Sunday, June 27, 1937

Bert [Bertille] went to Mamie’s went to ballgame awhile. Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary came took Bert along to Breezy Hill to Simon Miller’s & Buettner Wedding dance, Dream Time Trio furnished musci [sic]; large crowd & nice time. Vic Papenberg & car from New Athens had collision at the corner, the other car passed on wrong side, damaged the truck & car, no one hurt; Joe McCarthy, deputy Marshall, was at Boxton Sat. nite; camp guys started in fighting, he wanted to part then & keep peace, fellow pulled out a revolver & shot him at the shoulder, came out below the shoulder blade, he is at home, getting along well if no blood poison will set in; pretty hard for the guy, that did the shooting he is in the pen; at present time. There is also 4 boys from Red Bud in Chester pen for stealing by Jac. Erle’s. South of Red Bud. Mr. Erle caught them in the house, stealing money out of a dresser drawer.

Saturday, June 26, 1937

Canned 3½ qts. berries & baked 2 pies. Went to Belleville, dentist & church. Uncle Fred was up early this morn, working corn, before it got to hot. There is a a free farewell dance at Oak Grove tonite, he is going back to Burksville again. Alois & Gerti stopped wanted to take me [Bertille] long to New Athens, didn’t go.

Monday, April 5, 1937

Raining all day again. Leo Hermann of Columbia was here looked at mule. Man around we ordered Extension Magazine again $3. & took rosary as a premium. We went to Paderborn confirmation, 21 got confirmed, priests present were Fr. Aydt, Janson, Greuenwald, Waterloo assistant, Bishcoff & Toenniers. Bert stood as sponsor for Thresa [sic] Cortner. Eggs 20¢ at present. Mrs. Wilmer Kaiser won $1 at New Athens, why does a hen lay eggs, because, A hen lays eggs to reproduce more of her own kind. It was provided thus by nature as a means of reproduction, we got the letter from Geiger’s today, on the winners of all the quilts etc.

Wednesday, March 24, 1937

Rob. is 11 yrs. old today. Rained heavy last nite, cloudy this morn. Cleaned brooder house, etc. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary came, had been in N. Athens after the quilt, but it was sold to $6.00. They came up this eve. again, we went with them out to Henrys, Rob’s birthday, had cake, Geodells & Leo & Rose were all there; getting cold again. Eggs 21¢.

Wednesday, March 17, 1937

St. Patricks, nice day, snow is nearly all gone. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary went into Belleville to see Mrs. Buehler this morning & also went over to N. Athens but couldn’t get the quilt yet, the show won’t be over till Sat. nite being bad weather; but she got the money for the stitched quilt $7.50, that one gone to St. Louis already, they had dinner here. Uncle [Fred] went to Waterloo got oiled changed in his car, & she helped Bert fixed her dress. Ralph Collier was here awhile. Burckhardt & Eppineger horse traders of Waterloo were here, coming back tomorrow evening again. Nobody planted potatoes today, I don’t think. There is St. Patricks dance at Oak Grove, & a free one at Donahues tonite.

Wednesday, March 10, 1937

Cold this morn. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary came took Bert along to New Athens to see the quilt show, about 68 quilts are on display. We worked in the garden, made paths & spaded a piece. Aunt Mary stitched quilt is sold $7.50. to a party from St. Louis; there is so many pretty quilts present. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary came this evening. Bert went along to church service with her, Fr. Rattermann has the sermon.

Tuesday, March 2, 1937

Bert ironed & quilted, sewed lettuce seed & planted sweet potatoes, Pap hauled load wood. Mees from Columbia was here, bought the one horse planter for 25¢. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary stopped went over to New Athens, took two quilts over, on display, quilt show from 8 to 3. Ed Weber came wanted corn planter, but it is sold & gone now.

Tuesday, Feb. 9, 1937

Bert washed, ironed. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary came they had dinner & supper here, him & pop went to Waterloo on business. Uncle Fred & Aunt went to see Louis Birkner this afternoon; he is pretty sick, has flu, fever. Henry & Leona went to Belleville, took calf in got 9½ – they are 10½ on the radio. Billy [aka Willis] stayed here, came back all had dinner here. Some fellows here from Red Bud looked at horses. We all went to euchre in School hall tonite, we got nothing. Uncle got picture of a bird, & A. Mary a lamp; big crowd, from all over Waterloo, Red Bud, Athens, Paderborn; nice evening, cold. Mrs. Hepp died at Wm Wiegands, her daughter; will buried about Sat. at Round Prairie; she was pretty old to.

Friday, Jan. 22, 1937

Bert had house cleaning today, & what a dirt, scrubbed everything; upstairs & down. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary came brought the paper along, picture was in it, it isn’t so bad, Isd. about the best; ain’t so very clear; also the picture of Tolan of New Athens & Edna Qurinin, were married here in Hecker, same day at 8 o’clock in morn. attendants, Oliver her brother, & Edith Klinkhardt, & Mr. & Mrs. Leucker of E. St. Louis, had breakfast at Restaurant in New Athens, then him & her left for St. Charles Ill; were he is assistant at School for Boy’s there. she also wore white dress & veil & Edith had taffeta & blue flowers & shoes. There picture didn’t take so very good either. Eggs. 19¢ today.

Tuesday, Jan. 12, 1937

Clean chicken house, got oats over. Bertie baked cookies. Sun don’t want to shine, still cloudy & slick icy roads. Eggs .21¢. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary were up this afternoon. Loyd Pabst came brought book on the Orbon Stores, Iornmasters [sic – Ironmaster. Sure lot people dying from pneumonia, & flue epidemic, 35 died in Chicago 1 day; lot have it in New Athens. Hofmeister’s are sick; ugly weather, to damp. The paper & radio say the Matteson 10 yr. old boy that was kidnaped [sic] from his home at Tacoma Wash. 15 das. ago was found slain along a highway, was said to be the boy, was nude, blow marks on forehead etc. A case something like the Lindeberg’s baby that time; haven’t found the kidnapers yet; The Matteson family was to pd. a $28,000 ransom. Rosalia went to invite the neighbors for the dance. Leo came, then they went to see his uncle Geo. Roths family, Alois & Gertie were also there.