The Pen is Still Mightier than the Sword: A Soprano’s Aria Chapter 8

Jan 1, 1914 New Year day dawned bright and sunny after so many days of rain. Albert went over to the Fair grounds and saw Beachy do his loop stunts in the air over the bay. Uncle came up to supper. Albert and Uncle are thick as molasses in January in Duluth, not S.F. They have gone down town. 10 O’clock nervous, cant sleep. Wish I could. Good night.

Jan 2 Wrote to Jessie Kendrick . Made F.S. a pair of working mits. Sleepless night of nervous misery.

Nov Jan 3 Got sack of Sperry flour. Baking late. Watching Mrs Ross’s bread. Got long looked for letter from Mother. Will ans. today.

Jan 4 Sunday Walked over to the fair grounds and saw Lincoln Beachey make his record breaking fly and loopping the loop 7 times in the air over San Francisco Bay. Returned through Presidio. Long and tiresome walk but very pleasant though.

Jan 5 Absolutely played out from long hike yesterday. Stiff and sore in hip joints. Franks sore finger developed into a painful felon. Raved from 6 until 10 o’clock p.m. when Dr Salmon came and lanced it. Great relief. Went to Dr. again Tuesday and Wed Jan 6 an 7. Bad finger out of work. Bad outlook. Crocheting grape motifs. Baking bread. Wrote to Leo.

Jan 8 Usual Routine

“ 9 Wrote to Mother. Frank worked.

“ 10 Washed and baked bread. Went to market. Retired, tired. Read ed.

Jan 11 Sunday Sunny, cold. Uncle came to dinner. Albert worked at the Portola Theater.

Jan 12 Mon Rainy. Frank started to work. Not certain of success.

Tuesday 13 More rain. F.S. couldn’t work. Spent day chrocheting. Baked bread.

Wed 14 Finished “Blue and Grey” doiley 2 round. Usual routine.

Thu 15 Wish it was friday. Long dreary week. Spent the time pleasantly making doileys. Todays was gray linen with great french knots.

Fri 16 Received a letter from Dewey. Would love to see them all. Made fancy work apron and Baked bread.

Sat 17 Did a wash and dried it in the house. “Lulus Home System” 1 gal tub. 1 glass borax. 1 dishpan. 1 pail forms my entire outfit. Pouring rain. Left-elbow lame.

Sun 18 Quiet uneventful day. F.S. worked at the shop. Uncle came down for a few hours in evening. He had been out to supper with Albert who is ushering at the Portola sat and sun while attending Polytechnic High School.

Mon 19 Baking day. Flour didn’t arrive until 12 p.m. with 2 cakes compressed. Had beautiful rolls for supper and bread out at 9. Sperry flour very good. At 5 O’clock p.m. Milo and Donald met with a serious accident while burrowing in the base of a sand bank. It settled down upon them leaving their legs exposed from their knees. Their violent attracted the attention of some laboring men a block away who hastened with their shovels to dig them out. They were unconscious but soon came to. A very close call and a warning.

Tuesday Dec Jan 20 Got up late. Violent disturbances in the domestic circle which caused old almost forgotten pain in left breast in area of heart to reappear. I never feel this pain excepting after one of these insane outbursts of my partner in joys and sorrows chiefly the latter. Cold and cloudy, the day opens with a dreary aspect. I want to ans the letter I got from the girls at home yesterday.

Wed 21 Wrote and mailed letter to the children. Ordinary duties performed.

Thu 22 Our eldest boy Albert is 24 years old today. Lolita gave him a part of a fine Waterman fountain pen which he will replace with new parts and Agness D. gave him a fine silk handkerchief.

Fri 23 Quite a little earthquake shook us up while at dinner. Some quaking people also. No damage.

Sat 24 Frank came home with $15.00 the most he has made in one week since we came here in Oct. I and Lolita washed clothes.

Sun 25 Brought in wash out of a drenching rain all streaked with dirt. They smell sweet at least. Baked some sour bread. Albert is at the Portola. F.S. gone for a walk.

Jan 26 Mon Wrote to Newman sending lodge dues. Milo took it to the P.O. and bought his first Post Office Money Order and mailed it.

Jan 27 Baked seven loaves of bread and washed clothes

Jan 28 Wed Franks hand worse. Went to Dr. Salmon and had it lanced again. Cut Ediths jacket.

From Jan 28 until present day Feb 11. Things have mooved along pleasantly. The weather has been exceptionally fine, sunny and bracing. I have not been out-dooring during this time except over on Haight st marketing. On Feb 3 Eilenes birthday we sent her a post card shower, some letters and a stick pin. Have received letters from children Mother Mosier and Uncle Lum. Have finished Mrs Ross’s sewing receiving $3.50 for same. Also received Newman’s receipt for lodge dues. Ordinary grind of the household mill today. Baked 6 loaves white + 5 loaves raisin bread yesterday.

Thursday Feb 12 Spent day doing housework and in afternoon went upstairs to hem towels in Mrs. Ross’s apartments.

Fri 13 Was quite lucky for me. I did a big wash and got it dried fine.

Sat 14 Valentines day. Didnt get any. Or send any. Ironed cleaned house. Did some shopping in evening. Got a “Priscilla” [New Testament study?] and my shoes at the repair shop. Milo went to Mt. Tamalpais with Don + Billy. Had a splendid time.

Sun 15 Fine weather continues. F.S. did some pipe work for a man. Rec’d magnificent sum of $1.00. Uncle came up in evening for a short stay.

Monday F. 16 Received letters from the children in Minneapolis. Wrote to Uncle Lum. Cloudy and a trifle lonesome. This fountain pen is “der limit.” Been studying the new Priscilla. [The pen used is quite broad tipped. Up until Nov 3, 1913, this journal was almost entirely in pencil and is almost entirely in pen from this point forward. The Feb 12 entry marks a significant positive change in quality of penmanship which may be what is being referred to here.]

Tuesday Feb 17 Did some shopping on Haight. Talked with girl at store about Irish lace collar. Hope I can sell her one. Spring in the air, smells like rain. Wrote to children. Gas escaping at 2 a.m.

Wed 18 Rainy in morning. Sunny at 10. Housework and crocheting. Baked 6 loaves of bread and tin of biscuits yesterday. This writing is done with pen mentioned above after I sharpened it on a file. All children in school. F.S. at work at Dolans at same old wages, just enough to keep us guessing. Spent entire aft. and eve crocheting.

Kelly Wheaton Copyright 2021. All Rights Received.