October
23, Monday, 1763
Aunt Jane gave me this diary.
It's time I start to write my story.
As
the sun rose, Papa said his last goodbye.
Mama sat in the doorway for she was sick. Now I, being the oldest, with my twin Polly,
of course, but she is in England with Aunt Jane for she is sick as well. She will come with Aunt Jane later. “Oh, goodbye Papa,” I said and suddenly I
heard an awakening sob. Mary, the baby
awoke. I ran in the house. Oh. My
brothers are awake, wanting their food.
Goodbye Diary, goodbye.
October
23, later
So
far today I have milked and watered the cow and fed our horse called Jack and
many other things. There was a horrible
mess today. I was getting tea for Mama
when all of a sudden Royal and Caleb came running through and knocked over the
water bucket I had just filled for Mama’s tea and it spilled on Mama’s best rug. At the same moment Mary woke to sobbing. Mama was in her rocker so I picked up Mary
and sat her in Mama’s lap, got a towel and while wiping up the mess, told my
little 5-year-old brothers to go play.
Then I got more water and made the tea and tended Mary. Now it is quiet in our house. Mary is asleep and Royal and Caleb are
outside. Goodbye Diary.
October
23, later
My
brothers are back and it is night. Good
night, Polly, sweet dreams, Diary.
October
24, 1763
I
forgot to tell you where Papa is going.
He is going to hunt. He is
hunting for winter. He might catch a
deer or a bear. At least he will catch
turkeys and rabbits. I want him to come
home. I’m scared. Come home Papa.
October
25, Wednesday, 1763
It
is almost night. My busy day began with
wanting for a doll. I want a doll, one
that my brothers will never see. I know
it is a foolish wish, but I still wish for it just the same, for I am only
eight. My doll will have gold brown hair
and little black eyes made out of tiny buttons.
I will collect these and a few
others and make a little doll. Oh, Caleb
is here to do a chore. He’ll probably
just run off though. Polly, come
home. Bye Diary. (That smudge on the page is my tear.)
October
26, Thursday, 1763
Poor
Mary bumped her head today. Her tiny mop
hat slid from her head to the floor. She
lifted her hands to a chair and pulled herself up. The chair seat was just too low. She banged her head and sat down hard and
started to sob. T’was horrible! I picked her up and sat her in her cradle
which only made her mad. She
screamed. Royal came in and grabbed my
leg as I tried to get a stew off the stove.
The stew almost boiled over as I struggled over to the fire. I wonder what Polly has been doing. Good night, Diary.
October
27, Friday, 1763
Poor
Mama is very sick today. Polly is still
sick in England. Everyone seems to be
sick. I cannot get things for my doll at
times like this. Diary, Goodbye.
October
28, Saturday, 1763
Polly
is not here. I wish she was.
October
29, Sunday, 1763
I,
Molly, who usually loves to write, do not want to. I am too tired. I almost fell asleep while rocking Mary. I about fell in the fire. Lucky for me Royal touched me hard. I jerked to attention.
It's
the Sabbath. If Polly were here, one of
us could stay with Mama and the other could go to church with my brothers.
Mama
is worse. I read the Bible to her,
wiping her brow all the time, and comforted Mary. A good thing.
I need to sleep. Goodnight.
October
30, Monday, 1763
The
boys won’t work. Sometimes I wish Polly
was here and my brothers were sick in England.
I said they had to work. They ran
away to the woodpile and the well and got water and wood--two buckets of water
two little armfuls of wood. We will help
always said Caleb. Yes said Royal and
they went to Mama and I said wipe her forehead with a wet cloth. Then they helped me a lot. Goodnight Diary.
October
31, Tuesday, 1763
Mama
is getting worse and I have no money for the doctor to come. Papa, please come home today! Who wants a doll in such a time as this
except a fool! (I still want one
though.)
Here
are more tears. It seems I cry a lot.
November
1, Wednesday, 1763
I
got everything for my doll. I want to
sit and sew her, but I cannot. I have to
sew a patch on some of the boys’ clothes.
Goodbye Diary.
November
2, Thursday, 1763
Mama
is getting worse. I have to work poor
Caleb all day. Royal gave up long
ago. Caleb sits by Mama wiping her
forehead or holding the baby, fetching water or wood. I hope Papa is all right.
Papa
might be in a bear. Papa might be in a
stream. I want him to come home, home
and help me and Caleb. Caleb and I
whisper a prayer every night in bed.
Caleb, Royal and I sleep together.
Polly is not here. I wish she
was. Goodbye Diary.
November 1, Friday, 1767
I
know! I have money in my dress. The hem
is sewn up with my money Aunt Jane gave me.
I told Caleb. Caleb and Roy say
they will fetch the doctor, but they are only 5 years of age. Oh, there they go. I can't believe I actually let them go. What if Indians find them. What if wild animals get them. It's five miles to town. What if they get lost. Come back soon I say. Goodbye Caleb and Royal. Come back soon. We’ll bring the doctor Caleb said as they
walked off. I cannot write now. Goodbye Diary.
Later
Caleb,
Roy, be safe! They are long gone but I
pray for them. It is my tears that wet this
page as I write. I cannot write more for
fear of ruining this diary, but I want the boys to be safe. Goodbye Diary.
November 1 night
Tonight
I sit up late and take care of Mama. Now
I sit by the fire and write. Oh, a noise!
Later
Papa
came! The noise was him coming through
the door! I dropped my book and ran to
him! He hugged me tight. Then he asked how Mama was doing. When I told him that Mama was still not doing
well, he was very sad. Then I told him
that the boys had gone to get the doctor.
He is very worried and said that in the morning he will go look for
them. He is sleeping now on the floor
beside Mama to be near her and help her.
He will get up in the night to keep the fire burning so it will be warm
for Mama. I'm so glad that Papa is
home. Now some of my worries are
covered, but there are still many others.
November
2, Saturday, 1767
Papa
is gone again to find the boys. He left
at first light.
Later,
Mama
is so sick. She can barely breathe. I put honey and herbs on her chest. She is coughing and coughing. She's trying to cough up something.
I
can hear my heart beating so fast.
Oh,
I forgot the soup. It burned
almost.
I
… Mama just coughed up something. I need to go check on her.
Later,
Mama's
fever has broken. She's resting
now. I have a minute to write. Wait!
I hear some noise outside.
There
they come! They are on horses. The doctor is with them. Caleb is shouting something. Oh, this is what he said, I told you we would
bring the doctor, was he not a good boy?
I can see them riding up and I can hear them!
Oh
my! Another horse! Could it be?
It's Papa and somebody is with him.
POLLY! I must run to them! Goodbye Diary
Later,
Here
is the story of how everyone came home together. As the boys and the doctor rode past the
harbor, Caleb saw his sister getting off a ship. He shouted to her. She stopped when she saw Caleb. Then the doctor looked up and saw the boys
looking at a girl and a lady. Caleb
shouted to the doctor telling him that that was his sister and his aunt. The doctor decided to take the ladies to our
house. He told the ladies to stay by the
boys as he rode fast to his house and got a little cart. He rode back with the cart and told the
ladies to put their luggage in. Then he
helped them up, one onto each of the boys' horses and they rode to our
house. They saw Papa passing by in the
middle of the trip home. Polly was the
first one to see him. She waved and Papa
said, "That's my girl," thinking it was me. Polly waved again and said, "No, your
other girl." Then Papa rode up
quickly and hugged his sister and his daughter.
He hugged the boys too. Then they
rode home together, talking happily.
Mama
is feeling much better. I must rest
now. Goodbye Diary.
November
3, Sunday, 1767
What
a glorious Sabbath day it is. Yesterday
before he left, the doctor told me I took good care of Mama. Mama is getting stronger now. I did not notice but Aunt Jane was with Papa
also. We are all together now and Papa
is going to build a bigger house before it snows. Papa got plenty of meat for the winter. The new house will even have a cellar to
store it in. Everybody is well and most
important, everyone is together. Now
Polly and I can spend the winter sewing dolls together. (My doll will be named
