The things you find in an old house are just amazing.

When my wife and I and my brother recently sorted through long-forgotten trunks and desks and bureaus at our old farmhouse in Auburn, we were excited to find an old diary in the corner of a drawer. We opened it expectantly and found page after page of neat entries: “Cloudy today,” “Rain in the evening,” “Sunshine this morning, some rain in the afternoon.” And so it went through the whole diary.

Why would anyone keep such information? An exercise in self-discipline? Fortunately, we have other diaries from generations ago with much more interesting information, and I’ll share it from time to time.

When old diaries find their way to museums and historical organizations, there’s a good chance they’ll remain unread. Sometimes, a diary writer leaves us vivid images of a past age, and Phoebe Merrill of Hebron and Lewiston was such a person. Her diary of 1868, when she was 32 years old, contains a marvelous account of her feelings and attitudes.

Part of the year, she resided in Hebron, but much of the time was spent in Lewiston, where she worked in the Lincoln Block, a boarding house run by the Lewiston Mills Co. for mill workers.

The diary is now in the keeping of the Androscoggin Historical Society. Here’s some of what she said.

“Jan. 12: Very cold. Suffered in church. Atwood (Bumpus) read one of Spurgeon’s sermons. I guess it was a good sermon, but a poor reader can spoil anything.”

In February and March, Phoebe wrote about sewing carpet rags, an overnight visit from a linen peddler, and maple sugar making. On March 25, she noted, “President Johnson’s impeachment trial is progressing – rascal.”

In August, Phoebe left home to work in Lewiston.

“Thurs., Aug. 6: A pleasant day. I arose at three, got ready, and Levi (her brother) and I started for Lewiston about five. Got here about eight. It was hard to leave home. I have concluded to work in the kitchen of the boarding house.”

About two weeks later, Phoebe wrote, “A very busy day – extra dishes and kitchen floor to wash, but no extra pay. Tom Thumb (the tiny showman who gained worldwide fame in tours arranged by P.T. Barnum) is in the city. I got a glimpse of his coach and ponies from my window.”

In September, she wrote, “A new cook, Mrs. Hellar from Rockland, came last night. She is not a religious woman, I find by her talk. She goes to dancing school. I was shocked, for she must be 50 years old, I should think, and she is a DEMOCRAT.”

Phoebe’s work was hard, as her entry for Sept. 29 shows.

“This day I have made 37 pumpkin pies. Mrs. Lowell came down and rolled mince pie crust awhile – a great help – so we made 78 pies today, and that is not half the work we have done. Quite a scene in the kitchen in consequence of putting up a mean dinner’ for a man. I got some sauce’ from his wife. I consider her too low to be noticed.”

Around Thanksgiving, she wrote, “I bid adieu to Lincoln Block and its inhabitants for awhile, and here I am with my mother.”

What might you tell us in your diary today?

Dave Sargent is a freelance writer and an Auburn native. You can reach him at dasargent@maine.com.

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