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M.S. WALKER [perhaps MABLE] : 1907 - 1920 ORIGINAL, CHARMING SOUTH WESTERN ONTARIO MANUSCRIPT DIARY THAT BEGINS WITH SAD LOSS THEN CONTINUES TO HAPPINESS AND CONTENTMENT

16mo - over 5¾" - 6¾" tall. On offer is a charming, somewhat sad and enigmatic original manuscript diary handwritten by a young south western Ontario Canada woman named M. S. Walker [b. August 10th 1879] of Guelph, Ontario which in July 1907, the month and year of the diary was a small, but fast growing community of under 15,000 persons. The flip style book begins with a loose page and we note two entries that bring the humanity of the book to light: "Ian Walker Born March 25th 1907 Died March 25th 1907" and then in another hand: "To Mable from Mother May the G…. and Rec….. unite someday in singing the new new song". Then the diary begins in what one would assume was Mable's hand [a later entry refers to "Mable and I" leading us to conclude either Mable gave her sister the book after the death or perhaps both sisters wrote] with her numbered page 1 dated June 22, '07. However above this is an entry dated March 25 1907: Our baby came today and went to heaven the same day. 3/26/07 I took the little fellow's body out to Forest Lawn Cemetery to God's Acres His name was to have been Ian, so we buried him by that name. 'Tis a little blossom in heaven." We feel that the book was likely a gift, taken up quickly to record the sad event and then picked up and begun in earnest 3 months later. The book begins and appears to show her recovered from her tragedy: "Left Detroit with Aunt H. on 2-35 G.T.R. for Guelph. Arrived about 10 p.m. and found all well. It is good to be able to be at home with father and mother again and I am thankful to God that mother and father have been spared & that I am able to see them well and happy in their home again. I pray that they may be spared to us many years and that their latter years be bright and happy." What follows are 115+ pages through to her last entry October 29th 1920 and besides the regular day to day recording there are more births, more deaths, trips and work at a busy bank in a bustling community with a far ranging family business in the background making for a super look at an early 20th Century Ontario woman's life. Overall Fair+.. Manuscript. Book Condition: Fair+

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