Sunday, Dec. 24, 1939

Went to mass. Uncle Fred stopped in for awhile; pretty nice this morn. sunshining nice. Miss Ida Heyl of Round Prairie is getting buried this afternoon from Qurenheims Funeral Parlor to Round Prairie Church & cemetery, she died suddenly Thurs. nite; found her dead Fri. morn; she stayed with her brother Abner down on the farm. Henry Spalts have baby girl born Dec. 14, have 2 boys & 1 girl. Bill [Klein] came for supper, we all went to midnite mass at Red Bud, 2nd mass followed. came home went to bed Bill [Klein] stayed all nite.

Sunday, Sept. 24, 1939

Went to mass. They are repairing the commounion [sic] railing in church in Red Bud. Firemen’s have fish fry & pinic [sic] & dance in Manier’s Park today. Leo & family came left Marita here with pap. Mr. & Mrs. Geo. Ducan & Mr. & Mrs Lester Huebner & baby Richard; came at 4 o’clock. had supper. here left about 6:15. Bill [Klein] came went to pinic [sic] awhile, & took Leo & Rose [Rosalia] along to show. Mrs. Spalt won quilt playing bluey & so did Alma Hyp.

Wednesday, July 20, 1938

Cleaned chicken house. Pap went to Henry’s, threshing clover seed with combine, he had lunch & dinner. Bert [Bertille] canned 5 1/2 qts. beets & 1 1/2 tomatoe. Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary came, went to see Armstutz’s on a visit. Henry Spalt have another baby boy, July 18. this makes 2 boys in family, born at Belleville hospital. Sieberts called there girl Delores Norma Lena Siebert born July 8; sponsor Norma Siebert; sister of Leslie Siebert.

Thursday, Dec. 30, 1937

Rained a little today, & Boy the roads, terrible mess. Uncle Fred & A. [Aunt] Mary wanted to go to Belleville, got as far as Sphalts’s land, turned around, & went home again, couldn’t make it she said. Pierre Laut came, asked for permission to go hunting on our ground. Geo. Wagner butchering today. Rennecker & Laut helping got it from Hy. Armstutz. Sure warm, but cloudy & south wind. The mail carried Schmidt has been going around the last several days, well all week, so far with the buggy & horses; some trip, & some mud. We got Christmas card from Fr. Joe Orlet Mon. Sun starting to shine.

Saturday, Oct. 19, 1935

We baked bread & pie. Went butchering at Henry’s about 9 o clock, had dinner finished at 3:30; everything went good, about 250 lb. hog. its awful warm, have to fry things in, we took some; so Uncle Fred went there tonite to take some. Rain a little this morning. We all got weighed out there Floyd 51 – Rob 53. Billy [Willis] 30, Bertie 118 – Rose 163 – Leona – 122 & pap -165. Henry – 130. Bernice brought the mail. Eggs 25¢. Norma Geodelle – daughter of Jac Geodelle & Armin’s sister was married this afternoon to a fellow from South Dakota at the home of her parents, he worked for Roland Eichelmann, him [Roland] & his wife are the attendants, wedding dance next Wed. nite at Pautlers. Otto Stadel his name, he came 2 weeks ago here, they were corresponding for a long time, she says. Hy. Spalt & Katie Stallmann of Prairie du Long, to be married this afternoon we heard.

Sunday, Aug. 11, 1935

Went to Red Bud mass, & Boy! was Fr. sored [sic – soured], caused of the pinic [sic], only cleared $100.00 our quilt brought $20.00, but he had to take 48. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary stopped & went to the pinic [sic] for supper, at Manier Park, we went to in the evening; large crowd; music in the afternoon by Floraville brass band & Pals of Harmony for the dance. Adm. 25¢, we didn’t win a thing; the quilts were won by Adele Bocker, & Mrs. Ad. Spalt & one raffled with playing bluey, by Adolph Rittmeyer. The chickens were all [gone] before supper, Adm. 40¢. Ray Herzog & Dorothy Napier were married yesterday. Rickert of Freeburg & Lillian Armbruster were married about 2 weeks ago at Belleville Court House, they say.

Thursday, April 25, 1935

Papa is fixing fence again, will soon be finished now. The Y.P.L. of Hecker, are giving a play intitled [sic], “Gates to Happiness” tonite at Kammler’s Hall; Adm. 35¢ dancing after play. Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary came, we all went up, but it wasn’t so nice, no pep at all; Characters were: Hy. Spalt, Clarence & Ralph Rausch, Harold Wagner, Floyd Thompson: Carol Papbenberg, Vernice Rausch, Marjorie Rausch, Mrs. Arthur Hepp, Alsace Eckert. The hall was crowded. Irene Reheis, furnished musci [sic]. Rev. Hasto painted the backgrounds, furniture came from N. Athens. Papa took load wheat to Red Bud, 90¢, got sack chic mash. Mrs. Gambach & daughter have a new 1935 model Chev Sedan; today. There were gypsies at J. Kaltwasser’s today, ransacked the place, took coffee & bread.

Thursday, April 11, 1935

Ironed. Quilted all day. Papa took the eggs up 20¢. Cloudy & rainy all day; it rained heavy last night. Eugene Bruns is getting along fine. Lucille Rausch was also in a accident, in St. Louis, was hurt somewhat, she is working by Edwin Spalt; over there.

Thursday, March 28, 1935

We cleaned upstairs. We all, went to Pamier’s sale by New Athens, Mrs. Spalts sister; started this morning & big sale, lot things; papa bought $14.55 heifer, went home got the rack & came back, loaded it up, we went along with Uncle Fred’s to Athen’s Gieger’s 2¢ sale; then came back to the sale again, we run out of gas coming home, Hug Probst had to bring 1 gal out, by Alp. Parker’s. The lawn mower sharpener called this evening, but we have ours fixed now. Sold 20 doz. eggs @ 17¢ & 5 hens, 39 lbs. @ 14¢. Cool day.

Wednesday, May 2, 1934

Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary came, he cleaned his cistern, took all the dirt out; then went back home. The Y.P.L. are giving a play entiled [sic] “Here Comes Charlie,” & a dance after it musci [sic] by Holloywood Harmonists tonite in Kammler’s Hall; Uncle Fred & Aunt Mary came & we all went, it surely was good; the players were, Flossie Kammler, Clifford Stalhleber, Clara Hofmeister, Clarence Rausch, Ralph Rausch, Viola Weigand, Henry Spalt, Alsace Eckert, Alma Hepp, Lyle Rausch, & between acts was songs by Marjorie Emig, & acrobatics tap dancing by Louise Wilhelm both of Belleville. A large crowd, hall filled.