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; 16mo - over 5¾" - 6¾" tall; KEYWORDS: HISTORY OF, MABLE S. WALKER, GUELPH, ONTARIO, CANADA, CANADIANA, SOUTHWESTERN ONTARIO, RURAL COMMUNITIES, SMALL TOWN ONTARIO, FARMING COMMUNITIES, THE ROYAL CITY, GENDER STUDIES, SOCIAL STUDIES, KITCHENER, WATERLOO, INGERSOLL, LONDON, WOMEN'S STUDIES, CANADIANA, AMERICANA, HANDWRITTEN, MANUSCRIPT, AUTOGRAPHED, AUTHORS, DOCUMENT, LETTER, AUTOGRAPH, KEEPSAKE, WRITER, HAND WRITTEN, DOCUMENTS, SIGNED, LETTERS, MANUSCRIPTS, HISTORICAL, HOLOGRAPH, WRITERS, AUTOGRAPHS, PERSONAL, MEMOIR, MEMORIAL, PERSONAL HISTORY, ARCHIVE, DIARY, DIARIES, JOURNAL, LOG, PRIMARY SOURCE, FIRST HAND ACCOUNT, SOCIAL HISTORY, PERSONAL STORIES, LIVING HISTORY, ANTIQUITÉ, CONTRAT, VÉLIN, DOCUMENT, MANUSCRIT, PAPIER ANTIKE, BRIEF, PERGAMENT, DOKUMENT, MANUSKRIPT, PAPIER OGGETTO D'ANTIQUARIATO, ATTO, VELINA, DOCUMENTO, MANOSCRITTO, CARTA ANTIGÜEDAD, HECHO, VITELA, DOCUMENTO, MANUSCRITO, PAPEL,
