[One suggestion of Elinor’s home lifestyle is the existence of a clothes press or shelving unit, possibly with doors to store folded clean clothes. It suggests seasonal clothing and bedding and storage even week by week of laundered, starched and ironed clothing. It also suggests that they owned more than one outfit.
Elinor sometimes does specific jobs for reward, though rarely “I scrub-ed the Notsobad’s cabin in side from 12-30 till 4. Pa gave me 50 cents. cheap.” Later in the month she describes work that did not result in payment. “I have been sewing on some heavy canvas curtians, mending, mending , puting on squart patches & heming them for pa. for the Not so bad. most half the day”
She observes the first but not last family crisis when George Carlisle becomes angry and violent (not the only time), drops off the keys to their house, and leaves Audrey. She has been staying at home at the Black River Homestead and in that fight she refuses to return to Ashtabula with George. George came to the Homestead for dinner when Audrey was there (meaning Elinor had to cook for one more person). Elinor then helps Audrey moves home with her bed and the baby, heartbroken, several days later. He tries to talk to her a few days later saying that he will pay alimony for the baby but not for Audrey. By the end of that month, he apparently had already sold their home though he did share the money with Audrey from the sale. There is an encounter where he tries to visit and it’s Elbert and Elinor protect Audrey by locking him out, scolding him, and telling him he caused all the grief.
“The boys” continue taking groups to Put-In-Bay on holidays but all does not go well. On one trip July 23-30, Pa and Fred took Ma & Nellie & Mr & Mrs Krantz & Mr & Mrs Craig in the NotsoBad but when they got home “all brown” (very tanned) they were sick from something they had eat and yet claimed to have all had a good time.
[Tue. Jly. 1. 1913] Tue.July.1 did house work & put one comfort together & sweat like rain Oh dee
[Wed. Jly. 2. 1913] Wed.2. I fixed ma’s skirt finished her
[Wed. Jly. 2. 1913] Page 81 Wed.2. pajamas & made her two aprons & half a waist done for myself. Weather hot 90 degreess. I scrub-ed half the Notsobad’s cabin in side from 12-30 till 4. Pa gave me 50 cents. cheap. worked all morning in the house
[Thrs. Jly. 3. 1913] Thurs.3rd of July, Pa, Fred, Mr. Krantz.Jr. & Senior & their wifes & Miss Kenidy & Mr & Mrs Prince, left here this after noon for Put-in-bay on the Not so bad
[Fri. Jly. 4. 1913] Fri.4th of July I made myself two aprons & finnished my waist. Elbert took Colord Brown & his children & relatives up the river for a picnic & at 3-30 he went to bring them down & saw two boys drwn, he could reach them soon enough to save them so came home & I called the Life Saving Station & they had them out in 30 min, after they went down Geo. C. & Geo.Thomas & his two sisters Etta & Elysibeth & Elbert & I went
[Fri. Jly. 4. 1913] Page 82 out to the lake for a ride it was nice & we came in just before a heavy storn, the folk wouldn’t wait & got wet before they got home & we had a bad storm.
[Sat. Jly. 5. 1913] Sat.5. Swept scrubed & sewed some. Notsobad came back this after noon all O.K.
1912, “Mr Krantz’s back and Not so Bad taken with my camera. E.A.Bonney, Fred Bonney took this from the top of the little Hill, Lorain, O”
[Sun. Jly. 6. 1913] Sun.6. Geo. here most every meal since Audrey left. She & Nellie & Martha came home this after noon were all here to supper. Oh. ho.
1913, “Nellie Bonney about 16 yrs old”
[Mon. Jly. 7. 1913] Mon.7. Audrey sewed & I sewed, finish some work I had partly done & & Ma, Elbert & I. went to town, to see Dr. Easton a then did some shoping & came home, nervery was I more tired in my life. Oh.dee.
[Tue. Jly. 8. 1913] Tue.8. Well I have been feeling rather ill for some time & Gertie had to help finnish the the wash to day. Oh, dee. dee.dee.
[Wed. Jly. 9. 1913] Wed.9. Gertie ironed & A Ne. & I sewed.
[Thrs. Jly. 10. 1913] Thurs.10. I scrubed & served am all in tonight. took a bath & sewed am all in tonight. took a bath & went to bed.
[Fri. Jly. 11. 1913] Fri.11. sewed most all day did my general dutys.
[Sat. Jly. 12. 1913] Page 83.Sat.12. I have been sewing on some heavy canvas curtians, mending, mending , puting on squart patches & heming them for pa. for the Not so bad. most half the day, the rest the day I sewed for N & I.
[Sun. Jly. 13. 1913] Sun.13 the wind have been blowing a gail for the past three days. Frank & Elbert have gone to Vermillion, they want to bring the Bonnita home but surely can’t the way the wind is blowing . the lake must be tossing in great shape & it is get worse. Geo. C. went to Detroit Thurs. borrowed 5$ of pa, said he would be home next day & has not come yet, his father stoped here on his way home to Ashtabula he. & Geo. had been to Detroit to Mr. Charlies C. fathers funersl. Well Geo came home this evening, Audrey has been ill for the past three days with a hard cold she could hardly get home last night with ma’s & Nellie’s help. She came home this morn & had to go right to bed & hasn’t felt able to set up long at atime. Geo. laughed & talked with the baby for 20 mi. or more then ask ma where Audrey was & ma told him she was sick & hadn’t eat up much all day, he went to her & ask her to go home, she told him she didn’t feel like going to night, so he tore around & scolded & swore
[Sun. Jly. 13. 1913] Page 84. at Francie W. then went some when he came
[Mon. Jly. 14. 1913] Mon.14. Geo. came up told A he had packed his belongings & was going to Port Arthur & would ship his things there. he gave her the keys to the house & told her he had left her things there well she colapsed after he had gone for she had no idea of his doing such a thing it was terrible she look so hurt, crushed & so terrified when he stormed about or came near. Oh.dee.dee
[Tue. Jly. 15. 1913] Tue.15. Well we washed to day. Oh.ho.
[Wed. Jly. 16. 1913] Wed.16. Sewed done house work & ironed some
[Thrs. Jly. 17. 1913] Thurs.17. Helped Audrey bring her bed & things home poor child she is so weak heart broke & weary Life’s Sweet’s Dreams have turned out so much different than she could. ever have thought they could have done. Oh.dee.dee.dee.
[Fri. Jly. 18. 1913] Fri.18. cleaning & scrubing & digging all day
[Sat. Jly. 19. 1913] Sat.19. Same job a gain to day Geo. came here from Ashtabula today to see the baby & try to querrel with A but she wouldn’t, so he left telling her he would [note:this is probably a mistake for wouldn’t] take care of her, but he would care for the baby.
[Sun. Jly. 20. 1913] Sun.20. Rained to day all is at rest Thank God. and. we have no company today.
[Mon. Jly. 21. 1913] Page 85. Mon.21. Washed to day had a terrible big wash and ever body is so tired tonight.
[Tue. Jly. 22. 1913] Tue.22. I sewed over to Millers all day today & Oh she is the a great woman with a family of six little children the oldest (Douglas is 9 yrs. next Madeleane 8.,yrs & then Wayne 7., Marian 5, Verna.2, & the baby 2 month & a half. she thinks its just horric but I know many women with more chileren who get on in the world happier than she & all because she makes life a burdon, not only for herself, and family but for all who become well acquainted with her, she’s a great, talker it tired
[Wed. Jly. 23. 1913] Wed. 23. Ma& Pa, Fred& Nellie, Mr & Mrs Krantz & Mr & Mrs Craig went to Put-in-Bay on the Not So -bad. Oh. Dee Dee Dee Dee Dee
[Thrs. Jly. 24. 1913] Thurs.24. Audrey’s. Birthday Ma sent her a card I helped the girls to day Gertie’s keeping house this week & she made a batch of bread all her self, it was good to . one can do if they try.
[Fri. Jly. 25. 1913] Fri.25. Another day at Millers I never will go to sew again if for time smiles on me
[Sat. Jly. 26. 1913] Sat.26. scrubed & cleaned & ironed my belong ings & help with the house work. Oh. ho.
[Sun. Jly. 27. 1913] Sun.27. Sweet day of rest ha.ha.ha. I cook a big dinner & am so worn & tired
[Mon. Jly. 28. 1913] Page 86. Mon.28. Well we look for the folks home today but hey haven’t come. I have sewed today
[Tue. Jly. 29. 1913] Tue.29. I did a big wash today did a lot of extras.
[Wed. Jly. 30. 1913] Wed.30. I cleaned ma’s & pa’s room & the cloths press & up stairs & Geo.C. came & Elbert told him we had orders for him to stay out. he said a lot of mean things-then Elbert & I gave him a good scolding & told him he had brought this all on his self, he went over to Gilmore’s & imparted the new that he had brought the contract for the house back & that he had received the money, he had given Audrey to order to draw. Well the folks came, just in time for supper all Brown & sick form something they had eat but safe & had a good time I so tired I’m stiff tonight took a bath & am going to bed to rest at last try to.
[Thrs. Jly. 31 1913] Thurs.31. Well I have done out another big wash to day there is no end to work