The Diaries of Ralph Leland Goodrich, 1859-1867

August 1, 1866

Working & writing. Finished reading Don Quixote – as entertaining as ever.  Cloudy a little. There was a fire in town last night. Flowers here a little while. He says he is going to join the Methodist Church. He is a queer case, egotistical & self-sufficient – so much so that his company is more of a bore than agreeable.

August 2, 1866

Working a little. Mary came over & brought some papers to copy from [Capt.] Cole. Writing & reading a little. The other night the citizens mobbed Lavinia Pruet & destroyed a good deal of her property. [1]

August 3, 1866

Working a little. Writing & reading. Warm.

August 4, 1866

Working & reading & writing. Mary came over.

August 5, 1866

Sunday. Over in town.

August 6, 1866

Reading. Election here. Sick all day.

August 7, 1866

Reading & writing. Mary over. Finished reading The Toilers of the Sea.

August 8, 1866

Reading. Over in town on business. Got a letter from [my sister] Augusta.

August 9, 1866

Mick Egan & Pat Lee here. Drinking.

August 10, 1866

Sick all day. Reading a little. Mary here.

August 11, 1866

In town. At office all day working & packing up goods. Slept at home.

August 12, 1866

Sunday. Home all day. [Capt.] Cole came in a little while. Reading & writing. I do not know whether to take a school or not.

August 13, 1866

Working a little, reading & writing, and studying French & Spanish. Warm.

August 14, 1866

Over in town. Rainy. Did not see [Capt.] Syberg.

August 15, 1866

Drizzly in morning. Studying Greek, Spanish & French. Reading, writing & copy[ing] law papers, which I have been doing for [Capt.] Cole for the last two months, & my share amounts to about $25. Have got of him only $7.  Cool.  At Smith’s saloon.

August 16, 1866

Finished the copying for Cole. Reading, writing & studying. Mary came over with my dinner. Cool and pleasant today. Reading The Adventure of Philip by Thackeray. Very good. Sarcastic on society.

August 17, 1866

Sick all day.

August 18, 1866

In town. Major Tyler says he don’t want me longer than this month. Put advertisements in Pantograph & News for school. I am sorry that I can’t stay here. Saw [Capt.] Syberg. He don’t much want me to begin school. Came back. Feel sick. Went over in town with Henry Smith in skiff. Stayed all night.  Saw [Capt.] Cole. [He was] sick in bed. I am sick.

August 19, 1866

Sunday. At home all day reading & writing. Feel sick. I am so disappointed in losing my place that I do not know what to do. Oh God, have mercy upon me. I mean to stop drinking from this day, except a little once in awhile – beer for instance.

August 20, 1866

Came over to warehouse early. I have a bad cold. Reading & writing.

August 21, 1866

Major Tyler sent over for me to do some work. Raining. Called on [Capt.] Syberg [but he was] not at home. Scott, the constable, told me that a man was cursing me terribly at Bernay’s store. Did not know who he was. Came over in the afternoon.

August 22, 1866

Reading & writing. Rainy a little.

August 23, 1866

Reading & writing. Chills. Fanny came over. Heard that cholera was at Duvall’s Bluff.

August 24, 1866

Cold & chilly. Rainy a little.

August 25, 1866

Pleasant. Fanny came over. Writing. Last night, [I saw] a hump-back man almost round, big head, little legs, a heavy & long beard – did not measure more than three and a half [feet] from his feet to the top of his head. Went over home in evening.

August 26, 1866

Sunday. At home all day. Rainy. Writing.

August 27, 1866

My birthday. I am thirty years old today. How long I have lived and done nothing yet!  Today is rainy & cold.

August 28, 1866

Over in town. Did not see [Capt.] Syberg. Saw Henry Moore. Major Tyler says I can stay in office till I get a schoolroom.

August 29, 1866

Reading & writing. Saw Henry Moore. [He is] going home. Tyler went home today.

August 30-31, 1866

[No entries]

The Ralph Goodrich Collection is the property of the Arkansas History Commission.