August 1831

Monday August 1, 1831 Aunt Smart has gone to Wells Beach with Emily Ann and thinks of being gone a week. Abigail Garland keeps house. She was taken sick this afternoon.

Tuesday August 2, 1831 Abigail has been very sick all day. Uncle had to get another girl. What luck!

Wednesday August 3, 1831 Aunt came home today with Emily Ann sick. She is in a peck of trouble now and very fretful.

Thursday August 4, 1831 We have a plenty of rain all along. Mr. Upham of Portsmouth cow-skinned Mr. Senator Hill this week at Exeter. No one can say but what this is a disgraceful and cowardly attack although there is no doubt but what Mr. Hill deserved it. Upham has lowered himself much in the eyes of the public and injured the cause of his own party. I have no doubt of his being a smuggler. He has withdrawn his suit from court and paid costs. No jury could ever agree upon the case. Going home tomorrow. Doct. was very liberal to me, he has been doctoring me three[ed. actually 2] weeks and charged me nothing. I am under a debt of gratitude to him.

Friday August 5, 1831 Started in stage for Chichester. After taking the Concord line there was no one in stage besides myself except a young lady named Charlotte, who lives at Mrs. Evan's in Concord. I was formerly acquainted with her at Concord. Portsmouth turnpike is the dullest road I ever travelled in my life. Took dinner at Northwood.

Chichester Saturday August 6, 1831 Haying is amazingly delayed on account of bad weather.

Sunday August 7, 1831 Sunday is a very wearisome day by reason of no meetings.

Monday August 8, 1831 Father is no miller, a situation which he by no means likes. It is very hard, I think, that a man cannot work at his trade unmolested by reason of debt but must be taken and dragged to prison where they cannot pay but contracts debt. For two years Father has been trying to bring his creditors to a settlement, but all endeavours have been useless with a few, who are determined to distress him to the utmost. "Tis a pity" that Justice cannot be rendered.

Tuesday August 9, 1831 It is now the busiest part of haying. I am told that hay will not be so good by much as it was last year, so much wet weather has made it rather spongy or soaked with water. A proper degree of wet and dry weather is necessary for all the productions of nature and when a greater proportion of either is experienced things must suffer. Wet has predominated this year and many productions have been injured, as wheat and rye in quantity, while others as hay, corn and potatoes have overplus[s]ed over other years while they are much decreased in quality. Such, I think, is the case.

Wednesday August 10, 1831 The pain in my side is not wholly cured but is much better than when I went to Somersworth.

Thursday August 11, 1831 I am very anxious to pursue my studies but I am afraid that I shall not be able at present, if at all.

Friday August 12, 1831 Rode down to Epsom to see Dickey horseback and it almost killed me. Dickey is Rusticus now but is going to [be] studying soon at New Hampton. In the winter he will keep school and enter college in the spring, he tells me. His home is the picture of rural life, situated among the mountains on a fertile peice of land made so by the efforts of their industry.

Saturday August 13, 1831 The Poles who have thus far met with good success in their unequal struggle are still nobly contending for liberty. Every American can well sympathize with them and wish them success if debar[r]ed from giving them farther aid. 'Tis a good cause and I hope will prosper.

Sunday August 14, 1831 Religion is at a low ebb in this town and I have got on a level with others. How deplorable it is to see Christians degenerating so as they do and seeking the beggarly elements of this world.

Monday August 15, 1831 Rainy. I talk some of going to Newburyport with a load of butter and oats if I can buy some butter. I [am] almost afraid to run the risk.

Tuesday August 16, 1831 Hazy. Went to Abraham Marden's auction in Epsom. It is hard to see all that a man has taken and sold and him left destitute but so it is and must be so, I suppose. While the sheriff was selling, another writ was served on him and the poor man was in a "peck of trouble." I really pitied him while his wife but a few days before run away from him, and refused to come back.

Wednesday August 17, 1831 Bought [from] Nathl. Leavey 374 pds. butter at ten cts. and Fellows and I started for Newburyport tonight. I have been sick all day with a sour stomack but I hardly ever under-went more than did tonight with pain. I was sore all over, felt as though I had been pounded. I have Capt. Shaw's horse. I would have given my load if I could have been at home again. At light we were down in Raymond.

Thursday August 18, 1831 Arrived in N-port about eleven o'clock and staid in market all day but could not sell the butter at no price. Got 42 cts. for oats. This is the poorest looking place I ever saw. Wharves deserted and store houses empty and rotting down through neglect. N-port has been going down for many years and I think will continue for all that I would do for them. There never was a finer situation for a handsome town if laid out well, but sufficient care was not used. I couldnt either sell [or] give my butter away but had to leave it with Hopkinson for sale. Merchants in general, instead of being accomadating and pleasant, are stiff and morose, but they very much "miss it," a pleasant disposition only suits those who buy.

Friday August 19, 1831 Arrived at home by way of Exeter and Nottingham. It is a very hilly road after leaving Epping. Mr. Lane and Osgood are at work repairing the mill.

Saturday August 20, 1831 Paid Mr. Nott. Leavey $33.40 in part for my butter. I think that my first speculation has turned out rather small. I shall probably lose a number of dollars on it. So it happens that every setting out in life is "nipped" at first to learn him how to do in afterlife.

Sunday August 21, 1831 Dull day to me.

Monday August 22, 1831 I shall go to N-port again in a short time.

Tuesday August 23, 1831 My health is pretty good except a pain in my right side. Doct. Hill gave me some flies to draw a blister with.

Wednesday August 24, 1831 Applied the flies to my side and passed a very tedious day. Nothing has so much relieved me as blisters and therefore I have great faith in the efficacy of them in cases of pain. Doct. thinks that the pain in my side is not caused by the liver complaint but some other disease.

Thursday August 25, 1831 I have often wished that I had never been born in Chichester. I hate the name with perfect hatred. Some respectable men live here, it is true, but the majority is hawkers or dishonest men, enemies to all good society and improvement in civilisation. It is a singular fact that ever since I have come to years of understanding I have chosen some abode rather than my native home in Chichester. Even home does not seem sweet when situated here.

Friday August 26, 1831 I saw Collins when he came from N. Hampton and he told me he thought of going to Dartmouth College. I wish I could go with him to that old seat of learning and literature but Providence so orders that I shall not at present. I doubt very much whether my health will ever be so good as it has been.

Saturday August 27, 1831 George Moore has been sick for nearly a year with the "Black Jaundice." I think it doubtful if he lives long without get cured. Like many other folks he has neglected medical aid too long, till now he is nearly past recovery. He has a dreadful cough.

Sunday August 28, 1831 I feel pretty well now but still I am not well and hav[n]t been since I was first taken sick in Jan[uar]y. I still hope to regain my health again soon.

Monday August 29, 1831 How can a person live happy in this world without a preparation for the next? The dread realities, futurity, must sometimes take hold of them with force. This life would not be worth living for me without religion. It smooths all the asperities of life and brings us to [at] the close of it joy unspeakable.

Tuesday August 30, 1831 It is painful to see a young man setting out in life, neglecting his business and getting himself involved in debt. It often causes intemperance and the ruin of a promising family. I was led to these remarks from what I have lately seen in a certain neighbor. In other respects than neglect of his own business I cannot say but what he is a worthy man, but it is certainly to be feared he will injure himself greatly.

Wednesday August 31, 1831 What a dull uninteresting life I lead here! No meetings, schools, society nor "no nothing." We only stay here. I do hope we never shall stay here another year. I could not, I think.