May 1st, 1862.—Father has engaged a book-keeper to come next week. He says it keeps me too close. This man is an Englishman with a wife, a small son and a brother-in-law; a strong, healthy man, who looks as if he ought to be in the army but he says being an Englishman he is not subject to military duty. Uncle Henry got his arm cut off just above the elbow, in the shingle mill and this young man is to take his place. They live in the house formerly occupied by the sawyer, Mr. Wheeler.
Father is so terribly afraid we will develop consumption because our grandmother Bradford died of it. That is why he requires us to spend so much time in out-door exercise. I am a little sorry to give up the book-keeping for I felt that I was helping, but there is a plenty to do in other ways. Fighting is going on all along the line but the telegraph wires have been cut and no certain news comes to us.
Susan Bradford is 16 years old when this entry was made.