Life in the Past Excerpts from Nelson Hicks' journal at Hix Holme, South Bay December, 1899 Fri. 1 Rained all day afraid it going to spoil the roads. Sun. 3 Mary E and Emmet here to day nice and warm out. Looks as if we were going to have a spell of nice weather. Tue. 5 After dinner Archie and I went up to Jake's after we got up there it commenced to snow. And I never seen it snow much harder. Nelse and Annie Maud where there. Wed. 6 Archie and I where at Jakes finding in the morming about 12 inches of snow. Archie and I went over to Picton foolish enough to go with the buggy and every one driving cutters. Archie got a new relster $7.00 Thur. 14 Pa and Ma went up to Nelse Ostrander leaving me alone. Archie got home two oclock most froze. He'd been to Picton hasent been felling very well for a while back and went to the Doctor. Dr. tell him his liver is out of order and not to work for a while. Fri. 15 Some snow this morning some driving cutters again. Pa and Ma not home yet. Archie was quite sick all night. Wish some one would come in and bake up some thing to eat. Getting pretty well out of eatebles. Sat. 16 Pa and Ma got home about twelve oclock time enough to get dinner. Archie some better to day. Mon. 18 Quite warn all the snow leaving again. After din- ner I went up to the Black Smiths shop got the Buggy shaft fixed. Tue. 19 Watter laying every where this morning must of rain all night. I was out to the church to day helping deco- rate it. and a pair of Boots $3.75. Thu. 7 Archie and I come home come Wed. 20 I went out to the church after dinner finished decorating the down with Jake's cutter. Sleighing just fine come very quick. I went down to Mr. Spaffords after a Bull calf that Jake bought of Mrs. L Spafford. Fr. 8 We killed the Hog to day. Could- n't get barrel big enough to scald him m. He weighed after being dressed 5231bs. Jake was down after his calf. Dan around after his cutter. Sat. 9 I was down after Jack for league last night. Very sorry to hear Mirt loosing her watch going or com- ing from school. To day it's been quite cold. Emmet and Mary E here to nigh They say the sleighing is excelent from Picton. Sun. 10 Emmet and I went down to John Dulmage, Emmet went after his cutter. John give me and old mare and § church it looks fine. Thr. 21 A very nice crowd at the Carman. Made $43.60 the night was excellent but the roads were very muddy. Fri. 22 Emmet and Mary Ellen here to day. After dinner we all went down to Mirts Examination. Quite a nice number out, every- thing went off fine. The School presented Mirt with a lovely butter dish. Emmet and I went down after the cow that Dave hive him. Dec. 24 Sunday Rained all the four noon then turned to snow and snowed all the after noon. About four oclock I went down to Mirts. Dec. 25 Christmas I was at Cap. Emmet fetched her up. I stayed at Johns till after dinner then come up to Corkers very much pleased to learn Nelson's son, Wrex with his mother, Myrtle Hicks Spafford's. Took my dinner at Marsh's helping eat a nice big Tur- key. It was a very rough day never stop snowing the day threw. that Mirt had found her watch. Mon. 11 Lost all of our good sleighing all the snow is going Dec. 26 Still snowing and now there is about eighteen and rained all day to day. Emmet and Mary E here. Made the Sour Crout. Tue. 12 No snow to be seen this morning but a flood of watter. It has rained most all day. Wed. 13 Archie took Mary E and Emmet over home, went with the Democrate. inches on the level. Maggie Walker Funeral Serman was preached to day at the Carman. The church was filled all that could be seated nicely down stairs. She was then taken to Picton and burried. It has snowed all day. Pa and I had a big time getting the Geese out of the Bay. Continued on page 19