1/1 Cold, freezing morn with high dim clouds partialy shuting out the sun.  We killed 7 hogs.
  John mooves to Tippah today & I came home after the buggy & am going to carry Nancy
 & Sallie  down there.  Chas got Henry's bango yesterday.  I wrote a letter to T.A.
 Meares yesterday; the ground is as hard as a rock & is froze a foot deep; very still
 morn.  I & Sallie Went with John & family to Tippah; look at the ice shining so white in
 the deep dark bottom, very cold.  We stoped at John's place but after a while Smith,
 McD came down & we went up to his house & took supper & then they drank whiskey &
 John & I - Smith went back to John's place; conversed a while & went to bed.  Smith
 asked me to go a fishing.

1/2 Cold still & cloudy, the ground is thawing some.  We all partook of a splendid breakfast
  with Mr. Mc Donald & his kind lady, then helped Nancy in the buggy & then drove down
 to the new place carrying Mrs. McD's baby with us.  I & Sallie fixed up the things
 for them helped to get dinner & took some ourselves.  Nancy is well pleased with her
 new situation.  Sallie & I left for home at 1 ocl P.M.  Dark & dreary evening; we got
  home just before night.  Doctor Rieves & family mooved over yesterday to the Nicks
 place.  Chas, John N. & Kanedy went over to see them.  Kan went home with John  Nabors.
  It began to rain gently & rained on until mignight.

1/3 High, roaring, freezing wind from the north.  Very clear ground thawing.  We had the
 first lamb come yesterday; black.  Mr. Smith came over this morning to hire Nan;  thinks
 he'll  take her at $100 & clothe her.  Cane came back early from L. Nabor's.  Wm
 Wheatley came after dinner & hired Rachel for $100 & clothe her, he stayed late.  Mr.
  Smith stayed till after dinner; he looked at the sheep & said one was his.  They negroes
 are washing, rending up lard, hauling wood & coal.  Moses has sore eyes very bad.
 Chas went with the buggy to Salem to get jars to put lard in.  T & Sallie are going to
 Mr. L. Nabors tonight.  Very clear & windy yet.

1/4 Clear & cold.  Coolest yet.  Sallie & I went to L. Nabors.  Daukins come aftter supper &
 stayed all night; I combed Fannie's head & hugged her; fittled & talked of marrying her;
 took good supper & went to last night this was.  I went by & stoped at Vandy's new
 house.  He has no money; great many men came by & warmed going to Salem to court.
  I then went to Mr. Willis & got some money.  He told me off his fusses.  I then came to
 Mr. Nabors & took dinner.  Miss Day & Miss Brown & Mrs. Day; after seting awhile &
 came home.  Uncle N. Nabors came back after the last load.  We helped him load up &
 catch the roosters.  We catch the chickens tonight. geting cloudy again.  We set awhile
 with W. Rieves & he asked us back to see them.  I slept with Uncle N. Nabors.

1/5 Cold & clear; froze yet.  We were up early & helping Nabors to start.  We boys had fun
  catching the chickens again while Mr. Rieves & negros were cuting up frozen pork; she
  scolding her waiting cock & wash girl while her red sache gaped a wide behind.  I sent
Uncle's girls roses cuting of 40 kinds.  They started with the last load at 9 ocl; Kan,
 Dick & Uncle;  nothing like a tear shed but what the cold wind brought from our free-
  hearted noses.  Poor Rock whined a sad farewell & left Pup & Taylor .  I & George & Wm
 went over to Poff's & measured the land; 26acres & 53 poles in the far field & 5 acres of
 oats land.  Chas went to Salem but got no money; geting cloudy.  Chas went & paid
 Mr. Lipford $35.  Hauling wood today.  Mr. Smith sent for Nan.

1/6 Cold, high dim clouds thawing smarthly now.  We all at home today, negroes here.  I &
 Ma are goint to Mr. Nabors.  Lafayette Nooner spent a few hours here this eve.  He
 going to live at Mr. Laxs & work by himself.  We found Mr. Casey & wife, Mr. Willis &
wife & C. Daukins at Mr. Nabors.  We talked of raining frogs & buggs & the sun going
 around the earth.  Mr. Nabors believes it all .  We came near buying land in Desoto at
 $10 per Acre Disappointed negro-meeting at the chappel today.  Fannie looks verry
 fine today; Daukins looks anxious.  As Ma & I troted home we caught up with Mr.
 Freeman going home from a round of preaching.  Cloudy & cold wind from the south;
 looks like rain.  Jim Poff is over tonight.

1/7 Thick, cloudy, misting rain began last night; hard, a  deal warmer now.  Chas begins his
 school.  We start the gin on Crafts cotton again.  I am going to Salem.  I went to Salem
 & stayed till night.  Miss Paulina Parker was married last week to a Mr. Passcal of
 Memphis, Tenn.  The Parkers want to sell out & leave Salem.  W.L. Brock boards at Mr.
 Machins.  The gents are trying to collect money in Salem.  It cleared off this evening &
 turned verry cold again; great freeze going tonight.  I wrote a letter to the Editor of the
  ÒHome CircleÓ  tonight requesting a discontinuence of it to me.  I heard of the marriage
 of Miss Mattie Low of Marsha.  Squire is spliting rails.  Mandy feeding the gin.  Mose is
 blacksmithing for us.  Chas goes to L Nabor's tonight.  I mailed letter for Sallie to H.M.  Terry S.C.

1/8 Clear very very cold; rather dim; ground froze verry deep.  Started to gin but t'was too
 cold; went to hauling & cuting wood.  Mose working in the shop; heard something bad
 of the Wheatleys.  I put glass into windows.  Chas stayed Mr. Nabors last night.  I wrote
 a letter to R.M. Bostwick tonight; very  cold night.

1/9 Coldest morning this year.  The. stands 8 degrees.  Coldest, clear day I ever felt.  Such
 a long cold spell was never known here before.  Squire is helping Mose to lay our
 plows.  Mandy cuting wood above the gin-house.  I went to Salem the evening & got a
 letter from Aunt Lydia & one from cousin Hal Terry.  Lax paying in town.  I nearly froze  coming home.

1/10 Cold as ever; ice! ice everywhere.  Dim clouds growing thicker as the sun sets.  I went
 to Tippah on ÒjollyÓ.  ÒFond memory brings the light of other days around meÓ  I took a
 peep of where Fannie & Genie lives.  Hallooed at N. Smith's; gives his note & got down
  at Mr. Freeman's & warmed with Asbury while he was mending his shoe.  Then troted
 on to John's & got there just at dark; found Menan Shivers there; he is after a Òpower of
 AtourneyÓ for Alex to get money for their Texas land.  We slept togather & talked of
 Ark & cousin Mollie; she writes to him he says.  The bed was icey cold.

1/11 Cold & dark cloudy day.  Nancy's foot is better; she walks some; all their neighbors
 have been to see them.  They are well pleased.  Menan & myself went a duck hunting
 with one gun.  I killed 7 doves & Menam 2 by diner.  Joe & James Ayres were at Johns
 for dinner; S. Mcdonald there.   We went again after dinner.  Menam killed two ducks &
  I killed two squirrils.  Tippah & Snow creek were froze over; ice a foot thick on the
 ponds there.  We saw 50 squirrils in the bottom about sundown.  They are ginning
 cotton at home.  Menan & I slepth together again.  He want me to help him write a  letter to Mollie; didn't.

1/12 Rained & froze last night then the thick misty clouds began to robe the world in
  spotless white; faster & faster it falls; the winds are hushed  & their whisperings in the
  dark tall pines has ceased while the snow makes cold winding sheets for millions of
 freezing creatures in the dark woods & in the crouded city; it is hurrying thousonds
of  God's beings home. home. -  We all went up to Mr. McDonald's & warmed around his
 pleasent fire.  He loaned me his gun & while he & john were making egg-nogg we  started a ducking.
  We met Mr. Tucker & took down the river & Menan killed two ducks
 & I killed three.  I heard somebody singing and came back after they were all done
 eating.  Mr. McDonald & John took their guns from us & started turkey hunting & we
 started home.  John Beck caught up with us; we merrily chated & laughed as we troted
  with cold feet twoards home.  John got down at Mr. Freeman's where the old man Beck
 & boys were warming; we went on & told old bygones & laughted till we parted & went
 home.  It blew off clear after dark & the silver moon is floating afar up in the uper deep;
  making the ground sparkle with myriad tiny pearls & diamonds while I am writing this  journal of mine.

1/13 The sun rose clear & warm begining a general thaw.  Clouds were seen as unwellcome
 visitors floating slowly in the dark deep sky in which it seems you can see millions of
 miles away where courselss comets roll and creation enlarges into boundless nothing.
 Oh where can Heaven be?  in some of those bright worlds we can not see by day?  God
 sends his Angels to blow out his candles when the sun throws his long bright rays into
 the dark air.  The snow melted off today.  We all stayed at home all day except Billie;
 he went to the office & got the Appeal.  All the Becks were out in their buggies &
 carriage to Salem but were disappointed; also the negros were disappointed at ÒTerry's
 ChappelÓ again.  We had no visitors today but enjoyed ourselves reading & conversing
 & looking at the sheep, hogs, horses & cows; we have 5 lambs living & one dead & 43
 pigs, two sows & 16 porkers.  I wrote a letter to Irvin tonight.

1/14 Cloudy, drizling rain.  Very cold; the snowed a little & quit.  I started early to Holly
 Springs; stoped at Salem while Dr. Ayres sent by me for jewelry & books, took a letter
 to Daniels.  I caught up with Wm Davis at Walls trying to drive a loose mule to H.S.  We
 overtook a fellow walking & asked him to ride the mule which he done with delight to
 H.S.  At Laswre's we caught up with Bob Owens going to H.S. we all went on togather
 & got there half past 12 ocl.  I saw a good many persons about hireing Mose but only
 one, Capt Write wanted him.  We finished our business & left Davis for home at 3 ocl.
  Very cold; we got to Salem after dark; stoped at Redus & warmed while he played
 tunes that charmed us to a sweet feeling & love to everybody.  Mr. Wheatly & several
 others said they were going to search a suspicious man at the house of Mr. Tidwells for
 $50 dollars that had been last in Salem.  We went with them & saw fun but the fellows
 was gone & we found that he was the same man that rode Davis' mule this morning.  I
 got home at 9 ocl.  Very cloudy yet.  The gin run on Jas Crafts cotton today.

1/15 Cloudy & very cold; snowing gently.  gining cotton.  Nan run away & come home & I am
 going down there & take her back.  But he would not have her.  I sent her home & Mr.
 Osborn sent & got her for a few days.  I saw five wild geese in Mr. Spencers field but
  would not shoot them for fear they were Mr. Spencer's.  I got down & warmed at Mr.
 Spencer's but only saw Genie as she passed the door of the room were I was warming.

1/16 Clear beautiful day.  Thawing, cold yet.  We finished gining & packing J. Crafts 12th
 bale cotton & began Poffs.  I went early to Mr. Nabor's but he was gone to buy a negro
 for Maxwell.  I saw Fannie who was at work.  Mc was cuting rail timbers.  I went on to
Salem & rode Polk.  Mr. Machen is trading mules.  I heard Mr. Redus draw out sweet the  ÒSavanah WaltzÓ.
  Dr. Ayres paid me 40 cts for books bought in H. Springs.  I sent
 Moses to H. Springs this evening for Mr. Wright to try him.  I came home near night.  Mr.
 Rieves is hauling corn for use this year.  The ground is frezing again tonight.  We have  12 lambs alive.

1/17 Beautifuly clear still day; thawing rappidly.  Squire is sick.  Wm went after Mariah's
 clothes at Anderson's.  I went to Mr. L. Nabors early to get him to go to Salem to fix up
 My negro business but he is sick.  I settled with him; he paid me $2.05.  Jas Craft come
 by & soped awhile.  Mr. Nabors talks of hireing Nan.  I came home by noon & helped
 Jas. Craft to load 4 bales of cotton.  He then took dinner with us.  Mr. Nabors bought a
 negro boy of Chairs for $1000.00 cash - 16 years old & hired bought of Mrs. Redus for
 $85.00.  Mc'  takes 3 hands & works cotton for the fourth.  I fixed the dining room fire
 place this evening after Craft left.  I then wrote a letter for $2.00 to Memhis Advocate.
 Mrs. Poff had a child the other day.

1/18 Warmer, some clouds, thawing.  Gining Poff's cotton.  Wm Casey came over & stayed all
  day nearly.  Sent the broad axe home.  The hogs eat up 3 lambs today leaving 16 alive.
  I mended my shoes & hauled gate posts. Mose came home from Holly Springs.  Mr.  Lipford
came by for the rest of him money but didn't get it.  Mr. Lax & Todd stoped with
 Jesse Jinkin's he offered $90.00 for Nan - no freeze tonight.

1/19 Cloudy & geting cold.  Sleeted a little, cold wind from the north.  Wm ginnning Poff's
  cotton.  Moses and Squire cuting rail timber.  I went to Salem early with Mr. Nabors &
  finished the giving me off $500 in property.  I got Julia, 4 years old, valued at $375 & a
 note of $150.55 interest and all of Ma.  I am to take it to Ripley soon & record the
 proceedings.  Dr. Ayres, W.T. Dickerson & L. Nabors are the commissioners to whom I
 am under great obligations for their kindness, as they would not be paid for their
 trouble.  I don't think I'll forget that I saw a man, Mr. Jacob Bogard direct from Ark who
 tells a deal of marvelous tales of Ark, life.  Began to snow about 2 ocl this evening,
 fiercely fell & whirled till after night; about 9 ocl at night the moon shone out above our
 heads, making a wild pleasing scene.  We walked out; the snow was 8 in's deep; look at
 the cedars loaded down with the spotless down of Heaven.  We shook it off & scared a
 sweet little bird from the thick branches; he flew twittering off through the cold snow-
  burdened air to seek some other sheltered spot.  Miss Mat. Nooner & La. Fayette came
 this morning & stayed with us tonight - not very cold.

1/20 What a wild indescribable world meets our aching eyes this morning.  Whiteness in all
 it's purity has shrouded all in beauty & every thing is still except the sighing breath of
 winter throuth the cracking frozen limbs making the snow fall.  We are all staying at
 home with Miss Mat. & Fayette with us.  Oh! but we have had funn snow balling this
  morning.  Then we would settle around the fire each with book or paper as silent as the
 toomb enjoy ourselves over the past.  But dinner has come too soon.  So we must go to
 it.  Dear we took fed fire & shoulder then read and talked.  I got out my sleigh and
 hitched up.  Chas, Fayt.& I rode down the lane & met John's old man.  He wanted
 John's bridle but didn't get it.  They were all well & are all coming up next week.  I took
 Mat N. in my sleigh & troted her home while Chas & Fayette brought up the rear on
 horse back.  Nobody but the home-folks were there.  Mr. Lax caught a rabbit.  Nannie
 would not ride with me.  I came back at dusk, the clouds parted their red curtains to
 show us where the sun went out then Sallie & I rode around & put up sleek 'Ginny Lind'.
  We eat a home free supper & spent an evening at our own fireside merily for I
 made the fire.  Our sheep with their tender lambs are safely housed & every thing is
 well fed - Aint we happy!

1/21 Verry cold; clouds & sunshine, snow melting a little.  Chas at Mr. Lax  today hunting.
 Squire & Mose working on Mr. Casey's plows.  Wm & I went a rabbit hunting, caught
 one by dinner.  Then I started to Ripley & to Uncle Chas Davenports.  I had a verry cold
 ride; I caught up with & rode with a Tennesse hog driver to Uncle Chas; got there near
  dark. They were all well & glad to see me.  We talked untilll 12 ocl & went to freeze in
 bed.  Oh how cold it is.

1/22 Coldest morning this year as yet.  Ther 2 degrees below zero.  Clear & still.  I started to
 Ripley about 10 ocl.; very cold lonesome ride.  I got there just 12 ocl.  Met Mr. Hunt &
 went over with him to dinner & sat with his interesting family and Jud quote Rogan an
 hour; walked back by Mrs. Sue Berry's to court.  I got my business arrainged very quick.
 I tried to hire Mose but was too late.  Saw & conversed with Fletcher Asbury & started
home in a gallop about 3 o'clock geting in co with a jolly traveller from Panola after
 stoping an hour with Mrs. Thorne.  We listened to & told tales of courtship & how to get
  married.  He was a widower & had a little dark-eyed boy of six with him.  I parted
 company with him at Yellow-rabbit & thundered on to Mr. Nabors & warmed; then home
 after dark the icekles jingling on ginny's feet as she swiftly carried me through the cold
 keen frosty air.  While the large full moon rose in the east like a shining lump of gold,
 rising solomnly; but the dark still trees on the white hills.  Chas is not back yet from
 hunting.  A letter from Lydia.

1/23 Very cold.  Clear bright morn.  I. hauling wood the rest are cuting rail timber.  The snow
 has melted very little as yet.  Wm & I hauled ten loads of wood today.  Mr. Cary got his
 horse shod again by Mose.  Emry Osborne brought Nan home.  Clear all day after
 sunset; a cloud was seen near the horizon.  Chas come home been to Jas E. Beck & T.
 Toomb's hunting all the time but killed nothing.

1/24 Moderating a little, clouding up, ground froze verry hard.  I started to Lagrange early
 to see if I could hire Mose.  I had cold ride geting there at noon & took dinner at Dabbs.
   Miss Virginia Toombs presiding over the table.  Snow. Snow!  everywhere yet.  I could
  not dispose of Mose.  Seeing the follie of Lagranges' fast clerk calling for sympathy, I
 started home meting Wm Osborne at Davis' Mills going to Louisiana he said.  I got to
 Salem after supper, stoped & warmed at Wm Ayres.  Jolly was gone but I caught him
 again at the Livery Stable.  It sleeted a little after dark.  The moon rose in golden glory
 as I troted home, thinking of My Wife of boyhood; home by 8 ocl & took supper.  The
 boys have hauled 11 loads of wood & split & cut rails.

1/25 Clouds smoothe & slaty are droping a storm of snow; been snowing since midnight.
 Snow wild thick & driving untill noon; about 4 inches deep & melting fast.  We all tore
 down the Alex Williams' house & are hauling down this evening for a kitchen.  We have
 wild fun snow balling.  We hauled 1 load of the house & quit because of the rain getin
  faster Ôtill bed time.  geting snow soft like mud.  W.L. Nooner stoped from Salem after
 dark just as we were going to supper; he stayed all night.  Awfull! awfull night - rain,
 sleet & snow.

1/26 A storm; clouds from no-east raining snowing & sleeting.  Snow in a loblolly 4 in's.  W.L.
  Nooner left for home after breakfast.  We are mending harness.  I half-soled Wm's
 shoes.  Chas & George went out & caught 1 rabbit.  Mr. Poff brought up his boys with
the lost buttons; he whaled them every step here & back raising a pretty squall.
 Charles & I went a rabbit hunting & caught one.  Clouds changed to so-east; heavy &
 dark - held up untill night then it come again.  Snow, sleet & rain.  We have 20 lambs.

1/27 Warmer morning - snowed rappidly for awhile from the south.  Wind very high.  Dark,
 misty clouds sweeping up with the wind from the south rendering the day gloomy all
 out-doors.  We are all at home again except Wm who went after our papers at Salem.
 Chas is skeching for the Harper's A family fireside in the south.  Wm has just returned
 with the "Appeal & Advocate"; no news from town.  Turned colder about 12 ocl; ice
 forming everywhere; few light flakes of snow whirling up & down & around.  daylight
 faded into Egyptian darkness shrouding all in silent gloom.  My eyes are verry sore so
 that I can't read.  I wrote a ltter to Aunt Lydia.

1/28 Very cold wind and snow from the southwest.   Mose went back to Holly Springs for
 $200 to S.B. Wright.  We boys are hauling the Alex house down - very cold; finished
 hauling the house.  The clouds parted & the sun shone brightly before going down.
 Very clear after dark.  I'm thinking mutch of Mollie E.G. - Why? Oh Why?  My throat is  sore.

1/29 Some warmer.  Very clear bright & beautifull day.  We all killed our last fat hogs, 6
 sows weighing 894 lbs.  Mr  Casey & Pntson come hunting hog; eat dinner with us.  We
 finished the pork little after noon & took the waggon & went up towards Mrs. Hannis' &
 hued out & hauled home 6 rocks for house blocks.  Charlie & I lay on a moss grown rock
 & talked of loving Mollie.  Few clouds at sunset.

1/30 Clear bright day.  Mose came back from H.S. don't want him.  Pigions flying from the
 east by millions in the morn.  We all put up the walls of our kitchen.  Man come by
 hunting sick negro at Mr. Lax'.  I had to whip Mariah & Nan for fighting this morning;
  the ground melted a little at noon but froze again before night.  I am going to Mr. S.  Nesbitts' tomorrow.

1/31 Verry cold & cloudy.  I started to S. Nesbitts.  I stoped in Salem & got business to do in
 Holly Springs of Wm Ayres.  Sleeted on the way & some rain.  I got to H.S. by 1:00 &
 found T. Hamer buying a negro; being to busy I attended to the business myself.  A
 letter to W.F. Mason and an answer.  got a deed for land, for O. Beck of H. Craft & I
 took $306 for G.W. Mathews.  Paid the Sherriff $135.70 leaving $171.30 recpt.  I left
  Holly Springs at 3:oc; it cleard off at half past three.  Clear as the first born day of
 Eden.  Very mudy riding.  I saw pretty girls at Sqr. Moores leaning, laughing out the up
 story window.  I found my way to Mr. S. Nesbitt's in the dark wild woods just at dark,
 got down, met Mrs. Nesbitt at the door, introduced myself & went in the room and was
 warmly & smillinglly greeted by Miss Mollie & introduced to her beautiful but high
 flown  sister who I think is witt & inteligent but rather haughty and unfeeling! but
 Mollie I love  her so mutch for her sweet endearing qualities.   The memory of this night
 can never be blotted out by all the rude storms of life with which my future road is
 filled.  I made the acquaintance of Dr. Fowler & Mr. Fowler & Mr. Nesbitt.  He is such a
 kind old man.  I like so well; such kindness is not often shown by strangers.  The girls
 played & sung such melting songs that lost me in an ocean of feeling, ceasing.  I started
 from dead silence, finding my eyes filled with tears.  Was it weakness in me to hide  those tears?
 

2/1 Bright sunshiny morn.  I slept very little last night; why I can't tell.  Ground froze very
 hard.  Breakfast was held after sun up & we went in Miss Mollie & Mattie with smiling
 faces & glossy hair as black as the raven's wing falling in dreamy profussion round their
 soft white necks, seated on the opposite side of the plenteous table of the good
 plain old man.  Oh he must be the happiest man on earth.  I got my horse & shook hands
 with all & left for Byhalia.  I eat dinner with Joe Morris & was about to hire Mose to him
 but did not.  I stopped & talked with The Rodgers.  Met Mr. Arnold in the road.   Went to
 Mr. Smiths, he talked of hiring but did not.  I went on to Mr. J. Nesbitts; went in, met
 John & all the girls & Mrs Nesbitt, so happy doing nothing but talking; the girls lookied
 rosey, profuse, rich, sweet & dreamy.  O they were smiling lumps of sweetness.  Mr. D
 & N. Nesbitts came to the gate & got a fellow to toping the trees around; they seemed
 so glad to see me.  I laughted some at the dry jokes of Nathan N. I stayed there till
 after dark then went to Uncle N. Nabors, found them all happy & well; seem glad to see
 me.  They have been to Memphis & bought boots, hats, saddles & goodies.  Had
 pleasent converse untill late bed tme.  Irvin played his flute grand.
 

2/2 Rather cloudy & colder.  I left early & went over to N. Nesbitt.  Very cold wind here.
 Here was Miss Allen & after a while Mr. Nesbitt & rode over to Esq. Durhams; he didn't
 want to hire, he is a smart man, has sweet little girls of ten.  We come back to his (N.
 Nesbitt's) house for a splendid dinner after which Miss Julia Arnold & Miss Mcleroy
 come in from Mr. Hoke's; no talk about them but they were pretty girls.  Miss Julia's
 brother Dawson was there horse got loose & he rode behind me.  We caught his horse &
 I stoped at Mr. Rodgers; made the acquaintance of Jas & his father.  So friendly.  I like
 them.  I left there at 1/2  3 ocl for S. Nesbitts where I got after dark, shook hands all
 round & was intoduced to Mr. Rufus Mathis , a beau of Mattie Nesbitt's, I suppose.
 Began to snow very fast then & snowed on while the girls played sweet music & sung
 songs of richness.  I spent the greatest part of my time in listening & laughing at the
 funny talk of Mr. Mathis & Mattie; the girls would put their rosey dimpled hands on
 their soft cheeks to shade the light & look out the window pane & say ÔOh how it
 snows'.  I slept by myself & dreamed.

2/3 Verry cold with wind from the north but very clear.  I got up just before sun up & tried
 to smoothe my hair with a brush after washing my face in a bowl; throwing the warter
 out at the window.  Breakfast was anounced & we went in & eat hartily of sausage &
 fried ribs, hominy, butter, cheese,  corn bred & busicuit, coffee & milk.  They had verry
 small flowerd china cups & saucers.  We finished before the girls & old folks & went to
 the fire; the girls soon come bringing life & beauty with them.  We set & conversed
 merrily around the large roaring fire.  I sadled Polk & then dried my feet till I clasped
 their hands & shook the hearts of each kind friends & left Mr S. Nesbitts and his
 esteemable lady & beauteous daughter for home when the soft light snow glitterd with
 stars, 3 inches deep in  the bright sunshine so poysonful to the eye.  Oh! Oh! what a
 cold ride I had the long ten miles of the Hermando road to H.S.  I met to buggies with
 people in them & got down to warm at the hotel at 12 ocl.  Jas Jones is keeping bar in
it.  another cold ride seeing vast flocks of wild piggeons on the trees & ground till I
 warmed at Tom Crumps.  I got to Salem as the sun sank in the cold blue west.  I
 warmed at Wm Ayres & got a letter from R.M. Bostwich at Louesville.  I gathered up the
papers I got in H.S. for W. Ayres.  I got home after supper nearly froze & told over my
 travels.
 

2/4 Extremely cold but clear.  We set & read all day, too cold to work.  Squire & Mose geting
 coal timber on the sled.  Mr. Casey here all the evening, saw my letter praised in
 the Advocate.  We eat backbones & sauce biscuit & corn bread, butter, coffe & milk for  supper.  North winds.

2/5 Awful cold obscure sky; wind from the southeast.  I mended George's shoe then Chas &
 I nailed up the gable ends & nailed on 6 rows of boards on the kitchen - the rest are
  knocking stalks & cuting coal wood.  Mr. Lipford come by & we paid him the last of the
 school-debt ($3.60).  We children set in the clouded-room, talk, laugh, sing & make  music.

2/6 Wild stormy morning; wind rushing & roaring, making everthing tremble with fear, is
 howling from so-so-east.  Black cloud dashing a few hail lumps & rain againth the
 frozen ground.  I mended Graydon's boots then worked on the house.  Chas, Mose &
 Squire put up & set the coal kiln.  Stormy, with driving, drenching, cold rain.

2/7 Warmer, thick cloudy & still.  The coal-kiln nearly burned up last night.  Just 20 lambs
 alive now.  Chas & I nailed on boards on kitchen.  Snowed verry hard Ôtill noon but
 melted as it fell then got foggy & misty by night; bleak & lonely day.  Ginning Poff
 cotton; band broke 4 or 5 times.  Squire & Mose & Nan are cuting coal-wood.  Just
 before dark Old Mr. Lipford asked leave to stay all night; he was sick or drunk & kept  us up all night.

2/8 Colder snowed 2 inches deep last night but the sun shines warm & is melting fast.  Chas
 & I finished covering the house today.  Clouded up & turned very cold from the north.
 We started to the pegeon-roost beyond Mr. Pool's; John & Sam Nabors going too.  Mr.  Lipford is here sick yet.

2/9 Cold & clear.  We walked all night shooting piggeons.  Oh what grand exciting sporte!
 but the walking was dreadfull.  We (five guns) killed some 600 piggeons.  We brought
 home 135.  While we were feeling verry drowsy, come by dinner & then pulled down
 the coal kiln but we got only about 50 bushels & then put it up again.  Just at dark John
 & Fannie Nabors come to stay all night.  We had a merry time;  played blind-fold; went  to bed late.

2/10 Mild beautiful spring morning; clear as paradise.  Some snow to be seen yet.  Mr. Chas
 Daukins & brother come in this morning & we are all going to preaching.  Sallie & John,
 Fannie & Daukins went to Hopewell by Spencer; few out.  I & Wm went to Liberty
 preaching by Lamert; few out.  She was there so melancholy & etheral; looked as if she
 did not belong to this world & set with her eyes fixed on Chas & was thinking of her
 bright home in Heaven.  Oh! why do I cheerish such a wild impossible Hope?  I can't
 help it.  I tacked an advertisement up near the church of our Blacksmith & came home &
eat piggeons for dinner & after Fannie & John & Francis Nooner left.  Sallie & I went
 down to Mr. Lax's.  Martha was gone home with Lucy Beck.  So we had a jolly time
 with Nancy & Fayette & Mr. Lax & his good wife.  Mud Mud!  Never was the like of  mud.

2/11 Warm like spring but Cloudy & misty with high wind.  We got up before day & after
 breakfast we left for Emisy Becks, the rain blew in our faces by drifts while our horses
 mired & floundered on in the soft yielding earth.  I got down & stayed awhile at Emisy's
 & then got home by dinner I left Sallie there.  She is going with Martha & Lucy to John's
 tomorrow. Chas began his school again today.  We daubed and chinked the kitchen this
 eve.  Cleared off at sun set, the ground is thawed.  I was surprised to see the marriage
 of Miss Mollie E. Gregory to a Mr. John More in the Appeal.  It took place on Wednesday,  Jan'y 16th/56.

2/12 Clear bright spring like.  Gining cotton & knocking stalks, building chimney.  Piggeons
 coming over by millions.  Mr. R.H. Daniel come & stayed all night he has quit Bufalo's

2/13 Bright clear morning.  I am finishing fireplace in kitchen.  Squire & Mose are finishing
 the chimney.  R.H. Daniel left after breakfast & S.D. Rhodes called in to borrow my gun
 but I didn't let him have it.  We finished the house so that we could use it today.  Cold
 north wind; hard freezing at night.

2/14 Beautifull clear day.  I hung the doors of the kitchen.  The rest bailed two bales for A.
 Poff & our last bale cotton.  At noon Nancy & her children come from Tippah with Sallie.
 they have been to T.S. Toombs one day.  John sent $20 to us & credited on the due bill.
  We all drew our coal kiln again at dark.

2/15 Dim melancholy morning.  Hauling up coal & cuting stalks off of wheat.  I went to
 Salem  but to Alex Williams first for money but he said he did not have a cent.  I eat
  dinner with them; verry poor dinner.  I got to Salem about 2 ocl, settled with W.H.
Brock.  Mr. Henry is going to bring on a stack of goods & has hired Wm. Bunn to clerk for
 him at somthing over $200 a year.  Marrion Bogard wants me to go with him & hunt up
 money.  He is verry keen for me but I can't leave home.  Bunn is courting at Mr.
  Machens I think.  I went in at Mr. Wheatley's & conversed with his lady an hour without
 five Misses were not there.  Selby has 5 scholars & Mr. Smith has 12 boys.  Mrs.
  Williams come down & stayed all night here to night.  Warm night; moonshine.

2/16 Warm, bright, beautiful but very windy day.  The hens cackle all the time.  I and Wm
 staked off & cut out a fence row below the orchard.  John Williams came up from
 Tippah by noon  & at 2 ocl left with Nancy & the children to stay all night at Ed Rieves.
 We are spliting rails cuting stalks off wheat which shows green now & working in Shop.
 I advertised flour, oats, & peas, for sale in Salem yesterday.  North wind blew verry
 hard at sunset & after turning very cold again.  After supper we boys got the gun &
 went all over the woods next to Mr. Beck's hunting for piggeons but give up & laid
 down in the grass listening to the roaring wind that seemed to be trying to blow out the
 smiling moon hung so high & clear in the dark eather blue.

2/17 Quite cold again but still verry clear.We girls & boys saddled up & started to preaching
 at "Pisgah" but met F.M. Nooner who told us that it was a disappointment & we went
 back home.  After noon R.H. Daniel come & spent the evening spluttering about
  nothing.  While  I delved in the periodical literature of which we have no little .  Evening
 came on with dim hazy clouds absorbing the western horizon setting in a cold freezing
 night.  I wrote a Valentine to Mollie Nesbitt tonight.

2/18 Cold north wind stirring; sun shines warm but dim after 12 ocl.  I finished cuting the
 fence row by noon then worked on the spring some & hauled new rails untill dark; the
 rest are spliting rails & cuting stalks off wheat.  Chas is going on with his school; has
 only 7 scholars; he speaks of quiting & going to Louisiana.

2/19  Thick, cloudy with cold stilly winds.  John & Nancy started home this morning from Mrs.
 Williams.  She is going with them.  I hauled new rails untill dinner then Squire & Nan
 hauled old rails while I laid the worm of the fence.  Dark high rough clouds slowly
 creeping up from the so-west.  Sprinkling rain now& then stoping untill it set in with the
 night raining slowly but regularly as night rolls on.  We all reading Harper's.

2/20 Wintery no-easter storm rain & wind - on - on - all day & night again the patter & splash
 of the rain fell on lonely things making a wearysome day.  I read Little Dorrit & worked
 on the windows; mooved the coffee mill & made pins to hang clothes on.  The rest
 spun rope thread, shelled corn & worked in the shop.  Ma & the girls quilted a quilt after  supper & took it out.

2/21 Damp, thick, cloudy morning, rather cool.  Cuting wood all hands.  I took my gun & went
 down the branch to kill rabbits while the hounds run out; killed none but tracing the line
 of our land out east I come on millions of piggeons.  I made my gun roar among them
 but got only three & come home, eat dinner & took all hands & went to hauling rails &
 puting them up east of the grass lot along the edge of the swamp.  An Irish-table-clothe-  peddler stays all night.

2/22 Washington's birthday.  Damp thick drizzling morn.  We finished the fence - 92 panel.
  Wm went to town; got the papers.  I received a letter from W.L. Phifer dated Jan
 11th/56.  The moon broke through the eastern clouds & shone upon this miry world
 with all its pale beauty.  Oh it sees brighter worlds than ours millions of miles away!

2/23 Cloudy, windy morning blowing off clear & beautiful by noon.  We are repairing fence &
hauling wood & rails; spliting & choping.  The sun is wooing the buds & they are
  swelling with blushes being emotions to give away to his soft warming caresses
 illustrating the beginings of Love & passion in our higher natures.  Chas went to Salem
 this evening - correcting a mistake in my advertisement of peas at 50 cts bus.  W. D.
 Beck offered to take all we had at that but Chas asked him no.  J.T. Beck was married  to Miss Rebeca Louis last tuesday (19).

2/24 Clear & bright happy morn.  I shaved & we all went to Salem preaching by Rev Mr.
 Harris; poor sermon.  Mr. JT. Beck brought his wife in a buggy charmingly soft & easy &
 grandly glided her to the laughing Darthula & Mourning who received their new sister
 with sweet smiles & warm kisses.  Happy girls!  they know not sorrow or sadness nor
 the realities of this cold hearted world.  May life ever be as smoothe & happy to you
  both!  We caught up with them at the creek & I spoke to them as they looked so calm &
  dreamy-beautiful.  Mourining lost her earring in the church.  Squire found it.  We took
 dinner Francis & Fayette with us then after seting awhile we (Sallie, Eliza)  rode down
 to Mr. Nabor's.  Martha & Nannie Nooners were there & a croud besides; we had a
 joyous time & came home at twilight.  Martha says Mourning B has a message for me!
 Miss Selby & Fannie W. sent by the negroes for me to come after them next Friday
 without fail to bring them out home with me.  Who-o-o-o-oe! (?)

2/25 Clouds & sunshine; cool.  We got up before day & loaded up with Poffs two bales & our
 last one & I and Wm started to Lagrange out by R. Mcdonald - the Old Joe Hick' place
  we met Asbury Freeman just from Garretts - been courting.  Francis Nooner started
 from Dr. Whitlow's before day for Lagrange.  We crossed Wolf at the Blue-bridge verry
 muddy through the bottom just at dusk; we saw a small cloud far over towards the
 setting sun that looked like a blazing comet - spike of fire so bright like a golden river
 broken to fragments.  We camped one mile from Lagrange on a south hill side covered
 with dark tall sighing pines.  Our 8 roosters in the basket crowed shrilly while the
 silvery moon rose up from behind the thick pines.  Now & then the snowy clouds would
 steal softly over it making the world darker by the great shadows that looked like
 mighty gosts mooring over the swamps & hills.

2/26 Cloudy but cool.  We met Francis Nooner as we were driving through Lagrange.  I sold
 cotton at 8.30 & 6.75; got a cast plow & $16.00 worth of goods & tin ware; got a tin
 gutter for the shed room.  Sold our chickens for 12-1/2 cts & eggs at 12-1/2 doz.
 Sprinkling rain all morning but commenced in earnest after noon.  We started from LaG
 half past 2 ocl & troted fast throught the deep mud & driving rain seeing cotton &
  waggons left all along the road.  We were 7 miles from Salem when the dreadful dark
 stormy night fell with gloom over all but we went on splashing & heaving on with our
 tired mules.  So dark I could not see the out line of the mules; we came through Salem
 the windows threw long streams of light out which only made the darkness visible.  We  got home at 9 ocl

2/27 Cool with clouds & sunshine.  Spliting rails over towards the Autry place.  I read until
 noon then rode down to get specie from Mr. Nabors but I did not have any.  I stayed till
 after supper.  Jas Crg was there; he has sold out every thing & is going back to his Ma.
  Heard the first cooing of a dove.  Rev. Mr. Mcfarland borrowed our trowel.  Old Mr.  Casey over.

2/28 Clouds & sunshine.  We bought a turkey gobler of Mr. Lax at .75 cts.  Mr. Casey came
 over before breakfast to get the remnent of Poffs cotton money.  I went to Salem & c
  changed a $100. for small bills of B.H. Henry who was starting to New York to bring on
  a stock of goods.  I gave 3 per cent to J. Crunk for gold.  Mr. Burgess offers me a note
 on E. Rieves of $5.00 for his Acct of $.50  I mailed a note of Harper's to cousin John
 Terry.  Barney Torrence sold negro Harriet to Mr. Bird living below H. Springs.  Mr.
 Warren Day started with his 5 bales to Market.  B. Torrence walked down & paid Ma
 thirty dollars on the judgement in the hands of Huggepeth.  Ma is to hold it up for
 awhile.  About 2 ocl I hitched up the waggon & went to work on the road between here
 & Hopwell but just got the land worked by night.  Hands from Mr. Casey & Lax.  Mr.
 Lax went to Salem tonight to hear Rev. H.G. Spencer.  Breezy & clear; warm, pleasant  evening.

2/29 Clouds & sunshine; cool.  I started to Ripley with Moses to hire also to pay tax.  Samuel
 Poff went with me.  We got there about 12 ocl.  I hired Moses to Mr. Buckhanan for
 $2.00 until Christmas; he tried him an hour or two & liked him verry well.  I paid our tax
 ($19.26) & saw F. Asbury, A. Daniel & Mr. Berry.  He asked me in to dine but I thanked I
 had a snack.  Mrs. Berry he said was mad because I didn't eat.  Mr. D. Nesbett come up
  & took Mary home a week agone.  I bought Mat a pair of earrings at $3.00.  We walked
 all over the new courthouse & was highly pleased with it.  Mr. B. hired a horse for
 Moses to ride back & we stated home leading it in c/o with S. Poff & G. Thomas.  We
 had a merry ride telling tales & cracking jokes at the expense of each other.  While the
 clouds got thicker & darker the dark come on at yellow rabbit.  I stoped at Mr. L. Nabors
 a few minutes & gave him a ÔPower of AtorneyÓ I brought for him from Ripley.  Began to
 rain soon after I got home.  Preaching in Salem.

3/1 Cool misty, drizzling morn.  I went to Salem & got a note of E.D. Rieves for 5.00
 Collected small debt of Jas. D. Webb.  I took dinner at W.T. Dickersons & paid two
 dollars to the preachers.  Chas & Wm working their young oxen.  The rest are spliting
 rails.  Moses started up to Ripley this morning in the rain.  I rec'd a letter from T. A.
 Meares & wrote on to I.G.Nabors.

3/2 Cold north wind - ice; ground froze, very clear.  We all went to preaching at Salem by
 Rev. Mr. Blackwell - a splendid sermon but we nearly froze; great many pretty girls out.
 The Czar of Tippah went home with Fannie Wheatley & Miss Harriet J.  This a pleasure
 to dream of the future.  R.D. Daniel come, after noon & stayed till night.  Chas. Wm &
 myself went to preaching with.  I eat supper at Mr. Daniel's & then went up to Mr.
 Machen's & come with Misses Grace A & Mollie M. to church but did not go back with
 them.  Clear frosty night; stars sparkling; alone dark night.

3/3 Bright beautiful day, warmer.  Mr. Poff come over early & mad.  I settled with him; paid
 him 3 dollars & I owe him one.  I took 24.20 for Old Mr. Casey.  I paid Mr. Casey his
 money when he come just before Mr. Poff left.  He (Casey) owes me 83 cts.  Mr. Poff
 gave his note for $80 rent this year for 32-1/2 acres land; he is to sow oasts & rye on
 shares; we find oats & land for half the gain, after it's cut.  We got two sleepers & after
  taking out all the wheat & peas, put them into the kitchen & proped up the rest by
 dinner.  Then all hands went to hauling rails & righting up the fence around the gin-
 field. I hitched Polk to the buggy & Sallie & I went to Mr. Nabors to take Fannie & go to
 J.L. McDonalds but finding Mrs. Lax & Mat. N. there on a visit we spent the evening
 there geting Artichokes, eating, talking & walking Ôround.  After Mrs. Lax & Mat. walked
 off home, we took up a stray mule & horse; saddled up the horse & run & rode him up &
 down the road till sundown; found one starting home with little Nannie N & leaving
 Sallie to stay the night at Mr. L. Nabors. Windy.

3/4 Warm spring day, clear & beautiful.  We began to sow oats in the valey; these are white
 oats.  Squire is spliting rails.  I hitched up polk & took little Nannie back to Mr. Nabor's.
   Their negro had a baby.  Sallie & Fannie went with me to Jas. L. Mcdonald's & we
 stayed all day.  Walked over to the school-house & stayed awhile.  I caught Miss Sarrah
 Hasher for a beau.  We got flowers for fanny & saw Mr. Alex Crofford at Mr. Mcd's; he
 walked over the garden with us.  We got back to Mr. Nabors's by sundown.  Mr. Sam
 Asbury at Mr. Nabor's.  We come home amid the dieing light of day.  Preaching at Salem
 tonight.  Wm went.  We got a litter from Aunt Polly Terry who says D.Q. Anderson is
 married to a Miss Griffse; Hurrah for Davy!  The Terry's are fixing up for Texas this fall.
 Wesly is going to look this spring & I believe I will go with him.

3/5 Clouds & sunshine, warm like spring.  Five plows sowing oats in the vally; a sheep &
 beef hunter came into the field but got none.  Mrs. Autry & her daughters stayed the
 day with Ma.  I & Charles went over to Mr. Rieves to get flowers & beets.  Alex & Ed
 were stocking a plowing & Ann setting by.   We taulked awhile & then they envited us
 over but we didn't ask them; we went to plowing

3/6 Clouds & sunshine, warm morn but turned cold before night.  We are plowing in black
 oats & making hillside ditches.  Sallie & Eliza walked down to Mr. Lax to spend the day.
 The doves are cooing & why shouldn't I.; the frogs are singing love songs to their
 sweethearts & why shouldn't I!  I finished a letter to W.L Phifer tonight.

3/7 Cool, clear morn; ground froze an inch deep.  Sowing oats.  Made & cleaned out ditches.
 We cut out the briars bush & logs from the lower end of the great ditch to the branch.
 Charles & Ma started to John Williams.  Warmer, clouded up this evening.  Poff got 20
 lbs flour for a loging road.

3/8 Beautiful clear day.  Hauled wood until dinner.  The rest cut logs in the orchard & the
 gin-field then I let them all go to a negro wedding at Mr. Wellon's.  After noon we, Sallie
 Mort., Wm. George, Graydon & Jack took the mules & waggon to the graveyard; directly
 we got there.  People come to bury little Billie Ray - 75 persons in all.  He was laid
 away silently without a word while all looked on with a solumn stillness.  They all left
 soon & we went to work on poor Pa's sunken grave; hauled a load of rich soil & filled it
 up & scattered around.  I spaded it up all around then set out Hollis, scotch-boonas,
 roses, honey-suckles & box evergreen, then built a fence around it.  Wm & George went
 to Mr. Scott's & got Moses boxes & clothes.  We got home after dark.  I rec'd a letter
 from J.F. Asbury & Sallie one from cousin Nannie Green.  R. M. Bostwich got home this
 evening after supper Mcd's George come in & got some flour & eggs.

3/9   Bright morning but dim clouds over cast the heavens by 9 ocl & continued so the day
 out.  We got up late & eat breakfast then read a while; fixed up & rode Gin & Jolly to
  Hopewell preaching by Rev. Mr. Spencer.  70 persons there.  Lucy B. was there looking
 very pale.  Mc.Nabors rode to church with Fannie & they went to Mr. Lax for dinner.
 Rev. Mr. R.H. Daniel rode home with us & took dinner, then went to Mr. Lax's & to
 Nabor's.  for dinner.  Wm & George went to Salem preaching by Rev. Mr. Mcfarland -
 good many out.  Preaching at Liberty by Rev. Lambert.  Ma & Chas came home late;
 they took dinner & spent the evening at Mr. Spencers.  ÔGenie & Fannie were at home
 full of conversation & smiles & said they were verry lonesome.  They are coming to see
 us they say in a few days.  I wrote a letter  to J.F. Asbury.

3/10 Verry cold obsure day ground froze ice every-where; cold north wind.  Hauling manure
 into the garden; we trimed the orchard & set out sprouts & peach trees cuting briars in
 fence corners & cuting logs.  Wm went to Salem & after potatoes but got none.  He sold
 eggs at 10 cts doz.  Poff got 2-1/2 bushels of black oats to sow.  We have lost 3 of our  hogs.

3/11 Cold, cloudy, sleeting  by spells; hailed last night.  Pinson come to ask us to roll logs for
 Mr. Casey.  I went & we finished just before night.  We had great political &
 astranomical controversys only brighting our intelect & roushing our thinking powers,
 for the mind needs exercise as well as the body.  And mind you our bodys got plenty of
 it.  At noon we partook of a bountiful dinner of numerous good things prepared by the
 good mother Casey.

3/12 Cold, cloudy, windy day.  Wm, Chas & I plowed in oats all day.  Squire & Mandy hauling
  manure into the orchard.  They hauled ten loads into the garden.  Billie with the rest
 are sprouting & cleaning out fence corners above the gin.  Fannie Nabors walked up &
 spent the day with the girls; she wants to marry, says they use her unkindly at home,
 he thinks so at least.  I wrote a letter to T.A. Meares tonight.  Dark clouds from the
 north;  cheerless night.

3/13 Cold, rain, then sleet & finally snow in a storm covering the ground in a few minutes.
 Such a scene; icecles hanging on every limb & bud while the snow rushes through in
 fury-  regardless of the laws of nature.  We worked in the shop till 11 ocl.  Then went to
 the show at Salem - Chas, Wm, George & myself & 3 negros.  Brant come after Rachel to
 hire or buy.  Mr. Wheatly was not at home & Mrs. W. would not let her go.  I saw her at
 Mrs. Brown's.  Show rather slim affair & as slimly attended; they had 4 Elephants & a
 camel, a lion & numerous other animals & birds.  Miss Bess Mathews, Nannie Ayres,
 Sallie, John & Grace, Mary Machen were some of the best looking girls there.  There
 were 7 Organ gals singing over the town, leaving taints were ever the tuched with
 their slimy fingers. They were the lowest outcasts of Eve's degonerate daughters.  I
 met & talked with Dr. Bostwich; he look finely & has a very respectable goatee of
 blazing red on his chin.  Cleared of serene & beautiful revealing the soft pale moon
 looking calmly down from the west - Music Music -

3/14   Cold, bright morn, getting warmer as the day advances.  Ground froze hard.  Chas & I
 are sowing oats beyond the orchard in the pea-patch.  Mr. Osborne come to borrow
 money but got none.  Wheat has two or three leaves & can't be seen verry far, has a
 verry good stand.  Mr. McMayhon called to trade a rockaway for a buggy but we did not
 wish to participate.  Sallie wrote a letter to Mrs. Nancy Bea Green.

3/15 Dim mixture of clouds, sunshine, smoke & cold damp air.  Chas finished sowing oats -
 sowed 12-1/2 bus of white & 20-1/2 of black in all.  Chas then plowed up the side yard
 & planted wire-grass while Mat. & I burned a plant-bed near the bell-houses.  I went to
 Salem early & mailed two letters; one to T.A. Meares & to N.B. Green.  Will Ayres &
 Mcdonald were auctioning their last goods.  I paid Ma's Acct there in full $50.00.  Allso
 $20.00 on Dr. bill.  I rec'd of J.W. Burgess in full $4.30.  I come home about 2 ocl with
 Mr. Asbury; he got 11 bus of peas at $1 cash.  Dim evening, bright night.

3/16 Bright sunshiney day.  Sallie & I went to preaching at Salem by Rev Mr Spencer; not
 many out.  She was not there - Sent Rachel to go C.W. by giving up Mr. Wheatley's note
 & taking another for ten dol.  Mitchum's Dick was here & thought I was going to marry.
  Chas stayed at home all day.  Sallie & I went down to Mr. Lax's after dinner & spent the
 evening very pleasently conversing & looking at v "Gody's Book".  Home at dark.

3/17 Cloudy, misty cold day.  I went to Salem & got a recomendation for a clerkship by Mr.
 W. Dickerson, W. Ayres, Col. Leak, Dr's Davis & Ayres.  Come home by 2 ocl, eat,
 hitched up Polk then Sallie & I started to Uncle Davenports were we got just at dark.
 We saw a wild white squiril on a tree near yellow rabbit.  Uncle Chas had gone to
 Memphis.  They hauled manure & repaired fence at home today.  Dark, dizmal, misty
 evening - melancholy.

3/18 Just such a day as yesterday; gloomy day - cold.  I went on to Ripley & left Sallie at
 Uncle's.  I got to Ripley just at 12 ocl & give Mose his box & took dinner with J.F. Asbury
 at Chas Millers.  I tried to get employment as a clerk but did not succeed; some
  probabillity of geting in at Coal's   Mr. A.M. Berry was glad to see me & was anxious for
 me to be employed there.  I started back after 3 ocl & stoped a while at Mr. Adkins; just
 to see them; they were well & glad to see me.  I passed a house after dark where they
 had had a logrolling & were going to have a play of pineyhills sort.  I got to Uncles after
 dark.  Old Mrs Davenport and her son Doc were there.  Cleared off after dark making a
 sweet night.

3/19 Bright, beautiful, spring day; ice this morning but warm now.  We got home by dinner.
  Mrs. Lax & Mat Nooner on a visit.  Who were verry communicative & full of fun for
 ladies of 25 & 37.  They were helping the girls quilt Eliza's fine quilt.  They walked
  home in the evening late.  I sowed a bed of cabbage seed; eat a hearty supper & then
 read about commodore Perry in Japan.  bright moonlight.

3/20 Clear warm morning.  No vegetation yet except the weeping willows.  I took my gun &
 went down the swamp hunting our lost hogs, all through Mr. Beck's fields, up his long
 hollow by the gin;  they were sowing oats in the orchard & they ladies were at work in
 the garden.  I then went through Mrs. William's farm; saw Alex plowing.  Old Charlie's
horse died yesterday.  Through Dickerson's wheat - looks worse than ours which just
 begins to show green at a distance.  The wind blew very hard from so-west & brought a
 thick smoke from the fire that was burning in Mr. Cox's farm.  At last clouded up &
 sprinkled after dark.  Our folks are breaking up the stuble land in the uper valey &
 spliting rails for the burnt fence there.  Ma, Graydon & I expect to start to Desoto
 tomorrow.  T'is raining now from a dark angry cloud.

3/21 gloomy, clouds & cold wind.  Ma, Graydon & I started to Desoto Cty.  We stoped in H.
 Springs & I tried to get in a clerkship but did not.  We got to Samuel Nesbitt's before
 dark.  And found no one at home.  Mr. & Mrs. Nesbitt came in about dark.  Mollie & Mat
were away.

3/22 Bright cool day.  We left Mr. Nesbitts about 9 ocl & took dinner at Mr. Arnold's; Julia
 played & sung beautifully & she give me my first lessons in a game of domanoe.  We
 went on to Uncle Nabors' at night.

3/23 Bright, spring day.  We all young folks went to Sunday school at Corrinth.  Oh the pretty
 girls that were there; preaching by Rev Mr Reed on Universalism was splendid but two
 long.  Went back to Uncle Nabors'.  Ma & I went to Tommy Nesbitt's, then saddled polk
 & went with A. Arnold for to Uncle Demsey's.  They all greeted us with smiles.  Corrie &
 Lou come in from Uncle Nathans'; after supper they all read 16 (XVI) chapt in Paul to the
 corrinthians.  We set up until 11 ocl & Anderson went home.  I slept with John Nesbitt.

3/24 I went with Uncle Demsey to the mill & stayed untill 10 ocl then back to Uncle Nabors'
 stayed all night.  Mrs. Williams was there all day.

3/25 I started early to Memphis on Polk & got there at 12 ocl.  Saw a great many fine ladies
 & tried to get in to clerking at 12 or 14 places but they were all supplied.  Walked
 around  & got a box of hair pins for Miss Julia & got my horse out & started back at 5
 ocl.  Rode sixteen miles to Widow Craft's were I got supper at ten ocl & then all slept in
 the same room.  Betsy Matlock with her sick Many.

3/26 Warm, bright day.  I bid adieu to Mrs. Crafts at 9 ocl & come on to Mr. Allen at the last
 toll gate & set an hour or two & then went to dinner at Mr. Boyees; enjoyed myself
 finely with him & his intelegent wife.  At 3 ocl I went over to Uncle Nabors' were we
 had a merry evening with Miss Mary & Bettie Nesbitt's; Who walked hone just before
 dark.  Kenerdy & I rode over & spent a jolly night at Uncle Tommy's.

3/27 Cool & clear.  Aunt Malinda come over to Uncle Nabors' with us & Kan went to plowing
 while I & Uncle N went all over his land; it is very rich.  After dinner we down in
 coldwater bottom.  Oh such level rich land was spread out there.  About 4 ocl I carried
 Aunt Malinda home & then went over to Uncle Demsey's to see the girls.  Mary & Bettie
 sung & played "Jimmie's on the stormy sea" and a number of other melting strains.  Oh!
 how it softened my heart & tears filled my eyes but I hid it all from those happy girls
 who were so innocent & sweet.  After supper Uncle Dempsey & John with their violins
 accompanied the girls on their piano.  That music I never heard before; in  fact I never
 heard music before.  A. Arnold came after dark & stayed till bed time.

3/28  Cloudy & rain in the evening.  I & John Nesbitt rode down to the fish-trap & caught five
 suckers.  squirrils were jumping on all sides in the bottom.  After we came back I
 helped him graft pear cutings & plant trees.  A. Arnold come in & stayed till just before
 dinner.  I asked Bettie to play "Jimmies on the stormy sea" & left for Uncle Nabor's
 where I got after they were done eating.  In the evening Ma, Uncle & I rode over to Mr.
  Herringtons & looked at his land.  It is verry rich but very illconvenient.  He would put
 no price on it.  After we got back Uncle Demsey come over to go with us; he stayed at
N.N. till dark.  I & Irvin hitched Polk up & went to Mr. Arnolds just as they were
 finishing supper.  Miss Tarkia was at home.
 

3/29 Cold driving rain, wintery & gloomy.  Irvin & Anderson got in the buggy & rode over to
 Byhalia & stayed till 12 ocl.  I stayed with Julia & Mag & Boyce with music and singing
 by the neat kind girls.  About 4 Anderson, Irvin & I went over to Uncle Demsey's & spent
 the night conversing, singing & music on piano & violin by John & his four sisters sweet.
 While the hours glided away to quick.

3/30 Cold rain now & then from the north.  We small boys walked through the mud to Sunday
 school.  Miss Julia & Mag Arnolds were there & Miss Lu McElroy were the girls.  We all
 said our lessons together.  Ma is at Uncle Demsey's today.  Kenerdy & I took dinner at
 Uncle Nathan's & conversed with Miss Lou Mc.  We hitched up & went back to Uncle
 Nabors' & stayed an hour & got our trunk & said "Good bye" to all & come over to Uncle
Demsey's.  Had some fun with Sam about going Uncle Nathans' & went home with him
 & stayed all night.  Aunt Malinda gave me a Shanghia rooster.

3/31 Clear beautiful day.  Went back to Uncle Demseys' & swaped Ma's with Lucinda Nesbitt
 & said "Good bye" to all & went to G.B. Owings; stay all day & night.  Miss Julia coppied
 ÒGood ByeÓ for me & is going to send it by mail.  Mr Owings & I walked over to Byhalia;
 I got acquainted with several men & all the school boys were there;  I saw Puss & Corrie
 & Lou walking down to their boarding house at Mr. Waltons.  They did not speak to me.
   We spent the night very pleasently at Mr. Owings.  I got Apple cutings of him.

4/1 Cold wind, obsure day.  We left Mr. Owings early for home.  We stoped at H.S. while a
 show there and an excelent band of music.  I got my Accordion at Daniels $1.50.  He is
 mean man.

4/2 Cool. clear morning; washing rain last night.  We got home at dark.  I grafted those
 pears, roses & Apples today 6 on the hill in the field.  After dinner I rode over to Salem;
  few there - a pair of Dentist there.  I saw Mollie M. & Fannie W. out walking.  Eygenie &
 Fannie have been up to see the girls last week.  S.D. Rhodes is out speying &  marking.

4/3 Cool, beautiful spring morning.  They buds are just begining to swell; no peach blooms
 yet.  Chas began to plant corn today.  Sallie & I are going to Tippah to see John's floks.
  We stoped at Mrs. Spencers & her interesting daughters.  After partaking a splendid
 dinner.  I listened to the mellow voices & piano of Miss Genie & Fannie that thrilling
 song ÒI wonder does she love meÓ.  Genie wanted to go with me but she could get no
 horse.  We arrived at John's at sun set & found them tolerable well only.  Appearances
of rain.

4/4 Clouds & sunshine, windy.  I got up early & took a hearty  breakfast & went up to the
 shop & handed S. Mcdonald a letter which proved to be from F.G. Ayres telling him of
 land to sell near Lamar.  I told him to come up & look at ours as we wished to sell; he
 would.  I & Sissy went a fishing but didn't get a bite.  I killed one squirril & come to
 dinner.  Mrs. Redus & Ayres & come over & spent the evening.  I went a hunting late;
 had fine amusement climbing the moss-grown rocks & viewing the setting sun with
 feelings of rapture.  So I set on the topmost crag of highest point of the touring hill.
 Great swing in Salem today.  John went up this morning & come back tonight bringing
 Dr. Ayres & Davis & W.L. Bunn.  We went to bed early. Blew off cold.

4/5 Clear & frosty.  I saddled & rode up to the "chilly field" with John & then we hunted untill
 10 ocl; killed one squirril & saw lots of turkeys.  I left John & come to dinner.  Sallie has
 been up to see Mrs. Mcdonald all this forenoon.  At 2 ocl we started home.  Mrs. Redus  accompanying us home & stayed all night.  Who? should we find at home but John  Nesbitt, well I was glad to see him.  We conversed & musiced while the hours flew  swiftly into the night.  O but he's a noble fellow!

4/6 Warm day; indications of rain.  John N- left for Ripley about 10 ocl.  Chas, Sallie, Eliza
&  I went to Salem & heard Rev M. McFarland preach a very good sermon but few out.  J.T.
 Beck & lady were there.  I took dinner with Daukins & then to preaching at Mr. Garys by
 Rev. Mr. Baswell; poor lengthy sermon - they got up shouting; six young babies there.
Just before sunset we started home.  Daukins caught Fannie & I , Martha Nooner.  I
parted from them at the Mill & sung on home after dark.  Mrs. Redus here quite sick.  I
 saw the first hummingbird & first peach flooms & heard the first Whippoorwill.

4/7 I went to Salem after dinner & stayed Ôtill night.  I proposed to keep the Drug Store for
 Dr. Davis but could not hear untill Thursday.  I went up to Mr. Sulivans & got some seed
 & cutings of the nectarine peach for Mrs. C. Owing's.  Just before sunset I called &
 stayed an hour listening at Miss Fannie Wheatley on the piano.

4/8 Warm & beautiful day.  I grafted 25 peach trees of some 15 kinds.  About ten ocl I went
 home with Mrs. Redus.  I saw her safe to John Budus' & then I went up to Mr. Machen's
 & set conversing with Mary & her Ma.  She showed me two of her prettiest quilts -
 beauties indeed.  At dinner Mr. John Roberson come from school with Henry & took
 dinner.  Mary played on an old crippled Accordeon whose music would have killed a
 frogg to have heard it.  I went into their orchard & got grafting roots & cutings of the
 best fruit; come back to the house & talked while & walked over the yard & showed
 Mrs. Machen & Mary how to 'bud' & graft - then caught my horse & left & got home
 about dark.  I grafted several of my cuttings.  John Nesbitt come from Ripley about 12
  ocl. Chas, the girls & he went a fishing down the branch & caught a mess of minows the
 size of a pegingall; they had just got back as I come from Salem.  We had music on the
 flute, banjo & accordeon.  Set up late with merry laughing.  I & John slept togather.

4/9 Mellow, charming day; soft winds blowing, stiring with a gentle motion the bursting
 blooms of every kind that are pouring upon us like an avalanche of flowers.  I set 73
 apples in the vine garden while Chas & John were seting by & swinging on the old oak
 near the gate.  Went into the summer house in the flower garden.   I read ÔLalla
  Rooke' to John & Chas laying on the opposite side; read till the warning bell for dinner
 bade us come.  After noon we lay in the portico & in the grass rolling, reading the life of
 Goldsmith by Irving & Moores melodies & other things till early supper was over.  the
 Polk to the buggy I & John went out to Salem expressly  to hear Mr. Redus & Bradley on
 the violin & banjo.  We had it but al the rest of Salem was tight provoking laughter at
 their foolery.  John was finely pleased with the music.  We come home through the
 balmy air & dim moonshine & put up our horse & went to bed about ten ocl.  While the
 whippoorwils poured fourth their plaintive melody on the chilly night air.  Memory
 loves to treasure up such nights.

4/10 Oh such days will ne'er be forgot.  John N. started early home.  I accompanied him to
 Salem where we "Goodbyed".  Dr Ayres & Davis coul not employ me under the
 circumstances.  I come home by dinner.  I wrote a letter to Mr. Bogard at Brownsville
 Ark to get into business with him there.  I allso wrote to Mr. John G. Terry.  The two
 Miss Autry's spent the evening here.  A table-cloth vender come in but left directly for
 east.  I read Lalla Rooke some & then to all after supper.

4/11 Warm with mellow light & wind.  We made a rope & weighed out the last of J. Craft's
 cotton then Martha & Nannie come over & James set awhile with them & left; then I
 read till dinner & Mattie & Nannie went home after dinner.  Sallie, Eliza & I went part
 the way home with them, near the spring we cut some grape vines & tied cups to the
 droping wounds.  This juice is said to be good to make the hair grow.  I read till

4/12 Warm life giving breezes float o'er blooming naure making my heart overflow with
 pleasure.  I read & walked about till dinner, then I took George, Graydon, Em & Jack &
 went down the branch a fishing.  I caught 13 small ones; some as large as a peggingall.
 I set were Darthula once sat on a mossy bank o'er the silver fishes in the cystal brook &
 read some of Tom Moores sweetest Poems.  My happiness would have been complete
 if she had only been there to enjoy it with me.  But Fate dictates as it is.  He is an
 unserving tyrant & must be obeyed.  I come home after dark to find Z Smith & F. Nooner
  to spend tonight with us.  Chas & Wm went a fishing after dark.

4/13 Warm mellow florious day.  Daukins come & went with me to preaching at Hopewell by
 Rev H.S. Lipford; a splendid sermon - not many out.  L. Mcdonald there.  I went to Mr.
 Lax for dinner; 8 there for dinner conversed with the girls till 5 ocl & went home.  Jas
 Craft to stay all night.

4/14   Some cooler, geting dry, breezes from south.  Craft left early for Mr. Spencers.  I read
 the discarded Daughter in several no's of the "Laurrenvill Herald" & then went to work
  in the flower garden, laid off & throwed out a new walk & dug up the rest of the  ground.

4/15 Warm, very windy.  Sallie, Eliza & I walked a fishing to Day's Mill & fished awhile &
 then went up to Pisgah & heard the Rev Mr Cumly preach a very poor sermon to a few
 person seated around against the wall while the wind shook the barn-like house.  We
 all round at the doors & all the people asked us home to dinner with them.  We walked
 over to Mr. Nabors & got a good dinner & conversed untill 2 0cl then walked back to the
 mill & fished untill nearly sundown and went home.  We children rolled in the yard
 awhile & went to bed.

4/16 Warm & windy.  Oh how the trees do grow, the leaves are nearly grown.  I saw the first
 rose yesterday in the flower garden.  I worked in the flower garden & finished it this
 morning.  I then wrote a letter to Harper & Bros. & one for sister Nancy to Mrs. M.
 William.  I read Modern History till night.

4/17 Warm & growing spring breezes.  I read all day, made a frame for a honeysuckle in the
 yard.  I read a part of "Lalla Rooke" to all every night after supper.  light rain.

4/18 Breezy, some clouds & cooler.  I worked in the garden awhile sowing a bed of cabbage
 seed & polishing the garden walks.  Mrs. Casey & Pinson come to spend the day & Sallie
 got her quilt out.  I went over to Mr. Rieves for Larkspur & set an hour.

4/19 Cool & breezy.  The birds are as musical as e'ver they were.  Chas & I went a fishing
 down our creek; began to fish in the gin-pond & fished on below the road.  We saw the
 tracks of Miss Darthula & Mourning with their lordly bro - who were fishing down there
 yesterday so we were told by Oc Spencer & the Smith boys whom we met fishing.  We
 had a pleasant time but we had no dinner except some biscuit & the wind blew rather
 cool; caught about 60 fishes.  I cut the initials of Darthula and a rosebud on a beech
 above the gin-pond.  We got home about two hrs by the sun (for our clock does not run)
  Beautiful moonlight.

4/20 Cool morn; some frost again but not to do any harm.  Aunt Malinda & John started for
 Ripley about 9 ocl.  I am reading the Appeal after dinner.  I made some brush sticks & a
 reel

4/22 It rained before dinner and till night.  I read in "Modern History" all day.

4/23 Cloudy intill noon then clear.  We all had fun catching a young squirril near the house
 then we made him a cage & put him in it.  After noon Chas, Wm & I went and seined in
 Reden's creek an hour or two.  We caught a mess of suckers.  The water was very cold.
  We got home after dark awhile.

4/24 Clouds & sunshine beautiful day.  Ma, Sallie & myself went to Salem trading got new
 bonnets & dresses.  I eat dinner at Mr. Machen's.  Ma & Sallie at W.T. Dickerson's.
 Mollie greeted me kindly at the steps as we turned to help Misses Hal Ayres & E.
 Crofford from their buggy.  We all had not been seated long in the varenda when the
 girls visiting from school walked in vis   Fannie Spencer, Sallie Ayres & Grace Mary
 Crofford - also - A McDonald & wife, widow Spencer took dinner there.  We made a bill
 of $37 at Henry's & got home after sunset; here was John Nesbitt jumpin with Charles
 & Mr. Sue Berry setting calmly near.  Well we were glad to see them.  Oh how mutch
 fun we had this night.

4/25 Cool sweet day.  Cloudy & looks like rain; after noon it rained shower or two.  Thon N
 wanted to stay with us today but Mrs. Sue would not.  They started to Uncle Sam N -
 about 10 ocl I took my book & went to my pretty spring in Mr. Beck's field o'er hanging
 was the little beech tree with drooping branches on whoes pale white bark I cut the
 name "Darthula".

4/26 Charming, bright day after noon but sprinkling before dinner.  I read "Modern History"
 Then Chas & I went out to Salem.  I took Sallie's bonnet to Mrs. Scott's to get her to
 trim it.  We had a long conver - theme; Mrs E.C. Brown & her bad do's.  Chas bought him
 shoes, socks, vest & hat.  We come home before dark.

4/27 Warm, cloudy all day.  We all went to preaching at Hopewell by Rev Mr. Lipford;
 splendid sermon - theme - Power of money; good many out.  Mrs. Lucy Beck was there
 pale & ancient.  Miss Darthula Beck was brought in a two horse buggy - grand - by the
 Swift young Mr Luallen & Miss Mourning politely brought Mr. Wm Strickland in the
 carriage.  Oh such magnificient politeness as was displayed in the Ôhanding in  &
 handing out those young americans; my pen fails to portray.  As we come home &
 found a hen tied by the leggs in the lane & brought it home.  I read the Magazine, Chas
 & Sallie were at Mr Lax's.  I took a walk to indulge in bright, dreamy, fancy of Hope.
 Such sweet dreams I had among the green grass, hanging limbs, merrie, twittering birds
  & gentle, cooling Zephers amid all the glory of the seting sun in a golden bed of clouds -
  I  never can tell ---

4/28 Cool cheerful cloudy morn.  I have been reading the magazine & now going to Salem.  I
 went to Salem & got my coat, pants & Charles' vest that G.P. Roberson cut.  Mr. Lax &
 lady were out buying spring clothing.  I come & eat dinner after when Chas & I went
 down to Mr. Lax's & went with Fayette & him a seining to Ritchmans's old mill.  We had
 a deal of fun but did not catch many; dark come on before we left there.  We made the
 woods ring with our songs & whistling.  As we troted throught the perfumed swamp we
 saw the first bright light of fire.

4/29 Soft winds bringing clous to mingle the bright sunshine.  Heavy rain last night again.
 Roses in a flood in the flower-garden.  I am reading the magazine & playing the pet
 squirrils.  Took the buggy & Graydon to Salem.  I had the buggy mended, got two
 cravats for Chas & a letter from cousin T.A. Meares; his sister   Lizzie married a Mr.
 Elrod who has a piece of land & one negro.  There has been several showers of rain this
 evening.

4/30   Heavy rain & storm last night, very windy this morning; dark angry clouds with dashes
 of rain now & then.  I am reading, writing & currying the horses.  R.M. Bostwich stayed
 at Dr. Rieve's last night & is staying with us today.  Thon Williams come up from
 Tippah; the storm ruined him last night.  He shot a negro the other day of Dr. Ayre's.  I
 went to Salem to tell Dr. Anres to meet him at Mrs. William's.  Last night's Tornado
 nearly blew Salem away.  It blew down Redus' large two story shop & a dozen other
 smaller houses of less import - all the fences & trees.  Oh it is awful to behold the
 emense destrucktion made there.

5/1 Windy clouds & sunshine; cleared away & calmed at sunset.  I worked all day faithfully
  on a wheel for our squirils & finished it just at dark.  charming still night.  Music on the
 stilly air.

5/2 Warm, breezy, bright day.  I worked on the cage again & read untill dinner after which
 Mat & I went to Salem and to Mr. Scott's after Sallie's bonnet.  We found Fannie
 Spencer, Sallie J., Hallie & Grace Ayres, Mrs. Spencer & Mrs. Machen at Mr. Scotts with
 whom we spent and hour or two delightfully.  Sallie's bonnet was not done.  We gave
 Miss Maggie Scott a fine boquet.

5/3 Verry warm.  I read 'till dinner.  Then Chas & I went a fishing down our branch.
  Musqetoes, nats & flies nearly killed us with bites.  We went in the branch & washed
 ourselves.  Near the road we cut our names on two pretty little maples.  Dark set in
 with a soft melon sweetness filled with perfume of a thousand flowers.

5/4 Dark clouds, threting rain.  Chas went with Lafayette to Bethlehem.  Ma, Sallie, Wm & I
 went to Salem preaching by Mcfarland.  Ma & Sallie went in to Mr. Wheatley's & set 'till
 preaching.  Mr. W.D. Beck & sister M - went to Wheatley's to gallant Miss Fannie over
 with her flowers.  It rained on us before we got to church.  Few out & poor sermon.  Just
 after dinner we had visitors - Mr. W.D. Bunn, Dr. Casey then came Bishop Twoence.  Dr.
 Casey coughed all the time nearly; of course we stayed a half hour in the Flower-
  garden & made fine boquets & sent to Uncle Whit & Mollie M.  Lafayette & Chas came
  up at 4 ocl then eat at the travellers rest.  Negro preaching at the chappel this evening.
 I & Sallie went down to Mr. Nabor's just at dark & spent

5/5 Warm, cloudy, showery day.  We have a splendid stand of cotton.  I worked on the
 buggy & harness till after dinner.  Dr. Bostwich come early & stayed till after 2 oc.  I
 hitched up Polk then Sallie and I rode over to Mr. Scotts - no ladies at home.  We went
 up to Mrs. Spencer's where was Mrs. S. - Hallie & Grace Ayres & Mag Scott.  We got the
 bonnet & come fast home; thundering and rained on us but we did not get wet.  When
 we got home John & Fannie were up to stay all night.  Black clouds & thunder.

5/6 Clouds & sunshine, thundering & rain.  Fannie & John went early.  Miss Martha & Nannie
 Nooner walked over & spent the day geting the fashion for bonnets.  I went to get
 ribbon for Martha & Sallie.  I bought myself a straw hat at 85 cts.  The girls went home
 before night.

5/7 Cool, bright morning.  Sallie & I started to DeSoto cty 7 ocl A.M.  We stoped in H.S. untill
 half past two ocl.  Gus Berry passed throught there 3 ocl.  We got to Uncle Sam
  Nesbitt's  one hour by sun; they sent for Mattie & Mollie to come home.  They were at
 Mr. Castleberry; we enjoyed a verry verry pleasant night with the girls.  Mr T. Fowler
 was there.

5/8 Cool, bright day; cloudy & cold after dinner.  We stared from U. Sam's about 9 ocl & got
 to Byhalia at 12 - Uncle Demsey & Berry went on to their house with us & took dinner.
   Then I went with Mr. Berry to Memphis in a buggy where we got after dark.  Sallie
 walked over to Uncle N.Nabor's.  We put up at the Worsham House; after eating supper
 we walked around town & made some purchases & come back to our room.  We saw a
 man flirting with a lady in the corridor.  We went to bed early; about midnight I was
 waked by the sweetest music on a violin by some person I knew not where.  But Oh!
 how my soul swelled & my heart melted making tears gather in my eyes.  Oh! music
 has a sweet melting power I feel so often.

5/9 Cool, Bright, Clear morning.  We got up early & walked around & into 40 houses & made
 more purchases.  Eat breakfast paid our fare 1.50 cts. apiece; called at James' for our
 horse & left the flowery city of Bluffs about 8 ocl for we had annimated conversation on
 Love & other maters untill 2 ocl found us at Uncle Demsey's & eat dinner.  Gustus &
 Sue, Mary, Dan Bun & I walked in the garden gathering flowers which were spread in
 various kinds around.  I Heard some sweet song by Mrs. Sue, Bettie & Mary; such as
 "The old pine Tree",  "The old arm chair" & "Jimmie".  Mrs. Warren & aunt Kezie N. was
 there.  I stayed untill Corrie, Puss & Lou Mc Come from school then geared up & went
 over to Uncle Nabor"s.  A very social night with Irvin & Ken.  Slight frost this morning.

5/10   Cool & clear.  Charlie"s birthday.  I went to the field with uncle & the boys.  They have
 very grassey "stuff".  Cut my name on a beech & "Love" on another in the bottom near
 by the field.  Then I read "till dinner was over when I rode over to the gate & spent a
 delightful evening with John Nesbitt hunting on the bottom & reading ÒMutch Ado about
 NothingÓout in the woods beneath an oak tree.  I got acquainted with Mr. Hoke.  John
 would have me go home with him; Corrie & Bettie were away & Mary had the
  toothache  I conversed with Puss.  S.N. was there.  John & I went out & listened at the
 Darkies fiddle & dance & went to bed talking of tears - We would have serrenaded Miss
  Lou & Julia H but my Accordian - was away.

5/11 Cool, bright day.  My Twenty second (22nd) birth-day!  Well I am growing older & geting
 no better.  Farwell sweet year! we part forever!  After breakfasting I went back to
 Uncle N.N. Geared up & 7 of us rode to Sunday School in the buggy & carriage.  Lydia
  rode with me & Sallie, Ben, Byce, Arnold & I rode down to the mill & saw Mr. & Mrs.
 Smith's baptized in the Jordan.  Cinda got in mud.  Miss Bettie's & Buss' beaus,  Mr.
 Macham & Thomas were out in a buggy to see "um".  Miss Bettie gave her"s the mits.
 Preaching at Corrinth by Rev Mr. Rodgers a great many out to hear a long sermon,
 sacrament & mishionary collection.  Oh but Beauty was well represented by not a few
 of DeSoto"s noble girls,  Miss Julia A. was escorted home by her bro - A .  We took
 dinner at N.N.'s; B.F.T. with us.  After dining come Uncle Tommy N & wife, Wm Warren,
 Martin & Sam N. to spend the evening.  We had jolly time I assure you.  I hitched up &
 went home with Uncle Tommy & left them all merry togather.  Kinnie at home.

5/12 Cool, clear day.  I got Uncle Tommy's buggie & Polk & started for home after Aunt
 Malinda N. went by Uncle Demsey's.  Pufs & Tet were out. Corie ws not quite ready to
 start to school.  John rode with me to By - Aunt whiped Dau & sent by us to school.  I
 left By - at 8 ocl; had a lonesome drive but pleasant; got to H.S. by 12 & bought Mattie
 Nooner a rugue for 25 cts.  I had sporte throwing at birds.  I got after dark & found them
 all well & glad to see me.  A letter from Aunt Polly

5/13 Warmer, clear.  I started about 8 ocl for Ripley.  I stoped at Mr. Nabor's & took Mc's
 watch to be mended.  Lonely & sleepy drive.  Met a man with a run away negro he
 caught in Ripley.  I arrived in Ripley at 2 ocl.  Mr. Bery was painting, Aunt Malinda was
 up & introduced me to Miss Sue Berry; she aint prety.  I spent the evening reading &
talking to Ambrose & Fletcher.  A wedding near town;  Bryan to Juney.  We had jolly
time after supper.  I slept with Ambrose.  Fletcher wanted me sleep with him.

5/14 Warm, Cloudy morning.  Ripley is a lazy place.  I started with Aunt Malinda at 9 ocl.  We
 stoped awhile at Mr. Nabors & arrived at our house at 4 ocl.  I wrote untill night.  Miss
 Mollie Mechen can't go with us.

5/15 Warm, bright morning.  We started early to Uncle Sam N's.  We stoped at Rev Mr Reed's
  in H. Springs; took dinner & stayed untill 4 ocl.  There was a good many fine ladies and
 gentlemen there.  Mr. Reed lives in a verry lage brick building out of the incorporation
 limits & has a school of boys numbering 60.  We had verry pleasant evening for
 travelling but aunt Malinda got verry sick several times.  Arriving at uncle Sam's just at
  dusk.  We found none at home but the children.  Aunt come in from the field directly.
  Mollie is at Mr. Castleberry's.  I enjoyed myself very well with the children & Uncle
  Samuel Nesbitt.  I did not sleep mutch for dreams.
 

5/16 Cool day & looks like rain.  We left uncle Sam's early & passed the time away very
 pleasantly conversing on social subjects.  Passed through Byhalia at 11 ocl. but saw no
 one that we knew.  We stoped awhile at Uncle Demsey's.  Aunt Malinda, Mary & Bettie
 come out & greeted us with smiles & talked awhile with aunt Malinda, then we went on
 home where we were met by Uncle Nathan & the languishing Mrs. Perryman.  Uncle
 Nathan was crippled with a sore on his knee & did know how to show his
 overwhelming joy.  After partaking of a splendid dinner & setting around awhile aunt
 Matilda come over to see aunt & I walked over to see Mary & Bettie.  The were
 sweeping & scouring & gathering flowers for the meeting Bettie kept me company &
 Mary showed me her flowers.  Bettie played & sung for me.  At 3 ocl I left the girls &
  aunt & went to carry uncle Tommy's buggy home.  I took some cake cooked & made by
 Bettie to Aunt Tommy N.  Corrie, Puss & Lou  were just coming from school as I drove
 off from the little white gate.  I found aunt Tommy at home.  after dark uncle Tommy &
  Kinnie come from town where they had purchased clothing for summer.  Ja. D. had
 come home yesterday and was plowing today.  A high storm of wind & rain while we
 were at prayers.
 

5/17  Cloudy, dark morning.  I left uncle Tommy's early for uncle Nimrod's where they were
 nearly ready to start to preaching.  The girls & Sallie did not go.  Aunt & Uncle & I took
 Joe with me to preaching by Mr. Reed.  Uncle Demsey's girls walked up to church with
 Mr. Ivins of Germantown.  A heavy rain  began to fall about the time the last sermon
 ended.  Mr. Reed occupied his time in talking to Puss & two or three others of getting to
 Heaven; he come over to say something to Jimmie & Kinny but they run.  The rain
 ceased & I took Misses Bethe & Pus home in my buggy & then come back for aunt
 Matilda & cousin Josephine.  Uncle Nimrod took Mary & Corrie home.  We stayed two
 hours at uncle Demsey's & listened to some melting songs by Mary & Bettie; the two
 preachers helping them.  Corrie was fixing her dress for tomorrow.  We got to NN's
 before night.  We cousins capered & frolliced till 9 ocl.

5/18 Cold, Cloudy with winds from the north.  I made music for the children & after puting on
 both my coats with clean shirt & standing collar, flux pants, white marsairlses vest,
broad toed shoes & straw hat we started to meeting.  Kan & three of the girls in the
 'carriage' Irvin & Caroline on mules. Sallie & I in a buggy.  We got to Corrinth too early;
 there was no Sunday school.  Uncle I's wife & girls christened their carriage today.  It is
 a very fine "cart" of the latest stile.  Misses Julia & Mag A's were brought in a buggy by
 their Pa.  Here I was first shone Miss Julia Hoke a very fair sweet girl.  Mr Ivine's
 preached to a full house then dismissed for dinner brought out by the friends around.
  Although it blew cold we took heartily of the good things; ladies and gents together
 eating with their fingers.  We went back into church where was a hot fire in the stove.
 I seated myself by cous Mary N. & listened to a good sermon by Rev. Mr. Ivins; about 3
 ocl we all went home.  We stayed at Uncle N.N.'s till 5 ocl then I bid them "good bye"
 and Lydia & Sallie rode with me to Uncle Demsey's to stay all night.  Mary was a little
 sick; we eat supper about 6 ocl. then Mr. Irvin walked over to uncle Nathan's.  Sam N.
 is over to see Lou Mc - .  John & I walked over & stayed till 8 ocl conversing Mis Lou.  I
 told them "Good bye" & went back to Uncle D's & passed two as happy hours as I ever
 enjoyed.  John, Sam'l, Pufs, Connie, Mary, Bettie, Lydia, Sallie & I.making up the
 happy circle.  Oh how oft will memory bring up this happy night to live again in afte
 year of sorrow!  Oh sweet innocent girls do you know this
 
 

5/20 Warm bright day.  I started out to Lagrange & sent a book by mail to A.D.  Berry at
 Ripley.  I got to Lag- at 11 ocl but Mr. Gossitt was away & would be back in a week.  I
 took at Dabbs for 25 cts & my mule fed for 25 cts & set about untill 2 ocl & started
 home.  I laid down under a beach tree & slept awhile.  I got to Salem at 5 ocl.  Mr. Johns
 from Niceraugua trying to get volenters & money to carry to walker he is a very smart
  man.

5/21 Warm still day.  Eliza & I started to Johns & got there at 12 ocl.  We killed some birds &
 squirrils & read in the Magazine a love tale.  I slept with G. Brunn.

5/22 Warm, bright day.  John, Joe Ayres & I went a deer hunting.  I drove on Polk beare
 backed & started three deer but killed none; come to dinner & eat then set about & shot
 birds untill night.  Joe Ayres & wife went home just before night.  John & I worked his
 large black mule for the first time down to S. McDonalds where I saw Mr. Seth Trapley
 who killed a boy in Helena, Ark a week ago.  He & Frank Ayres had been fishing in
 Tippah.  Dr. Ayres come down to Mr. McDonald's this evening.  John & I rode back home
 after dark.  A very pleasant night.

5/23 Warm, bright day.  I rose just after sunup; worked for Nancy a little & rode down to
 McD's Mill on Chilli where I got the company of Dr. Ayres, Joe Ayres, Frank Ayres, S.
 McDonald & Seth Trapley fishing.  They caught three fine trout.  I caught a fine string
 of perch & rode back to John's with Drs. Morton & Ayres & got dinner.  At 3 ocl We
 started home; Nancy & John going with us.  We called for water at Mr. Freeman's.  John
 and family went on to his Mother's.  Eliza & I stoped at Mr. Spencer's; no person there
 but Hezz, Jr.; in a few minutes Mr. Spencer & the rest of the family come.  They had
 been to Ripley since Monday last; they broke the tongue out of their carriage the first
 ride.  Genie & Fannie were exquisitly beautiful.  I borrowed ÒShakespeareÓ complete of
 Mr. Spencers to read.  We got home just at dark; pretty night.

5/24 Warm day getting then dry here.  I read all day "Mutch Ado about Nothing" & "Othelo".
  "Venus & Adoni" Oh I like mutch.  John & Nancy come late in the evening.

5/25 Warm, clear day.  Chas, Eliza, Martha & I went to preaching by Rev. Mr. Lipford; they to
 the sacrementt.  He give Sprinkling & pouring thunder that there is none true except
 the Emersionists.  Whit Berry brought Miss Selby, Fannie & Mollie in the fancy carriage
 to Hopewell.  Mr. Lax & Spencer took a great many home with them to dinner.  McNab
 come home with me & stayed till dark.  We read Clark's works on Baptism.  I went
 home with Mc.   Fannie looked neat; enjoyed myself well.

5/26 Warm & bright - some appearences of rain.  I look over part of Mr. Nabor's crop & went
 to Salem.  They have subscription soliciting money to send southern men to Kansas;
 had near $300 subscribed.  I did not.  Mark & Gadren Bostwick & Louis McDonald are
 going they say.  I come home at 1 ocl.  Ma gave me her note for $250. Due.  I have
 $17.25 in cash of my own.  Sweet night.

5/27 Warm day.  I read Shakespere till 12 & went over our crop.  Cotton has eight leaves &
 come waist high.  After dinner Chas & I went to Green's mill & went into the pond while
 we were in, a heavy thunder cloud come up & rained an hour very hard. Lord a sight I
 never saw before - water rattling on our heads. After it quit we got our clothes that
 had kept dry under an umbrella.  Went down to the mill & got a pack of coals & went
 home.  We worked in the garden cleaning out the young Apple & peach trees & read
 "Cleopatra & Antony."

5/28 Cool wind, clouds from the north.  I read "As you like it" to Chas & worked in the
 cabbage till dinner, then wrote & read "Romeo & Juliet" a tale of bloddy ending.  I had
 kind converse at home..

5/29 Cool morning but clear hot day.  We got up early & took a walk in my flowergarden; the
  multtiflora & tiger lilly are in bloom.  I packed up my things in my trunk & put it on the
 buggy - bid adeau to all & drove off with Charlie in company from my old home to live
 away from it sweet scenes.  Sad feelings swelled up from my heart when I called up to
 think how long it might be e'er I'de enjoy it's company again --- I got the June no of
 Harper in Salem & I read "Ballad of Bunter Hill & Wanted A Healthy Wife" to Charlie as
 he drove us on through the long sunny lanes to Lagrange where we arrived at 12 ocl.  I
 Hired myself to Mr. Joe G. Gossitt for nothing.  Occupied the evening in showing me a
 goods & telling their names & prices & reading the Magazine.  We shut up about dark &
 went up to his picturesque house allmost hid with flowers & shrubery; at the supper
 table he introduced me to his two daughters.  I suppose I set awhile & come down to
 the store & heard some sweet music by the boys around.  I lit my condle & read the
 "Eagle & Enquirrer" awhile & wrote & went to bed; thinking of Mattie N.

5/30 Cool winds, clouds & sunshine.  I read "Milicent" & Easy Chair in Harper"s.  Sold a few
 things & waited on the first lady.  I didn't sleep mutch last night.  Heard some good
 music by the boy at the next door while I wrote to Sallie 3 pages of my thought &
 wishes.

5/31 Cool north-winds, bright sunshine.  I slept very well & too late; felt quite well.  I want to
  see Corrie.  We sold about $30. worth today.  I took a walk just after dinner down town
 to the Depot near the female Colledge to see the girls walking around.  Then I went
 east up the rail-road - the great trestle 30 feet high over the valey of Silicon; then to
 the Mineral Spring - nothing but a hog-wallow; then to the male Colledge that is
 building a commanding elivation in and old field intirely destitute of trees, of
  shrubbery, of any sort.  The ground work of the house is 80x30 and 50x50 feet & to be
 two stories high.  I walked down the cool shady avenue that leads to Col. Michie's
 where the happy girls & boys where gathering Mullberry's.  I got back at 4 ocl & read of
 Spring of N.Y in Harper's.  Shut up store at 6 ocl & went up to Mr. Cossett's & played
 marbles with the children 'till supper; then back to the store to write.  Some clouds and
 warmer, expect rain.

6/1 Bright, warm day.  I got up late put a clean shirt, round tail black coat, coarse linnen
 pants, summer shoes & white marseiles vest & straw hat.  I went up to breakfast at
 7 ocl & read & walked the garden untill 10 ocl then walked down to the Methodist
 church which was 2/3s filled with ladies.  I saw a few handsome ladies & a great many
 ugly ones.   A flowery sermon by Rev. Mr. Thomas, Rev. D. Wells P.E. concluded with
 some of the grandest singing I ever heard.  Everybody sings here at LaGrange.  Who
 should I see tripping out among the river of pure coolege girls?  Why the great somping
 mischiefvious Mattie Nesbitt!  but she didn't see Jimmie.  They raised a cloud of dust as
 flowed back to College.  I eat dinner at 12 ocl then read till 4 ocl in "Gleason Wonders
 of the World" & "Extracts from British Poets"  When I walked to the College (M) &
 Mullberry's Avenue, we got very warm, climbed the trees & I filled my pockets with
 them for little Flore.  A great many boys there swearing wickedly.  We come home
 about sunset, eat supper & Mr. Cofsitt & his two daughters & I went to a 'Tract Society
 which was ably addressed by Reve. Dr. C.C. Glover & Rev Mr. Thomas.  They sang rich
 tearful songs.  Again the stream roses & College girls poured out but I did not see Cuz'
 Mattie.  I dreamed of home.   Ther at 80 degrees tonight

6/2 Warm, sultry day.  Some clouds & sprinkles of rain in the afternoon.  I sold two dollars
 worth before I got my shoes.  I read the papers & Magazine.  A young hatted Miss come
 over to plague me but she soon went back satisfied.  I ciphered some just before night
 while it was thundering in the west.  After supper I walked alone to a singing &
  melodeon Music practising in the M.E. by a parcle of bony faced, pug nosed boys &
 dough-faced gaping girls.  Also two or three speeches by some little girls & boys

6/3 Warm sultery morn.  I got up early.  Ther. 74 degrees at 5 ocl A.M.  Ther. 85 degrees at
 2: ocl.  70 at 9 ocl.  A man called in bought some drilling & linnen & said he wanted or
 needed twenty shirts, said He had not bought one in two years.  A cupple of young
 ladies stoped Mr. Gossitt in the streets to enquire who I was & where I come from.
 Yesterday evening I saw Mr. Gossitt enclose & seal a Note to a firm in Memphis.  I
 walked over to the female College this morning to Mr. Gossitts new house near the
 College building.  I saw an achepelago of heads throught the south windows.  It is a
 magnificent house hansomely located among peach trees.  The girls were druming the
 pianos till they groaned lamentably.  A Mechanic was fastening lightening rods to this
 twoering building.  A rain verry heavy north west of here & considerable shower here.
 Oh! how cooling it was & how the young ladies smoothed their brows & opened their
 eyes & dashed about like the rabbits do at sunset.  One ladie & particular did look as
 sweet as & angel & as bold & dashing as a soldier; she rode a beaitiful long trim
  spirited horse.  She was dressed in a complete black flowing robe with a gay black hat
  & waving plume.  A charming night & music on all side.

6/4 Warm bright morning.  Some appearances of rain.  Ther 72 degrees - 85 degrees - 81
 degrees.  I started early on horse back to Mr. Watkins near Moscow; very warm but
 breezy.  I got down & talked with the old lady & her daughter & then found the old man
 & his son at work a mile off.  I went on throught Moscow at 10 ocl.  Saw Mr. J.A.
 Alexander sitting before a house five miles from M.  I eat dinner with Mr. Jas. Pugh.  A
 very kind man with a most excellent wife.  They did charge me nothing.  I give the
 negro a dime & rode on to Early Grove while the thunder muttered in a little cloud & the
 sun come down with redoubled vigor.  Mr. James the storekeeper at E.G., Mr. Bailey
 come in after a while & paid $35.00 from Mr. Gossitt -  at 3 ocl I  left there while the
 rain was falling gently.  Heavy rain out east.  I passed some very fine level farms all
 the way untill I crossed Wolf river.  After which the Muqketoes & flies gathered in cloud
 around me & horse.  Alighted at Major Gossitt's just at sunset.  Misses Ann Augusta and
 Lou made a wreathe of cedar & cheerries for the supper table.  I stoped a moment at
 the prayer meeting & listened to the harsh, howling of the singers.

6/5 Warm still morning with thick obsuring clouds.  Ther. 75 degrees - 85 degrees - 77
 degrees.  I went out to the new house near the F. College.  We sold very little today.
 Good thunder shower with some wind from the n-west about 4 ocl.  Grand scene at
 sunset which broke in gorgeous colors of ever dye.  I wrote a letter to I.G. Nabors.  Oh
 such a soft mellow pleasant night.

6/6 Warm cloudy morning; birds are singing with increasing gaiety; even in this populous
 town.  Two little birds live in the shade trees at the front door; they twitter, play & eat
 on the pavement near the door & come so near me I could allmost tuch them with my
 hand.  They seem very happy.  'Oh that we had some little bright 'ile of our own.  In a
 blue summer ocean far off & alone.  Where the sun loves to pause with so fond a delay.
 That the night just draws a thin veil o'er the day.  Talked politics & read the Brittish
 Drama.  I went to the singing again; tolerable good this time.  There was a crippled
 young lady hauled there in a little hand-buggy & carried in the arms of a negro.  I wrote
 a letter home to Charlie.  To bed at 10 ocl.  Therm. 76 degrees - 85 degrees - 80
  degrees.  Oh natures sweet restorer!

6/7 Warm.  Clouds & sunshine.  Plesant western breezes.  Sold a goodly pile today but to no
 ladies.  Who! but has times exquisite pleasure of the soul. no one.  This is one of the
 times I feel it.  Why!  I can't tell.  Well then is the time I build air-castles imperceptably
 weaving the past with the charming future.   I let my feeling flow out like honey into
 the fairry valleys & bowers of fancy, mingled  with smiles of the guilded hours of
 yesterday untill my heart seams to melt into a shower of kind & love fore everybody.
 But life is like the clouds, it has its bright silvery shots & it's dark angry mountains filled
 with fire, thunder & storm.  So I have my share of sorrow too.  The sun is setting amid a
 gorgeous display of nature's brightest dyes shining out from grand mountains of clouds
 piles up here & there like great lumps of gold & silver.  And such a breeze is wafted up,
 fraught with the sweets of a thousand flowers & shrubs; distant thunder is hear & the
 quick dazzling lightenings flash tells us Heaven is going to weep a shower of tears.

6/8 Warm still day, verry little appearance of rain.  I got up early & washed & put on clean
 clothes.  I have not got my Sunday clothes & I don't know that I ever will.  I went up to
 the May's eat & read a part of the 'Vicar of Wakefield'  by Goldsmith.  At 10 ocl I went
 to the M.E.C. preaching by Rev Mr. Thomas prooving that the jews will yet be gathered
 from all nations to Palestine & believe on Christ & preach it to the world, then the
 Milleniel will come.  House was full; many more women than men.  Preaching at the
 Episcopal church also.  I wrote a long letter to coz N.B. Greene.  I in company with Maj.
 G. went to the Episcopal church preaching by Mr. Fagg.  While he was preaching A great
 storm arose from the north; the wind blew teriffic & the rain come in a flood.  Oh such a
 dark night.  I like to have not got to the store at all.  Ther. 75 degrees - 85 degrees - 75
 degrees.  Stormy night.

6/9 Cool, Cloudy day.  Dark & drizzliy.  Steady moderate rain all the evening.  Everybody is
 donning their winter coats & we had a fire.  While it was raining a young lady sent to
 me for a paper with poetry in it.  I sent her a couple.  Mr. Gossitt thought it was a
 strange request.  As the sun was setting the dark clouds parted & rolled back showing
 the deep blue sky dotted by the twinkling stars & the bright moon hung high in the west
 whose pale delusive light threw a veil of dreamy beauty on the sleeping earth while
 the whipoorwills plaintively tolled its tale of love.  Now raising its long wings to fly
 would brush the raindrops off the green leaves to fall among the grass & flowers.

6/10 Fine beautiful morning.  I waited on several ladies at 10 ocl.  I rode out to Mr. Ez. Wall's
 6 miles so-east of Lag.  He was not at home; his boys were - I eat dinner there
 consisting of snaps, bacon, beets & bread & milk.  He will be in town tomorrow.  I met
 Mr. Wheatley coming & going.  Our folks well.   I went to the singing tonight.  Oh it was
 sweet, heartsoftening, melody.  Silvery moonlight.  Ther 69 degrees - 75 degrees - 75
 degrees.  Reading 'Love a la mode.'

6/11 Fine charming this morning.  Dim clouds.  Bussy day; sold about $40 worth.  The
 gentlemen meet in the store to run down Mr. Buckanan the Democratic nominee for
 President.  Several ladies in today.  I am verry tired.  Reading Milton's 'Cosmus' Opera.
  My master is hard to please.  Oh such a sweet night!  I saw two Miss Coxs at Mr.
 Gossitt's.  Barber Bob cut off my hair for two bits.  The boys serenade every night at
 two or three houses only.  Bugs are eating me.

6/12 Warm, Dim sunshine - Light breezes & cooler in the evening.  We have sold verry little
 today.  Oh how dull I feel for want of exercise.  Now I hear the startling steam whistle
 sounding its get-out-of-the-way note to things and creatures.  Mark the smoke boiling
 from the fire breathing monster as it swiftly shoots along the iron pathway.  Miss Ann
 Agust says "You are quite romantic tonight Mr. Terry"  Yes M'm rather says I as I gazed
 at the moon - Directly her beau come & she went into him. Ther 73 degrees - 79
 degrees - 74 degrees.  Such a night!

6/13 Damp morning & cool.  Heavy rain & quite a storm at 11 ocl; rained on till 1 ocl.  I
 Received a letter from Sallie in Desoto which I read while the storm raged.  Oh! what a
 melancholy filling of joy come over me.   For Sallie said she cried when she read my
 letter.  Irvin is couirting Miss Lou McElroy & Lydia has two or three beaus.  I read this
 letter over twice.  Miss Corrie & Puss excepted my presents without a word.  Oh that is
 painfull ---- I went to singing tonight again.  It was charming music.  I wrote a letter to
 Charlie at home.  Ther 65 degrees - 70 degrees - 68 degrees.

6/14 Cool with clouds & sunshine.  I Bought some cotton jeans for a coat & pants & a frig'd
 Handkerchief; then started home on Uncle Sidny's horse at 10 ocl.  I got to Salem at by
 1 ocl.  Few there.  When I got home it was 3 ocl.  Oh they all so glad to see me & all
 well.  They want Sallie to come home very bad.  I give Graydon candy & then he went
 with me over the gardens & orchard.  Our gum apples are fine & ripe.  They began to
 cut wheat today.  We went to bed early.

6/15 Cool morning but hot sun.  We arose early - read & conversed.  Andrew & Fayette come
 soon & staid till 9 ocl; then Fayette, Charles, Ma, Martha & myself went to preaching at
 Salem by Harris at the M.E. & Newberry at the Baptist.  Miss Darthula Mourning &
 Fredonia come in before anybody else & Oh how sweet Darthula did look; words cant
 express.  Gadsen B. helped the girls in their carriage.  Francis N. went home with me &
 took dinner & Fayette with Chas; at 3 ocl Chas & Fayette rode down to Mr. Nabor's,
 Francis & I rode down & seen Martha & her sisters; then to L. Nabor's.  There we were
 informed that Chas Daukins & Fannie Nabors were married by Mr. Freeman this
 morning.  They were gone to his Father's.  The family were very well cut down about
 it.  We conversed with them untill dark & come home.  McP & Charles are going to
 Byhalia.  Tuesday they are going to the examination of the Byhalia Institute.

6/16 Cool day & cloudy with a steady rain after 2 ocl to 6 ocl.  I walked about & read
  Shakespere, eat apples, cherrie & rasberrys & goosberrys.  Conversed with Ma & Eliza
 while they made my yellow marseiles vest.  Mr. J Craft come in a moment; fixing up for
 Ripley court.  I started back to LaGrange after dinner; Chas went as far as Salem.  I
 went by Spring-Hill & Mr. Bob Smiths Mills; rained on me but did not wet me mutch.   I
 saw a extremely pretty girl on this side of the Mills.  Arrived at Lagrange after sunset.
 Mr. Gossitt & Family were well.  Clouds & Moonshine & music.

6/17 Cool, cloudy morning.  I read the Brittish Drama while the rain fell.  I wrote a letter to
 Cousin Ann Terry.  Charles started to DeSoto today.  Afternoon there come up two or
 three heavy clouds from the north & norwest at half past 3 ocl.  It hailed lumps as large
 as a partridge egg of all shapes & forms; at five ocl it ceased raining.  Supper over, the
 lighting flashed wildly o'er all the patient stars.  Ther. 70 degrees.

6/18 Temperate. cloudy morning with sprinkles of rain.  This the commencement day of the
 examation at Byhalia.  Also the male school here & the mod-female at SommerVille &
 Franklin College at H. Spring.  Rained after dinner often and on till dark.  I wrote to
 R.G.H. Terry today.  Rather cool tonight.  I went to prayer meeting.

6/19 Temperate, cloudy morning.  The streets are muddy.  Wm Robert Gormon died
  yesterday evening.  The son of Temperance were out with Sunday school children &
 the College girls in a procession to the church where the coffin was carried and Mr.
 Thomas preached a verry appropriate funeral to the crouded house of attentive
 hearers.  Cousin Mattie & her cousin where there; we did not speak, but I exchanged
 glances with her from the nigger loft; I suppose she knew me.  The sight of those
 beautiful innocent College girls solumnly following this dear young man to his grave
 away out in the green grass beneath the spreading old oaks will live in my memory
 while life lasts.  I can never forget my feelings ---- A Golden sunset & Sweet calm night.
  Tonight is the Concert at Byhalia.  Charlie, Sallie & McP are there enjoying the pleasure
 while I write this.  I would be pleased to be with them & the sweetest girls on earth,
but I cant.  Warm night.  Ther  75 degrees.

6/20 Temperate, bright morning with clouds scatterd o'er.  The boys filled the streets with
  our boxes, barrels, steps & signs last night.  I hope they enjoyed finely for we do not.  I
  went down to the  depot & saw a train of 15 cars pass loaded with timbers.  I am
 reading The History of the Valey of the Mississippi today where Turnbull brought over
 1500 Greek & Corsican poor to Florida & then treated so cruel; raising sugar and Indigo.
 They were freed by the Govener nine years afterwards & now their decendants are
 some of the worthiest citizens of St. Augustine.  As I went up to supper about twilight I
 met a company of young ladies taking an airing.  Miss Virginia Toombs had a beau.  She
 called me Charlie but told better.  I went to the singing & dialogues.

6/21 Pleasant morning with clouds & sunshine.  Very hot sunshine, light showers in the
 afternoon.  William Tandy was up with a wagon; saw our folks yesterday.  They were
 well., but were nearly washed away  Tuesday evening.  They were not half done
 cutting wheat.  He said they did not  expect Chas back untill the middle of next week.
 Jack Steele & Jas M. Calhoun were in to see me.  Have had little trade today.  Beautiful
 calm sunset & stary night.  Thermometer has been up to 84 degrees today.

6/22 A morning of couds, sunshine & long, long will remember it's sweetness.  I put on a
 clean shirt, course linnen pants, yellow vest (the first time) linnen sack coat, Boots,
 straw hat & lawn cravat; thus equiped I took Umbrella & went up to breakfast.  I then
 set in the parlor alone & finished the 'Vicar of Wakefield' & twenty pages of Dr. Latta's
 'Chains of Sacred Wonders'.  They are splendid books.  Then I went with Mr. Gossitt &
 children to the Episcopaal Church.  George & I seated ourselves in a pew to share but as
 the College girls poured in & filled up the vacant seats.  A coupple of verry pretty girls
 steped in & took a seat with us.  It rather took me down as they squeased down by me,
 but I soon got over it & felt verry tender at heart.  I had peculiar feelings.  Miss Darta
 Wilcox was just before me, she is tolerable prety girl.  Back to a dinner of fried chicken,
 ham & boiled potatos at 1 ocl.  I read a collections of school compositions in a guilded
 book.  It was very entertaining & mediate.  A heavy thunder shower at 2 ocl till 4 ocl.
 Then we enjoyed a grand sunset.  After supper I went to the singing at the M.E.C.  I
 rather think there is some bad acts meditated there from what I hear - 75.

6/23 Pleasant foggy morning.  Thunder & rain but none here.  I read about Andrew Jackson
 taking possession of Florida in 1818.  The heat is verry oppressive.  Bro George come
 up to LaGrange on Duck to bring me some new clothes.  Charles & Sallie come home
 last Saturday.  George went back home this evening.  I went & heard the Sunday school
 children speak & sing, which was verry nice.  Ther. 77 degrees.

6/24 Hot, Sultry day.  A young gent come in for me to join a debating society but told him I
could not.  I wrote a letter to Hallie M. Terry.  The ladies all walk out about sunset  making every thing
smile where e'er they go.   I've been reading History - The heat is  verry oppressive.
Tonight is the party at Byhalia.

6/25 Hot clear still morning.  Light showers around this evening.  We have sold very little `
  today.  I have gazed about & read my 'Mississippi Valey'.  A Father came by where I
 was sitting before the store & said I ought to get accquainted with the girls here for
there was lots of them.  I did say a word but smiled.  Flys are very bad & the heat is
 very oppressive.  Just over the way is a general resort of the ladies every evening.  The
 presidential contest is warmly participated in here; two parties, Democratic & Know
 Nothing.  Mr. Gossitt is a strong K-N-.  I don't say mutch.  But the 3 foot young
  Americans are very boisrous in politics in this K-N- town.  Ther 77 degrees.

6/26 Hot, Sultry, clear, still morn.  I arose at daylight & went throught the regular round of
 morning work.  I get up put on my socks then pants & shoes - then take the water that's
 left in the bucket & sprinkle the floor; take the bucket & go to the well & draw some
then I come in & open the front door & windows & sweep the house out & the pavement
 then brush down the dust & look at Ther (which is 77 degrees this morn).  Wash & comb
 after which I either read or write until 7 ocl when I lock up & go to breakfast.
  Sometimes I find Mr. Gossitt & all his children asleep; then step into the parlor and read  some
of the many prety books he has on the center table.  (I am now reading the  'Chain of Sacred Wonders'  by the lamented Dr. Latta of O.).   After they get up & wash  we all  go out & breakfast togather in the little brick dining room which has a brick  floor.  As soon as I am done eating I go back & open the store & in about an hour Mr.  Gossitt comes down; he has his dinner brought to him but I go after mine.  Mr.  Wheatley, Mr. Nunley, R. Robinson & W.H. Brock come to town today.  Wm Brock is on  his way to Ark; he come by & bid me adiew.  I head some interesting funny,  biographocal sketches of German Soldier life by a little German Silver-smith who was in  relating his adventures to Mr. Gossitt; he could not speak English well.  It was mirth-  provaking to hear catch for the expressive word.  M.M. Lacy was in awhile.  I went up  to Mr. Williams store & heard some pretty songs with Guitar, Banjo & Violin.  Ther. 80  degrees.

6/27 Hot, sultry morning.  There was a grand wedding at the Episcopal church yesterday  evening at 6 ocl - Rev. Mr. Fagg to Miss Trent.  They were married by Rev. Mr. Rodgers,  Rector of St. Thomas Hall - Holly Springs.  I did not go.  Mr. Fagg is the Episcopal  minister here and is about 35 yrs. old.  She is 22 & whealthy.  10 ocl Ther 82 degrees    Very still hot day.  Ther 86 degrees at 2 ocl.  Mr. Chas Wilcox & wife come in today to  see their daughter Darthula.  They rode throught the street twice with Darth in their  buggy.  Great many buggies & carriages passing through with trunks on; people are  going to see their relatives & to summer resorts.  Mrs. Davis & her daughter Eliza come  in to the store & purchased a few things.  Mr. Gossitt plagued the young lady very  mutch about marrying & from her actions I guess she will marry soon.  She is very  michievious & rather vain, but fine rosey well looking girl.  I laughed nearly all the time  they were in at the jokes bandied between her & Maj. Gossitt.  Miss Lou & Ann Augusta  pay a visit to Col. Michie's tonight.  I was at the singing again tonight; verry fine.  Ther 84.

6/28 Hot, sultry & dim morning.  I got up before sunup & went with George & Baal to the  river & we went in and bathed awhile; its a very pretty place to wash.  We came  throught the pine thicket to the house for breakfast.  The Marshalle Institute was   entirely consumed by fire last night.  No lives lost but all the books, apparatus &  clothing was burned.  We are informed that great loss will fall on Mr. Douglas; the  principal.  There was 170 students there & the examination was to have commenced  next Tuesday.  They had an  American meeting at the brick Hotel.  Dick Parham spoke,  Mr. Shelton is preparing to start to New York in a week or two.  I saw Mr. Michie's  carriage run over two shoats at once & nearly kill them in the street.  Ther 87 degrees  at 12 ocl.

6/29  Hot, still morning.  I read to the children & 'Sacred Wonders' & took a short nap untill  11 ocl.  We went up on the galery; up three flights of steps & through a trap door; it is  about 40 feet from the ground.  And Oh! What a scene burst upon me.  'There lay the  grand old forrest stretched out for 15 & 25 miles with here a large farm spread out like  calm still lake; there the gin house with the happy white home nearly hid by the loaded  Orchards; dark green shade trees clustering vines & floral beauties.  Farther on was a  small opening with a little cottage peeping out with calm beauty.  The winding river
 with dark tall cypresses & snowy barked Sycamores mingled with a thousand other  trees & vines extends for miles on miles from the southeast to west; rolls by allmost  beneath my feet.  Far o'er blue hills & fields - rises the dim out-line of Hamers Hill, 15  miles away.  This is the most extensive & beautiful view I have seen in the west.  I did  not go to preaching today.  Mr. Gossitt had visitors.  Mr. Michie & daughter from 3 to 6  then Mrs. Shelton & a yound lady & Thomas S. till supper.  They did not come where I  was so I read the back nos of the Dollar Times untill just before sunset in a rosey bed  of clouds the coming on of sable night & the stars lighted up one by one.  I lay down &  watched the purple curtains of dark drawn over all the beauties which had gave me  such pleasure to see a few minutes before.  I came down & eat supper & went to the
 Episcopal with the family; sermon by that sleep provoking man - Foster.  Two pretty  girls laughed at me, I thought what for I cant tell -

6/30 Warm, still morning- The birds are singing meryly in the green tops of the many trees
 with their cool shades planted years agone in this happy village.  Though the
 mischievious boys throw brick-bats at them & shoot at them with bows & arrows I love
 to hear the thunder roar.  I love the low deep distant muterings rooling the compressed
 air against the hills that makes the ground tremble with thrill of the approaching storm.
  Then I love it -  Miss Nancy Arbuckle come in the store & bought & set an hour
 conversing.  I bought her little nephew some candy.  The poor little innocent little
 fellow handed his money to Mr. Gossitt before he hardly got in without a word.  She is
  a nice girl - Mr. Jones in from Tippah Co.  He bought a considerable pile!  We told witty
 tales & I feasted my eyes on the gliding girls while taking their  eving walks.  Dark
 clouds, wild wind, lightning's flash mingled with bright golden gleams of the sun's
 retireing glory beyond the broad Misipipspi.  Wind cool & refreshing from the rain south-
  east.  I leant back in my chair before the door at Mr. Gossitts home and enjoyed the
 wild pleasure of ease & coolness.  This has been the warmest day yet at 2 ocl Ther 88.

7/1 Quite hot. dim sunshine with not a breeze to break the heated stillness. It seems this
 earth of ours has been converted to a huge steam vessel to moove the mighty engine
 that drives the planets in their daily & yearly revolutions; the dashing comets in their
 wild career - from system of remote plannets they being the great connecting wheels or
 bands which communicates this mooving power  to systems on system of worlds similar
 to our own.  But if the rain does not fall regular I fear the boiler will burst.  I hope no
 disaster may befall us for if should occur that sliping young lady across the way would
 get her new dress ruined.  Heard the first cha-cha last night.  I've not enjoyed this day
 mutch, too hot.  Ther 89 degrees at 2 ocl.  Dim all dy with thunder & lighting afternoon
 but no rain.

7/2 Dim, sultry day.  House flys are swarming around me as the sands upon the seashore.  I
 got up early & went with the boys to the river & we had a delightfull bathe in the
 cooling water of the rappid flowing river.  I got my clothes on & took a long inspiration,
 feeling it sweet to live.  So cool & happy - we gathered some blackberries & cypress
 twigs with seed-balls on them & gave them to the girls.  At 8 ocl Ther stands at 83
 degrees.  Summer is certainly here - I read 'All for Love' today & 'Pizarro' by Monette.
 M.M. Lacy come in & chatted awhile; he informs me of a Picnic or ban dance on the 4th
 at Hunt's Mill near Salem; says Nannie Ayres dances - The young men are fixing up
 their flags & streamers and peping music togather o'nights for the Sunday school
 occasion on th glorious 4th.  I got inspired & wrote a piece of poetry on Independence
day.  I witnessed something new after supper - the two negros robed a bee stand.  It
 was verry funny to see them dancing the bees off while they gabbred of the stinging.   Ther 90 degrees.

7/3 Dim, Hot, still morning.  I shaved & put on a clean shirt.  I read 'All for Love'. Thomas
 Shelton & several other boys are fixing up their old flag to go with their music to
 Canaan Church in Tippah tomorrow.  I went down to Burress & Rosseires below the
 Depot.  Dr. Pruit of Tippah was in this evening trading.  He carrys Miss Perkins from the
 College home.  I went over to Mr. Daultons & he treated me to a glass of lemonade &
 ice.  Miss Bond is at Mr. Gossitts tonight.  I was introduced to her by Mr. Gossitt.  She is
  a niece of Miss Nancy and a nice girl.  Ther stood 91 degrees at 3 ocl.  And 88 degrees
 tonight.  A gent in and bought a pair slippers for 1 dollar.

7/4 The declaration of Independence 81 years ago.  We hounor the day we love & cheerish
 the memory of that great day that gave our country birth.  Very hot morning clouds &
 appearances of rain about 10 ocl the wind cool from the north & it turned more
 pleasant.  Mr. Gossitt & myself went over to the new house by day to shoot a few
 rounds of the cannon but the tuch-hole was filled with a nail driven in so tight we could
 not get it out.  So we had to give it up.  I was awakened before day by the merry peals
 of all the bells in town.  Oh, how my heart swelled.  They rang on about 1/4 hour.  I
 come by the Depot & took a good look at the locomotive.  Miss A. A. gave me a sweet
 heart & showed me a likeness of mine & hers.  I went upon the house & looked long; got
 down & hunted in the thicket for young cedars & went to the store which we do not
 open today; drew flowers, vines & wrote while.  12 ocl I eat dinner with Misses Nancy,
Cassie, Armagusta, Lou & Flora.  Mr. Gossitt rode out 2with Mr. Frank & they got back
 just after dinner.   The girls went to sewing; we slept, read, conversed & walked about
 untill 5 ocl when M.F. Gossitt went home.  The girls prepared to go to the Sunday
 School Celebration.  We went down to Mrs. Lee's as sun was setting, where the
 children in uniform formed a double line after the music consiting of 4 violins, two
 flutes & one picoalt; everybody fell in after this charming company led by the stars &
 stripes waving proudly oÕer the musicians.  Struck a soul shining march & mooved to the
 M.E. Church which was decorated with wreathes of flowers & evergreens winding a
 about in every shape of beauty.  They had a stage raised 3 feet occuping about one
 third of the hous nicely carpeted with sofas & beautiful cussioned seats for the S.S.
 Schollars on which they spoke & sang.  Have two large hearts one within the other on
 the wall made of wreathes of aborvitea, cedar, pine & flowers within these hearts
 here four large letters M.E.S.S. made of Arborvitea.  The melodeon was allmost hid
 with spriggs, flowers & vines.  All the girls & ladies had wreathes on their heads & blue
 ribbon streaming from their sides.  Then the speaking, acting singing was the best &
 most appropriate I ever heard.  Oh! how my heart swelled & fluttered with the deep &
 lasting empressions then made upon.  I shall ever remember the beauty of this night
 with peculiar pleasure.  Such sweet strains of music swelled & died on the night air, as
 we walked home; will live in my memory;  sterner things have faded.  Soft blows the
 night breeze while twinkling  stars look on.

7/5 Dim sunshine & soft cooling breezes.  People are coming into town early telling of acts
 & incidents of surround festivities.  A number of people at town today.  We had two
 speeches under the shade trees on the opposite side of the street after dinner by Mr.
 Hendrick - American & Mr. Mayo - Dem - good deal of excitement about them.  The
 people applauded Hendricks very loudly.  Today is not so hot, a breeze has been
 blowing west all day.  Ther 88 degrees at noon.  At supper they tried to plagued me
 about Miss Cassie.  Miss Lucie played & sung the "Child's Wish", "Old Kentucky Home"
 & "We Miss Thee At Home" and several other beautiful songs & pieces.  She sang so
 sweet I tarried till late after supper.  Very pleasant night.

7/6 Clear, breezy & cooler.  Ther 72 degrees.  I read "Sacred Wonders" untill 10 1/2 ocl.
 Then walked to the gorgeously decorated M.E.C. & heard an interesting sermon on the
 Moral Agency of man by the talented Dr. Glover.  I all most fell in love with a black-
 eyed girl catching a glimps of her now & then between a man's forehead & another
 ones about a half inch space.  Two very poor ladies droped dead in the cars yesterday
 from over heat by running a quarter of a mile to get in time.  They lived here & had just
 got from the measles.  I sold Mr. Leach the shroud & other nessesary articles.  They
 were young & sisters & were burried in one grave.  Mrs. Welch died yesterday evening
 and Rev. Thomas preached her funeral at 5 ocl. this evening.  Two men had a fight in
 the bottom this evening.  Mr. Graves shot Mr. Hollis in his thigh with a rifle but not
 dangerous.  Graves come up to town & gave himself up to the deputy Sheriff; they are
 to be tried tomorrow before Justice Firth.  Miss Cassie is sick.  Beautiful sunset &
 Brillant night with dark clouds hung like jelly curtains here & there, while the trees &
 flowers are faned gently by the soft cool breath of night.  The dark nooks are enlivened
 by the fairy glashes of firefly in unison with the merry chanting of the July-fly who
 never eat but sing & court a life of a few months away.  Cool pleasant night fit for
 meditation alone.

7/7 Delightful pleasant morning with clouds & indications of rain.  Mrs. Welch is to be
 buried this morning.  Maj Gossitt has rode out to it.  Miss Ann Agusta has written an
 essay of thirteen pages of the examination I have been reading how the French after
 the war of 8 years with England, gave up all of her vast possessions east of the
  Mississippi over;  including Canada 1703.  At the same by secret treaty, France ceded
 all the rest of  her possessions in America to Spain.  Thus ended the power of France in
 America the most peaceable people that ever settled in America who were actuated by
 the purest motives of religeon to penatrate these vast wilds among the most barborous
savages regardless of death with all its horrors.  I carried my scribbling book up home &
 let Misses Cass Augusta & Lucie look through it.  They tried to flatter me about my
 Poems & sketches but I knew how to take it.  I wrote to Charlie today.

7/8 Clouds and sunshine tolerable warm.  The flys do torment me outrageously.  About
 half past 5 ocl this evening a large meteor seemingly about 4 feet through started
 directly above heads & glided south to about 22-1/2 degs high when it explowed
 without a noise forming a perpendicular cloud apparently about 1-1/2 feet wide by 15
 long.  This cloud moved slowly south gradually growing less untill it disappeared.
 There was only two or three clouds in sight & the atmosphere was thick making the
 suns shine rather dim.  I borrowed a pack of cards of Mr. Sugget for Miss Ann Augusta
 & Cassie to try their fortunes with.  Very dry.  Sweet night.

7/9     Dim sunshine, clouds, dry still and warm.  I carried the cards back & played marbles
 with the boys.  I went with the little boys awashing before breakfast.  Heavy rains
 around in sight but none here.  I listened to a political abusing of the democrats by Mr.
 Cotton & Mr. Firth, young men.  T'was rather sicking.  About four o'clock this evening
 Mr. Smith & three other persons passed through going home in Desoto.  He did not
 know me & we did not speak.  Cooling zephyrs are gently stiring the leaves making
 them seem a thing of life.  I went preaching at the Episcopal church by the great Bishop
 Ote of whom we read.   Cool, breezy, delightful night; bright moon & dark clouds
.
7/10 Foggy morning but pleasant.  The examination of the Female College began today.  Mr.
 Gossitt went out & I stayed & waited on the ladies.  Miss Cornelia Michie & her friends
 were in a while.  The dust fills the street like a dark cloud.  The little boys marched
 with their band of music; fought and quarrlled in the streets this evening.  Mr. Gossitt &
 Miss Ann Augusta went to preaching at the Episcopa C.  I stayed & heard Music &
 singing by Miss Lou,  Mis Cassie & Mattie danced.  All seemed so happy & the night is
 so pretty; who could help being happy.

7/11 Charming sweet morning began by the grandest sunrise ever known.  Clouds of all
 shapes painted in nature's brightest colors hung like theatrical curtains around the
 coming sun.  A shower about 3 ocl that layed the dust finely.  Heavy rains near but
 not extensive.  We have had a good deal of setters around us this evening.  One young
 had a quarrel with & and old man about playing Back-Gammon.  I am looking for some
 one from home after me.  It is quite warm this evening.  I am verry sick at my
 stomache.  The sunset amid a glory of golden clouds & the moon looked bright over
 head while all around floated dark clouds casting their moon shadows o'er the quiet
 hills & silent vallies with not a sound to break the happy stillness except the merry
 chantings of the July-fly.  Mr. Gossitt, Misses Cassie & Lucie and myself walked to hear
 Bishop Ote preach.  Whose heart would not swell with pleasure on such a night
 surrounded with such scenes of poetry & romance in reality!  Debating at Masonic H.

7/12 Cool, bright, sweet morning.   I got up early & went with the boys a washing at the
 river.  11 o'clock AM Williams come after me in the buggy. We drove up to the house &
  took out Polk & fed him & wnet into the house & introduced him to Mis Nancy and the
 boys.  Bishop Ote took dinner with Mr. Gossitt.  We went up to dinner about two
 oclock & eat dinner & started home where we arrived after dark.  Sallie met me at the
 gate & huged with tears.  Ma met me with a hug in the yard.  Oh they were all so glad
 to see  me.  John , Nancy & the children were there; allso Robert Bostwich & Francis
 Nooner were there.  This was one of my happiest nights.  I slept with B.M. Bostwich.

7/13 Cool morning but hot bright day.  We walked & talked untill 11 oclock when we - Sallie ,
 Eliza, Charles, William & myself went to hear Rev. Lambert preach.  The church was
 full.  Excellent sermon.  Darthula & Mourning B's, Mary, C.M., Fannie, Wheatley &
 several other good girls were there.  I did not speak to any of them.  Mr. Chas Lasure
  was there direct from Texas; he rode with me & conversed a good deal.  Darthula
 looked pretty as ever, laughing a great deal in church.  I don't think she loves me mutch
 now.  We got home at 2-1/2 ocl.  John W. & Nancy were gone when.  When I told Nancy
 "goodbye" she choked up with sobs, tears started to my eyes & I went off.  We had no
 company this evening; we all met in the parlor & had one more happy evening togather.
 At 5 ocl Chas, Sallie & myself rode down to Mr. Louis Nabor's & spent two merry hours
 with him & his kind family.  We got back home at dark & enjoyed a few moments of
 happy conversation.  Oh this bright moonlight night!

7/14 Cool, happy, pleasant, beautiful morning.  We got up at 3 o-clock & fixed for breakfast &
 after day was breaking.  I parted with the loved ones at home.  Charlie & myself
 started to LaGrange where we arrived at 9 o-clock A.M.  We put up our mule & Charles
 went with Mr. Gossitt to the examination where they stayed untill 12 o'cl.  Charley said
 it was a brilliant affair.  Charlie started home at 3 o'cl P.M.

7/15 Warm , bright day, dust like heavy clouds rise from the many rushing carriages of the
 wealthy ones coming & going to this examination.  I went with the boys down to the
 river awashing before breakfast.  And old gentle man from Oxford stayed with Maj.
 Gossitt last night.  7 o-cl I walked over to the College up the steps to a large room 70 x
 50 feet filled with nicely arranged with single desks with about 120 pretty girls seated
 on them; this room is decorated with wreathes of evergreens & flowers hung in beauty
around.  I saw cous Mattie N. looking rather sad but beautiful.  She was not examined
today.  I was very mutch annoyed by by mannerly men standing up before me so I could
 neither hear or see a good deal of the time.  I saw & heard the Poetess ÒMinnieÓ Nash
 She sings beautifully.  The yound ladies answered very readily or appeared to for I did
 not understand mutch they said.  I never saw as many pretty sweethearts togather
 before.  I left the College when they dismissed at 1 ocl.  Went to dinner at 2-1/2 o-clock
 & eat with a house full of ladies.  B.C. Littleton & family.  Pruit & McKenzie, Miss Cassie
 & Lou made a Tarleton dress since ten o-clock today.  They showed it to me after
 supper; it is a beautiful double skirted dress trimed with white satin ribbon -  Miss
 LouÕs.  The girls took walk in the moonshine with George.  I read all about the clouds.
  Music was flowing from clumps of boys here & there.  A lone sound might be heard
 coming from some sad, lonely one seated in the darkest nook of the yard telling of a
 breaking heart.  Warm.

7/16 Still, Clear, hot morning.  Carriages & buggies from every direction are driving in
 making such a dust as I never saw before.  It is so thick that it makes a darkness fall
 over the town.  I went down to the College about one o-clock & there was a hundred
 buggies & Carriages there.  The examination closes with the Concert tonight.  A bright
 full moon shone over tower & tree.  I went by myself to the College & such a crowd was
 gathering that not near all could get in.  So many pretty girls, so finely dressed & So
 mutch fine music.  Yet it was very hot among this great mass; just like a steam box.  I
 pitted the bodies.  I did not see cous Mattie N but I saw Wm Wilcox, Jas. Jones & sister.
 The Poetess Miss Minnie Nash sings transportingly.  She is very etherial & dreamy &
 and smiles now & then.  I did not converse with a girl there but was squeased up among
 them a great portion of the time.  It finished with a song by three young ladies with the
 Harp at 11 ocl P.M.  A grand river of girls & ladies poured out the Hall & two the
 vehicles with a young man floating in it here & there.  Ther has been up to 92 degrees
 today.

7/17 Hot morning, clouds threatens rain.  I waked up early verry sick with cramps & pains
 something like diarrhea of which I suffred dreadfully at times throught the day.
 Though I went to the river a washing before breakfast with George.  A verry fine rain
 come up from the So-east at 10 ocl & rained on untill 12 ocl.  Oh how pleasant it was to
 those that were well.  The dust was four or five inches deep in places before it.
 Tremendous ball given by the young men here at "Greenhigh" tonight.  I suppose every
 single person will go but there is a heavy cloud rising in the so-east.  The cloud did not
 come any father but it roared lightened & thundered mightily.  This must have been at  Ma's.
 Cool & pleasant since the rain - Ther 82 degrees.  There was a great many at the
 ball tonight.  They danced untill day I hear.  Some of the school girls they wanted most
 went home this evening.

7/18 Still pleasant morning; appearances of rain.  I feel better this mornng.  We did not sell a
 cents worth today.  Fogs arose & mists mooved over the distant swamps of Wolf.  I
 have (been)reading the "Appeal" today.  Said but little to any body & to tell the truth I
 feel quite lonely.  We had tolerable extensive rain from 2 to 4 ocl this evening.  I think
  they had a heavy rain at Ma's this evening.  I saw a mist rising from the boggs of Wolf
 about dusk which formed two mountain peaks & sloped either way to an extensive
 plain to all appearances.  While I was admiring its peculiar beauty it vanished in a
 moment leaving no trace of its mountain scenery on which I was gasing with so mutch
 pleasure.  So are youthful hopes as sweet & entrancing in their nature.  As empty &
 brief ---  I walked the garden after supper; the sky was allmost hid by the mists; a few
 stars peeped dimly through the abscurity, boisterous sang the July-fly.  The hooting of
 the distant owl, all these conspired to render me lonely & meditative.  How my
 thoughts with the speed of lightning visited the past in its dim reallity calling up dear
 old scenes of childhood when in innocense we played & capered around our fatherÕs
 side sometimes leaning on his knew or in chairs seated around with Ma sitin near, we
 convered with them, asking our childish simple questions & he with such pleasant
 answering us ---- But Oh! were are they now.  Dear Pa has left yes he told us not grieve
 for him for he was going to Heaven.  Where he wanted us all to meet him.  We are
 grown up men & women & seperations have commenced; in few more years we happy
 children will be scattered to distant lands; perhaps never to meet on earth again.  Will
 we meet in Heaven?  I hope so.

7/19 Cool, pleasant morning with brisk breezes stiring threes & flowers; mooving high thin
 clouds over the deep blue sky.  Miss. Cassie Bond went home this morning early on the
 cars.  I did not see her.  James Jones come by & set an hour or two with me this
  morning.  He is clerking for Rhine in H.S. & He & his sister went home this evening.
  After supper I went with Mr. Gossitt over to moove a small house but we did not finish  it.
  While we were at work a lady sung some sweet softening songs with Music on the
 Piano in the uper story of Mr. JohnsonÕs dwelling.  From the peculiar beauty of the voice
 I supposed the minstrel was Miss Minnie Nash.   The full round moon rose with a
 crimson blush of modesty from her dewy bed of dark green trees & flowers and cast a
 glow of silver on the sleeping world.  While the lonely singer poured fourth her tuching
 strains on the still night air.
 

7/20 Cool, breezy, bright morning.  I got up early; dressed, eat breakfast & walked up to " Greenhigh"
& all over the grove.  Oh it is such a cool. shady & beautiful place.  Quite a
 number of invalids there & gay pleasure hunters.  I thought I would maybe see Aunt
 Matilda Nesbitt there, but I recon she is not coming.  I walked on to the Methodist
 church to hear an eloquent sermon by Rev. Thomas on the justice of punishment.
 About 3 o-clock I went to the river & saw six negroes baptised by a white preacher.
 There was some four hundred negroes there & they shouted, sung & cut many wild
 capers.  I walked up to the store & found a dwarf negro only 3-1/2 feet high 30 years
 old, weinght 90 lbs.   He put a bucket of water on his head & layed flat down on his
 face & got up again with it without spilling a drop of the water or touching it with his
 hands.  His head is verry large & so dished is his face that he hardly looks like a human
 being in the face.  He says he was never married, but he has tried a long time & the
 ladies always ÒkickÓ him.  I wrote a letter to all at home this evening & tonight.  Cool
 moon light night.  Ther 78 degrees at 8 ocl.

7/21 Cool, bright breezy day.  I got up by day light & went over & helped Mr. C and negroes
 moove tht little house again  & finished it by breakfast.  A good many ladies in today.
 Mr. Hugh Davis in early & stayed till 4 ocl.  I feel unwell today.  My eyes pain me & I
 have not read much today.  I played marbles with Bev while the sun faded into
 night eÕer the western hills.  I eat verry little supper tonight.  The little stars open &
 shut their eyes mournfully in the deep silent sky.

7/22 Cool bright day with a dry east wind.  I got up late feling sick at stomach & eat little
 breakfast.  Great auction of lots at Grand Junction today.  Maj. Gossitt has gone up.  He
 got back after dinner & did not buy any lots.  I am still sick at stomach; eat very little
 dinner.  Read of the disastrous expeditions of the Provincial French against the
  Chickasa Indians & their Brittish emissaries during the years 1735 to 1752 by Bienville
 twice & Marquis de Vandreuil once.  They did not affect the Chicksas in their fortified
 villages situated near the present site of the town of Pontotoc.  Of the total distruction
 of & powerful tribe in French America.  They worshiped the Sun, cultivated the soil &
  built houses & fortifications,  The present Natches is on the site of their great town in
 1730.  Misses Cornelia Michie & Sallie Cocke are at Mr. GossettÕs tonight.  I was
  introduced to them at the tea table.  They are pretty girls & quite inteligent & full of life
 & funn.

7/23 Clear, bright, warm morning.  I got early & looked out upon the still streets; a few early
 risers were ploding their way on errands.  Some like laughing spring, others like gloomy
 winter.  I eat dinner with four young ladies - Miss Cornelia Michie, Miss Sallie Cocke &
 Misses Amagnote & Lou.  Sam"l Cathoun was here & conversed with me a long time; he
 is on his way to Louisiana with family.  A light shower in hearing today.  I loaned Mr.
 Thurmond my "History of the Valley of the Misipippi".  Very pleasant evening.  I went
 up to Supper & was introduced to Miss Hill a large fine looking poetical young lady.
 After supper I silently listened to a very interesting & romantic convere betwen these
 young ladies & Maj. Gossitt.  Oh it was like the flow of honey & glide of rivers in our
 sweetest dreams.  As I walked down the stars looked brighter & nearer to this mundane
 shore.  Ther 87 degrees at 2 o-clock.

7/24 Moderately warm & very clear morning.  Getting very dusty & dry again.  Those young
 ladies were quite gay this morning telling their dreams & the beauty of the different
 College girls.  I set in the parlor with them untill, but I did not speak a word to them
 except "good morning".   Miss Hill is a very calm, towering inteligent looking girl.  I
 have been reading A.P. Butter speech on the character of South Carolina  delivered in
 the Senate June 12th/56.  He is a senator from So.Co.  It was a beautiful indication of
  the noble deeds of my old native state.  Oh! it made my heart swell to read it.  That
 vile abolitionist from Masachusetts - Mr. Sumner; to impeach Our farthers & So.
  Carolina with imbacilaty in the war of the revolution & that slavery was the cause!
 What shameful ingratitude!  Ther 86 degrees 2.

7/25 Warm, obscure morning.  Mr. Autry & son come in this morning with a wagon before
 breakfast & gave me a letter from Home & some clothes & apples.  I got 10 candles for
 $3. for Ma & sent by him; he started back about 9 ocl.  Profes Johnson was in while this
 morning collecting tuition his teachers wish their pay for a visit north.  Our company all
 left yesterday evening.  Miss Lucy Beck presented her lord a fine boy last monday
 week  (14th).  In the language of Mother Eve "he has got a man".   Emily is very sick.
  Mr. Lax, wife & niece & W.A. Berry come in about 10 ocl going to the association near
 Midleburge; I was so glad to see them.  Mrs. Lax saw Ma this morning; they were well.
 Uncle N. Nabors & two of the girls come up to Ma's Thursday, they said Aunt Malinda
 Nesbitt is very low, expecting to die soon, poor woman! she  has  sufered so mutch.
 She'll soon be done sorrow ---- Mr. Wheatley drove in about 3 ocl in a buggy alone.  He
 did not call.  I bought a watermellon for a dime this eve.  Thunder & showers near but
they are light.  I wrote a letter for a Mr. Kenedy to his father-in-law at Pocahontas & it
 was so funy I am not done laughing yet.  When supper was over I set & talked to
 George untill 9 o-clock.

7/26 Warm, bright morning.  I want to go home today very mutch to see Uncle & the girls but
 I cant go I suppose.  J.M. Calhoun, John & Doc Rupe were in store today.  Speaking here
 in the shade this evening by Mr. Bonner Dem. of Marshall about one hundred hearers.
 A blind horse hitched before a yoke of oxen took a fright & ran a piece & loose & run
 over a shade tree; the like a steak ran with its head against the corner of a house &
 knocked its brains out on the pavement & died amediately.  The ladies & gents had a
 ance in one of the uper rooms of the brick Tavern.  Quite a number of persons in town
 today.  Barbacue in Saulsberry today.  Speeches by T. H. R. Taylor, Gen. Williamson, Mr.
 Osborne, Hon. B.D. Nabors & ExGov. Mathews and others.

7/27 Warm, bright, dusty day.  Everything is allmost parched up.  I come down to store about
 8 ocl & wrote a letter of four crouded pages to Friend John Nesbitt.  I did not go to
 preaching today.  As the bells rang I went up & eat dinner & read in different books till
 3 ocl then I came down the Store again & wrote  & read.  Preaching at the Episcopal &
 Presbyterian Churches today.  I walked over town this evening; down to the  Depot the
 cars come with one car crouded with passengers.  One poor sickly looking woman with
 a baby in her arms struggled a long time to rise the steps without help at last got in
 while polite men were helping strong healthy rich ladies in right by this poor woman
 without noticing her.  I went to night preaching at the M.E. Church by Mr. Bickers; his
 first attempt; done tolerable well.  Ther 88 degrees.

7/28 Warm & dry.  Verry dusty.  Strong indications of rain.  I got up after sunup because I
  was disturbed in my sleep by the first cry of a baby in the next house.  I saw the little
 sinner's red head this morning through a window.  I've been reading of the pioneers of
 these western states; their manners & customs & dreadful conflicts with the Indians.
 The origin of Camp meetings in the west about 1800.  After sundown  there lay a
 golden pile of clouds in the far south-east which gave fourth a contiual flash of blinding
 lightning but no thunder audible.  I walked up into Dr. Bigg's & Arbuckle's office & looked
 at pictures & conversed.

7/29 Warm, cloudy, still morning.  Mr. Gossitt has left me & gone over to show the negroes
 how to begin to pale his new house in.  I wrote a letter to all at home - three pages.
  Mr. Autry & Jacob drove in about 2 ocl.  Said Uncle N.N. only stayed one day & took
 home a load of corn.  One of the boys & two of the small girls come with him.  Mr. A
 went back about 5 o-clock.  I sent my letter by him.  The people are engaged playing
 marbles in town .  It is very dull here and but little doing.  Calm beautiful stary night.
 Little Flora is sick tonight,  I got my Magazine.

7/30 Warm, clear & dry, windy.  I got up early & went in a washing by myself.  The air was
 quite cool.  I was handed a letter from cousin John T. Terry in Arkansas which says cous
 Lydia T. wqs married to a Mr. Stephen L. Bush the 29th of June 1856.  Political
  Speeches made at "Greenhigh" by Mr. Logwood - Dem. & Mr. Looney - K.N.  A cloud
 gathered in the north west causing a high wind here that blew the dust up in clouds so
thick that I couldn't see a man twenty steps; it was so high that it darkened the sun.  I
 never saw the like before.  Everybody in town shut up windows & all untill it was over.
 I went to preaching after supper at the Methodist where I heard Mr. Glover & others
 sing that good old song commencing "In every condition in sickness in health" that is
 one of the lines I forget the first..

7/31 Moderately warm, clouds hiding the sun.  Verry dry & dusty.  No rain today.  Mr.
 M.M.Lacy come in today & conversed & traded.  I walked over to the new house this
 evening.  They college & grounds look so silent; its beautiful life is all gone.  I have
 been reading of "Negroland" in Harper's & his Ode to "Hasty Pudding"  is a home
 picture to Southerners.

8/1 Hot, sultry, still morning.  No clouds in sight but the air is thick & steamy.  This
  sweating silence is omenous of an approaching storm.  The smoke settles o'er the
 distant hills of Tippah & Marshalle.  The dusty monsters are creeping o'er hill & dale,
 chasing each other like huge snails.  Mr. Autry drove in as dusty as a could be about 3
 ocl P.M.; gave me a letter from Chas & Sallie giving the information of the marriage of
 cous J. Wesley Terry to a Miss Carrie E. Woodin the Turner's daughter on the 26th of
 June 1856.  Allso the death of Aunt Malinda Nesbitt after a very hard struggle on the 23
 of July.  Poor good woman she is gone to a better world than this.  The leaves many
 kind friends to weep oÕer her grave but she is happy now.  I recd a letter form John G.
 Nesbitt; he is going to Ark in a few days to spend a week or so.  Miss Lou McElroy & her
 brother are going back to Tippah to live; H.K. Nabors is at our house now & will stay
 untill monday.  I got a letter from I.G. Nabors this evening; they are nearly all sick with
 the chills; that there not be more than half a crop made in that portion this year.
 Daukins & lady went down to Desoto Wednesday to stay a week.  We had no rain
 today.
 

8/2 Warm, still morning, thin high clouds shut the sun partly out.  Strong tokens of rain this
 morning.  I wrote a letter of four pages to I.G. Nabors this evening.  We had cabbage for
 dinner.  About 12 ocl I saw rain falling in the distant hill of Tippah.  We had quite a
 number of persons in today.  Had no rain today but sprinkles, thunder & lightning at
night in different directions.  I have written a great deal today.  I set pensive after
 supper thinking about a few days of pleasure I have had with Miss Julia Arnold.

8/3 Rather cooler, fast low clouds mooving with a brisk breeze from the north raising such
 choking clouds of dust.  The dust is actually six or eitht inches deep in places.
  Everything in town is dried up & dead.  It looks like starvation indeed.  The wind howls
 & sighs around the house like it was Autumn.  I went down to the Depot after breakfast
& saw the cars come up, stop awhile & then dash on at a fearfull speed.  I listened to a
 gentleman telling jokes untill the Methodist bell rang then went up & heard an old man
 preach a rather thumping sermon for he did stamp & fist the inofensive old pullpit
 desperatelly.  Two Miss AppersonÕs from Memphis were there and beautifull girls they
 are.  Preaching at the Presbyterian church allso.  Mr. Gossitt & family went there.  Miss
 C. Michie brought the girls up house in her carriage.  After a diner of baked beef.
 lightbread & honey.  I read a while of Travels up the Nile.  I walked down to the woods
 whose deep shade almost hid a little trickling spring a few hundred yards south of
 "Greenhigh" how invigorating this place was where every thing was green with bloom
 of life.  Such a relief after enduring the dust & heat of town.  My feeling were
  peculiarlly happy.  I come through "Greenhigh" they little girls were singing, ladies
 setting out in the varendas, breathing the cooling north breeze while the gentlemen
 were drinking their wine & lolling on seats under the umbrageous oaks.  I went to night
 preaching by Mr. Thomas I never did get as sleepy in all my life.

8/4 Cool, clear morning.  High north winds & higher dust - Atmosphere thick & dim sunshine.
 I feel rather gloomy & gapey.  Several beautiful young ladies have been in trading
 today.  Mr. H. Davis & Dr. Pruit have been in this morning. Mrs. Martha Aston died at
 the Galt house this morning.  The funeral card was sent around this evening.  Clouded
 up just about sunset.  Misses Sallie & Mattie Cooke were at Mr. Gossitt'ss tonight.  I set
  by myself in one room & listened to some tender Songs by Misses Lucie & Sallie.  I
 started off to the store & Mr. Gossitt wanted  to know why I did not go in & hear the
 girl's music.  I said I wanted to go down & finish a letter.  I wrote four crouded pages to
 John G. Terry - Ark & went to bed with the wind sighing sadly around the house.  I
 wrote about Darthula.

8/5 Sweeping north-wind, Dim sunshine.  The distant valley, hills & streams south were
 nearly hid with smoke & haze.  I brushed the whole store down & that took me bussily
 engaged Ôtill dinner.  A young Bogard come in & talked with me.  He is a son of James
 Bogard.  He said.  Lep, Tom, their sisters & the Cotrells were at their house yesterday &
 Sunday.  Two great Schools going on in Salem by a Yankee & his sister.  Thomas &
 Lepwich were going after a while.  I eat the largest & finest Horse Apple I ever saw.
   Sallie sent it from home; it only had seven seed in it.  I went up into Wm Arbuckle's
 room with T. Shelton.  Temperance meeting in the other room; ladies up there.  There
 was six drunk men in town this evening & they cut some funny shiny.  Ther has been 84
 degrees for sometime.

8/6 Verry cool morning.  Ther 65 at 5 ocl.  Smokey so that it entirely hides Hamers Hill.
  Cool east wind; no clouds.  I got up by daylight & as I went to breakfast I bought two
squares of paper for 40 cts at Mr. Locke's to make a book.  I saw verry large head of Elk
 bones from the Rocky mountains; they come up on the railroad; measured five feet
 long.  I made my book in Arbuckles room & Mr Cablers shop.  I eat a piece of a fine
 watermellon.