Sad and Sweet Surrender (Death & Sex)
A Day in the Life: September 29th
(Aged 14)
Wea. rainy TUE. SEPT. 29, 1896 Ther.
Ma came home. Aunt Em died last night at 1 o’clock. I went to school
(Aged 16)
Wea. THU. SEPT. 29, 1898 Ther.
Went to factory. Thrashed all day. I cut bands. Was awful tired at night. Pa, Ma + Rollie went to the burg the town board met.
(Aged 17)
Wea. FRI. SEPT. 29, 1899 Ther.
NO ENTRY AGAIN UNTIL OCTOBER 2nd.
(Aged 18)
Wea. SAT. SEPT. 29, 1900 Ther.
In A.M. drew grandma a load of wood. In P.M. went to town and got Alice brought her home with me. After supper we went out for a ride went up by you know where Alice? Got home at 1.30 A.M. X
(Aged 19)
Wea. SUN. SEPT. 29, 1901 Ther.
Went to factory. Stayed at home all day.
(Aged 20)
Wea. MON. SEPT. 29, 1902 Ther.
Gail + I put some cement in silo.
(Aged 21)
Wea. TUE. SEPT. 29, 1903 Ther.
NO ENTRY AGAIN UNTIL OCTOBER 10th
Editor's Note: It has been a long fight for poor Emma Babcock Fenton. Nora's little sister was diagnosed with heart disease the previous April and has spent the summer going to the brink of death only to suddenly get a new burst of life. However, she sadly surrenders on this day with her family, including her sister Nora by her side. Unfortunately, we don't have a known photograph of Emma but I do have her entry in Nora's autograph book from 1878.
Four years later on this day is what I believe to be the surrender of Alice's maidenhood. I first read the 1900 journal when I was 18, I noticed that somewhere along the way Allen started writing X at the bottom of some entries and then erasing them. Sometimes there was more than one X but they were always halfheartedly erased. Then I twigged that they only appeared on days Allen saw Alice. This day in 1900 is the first appearance of an erased X.
"Great Grandpa had a sex code!" I can remember screaming aloud to my father who was behind me sitting at his desk in his living room. I quickly scanned forward through the remaining entries to confirm this theory and it really seemed logically to fit. But then, what really clinched it for me was when I skipped ahead to their wedding night and there were plenty of Xs and we aren't talking kisses. Allen's need to record his sexual activity stopped after that. He was a newlywed, of course "he is in there" as the English say.
As for Allen's virginity, I am not certain but I feel he lost it the previous year when he went on walkabout. Something just sort of suggests that to me because of the company he kept.
(Aged 14)
Wea. rainy TUE. SEPT. 29, 1896 Ther.
Ma came home. Aunt Em died last night at 1 o’clock. I went to school
 | |
| Nora, "May your virtue shine like blossoms on a pumpkin vine" Emma B. Feb 8 1878 |
(Aged 16)
Wea. THU. SEPT. 29, 1898 Ther.
Went to factory. Thrashed all day. I cut bands. Was awful tired at night. Pa, Ma + Rollie went to the burg the town board met.
(Aged 17)
Wea. FRI. SEPT. 29, 1899 Ther.
NO ENTRY AGAIN UNTIL OCTOBER 2nd.
(Aged 18)
Wea. SAT. SEPT. 29, 1900 Ther.
In A.M. drew grandma a load of wood. In P.M. went to town and got Alice brought her home with me. After supper we went out for a ride went up by you know where Alice? Got home at 1.30 A.M. X
(Aged 19)
Wea. SUN. SEPT. 29, 1901 Ther.
Went to factory. Stayed at home all day.
(Aged 20)
Wea. MON. SEPT. 29, 1902 Ther.
Gail + I put some cement in silo.
(Aged 21)
Wea. TUE. SEPT. 29, 1903 Ther.
NO ENTRY AGAIN UNTIL OCTOBER 10th
***********
Editor's Note: It has been a long fight for poor Emma Babcock Fenton. Nora's little sister was diagnosed with heart disease the previous April and has spent the summer going to the brink of death only to suddenly get a new burst of life. However, she sadly surrenders on this day with her family, including her sister Nora by her side. Unfortunately, we don't have a known photograph of Emma but I do have her entry in Nora's autograph book from 1878.
Four years later on this day is what I believe to be the surrender of Alice's maidenhood. I first read the 1900 journal when I was 18, I noticed that somewhere along the way Allen started writing X at the bottom of some entries and then erasing them. Sometimes there was more than one X but they were always halfheartedly erased. Then I twigged that they only appeared on days Allen saw Alice. This day in 1900 is the first appearance of an erased X.
"Great Grandpa had a sex code!" I can remember screaming aloud to my father who was behind me sitting at his desk in his living room. I quickly scanned forward through the remaining entries to confirm this theory and it really seemed logically to fit. But then, what really clinched it for me was when I skipped ahead to their wedding night and there were plenty of Xs and we aren't talking kisses. Allen's need to record his sexual activity stopped after that. He was a newlywed, of course "he is in there" as the English say.
As for Allen's virginity, I am not certain but I feel he lost it the previous year when he went on walkabout. Something just sort of suggests that to me because of the company he kept.
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