My grandmother, Lina Dreher, was sixteen and working in the family bakery when she kept this diary. She has one brother, Joe, and six sisters some of whose names are mentioned. Lina’s excited about receiving something she’s supposed to share; a bicycle, called a ‘wheel’ in 1913.

September 18th 

Can you beat this? Tuesday when Mary and Pa ordered the wheel they were told to come Wednesday evening. Wednesday when Mary asked whether it was done yet, they told her to come Thursday and she went and they said it wouldn’t be done until Friday or Saturday.

September 19th

Didn’t get our wheel yet. The storekeeper claims he can’t find tires to fit. Why didn’t he look for them first? I suppose we’ll get it someday! 

September 20th

More rain! This weather is bad for business. We took in $5 less. 

September 21st  

Still more rain! Had the blues this morning. Tillie went to Mamie Cancannon and stayed till after twelve. We were all scared stiff and Mama worried awful. Joe and Hattie started out to look for her when she came home, and said she wanted to wait till the rain stopped. I fell asleep about quarter to two.

September 22nd

Got up 4:30. Was tired all day.

September 23rd 

Just a year ago today, Em went up to Verona Sanatorium for her health. Then she was good and strong. No one would have thought her ill. Poor girl. She went through a lot after she came home. If we’d have known there was no hope for her (Dr. Motzenbacher told us so after her death). We wouldn’t have made her; I mean let her go up there. But it’s too late to ponder now. Dr. Morzenbacher said there is no cure for Tuberculosis whatever.

September 24th

Got our wheel today! Had great sport riding it. Of course, I fell once or twice, but that’s natural. It’s my wheel. It cost $11 because it has new tires on. Mary and Hattie ride on it, too. I rode from 2 o’clock until 5 steady.

September 25th 

Today, every bone in my body seemed to ache from riding so much yesterday. Last night when I lay down, I was so tired I couldn’t sleep.

September 26th 

Rode a lot again. I ride to work every morning. It takes me less than five minutes. Walking takes me fifteen.

September 27th 

I know a young man who is a very good friend to the young man who sold us our wheel. As our wheel has no mud guard or chain guard, he is going to tell the other fellow to put the guards on. And that he was out riding with me and my skirt got caught in the chain, etc. 

Got new shoes today. Bought them in Orange [NJ]. Paid $3 for them. Goodness, I am growing every which way. I wear size 4!

September 28th

Joe, Hattie and I went to visit Miss Williamson, our old school teacher. Miss Williamson lost about 20 pounds through illness caused by over working herself. She looks awful. We stayed to supper and left about 8:30 P.M. Miss Williamson received a card from Edward O’Connor who is a sailor on some boat which was at harbor in Mexico. 

September 29th

Miss Baker, a customer of ours and a drawing teacher, took Mary’s and my drawings home to show her husband who also is an artist. She thought they were lovely and that they showed a lot of talent. She said that we should continue drawing because we may be able to perfect it some day and we’ll have so much less to learn then.

September 30th

Had an awful scrap with Tillie today because I fixed something over which she had done and it didn’t suit me. Here lately I can’t get enough sleep. I’m always tired and I sleep up to the last minute home.

To be continued…