Eva Greenwood Diary -- Part III

There is a break in the diary at this point because of lost pages. Pages 5 – 10 are missing. Page eleven begins with comments about arriving in Amite, LA in the pouring rain. The first dated entry is on page fourteen and is noted as June 11, 1897, Friday. We will pick up the transcription on page 11, but we can only guess as to the date. This entry is rather long.

   . . .Amite, and got here in a pouring rain.

   I have been three months writing this, for it was an opening of old wounds, and now I cannot go back and enumerate all the objects of this visit. But it has been a pleasant and happy one. It had been months since I had been so contended as I’ve been here. Were it not for longing for the folks, I could be content to stay much longer. Every one has been so good & kind, and made me feel as if I was somebody. All the family gave us clothes and things – especially Uncle Henry and we’ve been serving steadily every day. I found B. B. quite grown up, and we are regular chums. She is very lively, and a favorite with everyone. She has more beaux than she can manage. She and I get out on “a lark” about once a week, and have lots of fun. Corinne Gervin, an old friend of ours, spent a month here, and she kept things lively. She is as full of live as a cricket and had us in an uproar all the time. Every night she gave us some special performance. We were sorry when she left. Since we’ve been here we have not had one Sunday without company. The Hendry boys were regular visitors, and Phillip McMichael has been here a number of times. Then several times we had visitors from the city and Independence.  The day Corinne left her sister, brother & a friend – Mr. Rene Lavillboevre spent the day here. We were all charmed with Gus Gerine, he was so handsome, so refined, and had such perfect manners.

Our time has been fully occupied with work and pleasure, and my thought will often turn back to these three months at “Hillsdale Farm.” When we first came, we girls hired ourselves to a neighbor to tie radishes, for shipping. Emma & Corrine did right well at it, but it made me sick, and I had to stop, after making $8.10. We had to stand by a table from 7 o’clock in the morning until 6 in the evening, and used to get soaking wet. It made our hands sore, too. We were paid .10¢ a crate for tying. Oh, me! I can’t write anything. Last Sunday Seaton came over and I was the only one of the girls here, so he asked me to take a ride with him. We drove about twelve miles altogether, and saw a good deal of the country. I love the scenery here, -- the pine woods, the wild flowers, the smooth roads winding up and down hill – oh! It thrills me through with a feeling I haven’t words to express. It was 8 o’clock when we got back from our ride, and the girls have been teasing me ever since – that is they’ve tried to, but I enjoyed it more than they knew. While riding we proposed getting up a surprise party for Emma Wednesday night, her birthday. Seaton proposed it, and I would not be disagreeable about it, just because I was in no mood for such things, so helped him get it up. I told no one and all here were surprised indeed when the crowd came in. I remained in the room till dancing began, and then I went to our room.

Now our visit is drawing to a close, and we leave Sunday, May 30^th for the City. Emma will go with us, and spend a couple of weeks at Corrine’s. Mama will go right on home, but I will stay a few days at Aunt Jennie’s, to have some teeth fixed. I long to go on home when I start, and as the time draws near I get more & more homesick.

   Since we’ve been here, the Smith’s have lost their grandmother. I felt there would be some changes. The whole country has been in danger from high water, and it has been a hard fight – to keep the frail banks of dirt, which alone were between it and destruction. Leo worked so hard that he came near dying, but God in His goodness preserved him to us.

Anais writes that everyone misses me very much, and says the strengths of seeing me soon is the one bright spot in the clouded sky.

   All the boys have sent me messages, and Dodd has sent several. I thought being here so long, would drive the memory of those times I shared with him, but I was mistaken. I think of him constantly, and long to see him once more. His image is too deeply rooted, for time or distance to efface it.

   Well our trunks go to the depot tomorrow, so this is the last I’ll write from here. God grant that the rest of my life be as peaceful and quiet as these three months have been.

June 11^th 1897 – Friday

   Back on the Bayou again! We left Amite Sun., the 30^th.  Mama came on up Tuesday morning, but I stayed in the City until Monday, the 7^th.

   The last day we were at Hillsdale Seaton spent the day there, and went with us to the train. Aunt Jennie met us at the depot in the City, and Corinne and Gus were there for Emma. Monday Mama & I went down town, and when we got back to Aunt Jennie’s found Emma and Corrine there. Mama left the next morning. The two nights she was here we rented a room across the street, but after she left I bunked with Aunt J. There wasn’t room there for both of us.

   I was going to the dentist the whole week, and hadn’t much time to go anywhere else. I went to Dr. J. G. Mcbullock, (?) who lived right close to Aunt Jennie’s and I liked him so much – he was so kind and gentle. He filled my three front teeth for $12.00, and I hadn’t the money to have anything done to my jaw teeth. Two of the cavities he filled were small, but the third tooth he had to make half gold. He extracted the nerve in it, and put in a little bar of platinum to hold the gold. I did not mind the work at all, and everyone was surprised because I did not feel any distaste about going.

It hurt at times, but I just shut my eyes and stood it. I am so glad the work I done, for I’ve been worried about those teeth for a long time.

   I spent Fri. night with Barbara, and Saturday at the Genius’. Had a nice time both places. Mr. Kracke came to see us Wed. night, and was to return Sat. night, but had a meeting to attend Thurs. evening. I went to the Malorey’s, (?)and saw Dora, Hattie, & Paul.

   I learned to go about a good deal by myself, and love to ride in the electric cars. Emma and Estelle Geniro (?) came up Sun. to tell me goodbye, and I left the next morning. I was glad to get out of the City, but I hated to leave the folks, for there’s no telling when I will see them again. Emma is to go to Uncle Henry’s, when her visit to Corinne is over. Leo met me at the train in D’ville (Donalsonville), and it did me good to see him, though he is looking bad. He has those attacks of his heart whenever he exerts himself much. Mama has been suffering with her stomach ever since she returned. The others are well. The new house is so beautiful and large. It is cool and comfortable, and is fixed up nicely. We have a room upstairs, and a nice set of furniture in it. But all looks strange, and I miss the old familiar objects.

Leo’s friends gave him lots of things and Mr. Kock fitted out the dining room and kitchen completely.

   Already I’ve settled down into the old dull, monotonous, routine, and it seems strange after the stirring times I’ve had. I’ve had no way to get to Smiths’ & they’re in the same fix, so I haven’t seen them yet.

Note: When I began reading and transcribing Eva's diary I was expecting an insight into plantation life in the late 1890s. It is true that a good bit of the story is about the life of a young woman living in a house with servants to do most, if not all of the work. But the main theme was mentioned a few paragraphs earlier and will carry through until the last entry on September 30, 1899.