Sat. 13 [August 1887]: I came home from Uel's yesterday. I had a good time up there, quite. There was a spring bed pedlar [sic] there and sold Uel a set of springs, and Mary and I slept on them every night.

They had Norm Bub and George Holcomb to thresh for them. I made a mash on George right away: he watched me all the time.

Mary was coming home with me but it commenced to rain so we all stopped to Keslings till the rain stopped. When I started on, Ann put her and Manie's shawls around me and Uel drove fast but we got rained on after all.

Mary and I had lots of fun trying to name her baby. I told her it looked like Bub Holcomb so we called it Bub and then we got a lot of old love story papers and I found the name "Hypolite" to match "Bub." I tried to make Mamma believe we had named him that for good.

I wonder if the teacher will be after us tomorrow. I wish I could "play off" and not go! I don't want to go with him. It wasn't Al that was married after all, Mary told me the difference; now isn't that good? But I suppose none of the rest think so[;] they like the teacher and want me to go with him.

Wed. 17 [August 1887]: Winfield's, Marion's and Houtz' folks all came over Sunday. Part of them wanted to go to Uel's and part to Petersburgh [sic]; after contending awhile we all went to Uel's. Andrew Linneaus came down just before we started. He and Winfield went over to see Winfield's calves and Huldy rode with Marion's.

As we were going (of course Teacher sit [sic] by me) he said "I wonder were Wm. is?"[;] and I thought of what Wm. said the night before. He said he knew the Teacher was going to pop the question and he was going to ride on the reach of the wagon and listen.

Mary was sick, but she got up when we got there. Louisa had gone to Sunday School with Samantha but finally they came home.

After dinner I proposed to go after grapes. Samantha, Teacher and I were down in the grove, so Teacher called George down and introduced him to Samantha and we made them walk together. We went about a mile and had lots of fun.

George climbed a tree after grapes and Samantha commenced to sing "Little robin in the tree, sing a song to me" and George tried to mimic a robin. Finally he said "Look out for your bodies," and down he came with a grapevine. After we got the pail full and a lot of vines beside, we started home, but it was so warm we sit [sic] down to rest and Samantha commenced to sing again "We're marching onward to Zion," and Teacher said, "I thought I heard some such monkey-squalking when I came past the school house." Such a fine compliment!

He rubbed grapes all over my face and they made lots of fun when we got back. Mrs. Myers, Winfield and Andrew were there. Effie said Mrs. Myers asked her "Where is Emma and her flitter?" Samantha was mad because we made her walk with George; she wanted to walk with Teacher. Teacher and I rode with Marion's folks home and they coaxed me to go home with them, so I went.

Teacher came over Monday and yesterday dug in the cave. He is going back to Ill. this week.

I saw Ed yesterday morning off a ways. I thought Al was along, but it was doomed to disappointment.

I helped teacher dig yesterday in the cave and he helped me dig potatoes. Last night, after he went home[,] George and I made a plan[:] we was going to dig out a pumpkin and put a light in it and put it in the weeds, in the ravine, to scare Teacher when he went home tonight. George said he bet he would blink like a toad in a bran barrel. Effie and I laughed till we ached to hear him talk.

Teacher is awfully jealous. Monday, George and I were standing by the window telling our fortunes, when in came the Teacher and saw us, and how quickly a frown took the place of his usal [sic] sweet smile! He was mad again this morning because George told me not to forget what he said last night.

We met Pap and Mamma, Eugene and Laura, going after hoke cherries. Marion drove to the house to see Wm. for Teacher about going to Lockwoods tomorrow. Wm. is sick abed [sic] today.

I was just going to change my dress when I saw Uel coming and I went to the door. He said the baby was sick and I went with him over where Mamma was and she came back and went home with him.

Olsen's folks thought I was married Sunday because so many teams were here, Ta Ta.

Thu. 18 [August 1887]: Mamma isn't home yet, and I don't know what to do. Teacher came over this forenoon and is here yet and bids fair to stay forever! But I shouldn't be cross, as this is his farewell visit till Spring.

Ethel was here most of the day and helped me get dinner. I wouldn't be mad only we haven't got any kerosine and the lazy boys won't get any and what will we do for a light?

Well, he has taken his leave, and before dark too. He rode with Winfield. He didn't bid me good[-]bye but he coaxed me to go to Miller's with he and Wm. tomorrow. I wouldn't promise to go for awhile and he said, "I can't go away without saying something to you. It would be like jumping off a bank into the river." Humph! I know what that means. I wish I could see Effie, but whenever I speak of Al to her, she says he is only an excuse of mine.

Sat. 20 [August 1887]: We took Teacher to Miller's yesterday. We went through Petersburg[;] there are about 30 buildings in it, I guess. We ate dinner at Miller's. After dinner Teacher and I went out to look at the garden[;] we couldn't find any ripe tomatoes or watermelons so we stood in the shade of a cottonwood tree and talked.

He said "I would have died if you hadn't come to school this summer Emma," and I said "Dying isn't so easy as that." He squirmed awhile and said "I got acquainted with a girl at college but she went home and I am getting kind of weened [sic] now." I didn't look at him and he went on "Blamed if I don't hate to see you go back! I know I will be awful lonesome." But after all he didn't get around to say what I knew he wanted to, for Wm. and Laura Miller came and we had to go to the house. Laura picked me some flowers[;] she is a little girl eleven years old. I like her awful well.

We went up to Lockwoods then[;] there is a girl there about fifteen, named Hattie. She hung around the Teacher a good deal but he didn't notice her much. Wm. said, when we were coming home[,] that she would go back with Teacher for a dollar and a half, and he said "I haven't got that much money, but if I had I wouldn't take her, but if I had two dollars I would take Emma."

Teacher didn't get out of the wagon when we got back to Miller's[;] he rode on a piece with us. He gave Wm. ten cents to get me some candy and said he would like to kiss me after I ate it. Wm. said he would wipe my mouth on a piece of paper and send it to him.

Well, we had to part sometime! so we shook hands and watched each other out of sight and it was all over. I can hardly think it will be six months before I will see him again. We have been together so much this summer. I didn't think I would care much. I can hardly wait to get a letter.

Mamma was home when I got there. She said Mary's baby was just alive and that was all. Winfield went to Oakdale today and will stay to Uel's tonight. Houtz' folks went to Neligh too and took George home.

Tues. 23 [August 1887]: Winfield, Huldy and Laura went to Oakdale today. Huldy is looking for her mother from Pawnee Co. and it is time they were coming. Huldy hasn't saw [sic] her mother for seven years; Oh, won't she be glad!

Marion and Effie and I went to Uel's last night. The baby is the most pitiful thing I ever saw. It suffers a good deal. Mrs. and Miss Miller and Jennie Carmichael came and Samantha and I laid down about eleven, but I had to listen to the other two girls, so I couldn't sleep. As near as I can recollect, this was the substance of their talk. (They were reading the paper.)

"Oh-h-h look here, te-he-he, isn't that funny?" "Oh, yes-s-s-hehe." "Oh my, this is about you Jenny." (She read a little verse.) Oh, now! it aint." "Yes it is." "Oh, how could you." And so on, giggle, giggle, until I went asleep. I slept all the rest of the night. Samantha and Miss Miller got up at one. Miss Miller isn't so silly as Jenny though, I guess.

I caught a cold last night too. We came home this morning. We met Will Lambert and Manie going over there. Houtz folks came home today and Mr. Houtz made me track across the mopped floor to shake hands. Nellie and Hattie are here, and bothering me as only children can.

Wed. 24 [August 1887]: It commenced to rain this afternoon and has drizzled all the rest of the day. I pieced on my crazy quilt. George Kesling came over and told us that Uel's baby was dead. It died about nine o'clock and will be buried tomorrow. Its funeral sermon will be preached at ten. Wm. went over and told Winfield, Marion and Houtz.

Fri. 26 [August 1887]: It rained nearly all day yesterday, so none of us could go to the funeral. It was cloudy and stormy all day today too. I wonder if Mr. Houtz went to Closter this week? It is time Teacher was writing. He will send my letters to Closter in care of Mr. Houtz, I suppose.

Sun. 28 [August 1887]: Winfield's, Marion's and Houtz were here today. Mrs. Smith is going home in a week. They had a good visit. Marion's and Houtz folks went home and Winfield, Roy, and Wm. went chicken hunting. Winfield took "little Emma" with him and told Eugene to tell Huldy, so she would [sic] worry; but Eugene went home without saying a word and when we missed her we were afraid she was lost. Mamma, Mrs. Smith, Pap, Huldy and I looked all over. Huldy was scared nearly to death. Finally she ran down to Eugene's and while she was gone the boys came with Emma, and I ran down to help Huldy carry the baby back.

Ethel came up and said Mrs. Olsen had left home and they didn't know where she had went. Houtz are going to Closter this week. I am glad, for now I will hear from "that Old Curmudgeon" that I don't like.

Thu. 1 Sep. [1887]: We are having a fine time tonight and last night too. It has rained so much, and so hard; and last night it leaked all over. I didn't wake up until my bed was full of water. My! Wm. lit the lamp and every now and then Mamma looked so comical I had to laugh at her. We dried the bed clothes today.

Marion and Uel came down about dinner. It commenced to rain again just after they started home, and now the floor is covered with water and the walls with mud. We have got the beds in the dryest [sic] corner of the bedroom, and the table under the ridge pole. I fished a loaf of bread, a dish of butter, and a crock of milk out of the safe and we are quite happy, especially me, sitting coiled up in a chair.

Huldy was telling me she heard that Hannah Whitten had a school, and was getting thirty-five dollars a month. Good for her!

Wed. 7 [September 1887]: Saturday, Winfield's folks and Pap, Mamma and I went up to Uel's. In the afternoon we went after grapes over where George, Samantha, Teacher, and I went. It made me lonesome to go over the grounds again to see the tree that George climed [sic]. Why can't good times last always, anyhow?

Sunday we all went to Marion's. Uel and Mary were there too. I got so mad at Laura, going over there. (Eugene and Laura rode with us.) She said that Teacher was deceifful, and lied, and I don't know what all she did say.

Uel, Mary, and I stayed all night to Effie's, and then Effie and I went home with them and we went graping again. I went off by myself to look for grapes and I hunted until I was so tired I could hardly walk, and when I got back they laughed at me because I was mad.

Marion came in as we were eating supper, and after supper us girls decided to take the spring bed to sleep on, so I jumped on it to keep it and then Uel and Marion jumped on and Effie came to my aid and we had an awful scuffle, and the baby cried so hard Effie had to take her and they took the bed. Mary named it The Battle of Bull's Run but finally thought she had better call it "Battle of Cow's Run."

Mary made Uel get out, finally[,] and as Marion wouldn't get out, us girls took another bed. Then Effie heard the horses kicking at the barn and Marion run him down to see to them, and then we jumped in the spring bed. When he came back he tried to pull Effie out and made the baby cry so again that Effie and Mary both got mad.

Mary tried to take the baby away from them. Finally Mary and I got out and went and slept by ourselves, and left them to fight it out. Everything was smooth by morning though and when we were coming home Effie and Marion made up their minds to go to Petersburg after noon. They eat [sic] dinner here and Pap, Mamma, and I went along.

Lizzie, Bertie and I stayed to Houtz though and we had a good time. Mrs. Houtz gave me the teacher's letter to read. He is busy threshing all the time he says. The folks got back from Petersburg just as it commenced to rain. They ate supper and then, as it had quit raining[,] we came home.

Wm., Roy, and Eugene went to Oakdale today. Eugene is going to sell his farm; the big goose!

Mon. 12 [September 1887]: It rained again last night, and this time it didn't spare our "dry corner." Mamma and I got up and dressed and got under the faithful ridge pole. I imagined we looked like the "grim statues" I have heard about. It is so funny to get leaked on; funny for me but not for the rest it seems for they are as cross as can be. Wm. and Roy have gone to Petersburgh [sic] for some tarred paper.

Yesterday was a lonely day. Nobody came; but Lewie and Eugene. Sat. Laura brought me two letters; from Parcey and Ella Lumbers, but none from Teacher. Well, he needn't to write! It makes but little difference to me. I never sought for his society, nor told him I would write. He made all the promises, so he may break them. "Out of sight, out of mind," is true, I see.

Sun. 18 [September 1887]: I went home with Effie and Marion Thu. evening. Friday, we went over to Houtz, to eat chicken. They were looking for threshers and they won't be there until Tuesday.

We went to Closter this morning, and just as we stopped by the store, Ed drove up. I leaned back in the seat and didn't speak and he bounced in the store, bought some tobacco and was off like a flash. Poor Dear! It was very sad to see his flaming cheeks and sad blue eyes!

Pap, Ma, Eugene, and Laura went to Winfield's and left me to get dinner soon as we got here, and we are going over there as quick as I write in here.

Tue. 20 [September 1887]: The threshers went over to Marion's this evening. The boys followed on Teacher's section and now Mr. Olsen can't go across. He can go neither North, West, nor South, unless he goes in the road.

Laura was so mean Sunday[;] she and Huldy, Mamma, and I went down to the garden to get some watermelons. We rode down the road with Marion and Effie, all except Laura; she picked all the good melons and skipped to the house and when we got there she had them all cut up, and then she took what we brought and cut them up for the men, and herself. I didn't care for the melons; it is the actions that show.