For a short biography of Marion Feltmate see the year 1932

1946:

Jan 1: Some fun last year and some troubles. Nothing beneficial.

Jan 4: Went to see Betty C. She has a sprained wrist. Supper at Aunt Ethel's. Show called Suspect (Charles Lotton [she means Laughton-pf]) and dance after. Jamie Phalen, Russel and Gerald and a fair time.

Jan 11: Winifred has another baby girl. [Was this Winifred and Winslow Munroe's baby Judith?-pf] Terry & Russell have gone away. Agatha and I to show at Hall. Together Again, Irene Dunne.

Jan 12: Went to the barracks show with Art but Connie didn't go as expected.

Jan 13: Reading. Church tonight

Jan 14: Started quilt. Sure cold tonight. 8 below [Farenheit -pf]

Jan 16: No church meeting. Too cold.

Jan 17: Some of us down to barracks to see show Thunderhead. The children are going down tomorrow.

Jan 20: Connie called to go to barracks show.

Jan 21: Embroidering at Nelt's p.m.  Mr Rowe here to supper. Snowing. No meeting.

Jan 22: no mail . Too much ice

Jan 25: Blowing a gale. Arthur here short time then went to the show.

Jan 26: Mail a little late. New sailors came in (6). Connie to show at barracks.

Jan 28: Pa, Uncle George [Grover] & Duncan McDonald to Canso for coal. Pa badly hurt coming up Uncle George's road in the truck.

Jan 29: In the store. Locket from Lindsay [her brother in Boston. I now own the locket -pf]

Jan 30: Sam & Sidney doing the work for us.

Jan 31: Guild at Lizzie's. I stayed home with Pa.

Feb 1: Terrible icy. Didn't go to show.

Feb 2: In the store as usual

Feb 3: Falcon here a.m. Pa out today.

Feb 5: Bakery truck in. Went to dance. 66.70 for Wilfred. Then Pa gave $2 and Dave R gave $2

Feb 6: Patsy here tonight in the shop sitting by the fire.

Feb 7: Rain. Harold Munroe & Agatha here tonight to the shop

Feb 8: Didn't go to show. Went to bed early. Navy truck brought in our supplys. They were upset and in Guysboro all day.

Feb 14: Sent Wilfred a cake. Arthur, Patsy & Ainsley here tonight in the shop. Winslow [Munroe] gave us eels. Gerald & Winslow here tonight.

Feb 15: Carroll came home for the weekend. Connie & I at the show. Eadie Was A Lady. Donny [Feltmate] gave us ducks.

Feb 16: Jim & Roy Conrad here in the store awhile.

Feb 18: Art's wife has a new baby, a girl. Harold and Connie here in the store. Roy Conrad went away.

Feb 19: Patsy M[unroe] wasn't very well today.She laid down for awhile. Didn't have to wait long for mail. In the store. Arthur there and  Ainsley M[unroe]. The men are working on the lake. Beatrice came home last night.

Feb 20: Jim C in the store this evening. Too slippery to go to the [post] office.

Feb 21: Patsy & I had dinner in the store. The Wrens left tonight. Awful icy.

Feb 22: connie & I to the show. 2 sailors tried to talk awhile but she sent them off. O.K. by me. (My Gal Loves Music, Bob Crosby)

Feb 28: Guild at Agatha's [Munroe]. We played. Bernie [Munroe] & Ainsley [Munroe] 2 violins, Connie [Grover] organ, Agatha [Munroe] mandolin, I guitar.

Mar 4: Didn't go to the show and what a dance, missed that too.

Mar 5: Saw Lillian Conrad. She looks nice

Mar 7: They took Patsy to the hospital but she hasn't got diptheria.

Mar 8: Dr Stanton up to Uncle Angus today.

Mar 9: Mama sick in bed.

Mar 10: Party at barracks but didn't go. Only 3 Canso girls & Betty & Joyce. Went up to see Wilfred. Alice [Duncan] sick today.

Mar 11: Pa attended meeting concerning hospital at Canso. Saw Leo Dort today. Went to office in Bakery truck. Snowing! Didn't go to show.

Mar 14: Connie & I to Guild at Aunt Ethel's. Layer cake with dates between & whipped cream

Mar 15: Mama & I to see Alice [Duncan] tonight. Lizzie & Sam [Porter] are sick too.

Mar 18: Connie & I to show. "Drifting Along" (Lynn Carver). Sat there with sailors all around us.

Mar 23: Mama to Alice's. Alice is better but hoarse.

Mar 24: I have a cold.

Mar 27: Feel better. Mama cleaning pantry

Apr 3: Took some eggs up to Wilfred. He is leaving in the morning for hospital treatment again.

Apr 4: Guild at Mrs Earl Munroe's

Apr 11: Connie and I to Haulover for butter

Apr 13: School meeting to decide on a new school. Got my spring coat with a white collar

Apr 14: Uncle Jim [Grover] to supper.

Apr 19: Cosette in the store this evening and Arthur [Rhynold] gave him a picture of the Camp Borden boys.

Apr 20: Aunt Ethel [Grover], Foreman [McCabe], Uncle George [Grover] & McCabe here tonight.

Apr 21: No church. Connie & I went to barracks show with the chief.

Apr 25: Thelma [Porter] & Roy [Ehler] married in H[lf] W[ay] Cove. Reception at Nelt's [Clement Moynelta 'Nelt" Grover and his wife Johanna [(Uloth Roberts)-pf]   Quiet and no dance.

May 2: Guild at Connie's We stayed upstairs on the bed. Snow today. Ground frozen tonight.

May 3: Connie & I to show. Frisco Sal and it was good. Uncle Jim gave me 40 cents to go

May 4: Beatty [Munroe] came home from overseas.

May 6: Went to the show with Pa. Came down with Connie. "Salome" in technicolor. Sailors there.

May 11: Alice Conrad and Mrs Joe arrived tonight.

May 18: Pa & I to a show with Jack Carver. "Practically Yours." Claudette Colbert

May 19: Church tonight and Willie George's baby christened Barbara Dianne.

May 21: came home from the [post] office with Carver & Cosette.

May 26: Went to Merle's tongiht. Erban Munroe there, just from overseas.

May 27: Erbon in store awhile today.

May 28: Ainsley P talking on phone from New Glasgow about Mackeral. Mama planting today.

Jun 1: Went to dance.  1 with Jamie Phalen, 1 with Eurben. Got $2 for playing. Connie helped me.

Jun 2: Connie to Canso with Harold &  sailors to the Ball Game. I didn't go.

Jun 3: Mama sick. Dr Stanton here.

Jun 4: Mama went to Hospital. Ina, Pa, Billy Mac $22.00. Lydia, Ainsley & Wilfred here today.

Jun 5: Connie, Arthur & Aunt Fan in a short time this evening. Didn't go to show at school.

Jun 7: Connie here tonight. Letter from Mama.

Jun 9: Church tonight. New minister.

Jun 11: Billy Mac called and seen Mama today. She can eat more.

Jun 14: Mrs McDonald was to the hospital to see Mama. Connie here tonight. We cleaned the windows & chairs.

Jun 15: Lillian went to hospital. I didn't go to dance. Big crowd.

Jun 17: Connie & I to show. Abbott & Costello.

Jun 18: Beatty [Munroe] and family arrived. Rain today.

Jun 21: Did rooms upstairs. Baked a pie and patties.

Jun 22: Connie and Joyce here tonight. I baked beans, boiled lobster, baked biscuits, cleaned kitchen porch pantry hall & steps. Clam chowder for dinner.

Jun 30: Went to United CHurch. Called at Mrs Thurlow's [Munroe] Only Merle & Francis home.

July 8: Mama came home from hospital. Pa & Ina went up for her. Edna Williams Day had a second daughter today. Show tonight. [the new baby was Judith Anne "Judy". Judy's older sister was Joan Marie, and later there would be a son, Allan Malcolm. Edna was married to Malcolm St. Clair Day, and her parents were Anne (Grover) and Simon Williams of Queensport -pf]

Jul 10: Went to the dance. 1 with Steve, 1 Leslie, (played for 2) 1 Erbin (played guitar, played piano again) came home with Connie

Jul 13: Lexis [Bigney] came [from New Glasgow].

July 14: Lexie & I visited Lizzies, Ethels, Minnies, Idas & Jims & Purvis. Home all evening. She left about 6 p.m. We had company all day and evening too. Edith Alice Aunt Fan & Uncle Jim.

Jul 18: Show & dance. Hall packed.

Jul 20: Went to ball game. Navy beat the W[hite] H[ead] boys.

Jul 21: Went to show. We came home in a mad mood.

Jul 22: Went to Deep Cove with Patsy

Jul 23: Jean Smith & husband arrived today

Jul 25: Harry Feltmate, Bernie & Erbin here tonight.

Jul 26: The boys went sword fishing today. Alice, Ella & Leander here tonight.

Jul 28: I went rowing with Helen this evening.

Jul 31: Patsy, Connie & I over to see Merle [Munroe]. She's leaving tomorrow.

Aug 1: Capt Myrs here.

Aug 2: Calvin's baby born today. [Calvin and Hattie (Webster) Grover had a son David Eric -pf]

Aug 4: W.H. beat the navy in base ball.

Aug 7: Salad supper at Harris'. Played for Ferry boys to sing.

Aug 8: Ferry boys here. Nice evening but seemed short.

Aug 11: Fanny Al [Munroe], Owen, Isabelle & Little Janet [Munroe] here p.m. Connie & I to see Mrs G Munroe. Lawrence & Joe home. Ball game in H[alf] I[sland] Cove.

Aug 13: Nice day. I collected for Canso hospital.

Aug 14: Aunt Ethel [Grover] here hooking

Aug 26: Connie & I to show, Tarzen. Lindsay [Feltmate her brother], Anna [Lindsay's wife], & Jack Langley & Eva arrived tonight.

Sep 2: Roland called on us today. Helen Lynk's wedding. Went to show with Pa. Came down with him, Helen, Arthur. Allotment Wives with Francis Kay. Riders of the Dawn too.

Sep 3: Lindsay, Anna & I with Arthur up through the runs.

Sep 5: Sidney, Ina, George, Ethel, Jim, Edna, Erbin,Arthur, Cook Kiley, Mr & Mrs Langley all here tonight. Mama got sick.

Sep 6: Lindsay & crowd left. Mama too

Sep 7: Joyce (& Erbin) here tonight. We sang out on the steps.

Sep 8: Ball game and everything satisfactory.

Sep 13: Erbin came down with me from post office. He & Reggie & Harold, Connie, Joyce & I in the car playing fiddle & guitar.

Sep 14: Mama had operaton from 9 to 11 a.m.

Sep 18: Tom Duncan arrived here tonight. Connie here awhile also Jamie Phalen

Sep 19: to Aunt Ethel's tonight. Called for Tom at Purvis's.

Sep 21: Went with Agatha & patsy to barracks show.

Sep 22: Connie & I to Haulover p.m. All the crowd out sailing.

Sep 23: I think this is Erben's birthday.

Sep 26: Pa to Antigonish. Carroll got dinner. I stayed in store.

Oct 1: Connie & I waited for Harold to come. He didn't so I ate 2 sandwiches and she ate 6

Oct 4: Nice day. Lovely evening too. We ate tomatoe sandwiches on the front steps.

Oct 5: Card game at Norman's tonight.

Oct 8: McGillvery's show. Rain.Erbin here, also Connie. Played records.

Oct 12: To Antigonish. Mama came home

Oct 21: Uncle Angus died this morning. [Angus Caleb Duncan, Marion's great uncle, son of Thomas W and Eliza Ann (McKinnon Newell) Duncan, and husband of Eliza Ann (MacDuff)-pf]

Oct 23: Uncle Angus' funeral. 11 wreaths. Peace perfect peace. Abide with Me. Sun of my Soul.

Oct 26: The 2 men were here and paid board. Earl & ERbin went to Halifax

Oct 27: The men went away this morning. Church a.m. Saw Dickie Frost & Blondie.

Oct 31: Guild at Alice's. Party at school house. Party at barracks. I went to Guild.

Nov 2: Supper at Aunt Ethel's. Met her boarders including a Mr Munroe, Nazerene or S[alvation] Army man.

Nov 3: Bessie Ehler & family here tonight.

Nov 7: Colin selling Uncle George's cow. connie here doing pillow cases. Pa to barracks show.

Nov 8: Nice moonlight night but stayed in

Nov 9: Cleaned front room. Rainy tonight.

Nov 10: Mama went to Queensport

Nov 11: Leslie & Donny went to the Legion at Canso and other boys went too.

Nov 12: talking to Gordon Hill

Nov 14: What a night last night. Carl sleepwalking? [her brother]

Nov 17: Mama came home from Queensport with Wilfred Ehler & family

Nov 20: Went to barracks with Pa. Played piano with Carl. the show was John L Sullivan

Nov 24: Church a.m. No fire, gas lamps. Edna Myers & Jean here.

Nov 26: We went to dance that Reggie had. It was good. Came home with Helen. Danced with Leslie, Harvey, McNutt, 2 with Howard MacKenzie

Dec 4: got ready for barracks but Pa had gone

Dec 5: Went to barrracks with Connie, Dickie, Joyce, Agatha

Dec 6: Joyce , Agatha & I went to barracks with Carl.Saw "Where Do we Go from Here"

Dec 7: went to barracks show

Dec 20: Cleaned ceiling. Sewed at Lillian's p.m. 50 cents for sewing Barteau's pants

Dec 21: Cleaned floor tonight

Dec 25: I went to barracks but no fun

Dec 30: Mama to Uncle George's in the horse & wagon.

Dec 31: Pa got coal in Canso.

[Marion wrote on the back page of her diary:]

Ain't you got no paper, friend?
Ain't you got no pen
Ain't you got no envelope
To put a letter in
Is ya lost my old address
And lost my letters, too?
Don't you know I'm 'bout to die
From lack of word from you?

Is ya got the writer's cramp?
Is ya broke your arm?
Is ya got the rheumatiz?
Is it too hot and warm?
Ain't you got a single thought
'Bout me feelin' blue?
Don't you know it's been weeks
Since I heard from you?