Radio keeps reporting the news of tornadoes terrible at West end Belleville, Union School, factory, many resenditals [sic – residential]. 9 being dead & 26 injured so far; 3 blocks area; not very far from Township high school; happened about 5 o’clock. Henry & Leona & Billy [Willis] came. Bert [Bertille] went along to Walter Gregsons & looks just terrible nothing left but the house, & not a whole lot of it, porches of [sic – off] etc; but no stock or any one injured, wood sticking 3 ft. in ground across the road from his house, done more damage by downs by Red Bud Vanburen’s, Gueberts; Henry & stayed for dinner. Pap went to Smithton bought 2 pigs from Ed. Heap. $10.00. Eggs 15 [cents] found 98 today. Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary came Bert [Bertille] went along to Waterloo this afternoon, to see Rosie Kaestenier (nee) Mueth she died Mon. eve. from cancer; leaves a boy 11, who stays with Mueth girls in St. Louis; she has divorce from her husband he has remarried again; she is 47, laid out nice, pink dress at Quernheims funeral parlor; till Fri. morn. then to Hecker church & cemetery. Phi & Ed. are just recovering from auto accident, getting along fairly well at present. Quernheims have a funeral tomorrow afternoon to. Jac Rahn, Hy Rahn’s father 85 yrs. old; he is from Valmeyer; has an awful lot of flowers. Leo & Rose [Rosalia] came this eve; we had popcorn. Mrs. Orlet is very low.
Saturday, March 12, 1938
Beautiful day. Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary came, pap went along to Kessler’s sale; such a crowd; fair price. We went out to Henry’s celebrating Floyd’s birthday which is tomorrow; 9 yrs. old, grandpa [Anton] gave him a nickle [sic] for playing accordion, we had pie & cake. Wulher [? – unclear] the ex pres. of Belleville bank, his picture was in paper; also Louis Kaiser’s girl – 6 yrs.
Monday, March 7, 1938
We washed, ironed, patched. Pap sewed clover seed, hauled wheat to Waterloo this afternoon, 1 load from here 77 [cents], & 2 loads from Henrys 82 [cents]. top price is 84 [cents]. Bert [Bertille] took eggs to town got 14 [cents]. Lauts tearing house down today. Hoffmann from Belleville nearly all down this eve. Steve Stiffler was here this eve. on business. Sure warm.
Saturday, March 5, 1938
Rained heavy last nite; colder this afternoon & eve. Pap sewed clover seed. Eggs 14 [cents] at Mertz Bert [Bertille] took 7 doz. up & got 1/2 butter from Reheis’s make; 20 [cents]. Robert Lauts moved some of there furniture to Rennecker’s, the living room suite. getting ready to tear the old house down, to build a new one, Hoffmann from Belleville has the contract the paper says.
Tuesday, March 1, 1938
Went out to U. [Uncle] Freds sawing wood again, had them yet for dinner, Joe Krebs sawed it. Bert [Bertille] washed the car & shine it this afternoon, cleaned chicken house & barn with the team today. Henry & Leona & Billy [Willis] were at Belleville, stopped in on way back she got winter coat. gray. Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary came went to euchre in school hall & large crowd. Leona Wittenauer got attendance prize $1. We didn’t get nothing. Bert [Bertille] had 7 points; Emil was at E. St. Louis stock yards today; was at euchre this eve.
Friday, Feb. 18, 1938
Raining again. Emil was over awhile. Henry & family had dinner here, no school today, they went to Belleville; we finished the quilt today; just in 2 weeks today. Ordered auto licenses.
Thursday, Feb. 10, 1938
Bert [Bertille] stayed at Orlets all nite, this morn, went along to Belleville, took calf in got 10 [cents]; stopped at Orlets, Mrs. isn’t feeling good today. Fr. Joe was there to. Leona & Billy [Willis] were up quilting all day, all had dinner here; Leo & Rose went home; raining last nite & today. Shield brought 8 hogs here, pap bought from him $52.00; colder, 40. Yesterday at 12 it was 72 & this morn. 35. Our order came everything O.K. Mehrmann got 6 doz. eggs paid 14 [cents] today.
Thursday, Jan. 27, 1938
Not so cold today; tonite is to be 18. The Belleville Savings bank of East M. St. was closed this morn; $1,000.00 shortage the cashier Wueller [unclear]. Mrs. Porter the first lady in Ill. to be electrocuted is to die, after midnight at Menard for killed her brother for Ins. Money; also the fellow what she had to help her, will also die. The Holy Name Society of Red Bud is sponsoring a card party to nite, with $5. Attendance prize, we didn’t go, its to cold. Major Bowes program surely was good tonite. Bert [Bertille] paid $1.47 – 18 hrs. electric.
Saturday, Jan. 22, 1938
Pap got haircut. Henry stopped in got crushing done. Eggs 16 [cents] now. Henry told us Fr. Freund of Belleville, ran over a man & killed him at Belleville last Thurs. nite; he had to appear at inquest.
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