December 24-25, 1915 For two weeks I have window shopped, considered, and discarded gift options. I walked from E.O. Furlong to Chamberlain-Gray and Corner Drug Stores then on to J. W. Hughes Mercantile. I did buy two pounds of candy for twenty-five cents and a pound of mixed nuts for fifteen cents at Steamboat Novelty […]

Mid-January 1916 (Hello reader, it is Corina typing. I should not be transcribing Julius’s written abandoned diary, but I was curious, compelled and felt deserted. He left me and his dog, Charlie. I am even using his typewriter since he also left it behind. It was too heavy to carry in his rucksack as he […]

December 21, 1915 “Julius, welcome to the Oasis! I’ll buy you a beer. It’s on the house. I’ve wanted to talk to you. But first I want to show you the sign I made,” August Durbin exclaimed. “You’re in a jovial mood,” I responded. “Why not? There’s no sense in pouting. I’ll be right back.” […]

December 7, 1915 Winter arrived, the snow covered the ground and did not melt. Evergreens shrouded in thick, white coats stood like ramparts guarding the town. The river still flowed. Angling remained my therapy and the time to review my conscience. I decided to stay in Steamboat, help Corina and stay out of trouble. Du […]

November 25, 1915 “Julius, get the pies out of that oven. They look pretty close to baked. The afternoon crew can put them back in to keep them warm. Take out the middle rack. I seasoned another turkey.  We have a hundred reservations for Thanksgiving dinner. At 75 cents a plate the whole town wants […]

Our standard poodle, eleven-year-old Charlie died. We loved him and were close. He was a character in my published, hard cover, illustrated novel, A Diary by Victims of Love, Banished in 1914.  The sad thing is our pets don’t live as long as we humans. Although, if the situation was reversed, I don’t think any […]

November 17, 1915 “You’re finally leaving the position of Postmaster, Mr. Monson.” “It only took three months of government bureaucratic red tape. Good heavens, Walter Kemmer was the only applicant and there were no protests,” he grumbled. “When does he start?” “He checked in today and is working in the back. It’ll be a smooth […]

October 31, 1915 Except for the explosion, it was a great day. I netted the biggest brown trout ever in Colorado. Maybe I will catch him again. My remittance transfer from Salisbury, England, arrived last week at the bank. I put a half-dozen silver dollars in my coin purse for the Father and the afternoon […]

October 28, 1915 (Hello Reader, the disadvantage of Julius writing this diary was it must contain his observations, thoughts, experiences and perhaps a pastiche of his current readings. As the narrator of this heartbreaking story, I saw the next scene. So, now for something completely different. I am going to give Julius’s technique a whirl. […]

October 27, 1915 I did not sleep well last night. The knowledge of JJ having us watched ups the stakes. I rose from bed before the dawn’s early light and started a fire in my cook stove. I watched the coffee pot until and well after it boiled, thinking of my, really our, current situation. […]