November 1, 1866
In school. Out engineering with [Capt.] Syberg. Feel sick. I cannot get a place at the Post Office. Saw Major Tyler & he does not want any more clerks. I am sorry but I will be compelled to go on with my school, such as it is. Oh God, grant that I may be successful in my school.
November 2, 1866
In school. Warm & pleasant. Went out engineering with Syberg. Reading & writing. Nothing new.
November 3, 1866
Saturday. At Syberg’s. Surveying a little in afternoon with him. Let me have $28.00 to pay rent. Paid Hughs. At auction with Cole. Gave me two pieces of soap. Rather warm today. Judge Watkins told Syberg he did not want anything to do with me as he considered me an abolitionist because I kept the negroes in my house with me. Watkins need not throw stones when he lives in a glass house.
November 4, 1866
Sunday. At home. [Ed] Sauter here, Cole also. Read & wrote, &c.
November 5, 1866
In school. Another boy. Warm & pleasant. Dr. Hartt called on me. Reading & writing. Nothing new. Saw Major Tyler. said probably in three weeks could give me a place as watchman with same salary as before. I wish he could give me a better one.
November 6, 1866
In school. Nothing new. Mrs. Crouse’s girl buried.
November 7, 1866
In school. Philip Bernays is obliged to go to school to the …..
November 8, 1866
Rainy. In school. Col. Ruff here. Syberg says he has nothing to do with the Bernays affair. He calls Bernays a rascal.
November 9, 1866
In school. Drizzly a little.
November 10, 1866
At home.
November 11, 1866
Sunday.
November 12 through November 14, 1866
At school.
November 15, 1866
In school. Slept with [Ed] Sauter.
November 16 through November 17, 1866
At school.
November 18, 1866
Sunday. At home.
November 19, 1866
In school. Nothing new. Helping Dr. Hartt translating French.
November 20, 1866
In school. Fred Syberg got mad. Said he would not come to me anymore. Writing. Down to Whitler’s teaching girl. My school will be nothing. I do not know what to do. Did not see Cole today. Read the other day, The Knight of Groynne by [C. J.] Lever. Good. Got letter from [my sister] Augusta the other day. [1] Wants me to put in some money to get Ma gold spectacles but when she heard I was doing so badly, she said she would put in for me, & let it go as if it was for me. I am much obliged to her for doing it. I am so much in debt that I do not know when I shall be able to get out. Oh God, grant that I may be able to do something more prosperous. Give me more prosperity. Help me to get into something to get out of debt & save myself from being completely dishonored. Forsake me not now. Sink me no lower, it if be thy will. Grant that more prosperous times may come & that I will not be completely deserted, that I may be able to earn enough to get out of debt & earn my daily bread. Forsake me not now — sinner that I am. If my degradation is sufficient, O help me to rise out of the mire & pollution in which I am sunk. Give me power to rise. Assist me. Give me strength.
[Editor's Note: Goodrich did not make an entry in his diary again until December 11, 1866.]
Footnotes
Augusta Goodrich’s letter, written from Lincoln, Kansas, appears below:
October 29, 1866 Lincoln [Seneca County, Kansas]
My dear brother Ralph. Our folks have not heard from you in some time when they wrote last. I hope you are well and doing well. I was glad to hear you had as good a place as you wrote about. I should think it would be easy if not as profitable as some other employment. Are you still there and how do you get along? Have you been well and does your head still trouble you? You had a very narrow escape. Did you ever get any clue as to who did it? That affair of Dr. Webb was awful. Did they prove it on anyone?
We all keep usually well. The boys are at home yet as school has not commenced. Willie went the summer term for the first [time] and will probably go this winter as it is but a short distance. We are having for us quite a treat – that is apples. [My husband] James went some over fifty miles last week to Atchison on the Missouri River and brought us twelve bushels. He had to pay $1.00 and $1.20 a basket for them. We never have had any since we came to Kansas [over ten years ago], but if we have good success will have on the farm [near Topeka] after awhile. Some of the [apple] trees [we planted in 1856] blossomed some this year and one apple staid on but somebody picked it before [it was] ripe. There were no peaches on our place this year [either]. Do you have apples and peaches plenty there? I’ll bet you have one thing that I love and which grows better there than here, and that is sweet potatoes. They do very well here some years.
We were visited the 1st of September by a great swarm of grasshoppers – or as some call them, locusts. They filled the air and covered the ground for over two weeks and ate all the garden and considerable corn. And some think they will destroy everything next year as the ground is full of eggs. They are a great nuisance. I heard from [our brother] James Goodrich a few weeks ago. He was at Junction City [Kansas] and was still teaming [and] had been across the plains this summer. That Mr. Storms you spoke of used to live at Topeka. I never saw him but my husband and James Goodrich were acquainted with him. I think James Goodrich either worked for him or boarded with him some time. Is he married? I suppose Aunt Mary is either on her way or already at Cincinnati. They have had the cholera there lately. Have there been any cases at Little Rock? None with us and none for anywhere in Kansas.
Sarah, Mary, Steve & myself talk of getting Ma a pair of gold spectacles and don’t let her know anything about it until they are presented to her. They will probably cost about 15 dollars. I have written to see if James Goodrich will help toward them and will also ask, as I am writing, [and] give you the same privilege. If not convenient, do not do so as I know your losses have been great. But if you would put in a couple of dollars – or a dollar, no matter which, you can send it to [our sister] Mary so as not to have Ma know anything about it. She opens [our sister] Sarah’s letters… Winter weather is almost here. We have a fire some days now, although we have had no frost to kill the rines until last week.
Your affectionate sister, — Augusta [Goodrich] Griffing
