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GRACE E. JEFFERS : 1917 - 1918 ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT DIARY HANDWRITTEN BY A PERSONABLE BUT PERHAPS UNSUITED STUDENT AT A STRICT CATHOLIC SCHOOL

24mo - over 5" - 5¾" tall. On offer is an exceptional, very unique, original diary handwritten by Grace E. Jeffers a young student attending St. Benedicts College in St. Joseph Minnesota during the years 1917 through 1918. There are 160 pages of long detailed handwritten entries with this diary, numerous pieces of scrap also pasted to the pages; items like play programs, letters, notes, handmade souvenirs, newspaper articles, her report card, holiday tags, dance programs and more. She mentions things like All Soul's Day, All Soul's Requiem Mass, Confession, High Mass, her Sacred Heart badge, retreats, a trip to the Monastery, trips into the near by town of St. Cloud, her school mates and teachers and more. Here are some snippets: 1917 "October 3rd, No one here today. Diary you get read today. I couldn't help it though. So!! Got a lesson this p.m. instead of 1:50. You see Prof. was here today. Nothing doin with English IV & VII. Gee I'm mad. Little good it does tho! Are you practicing Wagner's March?!! Oh! Yes! I should unite to not but I'm almost too sleepy to be sensible so guess I had better go where I belong and get a snooze." "October 7th, 1 year ago today!!!! Uncle John was here. Oh! Uncle's G.K. Wonder if we'll have an anniversary celebration. Wish I could see Roman today. Just for a talk. He's right there. Doings at Pearl Lake today. Them! Here it is 5:10 and still lonesome. Why?! Coz nothings been here to kill it. But there was some excitement anyway. Delphine and Anne were here. Got called out of chapel and guess I got fussed so I said blame me! Say but I had a silly streak today. Played the violin, Ele said almost 3 hrs but I know better. Oh! How sentimental. We had the worst ever tonight." "October 12th, Bum lesson this a.m. Felt so darn funny, kind of tipsy. Now I know why. Had another fit, didn't last long but gee I'm shaky. Lost a whole p.m. No water again today. Dizzy too. Irma made me go to bed early and so had a long sleep." "November 15th, All soul's requiem mass. Over to Gertkin's. Saw Ceil's dress material. Practiced after school. Prof here. Ele's got it bad. Hung on the door until saw and had a talk. Got a few smacks tonight, wow. Mary F., Ruth and Arnella. What's up. Elizabeth got it bad on Ele. Whew! Developments. Erna's sick. Short history lesson. Grace on bum." "November 26th [This entry features a drawing of the girl laying in a bed] Nothing special today……Just ought to have seen Ele go to bed last night. Bot the bath robe. I can't draw as it was under the sheets, but even at that she got cold. Guess I shall have to get a little kerosene stove and set it under her bed. Maybe she'll keep warm then?" The next quote is from a note pasted to one of the pages: "Grace, Mum's the word about Ruff's and your talk about you know. Please do not mention it. Thank you ever so much Grace. I surely appreciate it. See me tomorrow morn. E. B." "December 31st, All excited over the dance. Father Lemice says better not go. Hawke's says nothing so what's a fellow going to do. Bishop here. Everything ok about parish deal. Can go where we want to go, Hurrah. Con says Father Hawke told him to go and have a good time. So he want me to go. Tracy and Leah just coaxed me but nix. So called Father Lemice and asked him about it. "Better stay home and go to bed", so of course I wouldn't dance then. Mother and I went to look on but I didn't even dance the polka. Splitz came and asked me but I couldn't go. A temptation, well I guess. But I did not give in. All the Catholics there would have been hard to count. Decorated swell, here's a program. [The program is pasted to the page] I had lots of fun looking on. To bed late any how." 1918 "January 14th, E. got a letter from Norbert and I got one from Jo. Peachy too. Our letters must have crossed on the way. Reports this a.m. Pretty good too. Over town for E's pictures but they're not here yet. Wonder what became of them! Confession. Poor Mary Welsh! She'd better spruce up for E's latest in a case on Duke. Davy expelled today. G. said she was quite fond of smoking. Took it very cheerily." "January 20th, Daddy Henry gave us a dandy sermon this a.m.??? about proper wedding ceremonies. We must carry a prayer book and not dance up to the altar lest we have to dance to a divorce court some time. Ghee, she felt foxy today, all kinds of stunts up after mass. Chicken dinner or something. St. Cloud High kids here…….Nuns gone." "February 16th, During retreat dreamed that dad went to confession to Father Culler at the Pres. Cath. Only hope that dreams would come true…….Father Henry told me yesterday that my time to choose has not arrived. My first duty is to my parents and brothers and sisters. Letter from Marie. Afraid to talk. Long sleep tomorrow but Ele got a penance of communion so we shall get up. She is rather worried so safety first. Nun went to confession, stumbled going in. "I knew you were drunk before you got in." "March 6th, All excited. May stay overnight. Sr. Adelinda going along. Stations at 11:00. Mrs. Lossbrock on train. Ceil and Agatha to depot with us. Arrived safely. Father Hugo on bus. Chatted, naturally. Roads rough. Al came right away. Not spiffed up. The parlor we got must have been recently occupied by a younger one from the affair hanging on the coat rack. Father Norbert and Severin in later, Dandy!! To music halls then first in F.N's shop. Some place believe me. Heard his phonograph. Pretty good too. He's a wonder…..escorted to lodging quarters. To bed late. Cold in my room, almost froze. Wind howled around the corner and I didn't wake up at 4 to hear the Monastery bells. Wind the other way I guess. I'm mad. Woke me about 5:15, to Mass at 6:00 by P. Norbert……" "May 25th, Sis went to St. Cloud. We slept long. Sis here awhile. Ele cleaned house. I ready for St. Cloud. Got paper from Golden Rule. She went to the doc, a tumor I guess. Oh! I am surely in love with her. I never in all my life experienced such a sensation and such an extensive feeling for any one before. It is so strong tonight that I simply don't know what to do with myself. Oh! That I could stay with her for I know she can't come with me……." The diary measures about 3 ¾" x 6" and is 1" thick. The cover is rather worn but overall G.. Manuscript. Book Condition: Good

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