July 5, 1910
Bess very hoarse could hardly talk. I stained the front of the house & Bess stained the railing.
W. Fine, warm again
R. 10:30
July 6, 1910
After supper I picked cherries at Aunt Carries. Bess got a bad cold and hoarse.
W. Hot
R. 10
July 7, 1910
Bess up at 5:30 to iron. The first time before me. Misses Kennedy Wallace, ------ -------, Kathy & Bess over home & I to supper. I painted till dark & they went home on car & I played & sang every thing we could think.
W. Heavy shower after noon
R. 11:30
I like this entry. Do you think his comments on her getting up before him for the first time (remember, they are newlyweds, having just married last October) spring from a sense of surprise or "finally, she's getting her butt out of bed early" Does he feel like she should be up ironing or is he content to leave for the factory in the morning while she sleeps soundly? I can't tell what kind of commentary this is. I'm preferring to think he's just happy this morning to see his lady love before going off to work.
And I love to think about him playing (what instrument?) and singing. Is there anything this man CANNOT DO?
July 8, 1910
Gertie worse. K did some painting & worked in the garden.
W. hot
R. 10
This must be scary for them. They have no idea she's going to live.
July 9, 1910 (Saturday)
Cleaned the cellar & did some painting & worked in the garden. Bess lay down in the white bed & slept there nearly all night.
W. Very Hot. 95 degrees
R. 10
With the hot weather we have been having lately, can you imagine how hot they probably were. And you know, beds were usually double bed size back then. No wonder she slept in the white bed, she probably didn't even want to touch him. It's really hot and I've noticed that most night's he's been going to bed earlier than usual. I can't imagine working in the hot typewriter factory all day and then coming home and painting, which he has been doing all week.
July 10, 1910
Up at 5:30. Went to SS & up home to dinner & back at 9 and K & K came to stay all night. They took our room, of course.
W. hot. some rain & windy.
R. 10:30
Now THIS is a great entry. "They took our room, of course."
This is the first time that he's ever really complained about the constant sleeping over. I get the feeling this is not a sentence explaining his hospitality, rather, his frustration of his relatives CONSTANTLY sleeping over during his first year of marriage. Not to be indelicate about Adam & Bess, but he's a church going enough guy to attend adult Sunday School and he is the V. President of his Bible Study group. I'm thinking he probably has not been intimate with a woman before marriage. He's probably really resenting all this sleeping over right about now...
Did I just use a euphemism? OMG, I'm not a priss. I can say SEX. I just can't say sex in a post about Adam and Bess without feeling a little like a hussy. Like I'm offending their old fashioned sensibilities... I feel cheap....
4 comments:
It does seem kind of wrong to use the s word when talking about them, doesn't it?
At first, I thought he just meant "Of course" as in, naturally, they took our bed. But you make a good point and are probably right. It has to get old after a while.
I know he's all about family but someone sleeps over at least once a week. I sure do hope he likes Kathy (Bess's sister) Clara seems to be sleeping over less than she used to though.
Maybe he is just making a comment about the sleeping arrangements, although I tend to think if he's talking about it, it means it's on his mind.
Maybe he is just stating the obvious. Wasn't it considered good manners to give the guest your own room?
I did consider that Meredith, and I'm always blathering on about how I think he's a gentleman.
I just can't shake the feeling that he's protesting this a little with that comment. Sadly, I'll probably never know the truth!
Post a Comment