News-Better and a Diary

Things looked bleak for Bonnie early yesterday morning, but a visit to Lloyd's brought better news. While a possible tumor or infection is not out of the question, the best diagnosis is a sprained back with a disk problem as a more serious version of the same thing. The vet was a little hopeful since her legs were not completely inactive. Due to her age it was decided not to sedate her for an x-ray. She was given an anti-inflammatory injection and a four day supply of pain killers. She is spending those days in the property managers office. Visitors can see her through the window that looks out over Simba's pen. Early in the afternoon she was using her back legs a little although later she was less mobile. Back home in the Heavy Horse Barn, Edwin is very upset that his friend has disappeared. Wish we could tell him that she's OK for the next few days at least. Here's a picture of the two before the vet visit yesterday:

At an Ames reunion several years ago, I heard Sarah Ames, the wife of John Ames III speak about her efforts to transcribe the diary of Evelina Gilmore Ames. Evelina was the wife of the future Congressman Oakes Ames. The tidbits that Sarah Ames shared at the reunion were interesting, and I had a chance to talk to her after the speech. I was very pleased when she remembered me last week with a draft copy of the diary which covers the years 1851 and 1852. It is a truly amazing thing. At the time of the diary her husband was already 9 years into being one of the two managing partners of the Shovel Company and by far one of the three richest men in town, but you would hardly know this from Evelina's diary which revealed that her husband had only one suit besides his Sunday suit. She also spends day after day in the winter of 1851 mending clothes for her husband and sons. She did have help and seems rarely to cook a meal, but she cleaned every day-her account of spring cleaning in 1851 goes on for days and baked for the family once a week. She seemed to work about a half day at chores and then spend the rest of the day exchanging visits with a vast network of family and friends. These connections are often interesting. In 1851, for instance, visits to Dr. Caleb Swan are mentioned. Now a few years later Dr. Swan becomes a leading liberal in opposition to the No Nothing Party with Evelina's father-in-law as an ardent supporter, but shadowy reports indicate that both Dr. Swan and Evelina's husband were involved in the Underground Railroad. Shifting through the daily chores one finds a woman who visited the schools and took an interest in the young teachers and who tended sick neighbors. We are also treated to tantalizing bits and pieces about what flowers she planted in her garden-the earliest references available in Easton to the best of my knowledge and how she felt about the wave of Catholics who were moving into town-she attended the consecration of the first Catholic chapel in town and seems to share her husband's more enlightened view of immigrants. She was a pious woman (although not above an occasional Sunday headache) and along with being close friends with the Unitarian minister attended hymn singing with the Methodists. No indication of interaction with the Congregational minister, however. Don't know how much more Sarah Ames plans to do with this draft, but it is already a  major contribution to the history of Easton. Wonder if there are diaries for other members of the family from this era. Thank you to both Mrs. Ames!