Tuesday, July 4, 1939

Rain this morn. stops threshing today. Went to Red Bud to Waterloo this afternoon. McKonky [editor’s note – I believe she means Kumke here since she had crossed out McKonky and wrote in Kumke in yesterday’s post]. is at Evansville parlor, will also be buried there tomorrow morn. Mueth was on wrong side of slap & no lights they thing. Awful hot this afternoon 80 [degrees]. Everything closed at Waterloo. Leo & family came, went to Red Bud to Dr. Pautler with Marita, she has sores on her arm, gave her salve to put on. Emil came over, wasn’t much fire works put on in town. Ed Brand & wife are here from Alb. [Alabama] at Heyl’s at Waterloo, stop over at Emils, on way home from a trip to river, also at Levi’s.

Thursday, July 29, 1937

Bert [Bertille] baked cake, cooked catsup. Pap went to woods to look for sand. Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary came, Bert went along to Chester to the wake of Mrs. John McDermott, who passed away yesterday afternoon at 2 ‘ o clock, at Jacksonville Ill, she had been there for 2 weeks, with a nervous break down, in a private place & nurse, while the nurse was just out, she hung herself with a strap; & died; 29 yrs old; they were married will be 2 mons. on 10 of next mo; tomorrow will be taken to her home at Raddle Ill, about 12 miles from Chester, & will be buried there Sat. morn; we met her 2 sisters & brother, being there at the funeral parlor, 2 girls were all school teachers. We were there from 3 to 5:30, people came in & out; John & Ed were there. Leo & Rose came this eve. & we ate watermelons, that A. [Aunt] Mary brought from Sparta, boy what a good melon, we ate it all 22 lb. Mrs. Mehrmann got the eggs. 10 doz. @ 17¢. A fellow here wanted to sell paint. We got 19¢ for our chicks, 77 lbs. – 3 doz. shipping charges 75¢ on coop. We got a new Chicago Mail Order catalog.