DIY History | Transcribe | Iowa Women’s Lives: Letters and Diaries | Robert Walker Byington diary, April 3, 1883 - August 2, 1884 and Iowa Byington Reed diary, September 20, 1886 -December 31, 1892: Part 1

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Robert Walker Byington diary, April 3, 1883 - August 2, 1884 and Iowa Byington Reed diary, September 20, 1886 -December 31, 1892: Part 1

Page 146

146 Wednesday December 22nd 1886. I did not feel like doing much work today as I was not well last night. I wrote letters to Aunt Melissa Holmes and sent her a present and one to Aunt Laura Cutler. Mother was baking mince pieces. Will and I went to town in the cutter in the afternoon. I was at Hatts a little while. Will finished reading "Daniel Deronda" while I was doing some work in the evening. Thursday December 23rd 1886. It was a pleasant winter day and Mother and I did lots of work with cleaning up the house, making hominy, baking cake and getting things ready for christmas. Will and I went to town soon after supper. I spent the evening at Hatts helping her fix candy for the tree. Will met Mary at the depot and it was ten oclock when we got home. Will hauled hay all this week till today. Friday December 24th 1886. I was working about the house all the forenoon as I had the ironing to do. Will went to the depot to meet Charlie & Ida. We visited in the afternoon and in the evening we all went over to Hatties to the Christmas tree. We has a splendid time. "Santa Claus" was a grand success. We all got a lot of presents and all such useful or beautiful things. We got home before ten. Saturday December 25th 1886. It was a pleasant winter day. I warmed up the parlor and the folks were all over for the day. Will went after Aunty Walker in the phaeton. We had a good dinner and a grand visit today. It began to snow just at night and Will took Hattie & the children home as well as Aunty. We talked all the evening. A pleasant christmas day. Sunday December 26th 1886. We went down to Uncle Jims in the big sleigh. It was snowing all day and was very cold when we came home. We had a splendid visit. Charlie & Ida stayed all night. Minnie had company from Minneapolis. I read aloud to Will a little while in the evening. Monday December 27th 1886. It was an intensely cold day. I was busy about the work all the forenoon. Soon after dinner Charlie & Ida

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146 Wednesday December 22nd 1886. I did not feel like doing much work today as I was not well last night. I wrote letters to Aunt Melissa Holmes and sent her a present and one to Aunt Laura Cutler. Mother was baking mince pieces. Will and I went to town in the cutter in the afternoon. I was at Hatts a little while. Will finished reading "Daniel Deronda" while I was doing some work in the evening. Thursday December 23rd 1886. It was a pleasant winter day and Mother and I did lots of work with cleaning up the house, making hominy, baking cake and getting things ready for christmas. Will and I went to town soon after supper. I spent the evening at Hatts helping her fix candy for the tree. Will met Mary at the depot and it was ten oclock when we got home. Will hauled hay all this week till today. Friday December 24th 1886. I was working about the house all the forenoon as I had the ironing to do. Will went to the depot to meet Charlie & Ida. We visited in the afternoon and in the evening we all went over to Hatties to the Christmas tree. We has a splendid time. "Santa Claus" was a grand success. We all got a lot of presents and all such useful or beautiful things. We got home before ten. Saturday December 25th 1886. It was a pleasant winter day. I warmed up the parlor and the folks were all over for the day. Will went after Aunty Walker in the phaeton. We had a good dinner and a grand visit today. It began to snow just at night and Will took Hattie & the children home as well as Aunty. We talked all the evening. A pleasant christmas day. Sunday December 26th 1886. We went down to Uncle Jims in the big sleigh. It was snowing all day and was very cold when we came home. We had a splendid visit. Charlie & Ida stayed all night. Minnie had company from Minneapolis. I read aloud to Will a little while in the evening. Monday December 27th 1886. It was an intensely cold day. I was busy about the work all the forenoon. Soon after dinner Charlie & Ida