Nadine's Diary, "Mean Old Thing"

This chart appears very similar to the short-hand
code Nadine used in her diary.

*On this day in her diary, Nadine puts her short-hand skills to use, inserting the symbols for things that she may not want others to read.  Given that my own short-hand translation skills are severely limited, I will use the marks \\\ to indicate where she has inserted the symbols.  It is fairly simple to take a guess at the words she has left out.

Nov. 24.  Went to breakfast.  Cleaned the rooms.  Every thing looked lovely.  We were washing.  Fred came down tore every thing out of places.  Got Clara cross.  And (__?).  Ge what a mean boy.  I washed some things and hung them by the stove to dry.  Fred came out and looked at them.  Mean old thing.  Mr. Edwards his room mate brought his microscope down.  We looked at some dog blood and one of Fred's, Clara's Mr. Edward's and my own hair.  Fred cut his finger to get some fresh blood to look at.  Enjoyed it very much.  Went to dinner.  The boys walked home with us.  Will came in.  Stayed nearly all afternoon.  I got home sick and took a cry.  Will got angry and went home.  Clara was down town with her father.  Got back about the time Will left.  When he started I told him he need not come back any more.  Clara said Why Nadine but I didn't care.  He was so mean.  Fred came in.  I fixed my black dress.  Nannie came in and I told her a big lie about Fred and Clara, for I didn't want her to know they were in the bedroom.  Ge how sorry I was for what I had said to Will.  Went to supper.  Will was not there and Kettle said he was not coming.  You don't know how I felt.  I certainly could have fallen through the floor for I wanted to see him.  But after while he came in and how glad.  But he would not speak to me and after while I ask him something but he answered me very cool.  So I let him be.  And Clara & Fred got up from the table and tried to have us there alone but I got up and went with them.  And coming up.  Hodges with his brother passed us and Fred called out to Will and he stopped when we caught up with him.  Clara and Fred ran off from me and I was compelled to be alone with him.  We did not come in our room but took a walk.  He wished to have me explain etc. etc.  Did not want to come in but finally did.  At last we made up.  Clara & Fred were in the \\\ and we made a \\\ on the floor.  Ge how sweet he was after we made up.  Fred went home about \\\ Will did not go till nearly \\\.  Ge isn't that awful?  But never the less tis true.  Dressed and went to breakfast.  Will and I took a walk out in the country out beyond (note: she spelled this beon--it took me a minute to figure out what she meant) the greenhouse.  How I did enjoy it although it was quite cool.  He put his \\\ around me and \\\ me several times but no one was around.  The frost looked so pretty on the fence and walks came back about \\\.  He did not come in.  Clara was \\\ and I got warm and she and I went to bed.  Slept till dinner time when Nannie came in and woke us.  I went but Clara didn't.  Fred came in.  Clara had her nightgown on but she had a quilt around her.  Will & Fred both walked up home with me.  Will didn't come in but Fred did.  Miss Leonard and Miss Vantriese  called on Clara.  We were both dressing.  Nannie came in.  We were in the bed room.  Will & Fred came in.  We had lots of fun all to ourselves.  We wanted to come out so bad we didn't know what to do.  We had a notion to climb out of the window.  Ge how we did wish for them to go.  After so long a time they went.  Nannie went home and once more the F.L.C.C. found themselves alone smoking qubebs.*  Will and Fred were lolling on the bed and set the comforter on fire and Ge how sick I was.  Will the darling boy got me a glass of fresh water and I came out of the study room and I felt better in a little while.  They stayed till suppertime and Will went to his room to change his hat.  Ge who swell he looked with a silk hat on.  Went to supper.  Had lots of fun.  Clara brought two pieces of cake up with her.  The boys came home with us.  We all went.  Lion called.  Ask to speak to me.  Wanted me to go to the Opera Tuesday night but I declined.  I came in.  Will was so angry he walked the floor and wouldn't let me near him but he got all right in a few minutes after I explained.  Oh how jealous he is of me.  Down town.  Got an oyster stew.  Oh how good and the fun we had.  Came home.  Will and I tried to have a cake walk.  Coming home we got to the room first.  Lighted up.  Will took off my wraps for I was so tired I couldn't.  We took the \\\.  Clara and Fred made a \\\ on the \\\ in the study room.  They didn't go home till after the \\\ bell rang.  Ge that's awful.  If my Mamma knew how I was acting she would take me home in a minute.  Will was so sweet I could have \\\ him all the time for the first time he ask me \\\ but I was determined.   How glad I am that I didn't for he afterwards told me he would not care to \\\ with me anymore if I had \\\.  I was \\\ think of it.

*qubebs:  also "Cubeb."  The spicy fruit of the cubeb vine, when dried & crushed, is used medicinally or in perfumery and sometimes smoked in cigarettes.  More on cubebs, including advertisements of the day.

1890s Men's silk top hat.
Will's hat could have resembled photo.