From my grandmother’s diary when she was sixteen and working in the family bakery. All first names mentioned are those of her siblings except for her schoolmate, Clara.
Oct 1st
Rain …
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From my grandmother’s diary when she was sixteen and working in the family bakery. All first names mentioned are those of her siblings except for her schoolmate, Clara.
Oct 1st
Rain again! Today is the Jewish New Year’s Eve.
Oct 2nd
More rain.
Oct 3rd
Tonight after the store was closed, Mary and I rode around [on their new bike] in front of the house, taking chances, till about 11 PM.
Oct 4th
Awful busy today. I guess it will be another good Saturday. Last week was the best Saturday we had yet. We took in $60.14.
Oct 5th
Clara Courter, a girl who was in my class, shot and killed herself today! She was supposed to get married soon to a young man from Philadelphia and he used to call on her every week or so. But this last week, he failed to come. This made her believe she was jilted. She must have told someone her affairs in secret. Anyway, it travelled and when she went to a ball game with her friends, the boys sang, “Waiting at the Church” and after supper, she went to her room, her excuse being that she didn’t feel well.
Her mother had a visitor at the time who was just about to leave. When she went to bid Clara goodbye, they turned up the light and when they saw Clara lying across the bed, they thought she had fainted. The mother laid her hand on Clara’s chest and there was the revolver! She wasn’t quite dead, but died before medical aid was gotten.
Oct 7th
Clara was eighteen years-old and will be buried in Bloomfield tomorrow. Saw Clara and she didn’t look nice at all. Her face was awfully swollen. The bullet wound couldn’t be seen at all. About five girls fainted while I was there. Mrs. Courter wasn’t present. She kept on fainting all the time. The two Courter girls, the married ones, are both expecting to be confined, and so they were both unable to attend. They are afraid they will be kept home from the funeral as well.
Oct 9th
The rain drizzled along all day again.
Oct 10th
More rain. Oh, dear, if it would really rain, but it only drizzles along.
Oct 11th
Very busy today. Took in $67 and some cents. It seems as though we take in more every week. Mrs. Dickfield came to market and Joe helped her. She also was very busy. We’ve had steady rain now since Monday.
Oct 12th
Mama, Fred, Helen and I went to Haledon [Passaic County New Jersey]. As usual, had a good time. Rained again this morning. Columbus Day today, but it will be celebrated tomorrow.
Oct 13th
The streets were just crowded with Italians all day. They had a parade, which was quite nice. More rain! But it only rained in the morning, and now it’s freezing cold out.
Oct 14th
Tillie and I each ordered a handkerchief holder. Mine has pink roses on it and is for Aunt Annie, while Tillie’s has blue flowers on and is for Aunt Ella. They only cost us ten cents, but they are beautiful. Mr. Breidung, our cake baker, and Pa must have had a scrap because Pa discharged Breidung.
Oct 15th
I don’t’ feel good at all these past few days. I have three fever sores on my lips and they ache awful. Tillie went to New York for her music lesson. It costs forty-six cents car fare. Got a new baker. He seems quite nice. He gets $3 less than Breidung, i.e., $18 weekly.
To be continued…
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