The Diary of Elizabeth Alice Ely 1869
Thur Dec 2 Lewis not quite as well.
Fri Dec 3 Lewis more comfortable.
Sat Dec 4 Pleasant morning, snowed afternoon & evening. Bell, Archie & I went to Hartford and back on Silver Star. Had only one hour and a half time in Hartford.
Sun Dec 5 Snowed some & rained some. Loss & Ellen came down and back.
Mon Dec 6 Snowed & rained and has been a cold uncomfortable day. Lewis not as well.
Tue Dec 7 River froze over. Lewis has pneumonia. Wed Dec 8 Cold. Lewis very sick. Thur Dec 9 Clear & cold. Lewis more comfortable.
Fri Dec 10 Pleasant. Lewis 21st birthday. He is worse today, was worse last night. Sat Dec 11 Telegraphed to Henry and he came home as Lewis does not seem as well.
Sun Dec 12 More comfortable this A.M., but very sick P.M. Tue Dec 14 Lewis more comfortable & quite bright this evening.
Wed Dec 15 Lewis did not rest well last night and is not as well today, what shall we do if he does not recover & I see but little chance now.
Thur Dec 16 Lewis began to fail this morning and at 12 mid-day, breathed his last. Poor boy, how can we bear it, but we must for "what is our loss is his gain". It is hard and seems as if we could not bear it. An awfully stormy afternoon which makes everything more gloomy. 6 long weeks he has suffered, but he had the best of care and the Dr. was faithful to the last, but all would not save him. He has gone, never to return, but we will soon go to him.
Sat Dec 18 Stormy. Funeral at 11 o'clock, Dr Burr officiated. The Good Templars performed services at the grave, of which Society, Lewis was financial secetary.
Sun Dec 19 Pleasant. Mrs Shippee called down in the evening. Mon Dec 20 Pleasant. Henry started in the morning for Hartford. Tried to cross on the ice, but did not find it strong enough, so went by way of Hamburgh.
Wed Dec 22 1869 A very stormy day. Ice broke up from above here & river clear as far as we can see to-night.
Thur Dec 23 Pleasant. I went to Hamburgh, rode over with Mr T. Warner & walked back. Took dinner at Uncle Horace's. Loss & Ellen came down and took dinner with Mother.
Fri Dec 24 Very pleasant. Have some cold. Sat Dec 25 Pleasant forenoon, afternoon cloudy, rained during the night. Mother, Bell, Edna, Eddie, Archie & I accepted an invitation to Mr Shippee's to dinner. Had a good dinner, but the day was a solemn one to us all.
Sun Dec 26 Very stormy day. Mon Dec 27 Washed. Cloudy & foggy, commenced to rain some this evening. Received a letter and some magazines from Henry.
Tue Dec 28 Stormy.
Wed Dec 29 Stormy. River full of floating ice broke up in Hartford. Silver Star, Tugs and Vessels came down. Called to see how Ebenezer Brockway was, he is improving now.
Thur Dec 30 Cloudy. Oscar came up. Sewed for Mother & packed some things. Eliza Shippee took Archie & I to Lyme, we took the cars from there to Hartford, left home at 9 A.M. arrived here at 5 P.M.
Fri Dec 31 Very pleasant. Went out shopping some & regulated things in my room. Silver Star commenced to run from Hartford to Essex, an unusual thing for this season of the year.
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February 16, 2001
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