Mary Wiggin’s Diary Transcript – February 1925

Sunday, Feb. 1, 1925
It was Dr. Marvin’s 50th anniversary here in Grace Church. Alice went to meeting and wore blk vervet velvet hat with two bra ostrich pompoms, and steel bead edge around upturned brim. I had a restful day. Read “The Little French Girl.” It is well written but I don’t like to read about married people with lovers.

Monday, Feb. 2, 1925
Sleet and rain. Alice ironed her black striped cotton and wool dress with deep ecru lace on neck and shoulders. She wore came olin and coral necklace with black beads belt, white shoes and hose and sweater. I cooked veg. stew, baked potats, spinach, and made a sponge cake with chocolate frosting and Eng. walnuts on top. My Whitman check 14.75 came, and the Graves’ also. Paid the Greek boy .75 I owed.

Tuesday, Feb. 3, 1925
All kinds of weather with a little sun. I cooked onions. Mr. Litchfield came and delivered 1.50 in Groceries. Pr. Proe came and I bought dark bread. 15 and six cup-cakes. 40. I sent for some tobacco to put on my rose-bush. I was tired and took a nap about suppertime.

Wednesday, Feb. 4, 1925
Had a good resinol bath, and curled my side locks. I cooked potats, and washed iceberg. I ate baked apples, beans, potats, nuts, squash, spinach, cut cake with choc frost. The Greek boy came and I paid him 1.20 of which Jose refunded .35. I paid Elmer for “tobacco” for plants and other horse orders by Alice 55 in all. Alice was tired and out of patience when she came at dark. The papers had no inspiring lines for me.
collection to-morrow. I read papers and book reviews. Alice was correcting Midyear’s papers when I went to bed.

Thursday, Feb. 5, 1925
Alice came home about noon, and ate her dinner, dressed and went to P.M. tea of the King’s Daughters at Dr. Pinsky’s. I endorse my Granes— and Wood’ checks for collection to-morrow. I read papers and book reviews. Alice was correcting Midyear’s papers when I went to bed.

Friday, Feb. 6, 1925
I cooked spinach, some turnip slices, baked some squash in crumbs, and boiled cabbage and onions. It has been so warm that I kept the kitchen door wide open. Paid Litchfield 1.30, Proe .15 for dark loaf; 1.60 for 2 doz eggs to Tower, Gave an order to Greek man, first time since he was sick, but he hasn’t sent the goods yet. I had to wash my under drawers at night. Gave Elmer a nut cpu-cake from Proe. Jose had a letter from A.M. L— about Colorado quarter section land near oil sand shales.

Saturday, Feb. 7, 1925
Miss Amy Cook came at night. We had for supper baked beans brown bread, tomato-soup, fruit salad, baked Apples with cream, and waxy cookies. Alice had for (sic) evening guests, Mr. and Mrs. Bert Willard, Mary Farnum and Chas. Frazer. She served ice-cream with nuts, and maple syrup, two cakes, graham crackers, water. Jose had a “whale” of Crossword puzzles.

Sunday, Feb. 8, 1925
Alice and Amy went to church. It was so warm, I sat by open window in my night dress to get the sun. Alice came home and cooked spinach, squash, baked in cakes and crumbed, made tomato salad, baked potats, and steams Xmas pudding to be eaten with whipped cream. Alice must be very tired, for it was midnight when we went to bed last night. I enjoyed Amy very much and Alice is handsomer than ever. She went home before dark.

Monday, Feb. 9, 1925
This has been a vapor day, so one could not see across the street distinctly. I cooked the “prune cake”, but we did not not (sic) have a good fire in stove it was such warm weather outside, I used the electric to bake, but result was not so good as stove. Alice went in eve to the play “The Charm School.” It may be better the second time.

Tuesday, Feb. 10, 1925
Jose went to Boston at 11. This was the hottest 10th Feb for 50 yrs. I had both south doors open. Frances King came for a presiding of — rule book. She took off two, mine and A’s. I made a vegetable loaf of cabbage, potato, green peppers, onions, ground bread crumbs, egg, paprika butter and top checker crumbs, and cup of hot veg. and water. Steamed six carrots and one beet. Jose did her bond business with Mr. Frost, and did not get wet. Alice went with Prince mother and daughter and took tea there before Jun. H.S. play. It poured when she came home.

Wednesday, Feb. 11, 1925
Cooked as usual. It rained and Alice had to take an umbrella. The little Greek boy came for an order. Nice warm weather in spite of water vapor. Learned of bats, as parts of a —, argot as slang. The whale x cross-word was a poser. The definitions were not definitive.

Thursday, Feb. 12, 1925
I was called down stairs sans dress, in morning, and did not dress at all. I ate prepared food, cleaned — Pa’s top of chest of drawers, and hunted up my mother’s pin and Dr. King, and my Civil War gold chain. The weather was mild and summery, 52 degrees with open doors. I did not go down for supper nor read papers, but went to bed early and rested.

Friday, Feb. 13, 1925
Had a good sleep. Dressed after bath, and got down in — to give 1.45 order to Litchfield. Paid Tower 1.50 for two doz. eggs. The Greek left 1.05 worth including two items left by his son unpaid. I bought two cream cakes of Proe for ten cents. Elmer bought at Peck’s a package of Rye-crisp wafers for .34. I cooked cabbage with onions, and also cooked spinach. It was a clear sunny day. Baked two potats. Cleaned both rooms. I’ve begun “Moby Dick”.

Saturday, Feb. 14, 1925
Good cool day. I have cleaned myself inside and out. This P.M. Alice worked hard on my broad cloth striped navy dress. She go out of it a good skirt, and a whole dress night-dress style with a remnant left over and and (sic) the back seam of old skirt. I want to wear the latter sans long sleeves with under saint on Friday Founders’ Day, Feb. 20. Hear Alice must have been tired for she made a brown velvet skirt for herself to wear with rust colored tunic. Jose had a good day for her dinner party. Alice went to basket ball game at Y.P.C.U.

Sunday, Feb. 15, 1925.
Sun and rain at night. I cooked spinach, chopped celery for stewed beans. Alice finished her brown corduroy skirt and washed some clothes. She also coached the Armenian girl in Eng. I mended my corset waist. Watered plants in five rooms.

Monday, Feb. 16, 1925
I washed, and took a good rest. The food was cooked by Alice. There was no laundry sent to-day. The weather is fine and warm for season.

Tuesday, Feb. 17, 1925
I cooked cabbage and steamed carrots and beets. I felt tired, but mended A’s night-dress, and my under waist. I have watered plants in five different collections. Gave an order to Litchfield, but he did not bring it as it rained later. Jose went to Boston and bought a Gerona coat for $80 . She did not read Elize on Phone, so went alone — successfully. I bot (sic) two cream cakes of Proe and gave one to Elmer.

Wednesday, Feb. 18, 1925
Alice went to “Hottentot” by Alden Club. It was good and packed. I met and gave order to Litchfield, paid Prire 10 cents for cream cakes, two (sic). I’ve kept the fire gong. Jose wet to Boston and bought a winter coat, Geron cloth, all alone. It did not rain on her, but a little here.
Alice got my dress stitched about dark, and went to kitchen to press when she had a caller. That delayed her,and she could no work on her own dress. She wore brown cord. skirt and gilded brown satin waist to Debate and later to Lydia’s Mission Circle. It is colder. P’d .65 yo Litchfield.

Thursday, Feb. 19, 1925.
Cook day. I ate fruit for breakfast and did not go down stairs till late in P.M. I worked on my dress. I took a soap bath and — up my laces. Alice worked on my dress’s sleees and belt after she came home. I am glad to have a modern tunic dress, but I don’t like to have to rush myself or others. The four Rays, Annie with Dill, Lydia with — — are going to Africa, Sicily, Italy and France for three months. Poor Mrs. Ran— is badly off at Lydia’s house where she fell last night.

Friday, Feb. 20, 1925.
A wonderful day, sunny balmy. I got up about 8 and began to dress. Poor Alice had got my suit ready and I feel bad to have her work so hard and then not be able to go herself on account of girls’ basket-ball at F.H. Mrs. Annie Thayer came for me about 12, and I was ready. Mr. Thayer came home with me, and helped me to the back door. Mr. and Mrs. Dewit talk with me. I sat next to Supt. Low and wife at dinner.

Saturday, Feb. 21, 1925
I felt I must replace nerve force I expended yesterday at Dean, so I took a long seep, and was surprised to see Sophie at dinner table when I came down. She has a cod, and short hair hanging on her cheeks, so she must shake it back out of her eyes. I laughed at May when she asked if I kept my s— curls on my finger till they dried. It was unkind but it struck me as so laughable. I put away my best attire of Dean for my work clothes.

Sunday, Feb. 22, 1925.
Fine day. I took a long nap in morning. Alice cooked vegex protein slices, I baked potats, carrot ring and parsnip slices, Alice baked asparagus in butter crumbs. I made after dinner chocolate puffed rice fudge. Mary & Sophie and Alice went to Legion “Symphony” concert. I should like to go to our church America pictures, about Washington, they must be like Barrett’s panorama of my youth. I lose so much energy and cannot go out evenings.

Monday, Feb. 23, 1925
Alice and Elmer and Billee drove Sophie to train for Boston on way to Duxbury Sch. Alice got dinner and I cleaned and deseed.. Alice did some washing before bedtime ad some school work. I sat up quite late to read “Moby Dick” by Melville. It has much truth about Nantucket life among whalemen.

Tuesday, Feb. 24, 1925
I cooked spinach, cabbage, and shelled beans. I eat too much, but I try to resist. Paid Litchfield .25 for Am. walnuts. Proe did not come. It was so warm I had outside doors open. Jose is better and ate lamb chop for dinner and green peas. Oyster stew was the — for supper. Alice helped the Bullukian girl in English to-night. Alice had a letter from Ethel Armes which I opened, but did not as soon as I realized what it was.

Wednesday, Feb. 25, 1925
Had a good restful sleep. I made some carrot cookies, and they were good. No one has called except Edie to see Alice about business on “Refractories” in Penn. Jose has retired to Junior X-word puz- when her head is tired out with — le jour, at day-break. I have eased off on eating a little. Chamberlain wrote in Transcript Normand is fine description (sic) of his first aero flight in a plane. It was just what one wants to know about flying.

Thursday, Feb. 26, 1925
Those carrot cookies were good to-day, so Mrs. Fales thought. I have put facing on my blue gingham, except the last hem which Alice says she’ll stitch on machine. I also mended A’s grey bed—, and my pink & grey ones, given by Jose. I cooked cabbage and onions, and they caught on a little. Suddenly cold N.E. wind this P.M. after the rain of morning ceased.

Friday, Feb. 27, 1925
I cooked cabbage and beet. I basted hem on my blue dress. All the — came, Tower eggs; Litchfield – groceries, Proe – — cupcakes .05, Greek took orders. It was a trying day, and I worked up stairs much of day. Washed underdrawers, and shirt at night. It is cold and windy.

Saturday, Feb. 28, 1925.
I have sewed on my blue gingham hem, and mended my nightgown sleeve. I skinned steamed beets, carrots and two parsnips. Alice dressed u and went to call on Mrs. Cowell with May and Mary. She found Mrs. C. away so they went to “Sweet Shoppe” for ice-cream. Watered the plants, and found blossoms on my orange tree. Alice set things cooking in kitchen. Jose had oysters for supper, also bottle of “Glycerine Tonic”.

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