Time might himself set his
watch by some of them. But then it was a rarer and a more interesting
thing than now. We can easily fancy the neighbors gathering to see the
fine clock standing in its place in the hall, telling its monotonous
tale all the nights and days.

But another interesting record now comes in. This, too, is an event--in
May:

"17. I bottled cyder."

And then in October again:

"20. Cyder come."

Cyder is not a thing to be despised even by a man who knows Latin. But
is not cyder an important thing to everybody? They had neither tea nor
coffee then, and man likes to drink. We may know, too, that in those
days every good woman made a few bottles of currant wine, made also her
rose cakes to sweeten her drawers, gathered and dried lavender to make
lavender-water, also sage and hoarhound, "good for sickness." Alas! that
people might be sick even in those "Good old Times," we know, and we
find that in January, 1727, W. S. puts down carefully this:

"A Recipe for y^e cure of Sciatica pains--viz.:

"Take 2 ounces of flowered brimstone, four ounces of Molasses. Mix y^m
together, and take a spoonfull morning and evening, and if y^t do not
effect a cure, take another spoonfull at noon also." You continue until
you get well, or--something!

Why endure sciatica pains after this? We make no charge for this
valuable knowledge.

But in June we find it put down:

"Mr. Davenport Chosen Tutor And confirmed by y^e overseers."

Here we have a clue to the Latin.

And in August is another entry:

"Governor Burnett, upon an invitation, came to visit y^e Coll:
besides---- y^e Civil Officers in Cambridge w^th some others, together
with y^e Masters of Art in College, were invited to dine w^th him. There
was an Oration in y^e hall by Sir Clark, some of y^e neighboring Clergie
were present, & about sixty persons in all had a handsome dinner in y^e
Library."

Here _was_ an event to be recorded. But was W. S. present? We remain in
the dark.

Entries now become more and more uncommon. We learn little more of the
clock or of the cyder; and we are at a loss to explain the reason why.
But lo! we have it! In November there is but one entry, on the

"21. _I was married_."

There is the gospel, without note or comment. To whom? We ask in vain.
"I was married," and that is all. But is not that enough? No more
records about clocks and cyder! What need of those things? Very few
entries are made in this year, and these a