IMH 75:2 158-59

"Chronicles of Upper Burnet" (1)

1881

Wednesday, January 12th.

Father went to mill at town to-day in the sled. I went down
to see if the hogs had got in the corn, found none, wandered up
while I was gone and got two bushels of corn. He was on a sled
less in length and breadth than an ordinary being about five
feet long and two and a half wide. Its height from the ground
was about 6 inches. He was accompanied by his sister Fanny
and drawn by a Rozinante that had seen its best days. Alvin
and I worked fitfully at making firewood. Mrs. Henry Fowler(28)
came about noon to borrow the sausage-mill and staid three
hours or more Father arrived about 3.30 and brought: first a
letter from Grandmother(29) containing nothing startling.
Frona(30) also writes a short screed to me. It appears that this
fifteen-year-old maiden has been going to dances ever since the
good sleighing began and has learned to "trip the light fantastic"
herself. Grandmother has lived very much at home in
usual health since the cold weather began. Second a pair of
gum boots for Alvin; third a wire arranged to suspend the big
lamp to the ceiling with; fourth a jeans coat for himself. The
sky was mostly clear and though it was cold this morning the
mercury got up to 40° above zero. There was still only slight
thawing and the windy winds did blow from the south and west
the road, met several people and came home Bill Bunton came

Teaching Notes: The frequent borrowing of the saugage mill indicates that the community
is activly involved in butchering.
William Gregory's use of the name Rozinante shows a rather well read 19th century farmer
as he is likely referring to the horse Don Quiote rode in the novel the bears his name.