One hundred and thirty-five years ago, Ypsilanti’s Allie McCullough wrote you a letter. A long letter. One year long, detailing the life of a 16-year-old before Facebook, cell phones, and drivers’ licenses. Had she put off writing you, you’d never know her frustrations, hopes, and confidences—her 1874 diary, preserved in the Archives, details the last year of her life.Over the next year, Dusty Diary will present weekly verbatim transcripts from Allie’s diary. Some entries refer to vanished Ypsilanti events and institutions. That is your opportunity to write back to Allie, by leaving a question in the Comments section below, to which another kind reader likely knows the answer. Some entries seem petty, funny, or poignant--another chance for you to write to Allie in response to her thoughts of over a century ago.
Here begins her letter to you. Click on the images to see Allie's tiny 2 and 1/2 by 3 and 1/2-inch diary up close, including her May 1 entry shown here.
May 1 Fri. Stayed out of school this afternoon and wrote all of the afternoon for the paper and it is just splendid. Got all ready, ate my supper, and Carrie N. came[;] we’re just starting when Joe came. I dressed all in black. We had a pleasant but not very gay social. I read the minutes and then the paper. Everyone seemed to think it was gay.
May 2 Sat. Got up in the morning with a raging headache and ear ache, but did not say anything until almost nine o’clock, then I went to bed. Had a raging fever all day. No dinner, blisters on back and both feet. Carrie N. came down about dark. I felt a little better and had some supper.
May 3 Sun. Ear commenced running in the morning, ached very much all day. They all went riding in the afternoon.
May 4 Mon. Joe came down after school and told me all the news. Seemed to be very sorry I was sick.
May 5 Tues. Ear has been terrible today, but I slept most of the time or rather dozed. The doctor came. He said that it was very bad, one of the worst pain[s] anyone could have. A great deal worse than the tooth ache. Joe and Carrie came, but I was so bad that I could not see them. It almost kills me to have anyone talk or make any noise.
May 6 Wed. Not any of the girls have come today. I feel very lonesome. Am nearly crazy.May 7 Thurs. Carrie N. was here. I saw her and had a talk, but it made me worse. Joe came, but I could not see her.
May 8 Fri. Instead of going to Lyceum as usual, went to bed very early, head and ear pain me as much as ever. If I did not take powders, do not know that [what?] I should have done. Joe came tonight. I saw her and had quite a talk.
May 9 Sat. There have been several callers today. Feel a little better. Carrie did not come. I expected her though.
Have any questions, reflections, or thoughts? Please leave them in "Comments," below.
4 comments :
As a diarist, I am excited to hear there will be regular postings from Allie's diary. Looking forward to it with great anticipation. (My own diaries are in the Bentley.)
What a sad story, it seems she was sick everyday. I hope she had some good days during the last year.
Dear Lisele:
Thank you for your kind interest. Yep, weekly installments of Allie's diary are all set up to come out over the next year. We got off to a somewhat mundane start here BUT...what strikes me is the length of her illness.
There's no mention of seeing a doctor or getting a knockout antibiotic (which weren't available then). She's suffering from what sounds like an ear infection for a WEEK! Pure misery!
The only mention she makes of any medicines are the "powders" she alludes to. Of course, this was the age of patent medicines and all sorts of whacko "cures" often concocted in some entrepreneur's back shed. So who knows what dubious "medicines" she ingested in hopes of a cure for her misery. It was also an age when heroin was a medicine sold over-the-counter.
Poor Allie!
Dear James:
She did have some good days during her last year, as we shall see. But what is a "good day" by 1874 standards? Is it similar to 2009 standards, or different? We will find out.
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