IMH 74:4 358

"Chronicles of Upper Burnet" (1)

Saturday, December 18th.

It continued cloudy, till noon when the sun came out and it thawed till night. Bob Foster and John Kivett
came shortly after breakfast Bob to go to town, John to see about his canned fruit. He took three of his
cans and soon started home with them. Bob and Father went to town in the hack. I made wood for two
or three hours with Alvin helping part of the time. Father got back about three o'clock; brought Effie's parcel.
which I left at Wat's last Saturday and a line from F.J. VanDemark87 inclosing money orders for the $100
which Grandmother was to lend us. Father paid it on the farm debt. After he got home Alvin and I hauled
up a sled-load of fodder. The visitor was the most industrious one about the house except Mother. My old
tooth was growling slightly and I took two or three "yaller powders" Alvin I believe fanned out the rest of
the buckwheat. Uncle Rip sent Effie her candy to treat her scholars with.

Teaching notes: Ask the students what they see here about community helpfulness and closeness. Why did Bob Foster come to see about his fruit. (answer is because he likely did not have a "fruit cellar" to store and to potect his canned fruit from freezing). As was the Harrisons and rural Indiana, Saturday was go to town day. The "making" wood was of course cutting into proper lengths and splitting it. Effie as you recall was the journalists cousin and local Jefferson township "school marm." her dad, Uncle Rip, has senthis daughter some candy for her students. Discuss how we have we changed? Why?