Cape Breton's Magazine

Diary: Mary Smith of Sinithville, 1890-92 The following is from Mary Elizabeth Wood Smith's diary kept at Smithville, Inverness County, 1890- 92. She was born in Ripton, England, July 30, 1812, and came to Nova Scotia in 1815. Considered "of Arichat," she married Lambert Smith (1802-1877). We weighed the idea of using conventional spelling and punctuation against maintaining the flavour of a personal diary • and chose to offer it with only slight editing. Mary Smith died November 5, 1892. December 1890 1st Dec. a dreadful 1 gale rained all the forenoon in torrents then turned to a real old fassioned snow storm, blew the top off the kitchen chimney and nearly carried the porch away. James was hear to dinner the wind nearly blew the Barn away con? tinued verry stormy all the month friday before Xmas was dreadful 1 stormy in the afternoon Lewis went to the school house for the Teacher and chil? dren. Saturday was still yerry stormy teacher could not get home. Moved the stove into the din? ing room before dinner young Etheridge came in out of the storm staid till Sunday forenoon. J. R. Black came for Jessie Sunday was a verry fine day but the roads blocked up with snow banks in the af? ternoon. Thomas and Minnie came over but could not stay to tea as they had to plunge through the snow. Mary Irish was with them and stayd all night Mon? day we washed and cleaned up after the storm had a verry quiet Christmas Thomas was hear a little while in the morning brought over my raisens and currents did not stay long, friday the boys went to breake the Roads. Sunday Mr. McDonald from Hasteings preached in our church Monday he was hear to tea George took him out to Temperence meet? ing and got a letter for me from Libbie Chisholm. T-uesday werry stormy none of our folks could get out to the Induction of the new minister Wednesday verry stormy and cold and continued so to the end of the month. January 1891 Saturday s"""'' It has been raining all the morning we are gathering water for next weeks washing it is ten below now and not raining so heavy Lewis has gone over to saw wood with the boys if it will be fine enough to work outside Lew? is came home to dinner and then walked out to Ben- jamains to pay his Tax heard there was no mail crossed the strait till friday evening since mon- day after he came home he went over to see David who is sick they think he has got Le Grippe Sunday 4 '"' cold and stormy no one from this place could go to Church none of the Boys came in to see us Wednesday 14 it is a fine day Lewis got the boys to help him get his load ready and they started a- bout 8 in the morning he took 6 Tubs Butter and the Oxen the roads are werry slippery I don't know how the poor cattle will get along I suppose Lewis will have to go all the way to Sydney it is a great undertakeing at this time of the year and so little time to think about it and to get ready. Thursday 15 a dark cloudy morning east wind looks like a storm Thomas came over after break? fast to see if we needed anything done, and George came up to tel1 us the news from Margaree he brought me a bottle of Preserved blueberries that Alice sent me he says uncle Joseph and Alice in? tend comming to see us this winter, the sun shone out at 12 0 clock and it has been quite a fine day since. I finished the stocking I was knitting for Bella. Sarah is working at her old black dress Monday 19 Washed and Sarah and the children got all the water from the cask at the Barn. And Sarah and Flora boiled ashes and made a big Pot of leigh (lye) to try to make some soap. Park was sawing wood with the boys, no sign of Lewis comming and we got to bed about ten o clock, and at twenty min? utes to twelve Lewis came home he left Sydney at ten in the morning he is quite well and was verry lucky to get home he brought a Barrel of rolled Oats and a barrel of corn meal Tuesday 20 a heavy silver thaw, one of the wil? low trees broak down at dinner time Sarah boiling her soap Flora spinning George and Lewis in the house all the forenoon David came in too they were hear to dinner after dinner Thomas came over with a load of wood for us did not know that Lewis had got home he says that if he had not come home last night then he could not come today for the road is all hollow underneath a horse could not travel. The cattel that went down with Lewis last week were the first that went on the New Rail Road Lew? is and the children went over to the boys place af? ter tea and he paid the money he had borrowed from them Tuesday 27 a fine day pretty bright but cold this is Maggie Beatons wedding day Sarah bakeing and doeing housework did not put the cloaths out it is too frosty Flora spinning the children at school Lewis went to Broad Cove to try and collect some money the Teacher went out to temperence meet? ing last Evening. Lewis got home a little after dark and did not have much luck colecting a little after he got home Mrs. Isaac came on a visit and her five youngest children so there was tea to get for all hands they did not get away till after ten Harriet said that there is no crossing over Port Hood harbour the big ice has not come in yet February Ash Wednesday 11 Snowing a little this morning Lewis hawling polls the three children at school Maggie tired and did not go. have not got the last weeks cloths dry yet as Sarah is not fit (48)