Hiram E. Leonard Diary, August 31 - September 6, 1870

“31st Wednesday  A fine day but dry  I did my choars got my meals all day, choared round the store etc closed up at 8 ½ & went to bed at 9 no one in the store but me [in margin] lonesome.

“September 1st Thursday  fine weather for Sept but dry  I did my choars was round the office all day a choaring & gitting my victuals, all alone, clo up at 8 ½ & went to at 9 lonely  William H Abels called and stayed 2 or 3 hours had been to Chicago with hady on business.

“2nd Friday  rather a lowerey day rained some of the day quite hard a fine rain  I did my choars was a choaring round all day & getting my own meals all alone cloased up at 8 ½ & went to bed at 9 nearly sick and verry lonely, as I was all alone.

“3rd Saturday  rather a cloudy damp forenoon but a fine day  I did my choars was round the store a choaring all day cloased up at 8 ½ & went to bed at 9 nearly sick & tiered out & verry lonely as I am all alone R Austin & wife came down.

“4th Sunday  A fine pleasant day with a fine cool air a beautiful day  I did my choars got my breckfust & done up the work, went up to Barruses between 12 & 1 and eat dinner came back about 3 wrote some choared round some and went to bed at about sick  R Austin called in middle of day & stayed an hour or more.

“5th Monday  A fine day for Sept  I did my choars was at the office all day a choaring round & getting my own victuals closed up at 8 ½ & went to bed at 9 ½ nearly sick  got a letter from Caroline.

“6th Tuesday  fine weather for Sept  Some showers  I did my choars choared round the office etc closed up at 8 ½ & went to bed at 9 ½ nearly sick & worne out, verry hot for the season [in margin] thermometer stood at about 90 degrees.”