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Bill Akins Journal |
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1855—1857 |
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Pages 38 - 48 |
Page 38Though the gentry some proud aires should assume to which we would in vane aspire. Should stick up their nose in vulgarer prose. Fits laugh and stick our a pig higher Undoubtedly insue. Though I had rather do that business than to follow that everlasting cow-striping business which I was wat to do in olden time when I did not know any better and before I entirely discarded my Farmer character. Now I have cast my lot among the heather as it seems that we all have one ________ poor miserable mortals that we are. Have we wandered so far from the path of rectitude & degerated in to this cursed of all swamps where a shadow of refinement seldom, if ever interes. But what undaunted courage we posess. Reader we have the soul to face. I troup of frowning misgevious & the ability to do many other
Page 39Roseville March 15th 1857 Today arose at 7 ½ oclock am breakfasted on pork and tater, coffee & Nutcakes ---shifted clothes – shaved – cut hair – shot my double bareled gun – read Dr. Eastmans hurang on the location of County seat – read a novel in my Philoponena about the spicolator – very good – fixed the mulles to my saw – made a bar head and in the afternoon went up to Henry Lawtons with Wm Swatman & Ger Wolaver and got some new sugar & his daughter warmed it for us. Came back, eat supper in the evening went down to Charles Brown’s had an interesting chat with Miss H L and with Jewitt. Got home at 10 in the time retired at 12 this night. Take therefore no thought of the morrow for sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. Bill
Page 40Roseville March 8th 1857 City affairs are flourishing. The Mill is runing this Sunday. I was idle two days last week, Thursday and Friday. This day being Sunday I work my usual tour in consideration of the benefits & Hatch’s involvement. I have been rather to indulgent to my self this morning eat harty of hash for breakfast and I am to guilty to be comfortable. Very unpleasant today, the weather is rain and billous But the gloomy days will soon see when sader thoughts will fill the place of onew much more gloomy. 10 oclock am Bill
6 ½ ocl P.M. March 8th 1857 Again I renew my sad lay – and foreboding have been my thought the past 2 hours have been any thing but pleasant – the regret of things done and past – irrevocable gone to the shades and are not to be recovered nor do I desire to live them over again if they were to be such as they were, even the pleasentest
Page 41Would be disagreeable with my present knowledge of the world. Hours, many times hang heavy on my mind, though when considering I have not got to go the same tine over again – but _______ tis not worth the thought much less the trouble of writing. Bill
March 5th 1857 Roseville Today got news from home Savoring of health of home friends and also of their prosperity – but town news rather unpleasant than otherwise – the last of my _______ sires has payed the deft at nature gone to the shades that perhapse is endless – Missing or Pappyness. This afternoon am going after more sugar. BILL
Page 42Roseville January 4th 1857 W. Akins The last of 56 passed off agreeable to me & in accordance with my best wishes. Christmas went up to Robertsis in the town of Wright to a Shindig had a regular rip van winkle boulevard time of it. New Years was still pleasanter. Two days and one night and $7 constituted our time and money. Some notable characters at the Ball a curious conglomerent of collars and a compound of all smells and shapes. Mis stub toe & round fraunt with calahoosy and her nip and tuck we our gal – paid and New Years spent in excruciating snuffs of dust which did cause some of them to pucker their nose some. Bob, War, Bil compased our bill. With _______ Vira and
Page 43Libum the last in some peoples estimation was Boafunkum and sure tis so. The weather now is very fine with snow about three feet or less with no sun at all. But then are going to have a Railroad runing by here by and by and then we think molases will be cheaper then now then bread will be softer. BIL Akins
Page 44Rosevile Nov 23, 1856 The past week has been one of thrilling events & one that made poor sinners tremble in their boots. The disasters of the City commenced with the death of one of our neighbors Silas A Randall. Next the slaughter of two of our fat hogs. And lastly on Friday night the wind did howl and blow – and Thanksgiving came on the same day of the fourth week which gave us more than an ordinary roll of the effects of Shakespeare in these parts which was beyond all odds in our arithmetic. Passing strange & eventful in our history of Swampeeby & one that will be remembered a long time.
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Page 45?????? 1856 change made in the little clearing around the house, the old man and Irishman have loged it all off and it looks like the garden of Eden to what it did, though the tree of knowledge don’t grow here and never will there beng no sprouts – Last evening played the violin for Mr. & Mrs. David our only neighbor’s, and after in a curious break very natural to men & women, they fell into squable or quarrel and ended in both being completely drenched in water. I shall have to go to work tomorrow but don’t feel as though I could. I am very bilious nowadays and feel as though it would amount to my total overthrow for a time – and I think it is all owing to the bad water which we have to drink or go without. Read nearly half an hour in Asiatic History this morning in bed before getting up. Some in Ford & Bywin’s and some of his letters. Since breakfast it continues to be misty, windy and somber and my head feels miserable in extreme health is fickle – and life is in the hand of ___________.
Page 46Roseville Sept 14, 1856 Two years ago was my first landing in this my adopted home. The past is dead to me except what is retained in my memory, which is the only record I have to remind me of my past life good or bad, and tis all I wish to have, for much of my time and money has been spent for hard earned knowledge which has however, been a lesson to lead the way to more pleasure and real happiness. My pilgrimage to this country has been the means of my forgetting many old acquaintances which has been to my advantage in a measure, though according to scriptures; one should not part with an old friend, for the new is not comparable to him, But that few true friends can be found nor am I one. Sunday 11 Aug, 56 Bill Akin
Page 47Roseville Nov 16,, 1856 Sunday morning snows like the Devil. I sent for mail _________ and got nothing the incredable silence of my corispondences and the pleasant grining of the girls makes me feel nowheres alike all over & time is on the wing and I am in on the dance ______ effusing across the wash table and the gals are I suppose shifting clothes and Bob Hale is violating Gods law by breaking the Sabbath with his gun. Bill Akins. Bob Viry & Lib are now fixed up for the Holy afternoon, in colors blue, yellow, red, green, & speckled in remembrance of the idea that order was the first law of heaven. Forgive us Lord if we arn’t so.
A life in the saw mill shade is verily a dogs life indeed, but when we think how our money we made We then think it was a dos life spent in need.
Page 48Aurora now fair daughter of the dawn Sparkled with rosy light the dewey haven When Jove convened the senate of the skies Where high Olympus loudy tops arise The Sir of Gods his awful silence broke The heavens attentive trimbled as he spoke.
May 3, 1857 Roseville Today has thus far been singular for events of no importantce, though have sauntered around the City of Roseville with the maids, thereof with considerable importance & satisfaction. tis agreeably warm and pelasant and most congenial for nonconflicting spriil _______ who wish orchose to pass a monotnous day socially with the sex. Bless me how pleasant such a life &
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