Nadine's Diary, "A Gay Deceiver and a Flirt"

Nov. 8, 94.  In school.  Nannie and Mr. Moss came to my room about nine oclock.  Mr. Moss said he just wanted to say helow.  I ironed a few pieces.  Went down to Nannie's room.  Had a lunch of cake and strawberry pie.  How good it was for I was starving hungry.  Went to the star boarding house with Nannie for dinner.  Went to Grammar class. From there to type writing.  Came down to my room.  Ella Traxler and Mr. Hodges came in to show me the proof of our pictures.  Ella staid a few minutes.  Mr. Hodges staid till nearly supper time. He tried to get me to say that I did not want to change fellows to the club but would not do it.  Miss Thomas, Clara Shafer and Nannie Whitelaw were here a few minutes.  Nannie staid till supper time.  She left her coat for me to wear and she took my cape.  The Pennsylvanians* called a meeting at 7:15 in Room B.  I went down to Nannie after supper.  She sewed a button on her coat.  Then I went up to the 7:15 meeting.  I met several people from the Keystone State*.  Could not stay till it was over for I had another engagement at 8 oclock.  Did not come back to my room but went down to Nannie's.  Mr. Coutz walked down with me.  Mr. Hodges was there waiting for me.  I told he and Nannie about the sweet fellow that walked down with me.  Mr. Hodges took me to the Opera down town.  The play was Lost in New York*.  On our way there Mr. Hodges talked about the fellow that walked down from the meeting with me.  I enjoyed the Opera very much.  Several fellows tried to flirt with me but I would not do it.  Hodges ask me if he might flirt.  I told him I did not care.  But he would not.  It was the first time I was ever in the Opera house.  Lucy Thomas went to Chicago on the tramp train.  Mr. Thomas went down to the station with her.  I staid all night with Nannie.  Mr. Hodges came in.  He did not go home till five oclock in the morning.  He fonded me and told me he liked me and ask me if I would be willing to learn to like him some time.  I tried to avoid having him some talk to me about such a thing, but at last he persuaded me to say yes.  He called me all sorts of sweet names, talked to me about a little of every thing for a while.  Beware.  He is a gay deceiver and a flirt.  I called him pet names and I sat on his lap nearly all night.  Then we were on the sofa.  I went to sleep in his arms.  It was then that he got down on his knees and talked to me abut all sorts of none sense.  We heard Nannie moving around in the bed room.  Heard her sigh once or twice.  As soon as Mr. Hodges went I woke Nannie.  She got up and begin dressing in the dark for the lamp burned out in the night and left Mr. Hodges and I in the dark but didn't matter.  We could spoon as well in the dark as we could in the light, for you could not see each other blushing.  Oh heavens.  Such a girl as I am, and what a night I put in.

*A contemporary account of "Lost in New York":

It presents a series of sensations that would thrill the most callous player.  There is a blackmailers' den, a wharf with a real boat, a wild escape from a lunatic asylum, a timely escape down a telegraph pole. 

*The Pennsylvanians:  There was a choral group by this name but it is not clear if that is what this meeting was about.

*The Keystone State, if you have forgotten, is Pennsylvania.