Medora, 1914
A year ago I could have titled this “Some things don’t change…” but this year, of course, that’s not so true.
DIARY, TUESDAY, JULY 7, 1914
This morning we had to rush terribly to get our camping outfit on the stage. Bob fixed the camera. It had had lots of sand in it. Papa took us to Nahcotta in the lumber wagon drawn by the colts (Emp and Queenie). The bumps were awful. We fooled around Moreheads’ till about one. Holland Houston came down from the Park with Ruth C. and Marge. The ride over to the Nemah in the launch Edna was wonderful. Dote and I sat up in front, rather lied. Ruth Hag. was our chaperone. Upon arriving at Prior’s landing was much surprized to find the whole family there except Ethel who is a week old bride. Priors helped us pitch camp. Adam was down to dinner. Had a bonfire. Slept on the ground in the tent. Rather uncomfortable. Gene W. is attractive.
Medora’s Makeshift Garters — Nemah Camping Trip, 1914
Medora (my mother’s eldest sister) was fifteen and, as far as I know, this was her first (and perhaps only) camping trip. As is always the case when I am dealing with old family documents of one kind and another, I wish my mother were here to elucidate. (I’m sure she’d “tut-tut” over Medora’s use of “lied,” however. So did I.)
I do know some of Medora’s references, though. “Bob” was Papa’s cousin Robert Oliver who lived here in Oysterville for a few years and was a great favorite with the entire family. “Morehead’s” in Nahcotta was, of course, John Morehead’s store (which Jack’s Country Store proudly claims as a forebear). “Ruth Hag” was Ruth Richardson Hagadorn, my grandmother’s younger sister — about ten years older than Medora. The Priors were family friends who lived on the Nemah River. Their large family included Willie, Marion, Ethel, and Adam.
“Dote” was Portland Academy friend, Dorothy Strowbridge, about whom Medora later wrote: “Mother doesn’t approve of Dote.” (I wonder if my own mother would have known why.) Ruth Connell, “Ruth C..” was in the class ahead of Medora at Portland Academy and “Marge” was her sister, perhaps in Medora’s class. Their family had a summer place in Ocean Park.
Camp Keepsake
“Holland Huston” was from Portland and, though somewhat older than Medora, was perhaps also a schoolmate at Portland Academy. His family had a summer place in Ocean Park or Nahcotta and he seemed to be part of the Portland Summer Group that Medora saw occasionally during the summers of 1914 and 1915. She had a bit of a crush on Holland — but not so much that she didn’t take note of the mysterious “Gene W.” And, in that respect, certainly, Pandemic or No Pandemic — some things do not change much at all!
