IMH 74:4 363

"Chronicles of Upper Burnet" (1)

Friday, December 31th.

A clear cold day followed by a clear, calm cold night. The
mercury indicated 16 degrees below zero at sunrise. The eclipse
wasn't thought of or seen. About 12 degrees above zero was the
average for the day. There was a little change in the monotonous
round: Mother and Alvin devoted part of the day to the
cleansing of the dirty duds etc. of the household. At noon I
went up to the school-house on the hill but found neither
teacher nor pupils and concluded that Will's school was frozen
out or adjourned till warmer weather. I also passed consider­
able time manufacturing firewood and was assisted by Alvin to
some extent. Father staid quietly around. I burnt up the letter
I had begun to Dwight Calhoun as it did not suit me.

So the record is closed for the year 1880. It is a history that
notwithstanding the obscure lives of its personages, might have
been written so as to have been more interesting. It will suffi­
ciently repay the writer if these chronicles are ever of interest
or use to anyone. And any readers are requested to remember
that written in haste or when the writer was perhaps fatigued
both in body and mind there must be mistakes more or less
gross and glaring, which they are asked to excuse. as they best
can. Some of these mistakes however are the result of laziness
or carelessness.

Teaching note: Two thoughts come to mind. First, would it not be nice for a teacher to simply
send the kids home and wait for warmer weather.. not edicts from "the office."
Second, don't you wish he knew the value of the time he spent.