Well, we went to the hop, and I will tell you we did hop, baby and I. She kept me dancing all over the hall. It did not make any difference to her whether anyone else danced or not, she could dance. She had me skipping in and out and dodging in among the dancers like fun, and she was so tired and sleepy she did not know what to do with herself.
Friday, November 17, 1899: Baby told Christie today all about her family in Maine. She said she had so many children, and they were so bad and self-willed. Why, said Christie, who do they take after, their father or their mother? With a sigh, I guess they take after me. Christie asked her where she got so many children. Oh! I borned them all, and had them christened, she said. Well, how did you do that? said Christie. Oh! I took them around to Father McGhee’s and he poured water on their heads.
Tuesday, November 28, 1899: Papa is home with baby painting the roof, fixing the chimney, and finishing up the painting of the house that he started in September. Baby has a fine time playing in the garden, especially while papa is home. She is wild for a baby sister, and she says she is going to buy one at the Palais Royal, she has money enough. She will tell the man that is all she has, and he will give it to her cheap. Bought baby a beautiful pair of patent leather shoes at one of the finest shoe stores on F Street, Hoover & Snyder’s, price $1.50, another pair of stockings thirty-five cents. Now baby is all fixed up. Little white coat looks beautiful, little cap with lovely new pink moiré ribbon, quite wide, so when she gets it on she will look very sweet, I am sure.
cd
Saturday, January 27, 1900: A bright clear cold day, and my baby is well, and still a very happy, jolly little girl. Her home is now in Maine. She has the most wonderful things there, including 300 children.
Tuesday, May 15, 1900: Bought baby a pair of tan lace shoes, she wanted them lace, $1.00, tan stockings, twenty-five cents, drop stitch. She had them put right on, dressed, and her hair braided in two little pigtails, tied with pretty pink ribbon. And she thought they looked fine and went up to see Lydia McElwee, to show her shoes. She looked quite like a little girl, and my baby has gone. How terrible it seems, to lose the sweet baby so soon, but she still has the sweet little baby face.
Saturday, July 28, 1900: A very hot day. Baby is five years old today. She is growing tall, but is still the same little baby, happy and a great romp and tease. We have had the city water put in the house, cost of putting it in $50.00. She is wild over it. She will go into the garden, turn on the water, pick the hose up and turn it full on her father. This she thinks grand fun, then she drops it and runs, then her father will turn it on her. They have jolly times together. I am home on leave and baby thinks this is fine, to come downstairs every morning and find me home. But I am painting all the walls of the rooms, and she paints too, but she is always saying, Mamma, please play with me, and so the time passes quickly.
And now August is here, and I am back at the office, and baby misses me so much and feels so lonesome.
cd
Monday, January 28, 1901: Baby is five years, six months old, a sweet lovely little girl, that wants a little baby sister. And when we told her we would buy one for her, said she didn’t want any bought ones or made ones. So what shall we do about it? She says she doesn’t want any boys around the house, because they are a nuisance, and if one came she would send it back.
Sunday, February 10, 1901: A beautiful clear cold day, a little windy. The new Catholic church was opened for the first time, Mass at 10:45. Rev. Dr. Elliott preached the sermon about the church and the Catholic Church. We took baby. She thought it was fine, but she got tired of the sermon. It was too much for the first time.
Thursday, February 28, 1901: Baby is five years seven months old, is very well and as happy as the days are long. She said yesterday, when I got home, that she had something to tell me, then she whispered that on Sunday morning at half past six she was going to have a surprise party. She was going to have a little baby one year old and a little girl past five. She was going to get them out of the Asylum. There were lots there, the sisters would be glad to get rid of them, and she could take care of two.
Wednesday, August 28, 1901: A very pleasant day, not too warm. Baby is well and growing tall. She is losing her little baby teeth, and getting her new ones. Of course she does not look quite so nice, but the new ones are coming in nicely. A little boy by the name of Felix Daily that waits on the altar has attracted our baby’s attention. She thinks he is a cute little boy, and watches everything he does. She did not know his name for a long time, and would say, Mamma, can’t you find out his name? So I did, then she would say, Mamma, don’t you think Felix would come down to see me and play with me? She is the sweetest baby, and so cute about it. She has always said that she did not want a baby brother, but now she wants one just like Felix. It is too cute to hear her talk. She is so lonely, she longs for someone to play with.
cd
Sunday, June 1, 1902: Lillie has been looking forward with a great deal of pleasure and excitement to the coming of her little cousin Theresa.
Friday, June 6, 1902: Lil went over to Baltimore today to bring her over. Baby waited up for them until 11 p.m., but they did not come, so she went to bed tired and disgusted.
Saturday, June 7, 1902: As I was going to the office in the car, Lil and Theresa passed me, so I suppose today the baby is happy with her little playmate.
Monday, July 28, 1902: A very hot day, but clear. Baby is well and is seven years old. We gave her a party. Twenty-three children were there, Chinese lanterns were hung all around the garden, the table was set under the English walnut tree on the west side of the house, lanterns were hung over the table, and everything was very pretty.
Tuesday, August 5, 1902: Bought a very pretty Jersey cow, $30.00. Baby named her Blossom. She gives nearly two gallons of milk a day. She is very gentle, and the children just played with her all day, and in the evening when papa milked her, baby and little Theresa kept the flies off with palm leaf fans, while Gertie held her. She had quite a reception when she came; Gertie, Lil, Mr. Blade, Lillie, and Theresa were at the gate to meet her, and we did nothing but pet her all evening.
Monday, September 22, 1902: A beautiful bright warm day. Baby started to school, and a sad day it was for me, I can tell you. She did not know whether she would like it or not, but I went with her and stayed in the schoolroom with her until school was dismissed at 11:30. Miss Byrne her teacher is a very nice sweet girl. Lillie was very much pleased with everything, and as Lydia McElwee and the two little twins of Mrs. Wertmueller, Hortense and Selma, went, she did not feel lonesome. The second day, I let her go up with the twins alone. I followed shortly with her lunch, stayed a few minutes, came home, went back at recess, saw that she had her lunch. Then when the bell rang for them to go in and she was seated at her little desk, I left her. Went back again at 12:30 when the little ones were dismissed, and brought her home, perfectly happy and delighted, and she said, I had the best day at school I ever had, and this was only her second day. Oh, how I wish that I was home, and could go up with her every day, and watch over her. But such is life, and she must take it with all the rest.
Monday, November 10, 1902: Today at noon, Lil and Mr. Blade were married, a perfect almost-summer day. Baby went from school to see her married.
Thursday evening, November 13, 1902: Baby was vaccinated by Doctor Loseham on Tennessee Street. The weather so far this month has been perfectly beautiful, they say it is Indian summer. The days are as warm as summer, the nights are perfectly lovely, the moon as bright as day, the air balmy and hazy. A pair of shoes, $2.00.
Sunday, December 28, 1902: Baby is well and is seven years, five months old. Lillie has had a pretty blue cheviot dress made with Duchess pleats in the skirt, waist, and sleeves, very becoming. A pink all-wool crepe, lined with pink silk, a little drop skirt of pink silk, with fine knife pleating at the bottom, yoke of pink silk, trimmed with cream lace.
The Barn out Back
1902
Washington City is unique in America for the full equality of its citizenry, the entirety of which is disenfranchised. Women, men, coloreds, whites: none of them have the right