Charles E. Burchfield (1893-1967)

the lead, Fred and I coming strong at their heels, while Frances brought the rear up.

When we got down at Howells, after coming up the dark spooky stair, we found Dan, the three girls, “Dewey” Alabach and Raymond  Smith in the kitchen playing cards.  Ethel and Emily came in the parlor and we did some more conversing here or was it gossiping? Or communicating? or prating?   Prudence was supposed to come with her piano music but after a long wait we concluded  she wasn’t coming.  The only thing amusing was the Germans on the floor above.  I never heard such a noise in all my life.  From the character of the sound we knew that a terrific wrestling match was going on for every once in a while the ceiling above shook with a dull thud.  All the time they kept up a continual running and scraping and pounding.  Finally Joe got a broom and pounded on the ceiling, they at once came over and banged all the more!  As “Dewey” appeared to be calling on Emily, we went home.

Monday March 27, 1911

This morning I went to school without my overcoat, and to-night when I came home from work, it was with all my