs) several feet into the air and bruised his shins. He hurt two of his fingers. He doesn't feel very good. He has been asleep all even­ing.

I wrote a letter to Kathryn Keene and a postal to Ruth Pyatt today.

Ella and Florence and Aunty were invited down to Mr. [Rev. F. A.] and Mrs. Cone's for supper. Florence and Aunty are not home yet but Ella has been home. She was invited to a party over at Street's so Ralph Payne took her to the party.

Russell and I played "Rival Armies" to­night. It is something like checkers. He won.

I have been as cross as a bear today. I told Mamma that I had and she said, "Have you? Why I hadn't noticed." But really I have. I guess I didn't feel very well was the reason.

Papa went to "Lodge" tonight. He just joined a little while ago or maybe he hasn't joined ‑yet‑, but anyway, he went. I guess that he belongs to almost every club in town.

Florence and Aunty just got back now. It just struck nine a few minutes ago. I think that I will go to bed.

Jan. 5th, 1907
Saturday

I felt real good today. A little before dinner I went down to Mrs. Wade's to get a book for Mamma. Then I stopped in to see Norma Cone. Helen Wade and Norma both said that they would stop for me to go to the party. Right after dinner I went coasting up at Johnson's with Elizabeth and Charlotte Bierman. Then we came in the house and got some apples and played games. Pretty soon Aunt Maggie and Milford came over. Milford is growing so. He is a perfect dear.

After a while I took a bath and began to get ready for the party, which began at half past seven.

We had supper early because Ella had to catch the 6:52 train. She went about six. Oh! It is so lonesome without her.

Just about the same crowd was invited as usual. I like almost all the girls, but for the most of the boys I don't care a snap. All went all right until about 10 o'clock. They were having an auction of the girls' feet. We had to stick our feet out in under a screen and the boys didn't know whose feet that they were buying. Well, Fletcher (or Jake, as they all call him) Ware got me. Oh! I was mad but I thot that I would be polite and not act mad. He was mad, too, and so he went and bot another girl. Now, there were just enough girls for one apiece so when Jake took two, it didn't come out even and Alison Blodgett didn't have a partner. So he took Eloise. Oh! I wish that he had taken me. She was the second one that Jake had bought. Well, Jake didn't want to sit with me and anyway we had taken up so much time that there wasn't room for us now, so I just got up and came home. Oh! Oh! Oh! I was so mad. I just hate him. I know that I hadn't ought to but I can't help it. When I got home everyone but Papa was over at Mowry's. He held me a long time and I cried and cried. He told me if ever I went to another party where Fletcher Ware was, to put my things on and come straight home. I went upstairs to bed and when Mamma came home I cried some more. She said that I would make myself sick if I cried any more and if I would promise not to cry any more that night that Florence would come and sleep with me. I promised.

Jan. 6, 1907
Sunday

I didn't go to Church or Sunday School this morning. I guess that I cried too much last night. I don't hardly ever cry because it most always makes me sick. After church Florence had to hurry to pack before 8 o'clock. I went over to the train to see her and Aunty off. Papa and the boys went too. We popped some corn this afternoon. I went to Epworth League and Church. After church Papa had to get something down to the store so I went with him. While I was there I got a box of kitchen utensils to save for Florence. Papa thot that I was a little ahead of time, I guess.

Jan. 7, 1907
Monday

School began today. It seemed rather good to get back to work, but still, I would lots rather have vacation. I found out that I only got 94 instead of 98, as Eloise told me, in that Latin test that we had last Friday. Miss Bishop and Miss Livingston have both got the mumps! Nellie Ferguson and Minnie Dilly substituted, but several of the classes didn't meet, my 9:15 Algebra class among them. Every­thing went all right.

About 5 o'clock I went skating. (The skating rink was free tonight.) After supper I went to Glee Club over at Miss Williard's. We had so much fun. After we were done singing we adjourned to her room and voted for the different offices. Miss Williard passed around the peanuts and candy. We passed a vote that we should be fined 5₵ for absence each time and that with our surplus capital we would have a spread every month. At nine o'clock we all went home. We are to meet at Helen Wade's next week, and the week after that at our house. When I have time I will write a list of the members of our Glee Club.

Jan. 8, 1907
Tuesday

Tonight I will write as many as I can remem­ber of the members of our Glee Club: Bernice Cone, Norma Cone, Rilla Drake, Chestine Thompson, Hazel Davison, Miss Grimes, Mildred Ware, Mary Riddell, Hazel Barnard, Eloise Schmidt, Gertrude Norton, Helen Wade, Anabell Johnson, Blanche Strong, Myrtle Hatfield, Alice See, Kathrine Lee, Nettie Weeks, Mary Wilson, Ruth Lathrop, Ruth Richardson, "Peanut" or in other words, Miss Bennet (she has a ‑terribly‑ small waist).

We had chicken today for dinner. Marion Watson has such a hard cold that she didn't go back to school up at the city. I took Florence's watch down to Hulburg's this afternoon. Mrs. Mowry is over this evening, studying with Mamma. Fay and Russell got three and a half quarts of milk tonight. Last night they didn't get quite two and a half quarts. [Borrow­ing from Aunt Emma, they had bought a cow and calf, re­pay­ing her from profits by selling milk and the calf.]

Jan. 9, 1907
Wednesday

David Weeks had the mumps all vacation. That is why that I didn't see him until school began. He isn't mad at me a bit, either. In Latin I failed three times this morning, but my mark is not below grade, yet. I am afraid that I won't get much ‑this‑ month. Helped Fay with his Arithmetic. He had some hard examples. He got all but two and he will get those tomorrow in school. We had company for supper, a friend of Papa's, I can't remember his name. It is very cold in my room tonight.

Jan. 10, 1907
Thursday

I didn't fail in Latin today for a wonder. Judith Anderson came over this afternoon and we worked Algebra together. I think that she is very nice. She is very good in Algebra. Papa didn't come home for supper or dinner today. I got a letter from Florence tonight and a postal from Ruth Pyatt. We were racing to see who would get to bed the quickest so I had better hurry.

Jan. 11, 1907
Friday

Friday! Oh I am so glad because tomorrow is Saturday. Today I just found out that I am getting a double chin! Oh! horrors! I am going to exercise it a lot. Papa went to Lodge and Mamma to church. This is the week of prayer. I did the dishes. I am going to draw all my dresses.

Jan. 12, 1907
Saturday

This morning, after the dishes were done, Mamma and I made the beds. Then she swept my room and I dusted it. After dinner I went down town in search of a red ribbon for a tie of my plaid waist. I went to every store in town and I couldn't find what I wanted. After I came home, I tried to do my Algebra but I couldn't do it so I went over to get Helen Orr to help me (her class in Algebra is ahead of ours so she knew how to work it). Then I came home and studied Latin.

This evening we made candy. It was all right. Fay and Russell went skeeing this afternoon. I studied my Sunday School lesson tonight. It is about the creation of Adam and Eve. 10 o'clock, so I must stop.

P.S. Mamma is making me a new dark blue serge school dress. Don't know what it will be like, though. It will be pretty, I think. Oh! yes! I think that Florence Street is such a dear! She always is so nice to me.

Jan. 13, 1907
Sunday

I went to Church and Sunday School. We ate dinner at home today. Papa went to Chicago this afternoon. I went over to see Jessie this afternoon. My! she looked funny. She just has the mumps on one side. Miss Livingston is all well. I got a letter from Ruth Pyatt. She wants the postals of St. Olaf and the Carleton Library. She only has "Gridley Hall" and the "Annual Carnival."

Aunt Maggie was over this afternoon. She has a beautiful new fur­-lined coat. They had Milford's picture taken and they are going to give us one. They said that the picture is fine.

Jan. 14, 1907
Monday

Everything at school went all right. I think that I got 10 in Latin. I got my composition on "Scott's Diction" back today. I only got 91. I went to Glee Club tonight down at Helen Wade's. Ger­trude Norton, Eloise Schmidt and Hazel Barnard and I stayed after all the rest had gone. We had a circus.

I got a letter from Ella tonight and Mamma got one from Florence. Florence is busy sewing. She says that Claude has written to his folks and told them. It is cold tonight. Examinations begin Thurs­day. I think that I see my finish.

I went down town this afternoon. I got four postals that I am going to send to Ruth Pyatt. They are four for a nickle. The big it that I was, I forgot to get any one cent stamps so I will have to trot down again tomorrow on purpose to get some one cent stamps.

I nearly got bawled out this afternoon. Eloise and I were whis­pering and I happened to look up and Prof. Albert was just ‑staring‑ at us. My! I tell you! I worked hard the rest of that period. I expected that I would have to stay tonight, after school, but I didn't have to, for a wonder. Today Miss F. said that I (and a lot of others) wrote a very neat paper.

Jan. 15
Tuesday

Today was bitter cold. It always turns cold when Papa goes to Chicago. I went down town after school and got those four stamps. Elizabeth and Charlotte went with me. Fay and Russell and I fooled around until supper time but we worked hard after supper. Mrs. Taylor (from Dundas) was here for a few minutes before supper. She had left a package over at Mrs. Kinsey's at the thimble-bee. I went over after it.

Miss Lamp was over this afternoon to see Mama about Fay. She says that he hasn't been doing very good work this year and is afraid that his marks will fall below. I would rather stay out a year to help Fay than to have him fall behind in his classes, because I am afraid that if he dropped behind, just one class even, that he might get discouraged and not want to go to school.

The class for Bible Study met here tonight. Mr. Cone and Mamma are having quite a controversy. Mrs. Taylor wants me to come see her when it gets a little warmer. I hope that she don't forget. One more day of regular lessons, and then examinations. But I am really kind of glad because it is very tiresome having regular lessons.

Jan. 16
Wednesday

Everything went all right in school today. I haven't felt well today and I have been cross. I was awful cross to Charlotte today. I am ashamed of myself. I found out what my average was in Latin - 85. Not very much. I guess that I am coming down with the grip or something or other.

David asked me to a sleigh ride party for Friday night. I guess that I will go, for all that I know now. I think we will have lots of fun. I don't have to go to school tomorrow morning or Friday afternoon on account of the examinations. I don't have to go until the middle of the morning, Friday. I wrote a letter to Ella.

Jan. 17, 1907
Thursday

I went to school this afternoon and took two exams. Sleigh ride is postponed until next week Friday. Found that my daily average in Latin is 90 instead of 85. I am glad. I cut my third finger on my right hand and I can hardly write. Wrote to Papa this morning. Mamma had a headache today. Roy Turner telephoned to see if I cared if he asked David to go to the Epworth League sleigh ride. I told him that I didn't care. I wish now that I had asked Roy Turner to have David bring his sister, Nettie along.

Jan. 18, 1907
Friday

I took the Latin exam today. It was a fright! I didn't have to go in the afternoon. I went over to see Baby Milford. He is so fat and such a dear. I went to the sleigh ride tonight. Had lots of fun. Ella Hendrickson told me that she watched Miss Fligelman correct my paper and that I got 100. I am sure that Ella must be mistaken, because I couldn't get such a high mark.

Fay and Russell went tonight and I guess that they had a good time. David didn't go.

Jan. 19, 1907
Saturday

I went over to Watson's this afternoon. I had lots of fun. Annabel Johnson was there, too. Elliot is sick and has been for about three days. It is a regular blizzard outside tonight. I am going to sleep with Mamma.

Jan. 20, 1907
Sunday

The snow is drifted pretty bad so none of us went to church. I didn't feel very good, either. Papa came home this morning. His train was about two hours late. Russell is popping some corn this afternoon. Clara Watson came over. I wrote a letter to Florence. Papa went to church this evening. I haven't been outside of the house today. I don't see how people stand it that never go to church. This has been such a long lonesome Sunday that I am almost glad it is over.

Jan. 21, 1907
Monday

I got 87 in Latin Exam. 92 Algebra and 100 Classics. I told David that I couldn't go to the sleigh ride. Helen Wade isn't going and if she doesn't why I don't want to, because I don't know the rest of the girls very well. He was awfully sorry and said that he wouldn't go either but I told him to go and take someone else. He said he didn't want to take anyone else, didn't know anyone, etc. I told him that he had better take Blanche Strong but I am afraid that she won't go because I think that she knows that he asked me before.

I had the Glee Club at our house tonight. Four people were absent. Next time we meet at Hazel Barnards. We had quite a bit of fun. We are going to give a recital when we have learned enough pieces. We do not know much yet, though. Kathryn Lee left her handkerchief here tonight.

Jan. 22, 1907
Tuesday

This morning D.W. told me that the sleigh ride was all busted up. I felt awfully consience-stricken. We had a written lesson in Latin today. Mr. and Mrs. Carpenter, Park, and Delphine were here for supper. Mrs. Carpenter and Delphine came earlier, in the afternoon. They are all ever so nice. Delphine is just as dear as she can be and Mrs. Carpenter is lovely. I always thot that Mr. C. was a regular bear, but he is real agreeable. Park knows so much! Oh! my! Why I am ashamed of myself. I think that I had better study Algebra a little tonight.

Jan. 23, 1907
Wednesday

Got my report. Classics 97. Comp. 97. Algebra 97. Latin, no mark yet. Miss Green was here sewing on my dark blue serge dress.

Jan. 24, 1907
Thursday

Awfully cold tonight. Russell and I went skating tonight down at the rink. Pretty near froze.

Jan. 25, 1907
Friday

We had Mr. [D.F.'s former partner] and Mrs. Ferguson and Maude over for tea. Mr. Ferguson and Maude each had engagements for the evening, so they couldn't stay, but Mrs. Ferguson stayed and spent the evening. She is very pleasant.

I have worked over an example in Algebra and I can't get it. It is so very hard.

Jan. 26, 1907
Saturday

It has been very cold today. Mamma got a letter, today, from Florence. She said that she got a nice letter from Mrs. Street. I am so glad that Mrs. S. has written. Florence's work is ‑very‑ heavy, even heavier than it was before.

My blue dress is finished. It looks something like this: 

It is just for school. I think that I will wear a plaid tie with it. It is longer than any of my other dresses by about an inch - it comes nearly to my shoe-tops.

I went over to Mrs. Greaves after some eggs tonight. I have been helping Fay with his examples. Russell bought some candy this afternoon and I do believe that Fay and I have had more than he has had. He is the most generous little fellow that I have ever seen. Fay is generous too, but not so much. I must stop in order to take a bath. It is nine o'clock now.

Jan. 27, 1907
Sunday

We all went to church this morning. I wore my blue Sunday dress. It was very cold, going, but warmer coming back. I wrote a letter to Hannah Hansen and one to Florence and a postal to Kathleen Lowe. I went to Epworth League. Ruth Foster led and the subject of "World Wide Missions." She did very well. I never realized before how great is the need for money. I went to church. Mr. Cone preached on the Bible, the parts that we are to beleive and not beleive. It is kind of a muddle in my brain. I hardly know ‑what‑ not to beleive.

Jan. 28, 1907
Monday

I went to Glee Club, as usual, up to Hazel Barnards. On the way home some of us girls serenaded Miss Stuart. She never came out and thanked us either and we sang just fine.

Jan. 29, 1907
Tuesday

I was invited to a surprise party for Verne Gilbert. They were mostly all boys. It was a candy pull. Had some fun. After school tonight the Freshman Class had a class meeting. We are going to have a party next Friday night out to Clara Berg's. I don't think that I care to go.

Jan. 30, 1907
Wednesday

Our Glee Club sang in chapel this morning. We sang just awful. Worse than we have ever sung when we were practicing. I guess that I will go if it isn't too cold.

Oh! I did the funniest thing! This morning I wore my apron to school. I didn't even know that I had it on until I got there. The Latin class took the exam over again this morning. I guess it wasn't as hard as the other one that we took.

I am afraid that Mamma is coming down with the grippe. I am so sorry for her. I ought to have written to Ella tonight but I forgot about it until it was to late.

Jan. 31, 1907
Thursday

Eloise Schmidt got 95 in the Latin exam. I think that is simply splendid. David asked me to go to the party. He makes me kind of tired. I told him no. I didn't even thank him. Wasn't I awful? But I have written a real polite note telling why I couldn't go with him and thanking him for asking me. I guess I was kind of mean so I will be real nice tomorrow.

Mamma was sick this morning and I got breakfast. I didn't get very much, though. We got our dinner down to Strong's today, except Mamma. I asked Charlotte H. to stay at our house tomorrow night after the party. I think we will have lots of fun. I wrote a letter to Ella tonight. I got a letter from Ruth Woodis. She said that she had turned granny (wear­ing glasses). I am sure that she wouldn't look funny with glasses because she is so pretty, anyway.

Feb. 1, 1907
Friday

I went to the party with David. I think that he is terribly silly. Charlotte Hertzberg stayed at our house. We had two great big bobsleighs from the livery stable and there were four horses on each one. We had lots of fun. Miss Fligelman was the chaperone. Prof. Albert never turned up and so we went off without him. Miss F. made up a class yell for us:

Dribble-drabble, dribble-drabble,
Zip, zoom, zam,
We're the class of 1910.

Miss F. told our fortunes, too. Mine was: I am artis­tic, practical, affectionate, but I often allow people to think that I like them when I don't. I am going to be married twice. I have a good brain, very good, excel­lent (Ha! ha!). My life is to be quite long.

We got home at just exactly half past one. We nearly froze coming home. The wind howled and the snow blew and ‑we‑ shivered and shook. I had quite a bit of fun. David asked me to go to "Our Boys." My! I am glad that the Schmidt girls have asked me before. I don't like him very well. He makes me so sick. Oh! he's alright, I guess, but I haven't taken much of a fancy to him.

Feb. 2, 1907
Saturday

Charlotte and I slept ‑awfully‑ late this morning. After we had breakfast (about 11 o'clock) she was bound that she had to go home. The snow was so drifted that I didn't like to let her go, but she went. She telephoned that she got home alright.

I studied all afternoon and evening. Our whole family is invited down to Carpenter's for supper Monday night. I guess that I will have to skip Glee Club.

Feb. 3, 1907
Sunday

I went to church this morning. It was very cold. Fay froze his nose. He has frozen his nose four times since Christmas.

Papa wrote to Claude this afternoon. I let him write on my nice note paper.

Feb. 4, 1907
Monday

This afternoon when I came home from school there was no one here. The funniest looking man came to the door. He said he represented the telephone company and he wanted to test our 'phone. I let him in, but instead of calling up Central, he called someone else, by name. He just laughed and hung up the receiver.

I was kind of scared because I didn't believe that he belonged to the telephone Co. at all. I watched [him] go down the street - he didn't stop at any of the other houses "to test the 'phone," either. When he got down to the middle of the next block he cut across the street by Norton's. I was so afraid that he was coming back again thru some back alley that I didn't know what to do. I suppose that I am awfully silly, but I couldn't help it.

About five o'clock Mamma came home from club, and we went down to Carpenter's. We had a very pleasant time. Mr. and Mrs. Hibbard and Lawrence were invited, too. Delphine wasn't feeling well. I think she is coming down with the grippe.

Feb. 5, 1907
Tuesday

There was a Ladie's Aid business meeting here yesterday. Nothing in particular happened to me. I had an awful lot of lessons to get.

Feb. 6, 1907
Wednesday

I paid Bernice Cone my ten cents for being absent from Glee Club. Our English classes are going to play "Cricket on the Hearth." I am to be Dot; Eloise, Bertha; Helen Wade, May; Roy Turner is to be the Carrier. I think it will be lots of fun.

Mamma was sick today. Poor Mama! she has such hard headaches. Papa is just about sick with the grippe.

Feb. 7, 1907
Thursday

Lucile's [9th] birthday was Tuesday. She got a violin from Uncle Earl. Isn't that just fine!

I don't beleive that I ever described Northfield. There are about 3500 in habitants. It is a college town and nearly everyone is educated. The colleges are St. Olaf (a Norwegian school) and Carleton (a Congregational school). There are three schools, Washington, Central, and Longfellow.

Feb. 8, 1907
Friday

Went coasting tonight with David. Blanche Strong and Harold George went, too. Harriet chaperoned us. Ha! ha! We had lots of fun. David and Harold treated us to chocolates. Wasn't that nice of them?

Mrs. Johnson got Ella's brown‑ dress done tonight. It is ever so pretty, the waist is like this:

She got it done just in time to get it off on the evening train. David asked me, the other day, to go to "Our Boys" with him. I turned him down but I kind of wish that I hadn't now.

Feb. 9, 1907
Saturday

I worked in the morning and washed my hair. In the afternoon I went up to Mrs. Spear's to see Merlin Brubaker and Mrs. Bru­ba­ker. I had a very pleasant time. Mrs. Spear asked me to stay to supper but I thot that I hadn't better.

I made candy in the evening.

Feb. 10, 1907
Sunday

We went to church this morning and had dinner at Mrs. Strong's. Russell was sick to his stomach this afternoon and vomited. Mrs. Featherstone called on Mamma.

Feb. 11, 1907
Monday

I went to Glee Club up at Schmidt's. We sang just fine, I thought.

Feb. 12, 1907
Tuesday

Eloise Schmidt and I went skating in the morning. Had lots of fun. We were the only two, except Mr. Rice, down at the river.

Feb. 17
Sunday

I have caught a very hard cold and I can hardly speak aloud. I didn't go to church this morning but I think that I will go to Sunday School. I have been so busy this past week that I have not had time to write hardly any in my diary.

Mar. 2, 1907
Saturday

I have not written for a long time.

Went out to Charlotte H. Friday night. Came home about ten this morning. Am going to Junior Class Play with David W. We practiced [the cast for Cricket on the Hearth] over at Ware's tonight. Had lots of fun. Harry Ackerman and Carl Bjoraker took me home.

Mamma got a letter from Ella tonight. Oh! it was so blue. Poor girlie! She is having more than her share of troubles I am afraid. I guess it wasn't such a very good thing for her and Bernard to be together. I am afraid not.

I guess that Florence and Claude are to be married this summer. Oh! it is so very, very near. Oh! my sister! my little, little sister! Away down in Utah. So far away.

I am not going to write in here any more for a while. I am tired of it.

Mar. 19, 1907
Tues.

Received word Grandma is dead. Aunty has started out there. [to Denver; "Grandma" was Rachel Elizabeth Silver, "Lily," Grand­father G. W. Richardson's second wife.]

"Cricket on the Hearth" is coming off Friday night. Have had lots of fun lately. Went to Junior Class Play a little while ago with David. It was fun. He isn't as silly now as he used to be.

Mamma is going up to the cities to meet Florence Sat­urday. Ella is not coming until a week later. Ella is going to teach in Windon next year but Bernard is not.

Papa has a bad cold.

I bought some new stamps for my collection yesterday. Went down town this noon to have my stamp picture taken but they had closed up.

My room is all cleaned up. Fresh curtains, too.

The "Gypsy" makes the second play I have been to this year, 1907. I am doing well.

Mar. 29
Friday

Florence is home this week but is going away Sunday. Ella comes tomorrow morning. Grandpa came this morning and Aunty this afternoon. Aunt Jennie's folks [The Milnes] were all here for supper. Had lots of fun.

Went to a party at Eloise's last night. !Twas the most unique party I have ever been invited to. David took me home. I think that Harold George would have taken me home if David hadn't been there. I kind of wish ‑he‑ (Harold) had taken me home. Jake W. was there but he was alright.

Our play came off last Friday night, fine. We had a spread afterwards at Wares. Oh! we had so much fun. Harold G. took me home. About 40 saw the play. They all liked it. Mrs. Ware and Mildred are so nice. After the dress rehearsal, Harold G. took me home. He is a gentleman. (Some other people don't have any extra manners.)

Grandma made the funniest will. The Silvers get almost everything. Aunty doesn't get more than about $200 and there, she will have to give up a good salary for poverty, to take care of Grandpa. [The assumption was that Grandma Lily, 20 years younger than Grandfather Richardson, would outlive him. Nearly everything, including their home, was willed to her heirs, and Emma had to recompense them $600 for their inheritance so that Grandfather could continue to live in the house. Emma, then 33, did have to give up teaching for several years, until Grandfather Richardson died in 1911 at age 86.]

Mar. 31,
Sunday, 1907

Norma Cone, Clara Larkin and I went to early Easter service this morning. It was very interesting, the first one I have ever been to. The flowers were beautiful. Mr. Nichols is so good about lending the plants.

Ella is engaged to Bernard Street. Everybody is getting engaged. Papa said he was going to be pretty attentive to Mamma so that some Street won't get her. They won't be married for 2 years or more, yet.

Grandpa is quite contented here. Mamma has given him her room. Florence and Aunty went on the 3 o'clock train this afternoon. Ella has gone to the Congregational Church with Bernard tonight. Papa went to church, too.

Mr. Nichols gave each one in our S.S. class the lovliest red rose.

I went riding this afternoon with Fay and Russell. 'Twas rather cold. I can't find my mink fur. Don't know where it could have gone to. Guess I have lost it. Oh! dear! I won't have another for a long time, either. I lost one of my best gloves today, anyway I can't locate it. I guess I ought to chain up my belongings.

Tomorrow I begin school, April Fool's Day! Won't it be fun!

Mamma has been letting down all of my last year's summer dresses. They were so short! She made me one, thin, white, dotted Swiss waist to wear on Sundays.

We ate dinner at home today. I hate to go to Strong's for dinner - I would rather stay home and wash dishes, even, than go there.

Had my teeth cleaned by Dr. Riddell yesterday. They look and feel fine. No matter how often I clean them by myself I can't keep them perfectly white without some help.

I hear Ella and Bernard coming home. I guess I had better stop and go to bed before Ella comes in to go to bed.

April 2, 1907
Tuesday

School has begun again. Have survived April Fool's Day and am still alive. Today is very warm but I have caught cold some way.

David Weeks just makes me sick. He writes about two or three notes every day. I never answer except when it is very necessary to, to keep him good­-natured. Some days I think he acts fairly sensible, and then again I get so disgusted with him I could slap his face.

Ella and Bernard went hunting or shooting, rather, this afternoon.

Poor Papa is so tired tonight.

Monday,
Apr. 15 [1907]

Florence's wedding is coming in August - Ella's will probably be in about a year.

Examinations come this week. I will write some of the marks on my compo­si­tions down: 89, 91, 95, 97, 98, 99, 100.

Made me the dearest little chamois "if I do say it as shouldn't." I am going to make Mama one, too. Mamma and I have the best times to­gether. She is just like a girl.

Hazel Runnels was over to see me Saturday after­noon. Eloise and I amused ourselves this afternoon by writing descriptions of people. First I would write one and then she wrote one. It was very interesting.

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