June 1, 1880 -- Tuesday
The weather was very pleasant in the forenoon, and in fact all day. There was a little shower of rain in the afternoon but did not amount to much. It rained almost all night. I passed the day very pleasantly in our school. John Baker and I had made arrangements to go to see Morrow Biggs, who is terribly inflicted with rheumatism, but on account of the threatening appearances of the weather we did not go. We were at the school play-ground in the eve, after school and played a game of croquet. We then went into the school-house and wrote part of a communication for the Valley Spirit on our trip to Mt. Parmell. I received two letters on the evening, one from Howard L. Shetter, the other from Annie.

June 2, 1880 -- Wednesday
The weather was very pleasant, got somewhat cloudy toward evening, but cleared off again in the evening. I passed the day very pleasantly in school. I was a little out of humor in the last recitation. I said something and one of the others spoke up and talked as though I knew nothing of the subject at hand. The question was "What is the focal date. J.C. McCleary and J.A. Baker and I were at the school-house in the evening, and finished writing the piece for the Valley Spirit and sent it off. We were also watching a party of croquet-players, after we had the piece written. I wrote a letter in the evening to Howard Shetter.

June 3, 1880 -- Thursday
The weather was very pleasant. I passed the day in school very pleasantly. Our school will now soon terminate. The time will appear very short. This week and two days almost will elapse almost before I will be aware of it. J.A. Baker was here a while in the evening. We went up to the stable where there was some good stories told, the one that capped the climax was about "The charge on Fort Sumter." John took one of my recitation books along up, and he is going to get a piece to read by Saturday, as we are going to have school on that day, on account that the school-directors and other township officers will be occupying the house on that day.

June 4, 1880 -- Friday
The weather was very pleasant. I passed the day very pleasantly in school. Charlie and Dan were only in, in the afternoon. They were not very well in the forenoon. One of our teachers, Mr. Gillan was sick too, so he could not be present. Some of our larger scholars took charge of his classes in the forenoon and Mrs. Gillan taught in the afternoon. J.A. Baker and J.C. McCleary played a game of croquet with John Hicks and me, and they were beat out by us. The game was a very interesting one, and took a good while to play it. I sent off a letter off about noon to Annie. I was up street again in the evening, thought there was band practice, but there was not.

June 5, 1880 -- Saturday
The weather was pleasant, although somewhat cloudy in the forenoon, looked as though it would rain, but it cleared off. I passed part of the day, as the school-house will be used for the purpose of the organization of the new school-board, the teachers thought it advisable to teach to-day. The school was dismissed at three o'clock. There were exercises of a literary character in the afternoon, but the only spectator was Mrs. Gillan. I was up street in the evening, played a game of croquet with Charlie McCleary, John Hicks, and Wash Walter, but I was beat. The Democrats of this Twp. held the nomination of delegates in the school-house in the evening. This is, I suppose, our last Saturday in this place for a while.

June 6, 1880 -- Sunday
The weather was very clear and pleasant the greater part of the day, was somewhat cloudy about noon. I was at the Reformed Sunday School in the forenoon. There was quite a large turnout. There was preaching at the Lutheran church by Rev. Shertz, but I was not in attendance. Charlie and I took a walk in the afternoon. We were out in the woods, on this side of Frank Crider's. I was at the Methodist church in the evening, and heard a super-fine sermon by Rev. J.R. Shipe. He is an awful preacher -- did not stick to his text at all, hardly. Our chum Charlie availed himself of his last opportunity of being with a lady.

June 7, 1880 -- Monday
The weather was very clear and pleasant. I passed the forenoon mostly in Martin's store. There was no school in the forenoon, owing to the house being used for the directors. There was school in the afternoon, just for the advanced class. I was there. I was playing croquet in the evening after school. There was quite an assembly here in the evening, viz: G.D. Miller, F.H. Miller, J.A. Sellers, Saml. Maxheimer, Cal. Wolff, Doc. Beams, John Hicks, Bruce Martin, & others. We passed the evening very pleasantly. Some of us got on the outside, and told stories until about eleven o'clock. There were some good ones told. I am sorry our time for this place is getting so short. I would like to stay.

June 8, 1880 -- Tuesday
The weather was quite pleasant, got somewhat cloudy in the afternoon. There was a large halo around the sun, about noon. This was a phenomenon that I never before witnessed. I passed the day very pleasantly in school. We had three reviews in the afternoon: Physical and Descriptive Geography and History. I was at the playground after school, and Bruce and Elmer Martin and I beat Jno. Hicks, Jno. Baker and Charlie McCLeary in a game of croquet. Uncle Cal., Charlie, Jno Baker and I were at the house of our teacher, Mr. Gillan in the evening, at which place we spent a very pleasant evening. Dan Hoover was out hunting "Dear," again. He could not wait till Friday eve, But I guess he will put that evening in too.

June 9, 1880 -- Wednesday
The weather was somewhat cloudy, and a south wind prevailed the greater part of the day which will, I think, bring rain. I passed the day very pleasantly in school. Our time is getting very short. We devoted part of the day, or during the period of Methods of Instruction, in rehearsing some of our dialogues for next Friday. I suppose we will have big times. I was at the playground after school, and played or rather tried to play a game of croquet. Dan Hoover was playing also, and got mad and made me some very insulting remarks, which insulted me. I was at Martin's store in the evening. There was teachers meeting in the church in the evening.

June 10, 1880 -- Thursday
The weather was damp and cloudy all day, rained a little last night, but did not amount to much. I passed the day in our school. We had two reviews, one on Grammar the other on Civil Government. We took our recitation for the last time from Uncle Cal for this term, and Uncle made us a nice little address. Our piece which we had written appeared in the Valley Spirit and it took Hoover. I was at the school ground in the evening, and played a game of croquet. There was quite a crowd here again in the evening, Missis Gillan, Walck, Kriner, Miller, Maxheimer, Martin, Cell, and a number of others, some of them stayed till about eleven o'clock.

June 11, 1880 -- Friday
The weather was changeable. There was quite a heavy gust in the morning, accompanied by thunder and lightning, and in the afternoon, it got extremely warm. I was at school in the forenoon, passed most of the time rehearsing our part for the exercises this afternoon. Our closing was very pleasant. The exercises consisted of Reading, Declamation, Dialogues and addresses. There was a very large audience present, and all seemed very well pleased. John Baker and I were out to see  Morrow Bigger in the evening. He was one of our old school-mates in 1876, and has since been confined by Rheumatism. After we came back we went to Gillans, where there was a party given in honor of the students who are about to depart.

June 12, 1880 -- Saturday
The weather was very sultry in the forenoon, and about 3 o'clock it rained a little some pretty heavy gusts passed around, it got quite pleasant after the rain. Pap came up to St. Thomas to take us home. We started from St. Thomas about four o'clock, and arrived here in the Dutch Settlement about six. We came in Leander Wildeson's two-horse spring-wagon. Charlie stayed all night with us. Our brief sojourn has now come to a close, and I am sorry, for I enjoyed myself extremely while in that place, so did the others. I hope we may have many times together yet. We were just getting acquainted rightly. I presented my old watch to Jacob in the evening, and he was very much pleased.

June 13, 1880 -- Sunday
The weather was very warm in the forenoon, but in the afternoon we were visited by quite a gale, accompanied by with rain, thunder and lightning. It cleared off very nicely again before evening. I had the sick headache in the morning when I first got up. Mr. McCleary and his wife and Alice were here, passed the day, and took Charlie along home. I suppose he will feel homesick for St. Thomas for a few days. Jake was at Etters School-house and at Leshers. -- Dunkard meeting and Sunday school. There was singing at the New Franklin School-house in the evening by Jos. Pfoutz, but I was not in attendance. I passed a very happy and pleasant evening with Miss Annie.

June 14, 1880 -- Monday
The weather was quite pleasant all day, got somewhat cloudy towards evening and rained almost all night. I cannot put in now that I passed the day at school, for alas! those happy days have passed on toward eternity and only the recollections and the benefits which have been acquired are left as indelible stamps on the memory. I felt as it were homesick all day. Leaving St. Thomas was a harder task for me, than leaving home to go there was. Ten weeks have now passed since we went there, almost as strangers, but have now left behind us hosts of friends to welcome us back, whenever we wish to go.

June 15, 1880 -- Tuesday
The weather was very inclement all day, rained most of the time. This was indeed a bad sort of a hay-day. I was at home in the forenoon, passed the time reading and studying, after we got our dinner Pap and I went down to Uncle Henry Snyders, and were mowing until  it began to rain. We then came home and Pap went to town. He bought a fly net, and for me a pencil tablet, which I intend to use at the examination this fall. I will note down some rules in it &c. Jacob was in New Franklin in the afternoon and bought home the pair of pants which Mother got, and Aunt Hannah made. This is my birthday. I am now 18 years old.

June 16, 1880 -- Wednesday
The weather was very pleasant all day, rained a little in the morning, but then cleared off, and was very pleasant. Pap and I went down to Uncle Hen's and put in three-fourths of a day mowing. I thought I would have to give up in the forenoon, but nevertheless I stood it the whole day, and I expect to work the whole of haying and harvest. I once looked at Mt. Parnell, and my thoughts wandered back to the very pleasant day I spent there almost three weeks ago. I received a letter from Uncle Charles, in the evening. It was directed to Hoover and me, and is full of fun, has a good one on a lady from St. Thomas.

June 17, 1880 -- Thursday
The weather was very pleasant all day, and clear. It was a right good hay-day, but still was very pleasant to work. Pap and I were at Uncle Hen's all day. Andy Smith and I were mowing the greater part of the day. Pap was ploughing corn. He went out to the back field after dinner, and stirred the hay which we cut yesterday, so that it will dry sooner. Jacob was in town in the forenoon, went in with Mr. Conrad Peiffer and came out with David Bonebreak. He was in New Franklin in the evening and got the Valley Spirit from Uncle Jake, and in it is a long article by Uncle Charles about our closing exercises last Friday.

June 18, 1880 -- Friday
The weather was very fine for making hay. The sun shone all day, and his rays fell with a great deal of power. I went to New Franklin in the morning for Uncle Hen and got from G.S. Coover a dozen malleable nails. After I got down with them, we went out to the back field, and spent the day there making hay. We took up all of the first rakings except one load. It is now one week since our "blessed old school" in St. Thomas closed. Oh, how I wish I could be in school again, instead of being in the hayfield. I would much rather spend my evenings playing croquet as I used to. Jacob was ploughing corn the greater part of the day.

June 19, 1880 -- Saturday
The weather was clear and warm all day, looked, in the evening as though it would rain. I was down at Uncle Hen Snyders helping to make hay. We finished in the back field and got in most of the other one. He has still another field to make, but will defer it until after harvest. There were strangers at Uncle Hen's all night, -- Hannah Zumbro and Will Zumbro's two children, Howard and Edith, from Greenvillage. This day it is three weeks since we were at Mt. Parnell, and one week since I came home from school. I have now spent three days and three-quarters in the hayfield and will get at least three dollars and three quarters to sport on.

June 20, 1880 -- Sunday
The weather was quite warm and got a little cloudy in the afternoon and evening. I spent the greater part of the forenoon writing letters. I wrote six, to J.J. Kriner, J.C. Walck, J.N. Baker, Bruce M. Martin, Uncle Chas and Aunt Sue. Dan Hoover was here a while in the forenoon. Jacob was at the Hill in the forenoon at Sunday School. I was at Leshers school house in the afternoon, attending Sunday school of which Thos. Bovey is superintendent. There was quite a large crowd in attendance. I took Miss Annie to the New Franklin school-house in the evening. There was singing by J.A. Pfoutz, and the house was filled to its utmost capacity.

June 21, 1880 -- Monday
The weather was quite warm and toward evening it got cloudy, and the sun disappeared almost invisible. Jacob and I opened out our two grain-fields, ready for the reaper, when it comes. The wheat will be very hard to cut this year, for it is very much straw-broken. Pap was at Uncle Henry Snyders in the forenoon, ploughing corn, and in the afternoon he brought the mower up and mowed the grass of our little field. We harvested our crop of rye in the evening by moonlight. Pap had said that Jake and I should cut it to-morrow but we got at it after sundown, and finished it up. This day five weeks ago I returned to St. Thomas after the Nunnery.

June 22, 1880 -- Tuesday
The weather was warm and somewhat cloudy, but did not rain. I do not think that many days will elapse before we will have rain. Pap was at Uncle Hen's in the morning, and helped to load two small loads of hay. We then came up and we hauled in the hay off of our fields, which kept us till quite late in the evening. Our hay-mow is now pretty nearly full, and we will have a little to make after harvest, which will begin at Uncle Hen's to-morrow morning. To-morrow it will be ten months since I got my buggy. Many a pleasant trip did I have in it since that time with different ladies in different places.

June 23, 1880 -- Wednesday
The weather was very warm all day, and in the afternoon there was some appearance for rain. I was at Uncle Henry Snyders, helping to harvest. Andy Smith, Hiram Fleck, Charley and George Dysert and I cut the rye, which was ninety-six shocks, Uncle Hen and Pat were ploughing corn. I suppose we will run the reaper to-morrow afternoon. This day I earned another dollar and perhaps a quarter to sport on, and I expect to use the most of it for that purpose. I received a letter from Aunt Sue in the evening. The folks in St. Thomas are well. This is hard writing, but it is owing to my being very tired.

June 24, 1880 -- Thursday
The weather was very warm. The sun poured his scorching rays down upon us with very great power. I was at Uncle Henry Snyders helping to harvest. In the forenoon we opened out two fields for the reaper, and in the afternoon we were cutting with the reaper, and four of us followed but three could have followed quite easily. I was very tired when evening came and as the saying is "was pretty well bushed." D.G. Hoover, one of my old school chums of two weeks ago, was here a while in the evening, he came over for his mail. [?]e almost played out too, at Otis Millers.

June 25, 1880 -- Friday
The weather was somewhat warm. It was cloudy in the morning and appeared as though we would have rain, but it cleared off, and got very warm about noon. There was quite a heavy gust, accompanied by thunder and lightning in the afternoon. I was at Uncle Hens harvesting, got along better than yesterday. Mother and Jacob were at Wertzs in the afternoon, picking cherries. Jacob was there all night, and will go along with them to Chambersburg to attend market to-morrow morning. He took some rhubarb and eggs, &c. We opened out the field at the woods. It is now two weeks since our school ended.

June 26, 1880 -- Saturday
The weather was changeable. It was quite pleasant in the forenoon, somewhat cloudy. It cleared off about noon, and got hot, if I may use the hyperbole. There was a very heavy gust about supper time, which stopped our harvesting for this day. We put in three-quarters of a day harvesting at Uncle Henry Snyders. Jacob was with Wertzs to market in the morning, and got for his produce fifty cents. I came home from Snyders after supper, and shaved, washed &c, and passed part of the evening posting this, my diary, not having posted since Wednesday. Harvest time is a bad time to keep a diary. I do not feel like writing after a day's work.

June 27, 1880 -- Sunday
The weather was quite pleasant, after the rain. There were several rains passed around, but did not rain any here. I was at home in the fore-noon, sleeping part of the time and gathering raspberries to eat around Jake Snyders fields. I was at Leshers school-house in the afternoon. There was Sunday school and an anniversary. There were three addresses made by Rev. Reckler, Mr. Sollenberger and W.A. Dysert. Quite a large crowd was in attendance. I was at the New Franklin school-house in the evening. There was singing by J.A. Pfoutz, but I thought it was dull.

June 28, 1880 -- Monday
The weather was very pleasant. The sun was very hot or rather shone very warmly, but there was a nice wind prevailed, which made work go very well. I was at Uncle Henry Snyders helping to harvest.  We have about two days yet, and then I think we can see through our harvest for this year. Posting a diary after a hard day's work does not do very well, as my writing on this page will show. Jacob was at Uncle Hens in the evening, took Dysert's shirts down and was bit by the dog. Aunt Hannah, Edith, and Hannah Zumbro were here.

June 29, 1880 -- Tuesday
The weather was somewhat changeable. The sun shone very brightly at times, and again was hid by clouds. In the afternoon, several showers of rain went around, and the evening looked like an evening in the fall of the year. I was at Uncle Henry Snyders harvesting. We finished in the field away back at the woods, and then came to the field at this end of the farm, and finished in it. We have only a little bit of wheat to cut yet at Uncle Hens. The worst part of this harvest will soon be over. I received a letter from Bruce Martin, from St. Thomas, in the evening. It was overlooked last evening.

June 30, 1880 -- Wednesday
The weather was very pleasant all day and the sun shone brightly. We harvested our crop here at home. Some of Uncle Hen's hands came up here and helped us. Those who came were, C.B. Dysert, Geo. Dysert, H.A. Fleck, and Uncle Hen himself, and we cut it in half a day with the reaper. I was caught twice. My harvest as far as cutting wheat is concerned has now drawn to a close, and I am not a little glad. Dyserts boys Jake and I were at the Conococheague creek in the afternoon and took a "regular old-fashioned" harvest bath. Jacob was in New Franklin in the evening and got me a letter from Uncle Charles.

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