Friday, Dec. 22, 1933

Rosalia & Bertille went out to the Blackburn School to there Christmas program; that they had, it was nice, Santa Claus, Cleveland was there, & lots more, & crowded. Rosalia got Christmas parcel from J. Keller, a curling iron. Helfrich brought the last of the corn today. Rosalia & Bertie went up to see Angela this evening, played 500 rummy & pinochle; Lucinda is getting along fairly well. has her head bandaged.

Wednesday, Dec. 20, 1933

Mr. Hill was around gathering news. George Wagner’s birthday was yesterday & Bernice today. They also had a program at the Public School last nite. There was a lady here selling “German Cleaner.” Mr. Ed. Weber, & Louis Armstutz was around get signers for the fire protection in Hecker, 10¢ mo.; they are going to use the fire engine, have 6 active members; Papa paid up for 1 year starting Jan. Leona send the bread along up with Helfrich today. We washed; fried in bacon & sausage; nice day. We find 2 doz. egg a day.

Thursday, Dec. 14, 1933

Went butchering at Henry’s, had lunch, dinner, finished about 2:30. Helfrich hauled corn again. Mr. George Hepp is 100 yrs. old today, & healthy & strong; him & Henry Hepp, his son, keep house together. This evening about 9′ o clock we got telephone, fire at Henry’s, so we all got up & hurried out, George Wagner, went along, but they had it out already, the road men burned stump pile, in the field,  & high wind from the south, blew, a spark, & burned up some lumber, & chicken coops, behind the toilet, Al. Geodell, Emil, Al Cleveland, G. Henkel, Ed. Schieder, all where there, then they out the fire out, the stumps.  Henry was in bed; & got up to shut the door over in the kitchen, & seen the fire, so they called for help, right away; it could of been lots worse, then what it was, hadn’t been for him being up.

Wednesday, Dec. 13, 1933

We washed, hung in the basement, cloudy & rainy out today. Pap took the chev to Ed. Neff’s got brakes thigten [sic – tighten] for 35¢. Fried down bacon & sausage. Eggs are only 19¢ here. Helfrich hauled corn. We went out to Uncle Freds, sugar cured meat, & played pinochle.

Tuesday, Dec. 5, 1933

Papa went out helped Henry saw wood. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary came up, we help her quilt awhile, then him & Rosalia started fire for butchering, 10’oclock. They had dinner & supper here. We started butchering 185 lb. hog this afternoon, finished about 4 o clock. Mr. Nic Helfrich & Isa. hauled load corn, 41 bu. 50 lbs., he bought the liver for 25¢. Emil was here wanted block & tagle for butchering tomorrow, but it is out at Henry’s. Miss Josie Keller went to Lizzie Boll’s & rang up, then drove down here, she was at Red Bud today; we saved the kidney & snoots for her to eat; she bought $1.00 took it along, liver, pork, blood sausage.

Saturday, Dec. 2, 1933

Papa & Rosalia went out in the woods; got some up for butchering, Cloudy weather. Gus Geodelle is celebrating his birthday which is tomorrow, tonite in the bus shop at Waterloo, concrete floor. Henry & family came left the kids here, we went along, cake, pretzels, keg beer where served, small crowd, men paid 30¢ each. Geodell’s band. Wagner’s & Rennecker, came here didn’t stay long. we wasn’t home. Mr. Nic Helfrich & Isadore, hauled 50 bus. corn for us from Papenberg’s, 2¢ bu. for hauling. Papa paid 25¢ for the corn, they weighed it out there.

Sunday, Aug. 13, 1933

Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary where here awhile. Today is Homecoming in Smithon [sic], so many cars went by getting sisters. Hy. Ronnerberg’s gave a dance last night, Mrs. birthday celebration. Chas. Helfrichs have a party to nite, Loretta & Cornelius birthday; we have an invitation. Hecker bear cats playing Meyers Barbecu [sic – barbeque] today, & Wittenauer lost the game score 15 to 12 in favor of Meyers.

Sunday, July 30, 1933

Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary where here for dinner, lunch. It is rather warm again today. We went early to church, had a blow out coming home close to Chas Helfrichs, changed tires & came on. Fred Papenberg got a new chev & Oscar Birkners a used Ford, all close cars. There must be some thieves around Hecker, Hugo Probst got $10 stolen, Wagners got all the ripe & green plums stolen. Lester Gregson moved from the Gambach place to his own that he bought on East Main St. & Mr. & Mrs. Willie Gregson moved in Gambach property. We had our first roasting ears corn for dinner. The pallbearers from Aunt Lizzie where, Emil Brand, Ben Schilling, Hy Eichelman, Edwin & Willie Reheis, Fred Wiegand. The Heyl’s relatives have basket pinic [sic] at the Round Prairie Park, in honor of Mrs. Kessler from Alba. The threshing crew of Oscar Klotz’s have chicken bouilion, at Sam Krehers woods. It is in the paper that Lavern Koerber 23 & Irene Neff 21 where married at Red Bud by Rev. Stern in Catholic parsonage, Mary Havey & Paul Neff where attendats; last Wed. Roller skates & bicycle riding is the latest in Hecker at present. Mr. Rettinhouse is very bad expecting to live only couple days. We have 2 qts tomatoes canned so far, Mrs. John Reheis has 28 qts. & ain’t near finished yet.

Sunday, April 23, 1933

We went out to Uncle Freds for dinner & supper. In the afternoon we all went over to the cemetery, Ed Scheinder family & some relation & Phil & Henry Braun where there they went all through the house & barn, so did we. Scheinder is going to rent the place. We went to Uncle Adam’s & Aunt Mary & Uncle Fred rode along with us there this evening. Jonny Kreher’s sure must of had some dance the other night. Frank Birkner was so drunk. Isadore Helfrich was going to take them home she was no better, he run up the lumber pile; so Henry Spalt took them home. Last Sat, Krehres [sic] & Kemp where cutting a tree down between the hills & it fell the wrong way & smashed the top in on George Wiegands machine & another one yet.

Sunday, April 2, 1933

Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary stopped a little while then went home. We were at home all day & nite, no company. Papa went up town awhile, they told him there that Hy. Emery upset his machine at Tom Crowe’s lane, on the piece of levee there, the windshield was broken 6 pieces, & that if help wouldn’t come just then he would have drowned there, Alois Havey came along there. Mrs. Xavier Bievenue nee Harschmann died this morn, at Red Bud hospital, they took here there Sat. afternoon & today she died, funeral will be Tues. morn, 9 o clock to Catholic church & cemetery at Red Bud. Mrs. Chas. Helfrich has the measles, had the doctor last nite. Mr. Mauer is bad sick.