Sharps Diary Excerpts 1916-1918
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Sharp diary 1916 page 229. Friday 28 July 1916 - White Rock
Miss Helen Fish staying here, the sister of Edith Fish of Allan Stand who is to introduce me to some singers. She went off early after breakfast to tell her sister of my arrival. So Miss E. Fish arrived about lunch. She looks a very grim old maid but I dare say she isn’t. She took me to Granny Banks who has taken up religion lately and was rather impossible. I got one song from her. Then to Aunt Polly (Shelton) from whom I got 3 or 4 good songs, including a rare version of Earl Brand. Thoroughly satisfied with my first afternoon’s work.
Sharp diary 1916 page 230. Saturday 29 July 1916 - White Rock
Mr Campbell drove a buggy and Maud and I walked or rode in it while Miss Fish rode a horse & all repaired to Alleghany. Miss F and I called on Mr Noah Shelton who sang me 2 or 3 beautiful songs including "On Friday night", a lovely dorian tune. Then Miss F returned home and after a picnic lunch, we then called on Mr and Mrs Sol Shelton & family — a most delightful lot of people. Here I got 3 or 4 more songs including an interesting variant of Bruton Town, and a fine form of Wife of Usher’s Well. Walked home beaming with pleasure after so successful a day — with 9 good songs as a result of my first 2 day’s work.
Wrote my tunes in my book directly after breakfast, then went to church to hear Dr Finlay preach — not very exciting! After lunch a rest, then at 4.15 Campbell riding with our luggage in his saddle bags, Maud & I walking, we set out over the Franklin mountain for Miss Fish’s at Allan Stand.1 There we arrived at 6.45 after a very hot but beautiful walk. Miss F[ish] most kind & gave us a delightful supper in the verandah. Campbell and I sleep in the Cabin a curiously built shanty but mighty comfortable, on the other side of the road Maud staying in the main house with Miss Fish.
1: Allanstand in the Laurel Field. Presbyterian mission established in 1897 by Frances L. Goodrich, catering, however, more for material than spiritual needs.
Sharp diary 1916 page 232. Monday 31 July 1916 - Allanstand
Mrs Mary Sands the mother of 9 children (and expecting another very shortly) arrived soon after breakfast about 8.30 to sing. She proved to be a prize folk singer and started off with six first raters, including The Silk merchant’s daughter, The Perbadus Lady, Lady Margaret & S[weet] William and a curious version of The Suffolk Miracle. In the afternoon Mr Frank B. Shelton came and sang to me The Daemon lover & some others, but he was rather a poor singer. After supper I gave a little informal lecture having heard that it had been reported that I had come into this country to make note of the ignorance of its inhabitants! Mr Tom Shelton tried to show us a dance — not too successfully — Maud danced Jockey. I play a piano dreadfully out of tune. Then to bed rather late.
Sharp diary 1916 page 233. Tuesday 1 August 1916 - Allanstand
Mrs Sands came over again after breakfast and I take 6 more from her including Arise Arise, The Daemon Lover Earl Brand. In the afternoon Campbell and I walked up the creek to Mrs Dora Shelton who after some persuasion sang Wife of Usher’s well — a very good tune, and one or two others. A quiet evening when I wrote some letters. Miss Tinney Shelton, school mistress turned up to tea.
Sharp diary 1916 page 234. Wednesday 2 August 1916 - Allanstand
I went over to Mrs Sands this morning, gave her 5 dollars with which she was very pleased though anxious that it should be understood that I was not paying her for the songs. She sang me an interesting version of the Golden Glove & Outlandish Knight. In the afternoon Maud & I walked over to Mrs Dora Shelton who gave me one or two more. Campbell rode over to White Rock and brought me my tune book and Maud’s typewriter. Mr and Mrs Leferne come for the night, also Dr Packhard & Miss Rich so we sat down 10 to supper. Afterwards I played a little & Maud danced. Campbell brought me my mail including one from Helen telling me of poor [Perceval] Lucas’s death — which shocked me terribly. Nice letters from Constance, Joan & Charlie.
Sharp diary 1916 page 235. Thursday 3 August 1916 - Allanstand
Campbell departed with the Leferne’s after breakfast for Asheville. Very sorry to part from him, he has been so nice. I woke up rather seedy with a nasty attack of dysentery. Weather very hot & sultry. Didn’t collect very much today but got 3 or 4 from Mrs Sands. My left foot which I hurt in walking on Saturday from White Rock to Alleghany, still hurts me a bit. Dr Packhard has attended to it since Sunday, but it is still far from well. A very quiet evening, there being a rehearsal of Cinderella. I walked over to find the Gunters who are said to sing, but could not find their house.
Sharp diary 1916 page 236. Friday 4 August 1916 - Allanstand
Mr Mitchell Wallin an old singer & fiddler came to see me in the morning. He was a bad singer and a very difficult fiddler to note from. In the afternoon went to Mrs Gasnell’s where Mrs Sands joined us. Both she & Mrs Gasnell sang and I got some very good songs indeed. A very fruitful day on the whole. In the evening the Gunters were to have come but for some reason didn’t show up. So we had a quiet talk. Miss Fish is very nice and we have become very friendly. She is really not at all old-maidish or prim but on the contrary a very hard & generous minded woman who is looking after the material wants of these people in her proper place.
Sharp diary 1916 page 240. Tuesday 8 August 1916 - Alleghany
Slept well. Went up to the Hamiltons & got directions how to get to Carman whither at 10 a.m. Maud & I started to walk. A very wet & troublesome though pretty path. We could not find Hensley’s house but happened on Mrs Memory E. Shelton’s. She asked us in and sang a version of Outlandish Knight very sweetly. Then she directed us to Hensleys. Found Mrs H & her daughter Emma in — the latter very pretty, looked full grown but was only 13. Made great friends & get them both singing. Dined with them and after dinner Hensley turned up & played his fiddle. It rained heavily & we waited till it was over. I gave Mrs H 5 dollars to help Emma to go to school at Hot Springs this Sept[ember]. A wet walk home. Went to Mrs Chandley with laundry, dined at Hamiltons & wrote up my tunes & a letter to Charlie in the evening. Very tired.
Sharp diary 1916 page 241. Wednesday 9 August 1916 - Alleghany
Started off after 7.30 breakfast to Mrs Noah Shelton’s. Found her out, but Memory her daughter gave me one rather good tune. Then walked towards Carman to try & find an alternative route to the dangerous log bridge, but failed. Called on Sol Shelton’s in the afternoon and had a long talk then taking down one song from Donna. In the evening wrote many letters to Miss Hinman (re second week at Chicago in October) Mrs Callery (about Pageant at Pittsburgh) and Miss Henricks (about arrangements to catch Frizzly Bill for next week).
Sharp diary 1916 page 242. Thursday 10 August 1916 - Alleghany
Went off directly after breakfast to the Hensley’s fording the river to avoid the dangerous foot log! Spent the whole day with them, dining with them at 3:30, and sitting in the verandah or walking about near the house all the time. But whatever we did there was singing and fiddling all the time and I got some very interesting stuff. We got back to Alleghany just in time for evening meal.
Sharp diary 1916 page 243. Friday 11 August 1916 - Alleghany
Directly after breakfast made for Carman called on Mrs Mandy Shelton and despite the flies and her husbands garrulous accompaniment got many songs. Then went on to Mrs Lizzie Shelton but got nothing, then looked in on the Hensley’s again. Found him on his back with bare feet in the verandah reading. Got me to explain significance of the dardanelles and questioned me about the Pyramids and the Panama Locks! He & the others gave me more songs. Miss Helen Fish stayed night with Miss Bacon. Was glad to see her.
Sharp diary 1916 page 244. Saturday 12 August 1916 - Alleghany — White Rock
Long talk with Miss Fish & Miss Bacon about Settlement & sch[ool] and work in the mountains. Packed our things early and then put them on Mr Sol Shelton’s wagon for White Rock. Went to Mrs Chandley’s about laundry & settled up to date including what we then take to her. Afterward Mr Harris & Mr Banner Chandley sang me songs. After lunch at the Hamiltons Mr Hensley turns up paying a call and sang 2 or 3 songs there to me. Had a cup of tea & then walked with Maud & Miss Rich to White Rock. Very tired on arrival as weather continues as hot as ever. Indeed today & yesterday were as hot as any days we have had yet.
Sharp diary 1916 page 247. Tuesday 15 August 1916 - Big Laurel, North Carolina
Frizzly Bill was to have turned up in the morning but failed to do so. After waiting for him till 11 I gave up and walked to Mrs Clare Franklin. There I sat in a stiflingly hot room while they dined — the men first & the women after (while the men sat on the verandah & chewed tobacco) — and then saw Gonsery[?] and Gold Seal beds of flowers, wh[ich] give in 3 & 5 years respectively very valuable medicinal roots. In the afternoon went a difficult 2 mile walk over the hills to Rice Cove where I got a few songs. Returned at 7.15 very tired. Wrote letters after supper.
Sharp diary 1916 page 248. Wednesday 16 August 1916 - Big Laurel
No Frizzly Bill! Things look so hopeless here that I try to get a horse to take my luggage to Alleghany or Allanstand and get thither for the rest of the week. Suddenly Miss Henricks remarks that Mrs Tom Rice down the road is Granny Banks’s daughter. Off I go to find that she is a small mine to be worked. Get several interesting songs from her and in the afternoon others from Viney Norton. On the whole a very good day. Wrote to Frankland King for more music books.
Sharp diary 1916 page 249. Thursday 17 August 1917 - Big Laurel
To Mrs Tom Rice after breakfast where I got several more songs, one or two rather nice. After lunch Mrs Becky Griffin (daughter of Frizzly Bill) came & sang me some songs including Lord Barnard & Lady Musgrove. Weather terribly hot the hottest day I think that we have had in the mountains and that is saying something. What must New York be like?
Sharp diary 1916 page 250. Friday 18 August 1916 - Big Laurel — White Rock
Again to Mrs Tom Rice where she & Mrs Minnie Rice (her daughter in law) gave me several nice songs. Arranged for Clifford Shelton to take my luggage on the postal buggy. About 4 Maud and I started for White Rock. I was very asthmatic at first but it wore off & we arrived all right about 6.15. They were glad to see us. Did a lot of packing for the morrow. Weather hotter than ever.
Sharp diary 1916 page 256. Thursday 24 August 1916 - Hot Springs
Asthma rather better, but weather still terribly hot & stifling. Had breakfast at 7 and at 8.30 sallied forth with Maud, crossed the river in a punt with the aid of a wire manipulated by the ferryman — a perilous business — and then called on Mrs Gentry. She sang till 11.30 some excellent songs. Returned to lunch at 12 and called on her again at 2.30 till 4.45 & got more songs — 20 in all — and then after a short stroll by the river returned to supper at 6. Spent evening writing my tunes in my book. Very tired & rather late getting to bed.
Sharp diary 1916 page 257. Friday 25 August 1916 - Hot Springs - Asheville
Packed and said good bye after a 7 o’clock breakfast, and talked with Miss Schafer about Emma Hensley. She said she would accept her for 35 dollars, but that she must enter her name & pay 3 dollars down at once if she wanted to secure a place. Then went to Mrs Gentry and got several more ballads — making 30 in all — some splendid ones. Then wandered in the woods for a while & bought some bread & cheese for lunch & caught the 12.40 back to Asheville. Mr Campbell delighted to hear of our good luck. Wrote my tunes out in the evening before dinner & went to bed fairly early. Evening nice & cool.
Sharp diary 1916 page 260. Monday 28 August 1916 - White Rock
Drove with Maud & Mrs Packhard to Carman in Motor — a very beautiful drive. Met Mrs Anelize Chandley and — Mrs Bacon being away from home — took 3 good songs off her on Miss B’s verandah, Mrs Chandley borrowing a "chew" from me. Settled in the cabin, called on Mrs Hamilton & then M[aud] & I walked to Carman to the Hensleys. Got several more songs there and settled about Emma’s schooling, Maud writing letters about the outfit to Hot Springs and entrance form etc to Miss Schafer. I sent 10 dollars in former letter Mrs H[ensley] 3 in latter. On returning home met Campbell who had found Frizzly Bill & brought him with him, the latter staying night at Mr Sol Shelton’s & promising to sing tomorrow morning for me at 8. What will he give me?
Sharp diary 1916 page 261. Tuesday 29 August 1916 - White Rock
Frizzly Bill came in directly after breakfast and we had a long séance till 12 when we adjourned for a recess. As I feared he was practically no use. He is a poor singer and did not know even the words of a single ballad I asked for. Reputations are made here in the mountains as they are elsewhere on small foundations. Floyd Chandler sang Matty Grove very beautifully and he is but 15. Did not tackle Frizzly again after recess but dismissed him with 5 dollars as a solatium. In the aft[ernoon] arranged for luggage to be taken to Rocky Fork by Sol Shelton on Thursday, we preparing to walk over tomorrow.
Sharp diary 1916 page 263. Thursday 31 August 1917 - Rocky Fork
Directly after our 6.30 breakfast went toward Flag Pond collecting from Mr Alfred H. Norton on the way from whom I got a few songs. Then up Higgins’s Creek on Mrs Tony Shelton’s track. She couldn’t sing anything but met a Mrs Crane in her house from whom I got one good song & several moderate ones. Back again home about 2.30 & made ourselves some lunch — the teachers at school. Later on the 3 Norton boys came in & sang & their elder brother afterwards gave me 3 or 4 more. In the evening Mr Bolch showed cinematograph pictures in the schoolroom.
Sharp diary 1916 page 264. Friday 1 September 1916 - Rocky Fork
Mrs Crane having arranged to take us to see her father Mr Blankenship we left home at 7 and called for her. She took us a weary stony walk up to the top of Higgins Creek where we made friends with the B[lankenship] family a large number of relatives belonging to three or more generations! Got a few songs and on the way home called on Mr and Mrs Coates from the latter of whom I got a fine ballad The False Knight [on the Road] and an interesting variant of Wraggle Taggle Gipsies O. Altogether a very successful if fatiguing day. We must have walked 14 miles over very bad tracks. We got back thoroughly tired out at 6.30 p.m. nearly 12 hours since we left in the morning.
Sharp diary 1916 page 265. Saturday 2 September 1916 - Rocky Fork
Went off directly after breakfast, i.e. about 7.30 to Mrs Coates — rained nearly all the way. I sheltered under a borrowed umbrella, Maud in her oil skin. Didn’t get much for an 8 mile walk. Returned to dinner at noon. At 2 o’clock I sallied forth again and repeated the walk to catch Mr Crane but found him out & returned with nothing but tired feet for my pain except for a couple of songs I got from the Nortons — rather good ones. In the evening the mail came from England and brought me the terrible news about poor George Butterworth’s death. Go to bed feeling very very sad.
Sharp diary 1916 page 266. Sunday 3 September 1916 - Rocky Fork
Breakfast half an hour later this morning — 7. Then wrote up my tunes. Service at 10 — 11 — a very terrible business. Then after dinner I walked over to the Crane’s again found him in but didn’t get the wether skin song I was after. It turned out to be a very moderate version of my boy Billy! On my return at 6 found Miss Moore here. Wrote long letter to Constance during the day.
Sharp diary 1916 page 267. Monday 4 September 1917 - Rocky Fork
Went off early in search of Jeff Stockton on Hogskins Creek. Made a muff shot first & called on Mrs Henry Stockton but afterwards ran Jeff to earth next door. Turned out to be a very fine singer who gave me 17 songs. Stopped from 10 — 3.30 dining with him his wife & daughter at 12 — not so bad a business as usual. Then home and wrote out most of my songs before bed time. Packed ready for early start to Alleghany in the morning.
Sharp diary 1916 page 268. Tuesday 5 September 1917 - Rocky Fork — Alleghany
Got luggage off at 7, and then started to walk over the mountains to Alleghany after taking down a good song from the postman first. Called on Mrs Gwynne on the way and got 3 or 4 songs from her. At Devil’s Fork called on Minta Carter who told me to look up a blind girl, Linnie Landers, between there & Carman, in the forest. This we did & got 5 good songs from her. Arrived at Alleghany about 3, changed, called on Hamiltons and wrote out songs before dinner & after dinner. Arrange to go to Spillcorn tomorrow & Asheville on Thursday.
Sharp diary 1916 page 269. Wednesday 6 September 1916 - Alleghany
Maud not very well. Probably only indigestion but she has suffered a good deal. We have been working very hard and I think she wants a rest as I do myself. We started off for Spillcorn at 9 a.m. A very difficult walk over ’Tater Gap very steep, and very stony, but for the most part in shade — all very wild & beautiful especially the latter part up Spillcorn creek. Called on Harland Shelton but did not get much in the way of songs largely because an old "Holiness" roller, Silas Shelton was there and groused against "love songs" as the folk-ballads & songs are called in this country! Maud got better as the day wore on, and we had a pleasant trudge home arriving about 5.15 very thirsty!
Sharp diary 1916 page 272. Saturday 9 September 1916 - Asheville
Maud and I start off early to Biltmore intending to take train to Penrose in search of Metcalf, but after taking our tickets and waiting _ of an hour for the train — there having been an accident overnight — I demanded my money back & returned to Asheville. Looked through & finished my proofs by 1 o’clock. Then at 2 Maud, Mrs Campbell and I motored to Swannanoah and saw a singer there one John Wells from whom I got some nice songs including my first version of Geordie in this country.
Sharp diary 1916 page 274. Monday 11 September 1916 - Asheville — Hot Springs
Feeling so feeble & unwell decided to give up Georgia idea and so instead for a few days to Hot Springs having ascertained the hotel was now open. I feel I cannot rough it any more for a while. So Maud & I went there by the afternoon train and secured quite decent rooms. Immediately after arrival we called on Mrs Gentry who at once fired off "The Two Sisters" and on enquiry said she knew the Golden Vanity and sang the first verse a modal tune! Promised to give it me tomorrow. Told her not to die in the night or catch cold or do anything that would endanger my getting the song on the morrow!
Sharp diary 1916 page 275. Tuesday 12 September 1916 - Hot Springs
In the morning crossed the river soon after breakfast & walked to the Garrett’s where we had a nice and pleasant chat, called on Miss Weir on our way back, did a little shopping lunched at 1.30 and again crossed the river to see Mrs Gentry. She gave me 15 more songs, a goodly lot including Lamkin — a new Child ballad! Quite tired me out taking down so many & very glad to get home to some tea — After dinner began to write all her songs into my books but couldn’t finish before bed-time.
Sharp diary 1916 page 277. Thursday 14 September 1916 - Hot Springs
On the ferry en route to Silver Mining Creek the ferryman told us his wife Mrs Roberts sang, so we called on her. She promised to stud up ready for us tomorrow morning. Then we went to a Mrs Hester House where we got quite a lot of good songs including Earl Brand etc. Then to Mrs Ellie Johnson. Directly after lunch we tackled Mrs Gentry and came home richly laden. So we made up for our blank day yesterday. Sat up late writing up books. Emma Hensley came to dinner with us at the hotel and behaved very nicely indeed. She is very homesick poor girl, but we bucked her up a bit I think.
Sharp diary 1916 page 278. Friday 15 September 1916 - Hot Springs
At the ferry in the morning, between the showers (it rained all night) who should we meet but Emma and another schoolgirl, running away home! We tried to stay them but this was of no use. So we said tender farewells after she had invited us to go with them. Then to Mrs Roberts, Mrs Harris Mrs Ellie Johnson, and in the afternoon Mrs Gentry once more. We got a splendid lot including The two Brothers & The Cruel Brother, two new Childs! Quite a wonderful day!
Sharp diary 1916 page 279. Saturday 16 September 1916 - Hot Springs — Asheville
Packed early then off again to Mrs House & Mrs Johnson & Mrs Gentry. I took several photographs. Got several more songs making this the richest week I have yet had 70 songs including 5 new children! Caught the 12.40 train to Asheville. There we discussed plans, decided to go to Black Mountain on Monday for a night, sample Mrs Buckner, Mrs Johnson’s mother and so on to Charlottesville Virginia on Tuesday.
Sharp diary 1916 page 281. Monday 18 September 1916 - Asheville — Black Mountain
Got our trunks off at 7.30 and ourselves at 8.30 to catch the 8.50 to Black Mountain, to find when we got to the station that the train had been changed! Came back & went into Asheville with Campbell to do some shopping. Wrote long letters to Ditson about publication of new f[olk] song book, and to Constance. Finally Maud & I got off by the 2.30 and reached Bl[ack] Mountain at 3.30. Put up at Gresham Hotel — a very second rate affair — and then called on Mrs Buckner from whom we took a dozen songs.
Sharp diary 1916 page 282. Tuesday 19 September 1916 - Black Mountain — Charlottesville
An unpleasant night in an unclean bedroom! Spent all the morning & afternoon at Mrs Buckner’s and Mrs Susan Sawyer’s (her sister). Got 26 songs altogether and some very good ones including "The Farmer’s Curst wife" and Little Sir Hugh two more "Children". Caught 6 train for Salisbury where we arrived at midnight after going through some marvellous mountain scenery — the finest we have yet seen. Hope some day to go & stay at Marion.
Sharp diary 1916 page 283. Wednesday 20 September 1916 - Charlottesville, Virginia
Arrived at Charlottesville 2 h[ou]rs late at 9.30 and repaired to the Gleason Hotel. This hostelry is run on the "American Plan" which means that it is a sort of glorified Boarding House with meals only at stated times. So we had to go back to the Station for a very indifferent breakfast, it being after 9 a.m. Called on Prof[essor] Alphonso Smith at tea time and found him a very nice, courteous & friendly man. He telephoned to a Mr McManaway, a School Inspector to call on us at the Hotel tomorrow morning.1
1: Howard M. McManaway, Divisional Superintendant of Schools, Albemarle Co.
Sharp diary 1916 page 284. Thursday 21 September 1916 - Charlottesville
Mr McMannaway called at 9.30 and we discussed the qualities of different districts for song collecting. He promised to motor us out to Brown’s Cove — about 18 miles off — tomorrow. Acting on his advice we hired a motor and went out to a school house between Simeon & Woodridge, about 8 miles off. There we interviewed the schoolmaster Mr Taylor who advised us to call on a Mrs Campbell. This we did & got a couple of ballads from her. Then on to a Mr N. B. Chisholm who lived in a most inaccessible place which we had great difficulty in finding. He was a first rate folk singer but it was late & we had 12 miles to walk home so we promised to call again on Sat[urday]. A very tiring walk home the last 3 or 4 miles in darkness and we stumbled about & hurt our feet rather badly.
Sharp diary 1916 page 285. Friday 22 September 1916 - Charlottesville
A long day in the motor car with only about 2 hours at Browns Cove. We lunched — rather dismally — at Crozet and when at last we reached our destination it was some little while before we hit on a singer a Mr Wesley Batten from whom however we got 2 rare songs, one a fine version of The Two Sisters. Got home at 5.30, dressed and had a hurried cup of tea and then went out to dine with the Smiths at the University. Had a very jolly time there & like him better than ever.
Sharp diary 1916 page 286. Saturday 23 September 1916 - Charlottesville
Motored out again to N. B. Chisholm. (He was christened Nebuchanezzar but his uncle told his father that was a "mean Jew’s name", so he had it officially altered to Napoleon Buonaparte — he is now known as "Nep"). Spent several hours there from 11 to 3.30 having dinner there and got plenty of songs. A very tiring & hot walk home again but fortunately got a lift in a motor given us by a stranger, one Todd! Quiet evening & early to bed after writing out some of my songs.
Sharp diary 1916 page 288. Monday 25 September 1916 - Charlottesville
Spent morning looking up Nep Chisholm’s relatives in Charlottesville. Mrs Rosie Smith remembered part of a very good version of The Two Brothers and promised to give us the rest in the afternoon if she could recall it. Got an ear trumpet for Mrs Batten at Jeweller’s shop. In the afternoon went out again to Mrs Smith’s and found to our delight that she had remembered all the words. Quite a good find. Mrs Puss Smith Chisholm’s elder sister also sang to me.
Sharp diary 1916 page 289. Tuesday 26 September 1916 - Charlottesville
Hired a motor and went out to Brown’s Cove. Spent a long day there hunting up people and got songs from Mr Walter (who sang on horseback) and Mrs Keeton. Walked a long way to Mrs Keeton’s and still longer to a Mr McAlister a reputed singer but failed to find him. Got home at 7 p.m. pretty tired & had to pay 12 dollars for the motor. Brown’s Cove offers great possibilities but one would have to live near there (at Mrs Bibb’s?) to work it properly. Came home with 8 songs including versions of Two Sisters, & Two Brothers.
Sharp diary 1916 page 290. Wednesday 27 September 1916 - Charlottesville
Took Alphonso Smith with us in our motor to Woodridge and collected quite a lot of songs from the Chisholm & Smith clan, returning home about 4.30. Wrote out tunes in my book and then after dinner went to the University where I addressed several members of the faculty at their private Club meeting. Bed at 11.30 pretty tired.
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1917 April Tennessee
Sharp diary 1917 page 111. Friday 13 April 1917 - Knoxville
Miss Dickey breakfasted with us at 8 p.m. Headache much better thank goodness. A man spoke in the morning upon cheese factories in the mountains — a very good address & useful. Then we were called on again and spoke & sang for nearly an hour, extending my remarks of yesterday. Miss Ollie Henricks and Miss Rich of White Rock lunched with us. Then I had a long talk with Miss Goodrich whom I like very much, and many conversations with various principals of schools & colleges all of whom asked us to give them a visit for collecting purposes. Had a long talk with Campbell and decided to go first to Sevierville (Mr Storey) and then to Cumberland Gap (Dr. Hubble) Pineville, Manchester & Oneida. In the evening M[aud] & I attended mountain fiddlers convention — a most amusing & interesting affair making friends with a delightful old fiddler, W. Julian & Master of Cer[emonies] Frank Murphy. Weather getting quite cold again. Said good byes & to bed.
Sharp diary 1917 page 113. Sunday 15 April 1917 - Sevierville
Breakfasted at 7.30 — a late hour because of the day! Had a long walk about the place afterwards. Met Dr. Rogers who was motoring John on to M[ount]. Smokey. Made friends with a Mrs Dyer who might have songs. Dinner at 11.30! Rest afterwards and tea. We then went out again and called on Mrs Dyer. Her daughter knew something but not much — not enough to take — but her uncle Mr. Trotter Gan came in and we induced him to sing Derby Ram and Edward, the latter a very good version much better than Mrs. Gentry’s. This heartened us considerably and we returned with our songs in our books to supper at 6. After supper we wrote out our songs and went to bed, or prepared to do so, soon after 9, as breakfast tomorrow is fixed for 6 a.m.!
Sharp diary 1917 page 115. Tuesday 17 April 1917 - Mount Smokey Academy
Dr. Johnson is a very decent fellow and behaved like a gentleman last night. Of course Storey knew nothing. In the morning we all went to a farmer named Jas A. Maples from whom and his wife I got several songs. In the afternoon Storey drove Johnson into Sevierville and Maud and I drew Bird’s Creek and got one or two more songs. Mrs. Maples had known Little Sir Hugh, but had forgotten it and promised to try & remember it before I went. Mrs. Storey was ill in the evening so Maud and I typed & wrote up our songs. Mrs. Storey is young, about 25, and Storey, I imagine a year or so older. They have one child Lucille, a nice little girl 2 years old but dreadfully spoiled. Stays up till they go to bed, eats more or less what they eat and is encouraged to "show off" on all occasions, and this is rather annoying & irritates me dreadfully. It is as bad as having a dog in the house! I waited up for Storey who returned about 10.30. Weather very hot indeed, as hot as last August in the mountains.
Sharp diary 1917 page 116. Wednesday 18 April 1917 - Mount Smokey Academy
Storey is a very humble, extraordinarily simple and nice man and I like him very much. His house, church, school, dormitory etc is on the top of a hill, with mountains all round, and stands 2800 feet up. Food very poor and not too much of it. Water with a strong taste of iron. On the whole I like the people & the place better than other missionary places I have stayed at. Mr & Mrs S[torey] Maud and I started off about 10 for Emmet’s[?] cave. At the head of the cave struck a good singer aged 70, Mr Solomon Williams from whom I got some songs. Had lunch in the sun — there was no shade anywhere, the trees are not yet in full leaf — a very warm and comfortless proceeding. Walked a long way down Emmet’s[?] Cave and into Green Briar but got no more songs. On return got some songs from Loveday’s and walked home the last 2 or 3 miles in the dark, getting back horribly tired about 7.30. Weather very fine but hotter than ever.
Sharp diary 1917 page 117. Thursday 19 April 1917 - Mount Smokey Academy
Maud & Storey buggied while I walked to Mr and Mrs Maples, got a version of Little Sir Hugh but only one verse of the text. Called on Hornby’s but got nothing & returned to lunch. After lunch went down Bird’s creek after "Sir Hugh" and eventually got a fairly full version from Mr Luther Campbell and some more songs in Webb’s Creek from Mrs King etc. After dinner I played, Maud and I sang, & Maud danced Jockey, and None so Pretty, to an audience consisting of Mr & Mrs Storey, two young men who work on the farm, and Myrtle a servant who is also a student in the school. This dancing, singing etc we did last night also and this was a repetition by request. I am not feeling too well, partly perhaps the intense heat, or the walking, or the iron water or the food or a combination of all! Have a cough and a sore chest and a good deal of rheumatism — perhaps the altitude is mainly responsible.
Sharp diary 1917 page 118. Friday 20 April 1917 - Mount Smokey Academy — Sevierville
Breakfast at 7. Finished writing up my tunes and packed and all started off for Sevierville — Mr and Mrs S[torey], Lucille, Maud and I — having ordered motor to meet us at Maples’ house. Found the walk very trying, weather very hot, muggy & thundery. Reached Maples house at 3. I bought some canned peaches at a store & we eat them at his house. Storey & family went on to Sevierville while we waited for the motor till 4.30, taking down some songs from Maples and his married daughter Mrs King. Curiously enough Maples volunteered to sing Little Sir Hugh so now I have got that ballad quite thoroughly. Luther Campbell called round early before breakfast with an extra verse or so and a good version of Fair Eleanor. When we arrived in Sevierville we dined Mr & Mrs Storey & Lucille at our hotel and then saw them off and said farewells about 7 p.m. I had a splitting headache and Maud quite seedy so we went to bed pretty early.
Sharp diary 1917 page 122. Tuesday 24 April 1917 - Knoxville — Lincoln Memorial University, Harrogate, Tennessee
Woke up with headache again and feeling very seedy and good for nothing. Lie down all the morning and indeed till it was time to catch the train for Cumberland Gap — having sent a wire to Dr. Hubbell.1 We arrive at 6.45 and are met by a Mr. Claxton in a motor and driven up to the University where welcomed by Miss Buffon and given 2 very nice rooms next to each other. Have some dinner on arrival then taken to Auditorium to hear a Kentucky fiddler, Mr. Herd, and to lecture about songs. Broke down completely with bouts of coughing but manage to open up subject and interest students. Go to bed feeling very seedy but perhaps a little better.
1: Lincoln Memorial University was established in 1897 in memory of Abraham Lincoln. George A. Hubbell was its President.
Sharp diary 1917 page 123. Wednesday 25 April 1917 - Lincoln Memorial University
Breakfast at 7 a.m. Afterwards M[aud] and I sally forth first to some people of the name of Carroll — man out & woman couldn’t or wouldn’t sing. Then walked a mile or more to the Stamfords and drew a blank. Then to a Mrs. Brooks, a very nice woman, where we got one song. Walked home in time for dinner at 12. After that saw Mr Chester Lewis who gave me two good songs and Miss May Ray who also sang and seemed rather hopeful. Then feeling very ill & feverish went to bed with hot bottle & sent for doctor. He took temperature — over 103 — and then brutally commented — "Well you’ve swallowed it whole this time! And judging by your age you won’t get over it very quickly". Seemed to think I should have had typhoid if I wasn’t so old and hadn’t had it before! Cough very bad. Headache and much neuralgia on right side of face.
Sharp diary 1917 page 127. Sunday 29 April 1917 - Lincoln Memorial University
Had a terribly bad night coughing continuously from 10 p.m. — 2 a.m. Head & neuralgia still rather bad. The side of my face so sore I cannot touch it and the scalp of my head so tender that I cannot brush my silver locks! In the afternoon take down several songs from Miss May Ray and one more from Alice Parsons. Altogether this week I have noted 24 tunes some very fine ones, making 60 for first 2 weeks, which considering conditions is not so bad. More proofs which I sent back with a letter of some importance. In the evening dined downstairs met Mr. & Mrs Bryson. He was a Kittredge student and very interested in ballads. Then to bed at 7 p.m. very tired, slept till 8.30. Settled for the night at 10 p.m.
Sharp diary 1917 page 128. Monday 30 April 1917 - Lincoln Memorial University — Pineville, Kentucky
Early up after breakfast in bed and still feeling very feeble & shaky was motored to station — a very primitive stopping place, called Harrogate, with no buildings whatsoever — and took train to Pineville where we arrived after a wonderful mountain journey at 10 a.m. Put up at Continental Hotel, a nice place and clean as things go in the south. We are surrounded by mountains, a very pretty place with pop[ulation] 1000, a great centre for collieries in the vicinity. Rest until lunch and then again afterwards. After tea we stroll out prospecting for songs and although we get nothing hit upon a Mrs. Eliza Sharp who tells us of a good singer Mrs. Pope to go and see and promises to get her niece to sing for us on Wed[nesday] afternoon — or "evening" as she called it. She also told me of another family of Sharps kinsmen of her husband, with whom the first name James is a tradition! Hope to investigate further. Write Constance & Miss Gilman after dinner. Weather very hot, sharp thunderstorm in afternoon and another in evening.
Sharp diary 1917 page 129. Tuesday 1 May 1917 - Pineville
Directly after breakfast Maud and I walked out towards the Poor Farm in quite cool weather. I found it very hard to walk so we went slow and then rested in a very rude log-cabin belonging to a Mrs Mullins. It was the poorest house I have been in, just a shed without windows, and a lean-to at the back by way of kitchen. Full of cracks & ventilation holes and in it Mr and Mrs & 4 or 5 children and a lodger lived. Then we walked on ran Mrs. Pope, a buxom middle aged woman, to earth at Little Jack Asher’s, and lured her away to her house where she sang me several good songs. Got one from a daughter of the house at which Mrs. P[ope] lodged. Then feeling very done up I telephoned for a motor & rode back to lunch. After a rest & tea we sallied forth again to Mrs. Townsley’s, a Creole woman, Irish cum French cum Indian, and her daughter Mrs. Wilson both of whom sang us two ripping songs, a fine version of Rejected Lover, and an execution song with a gorgeous dorian air. Wrote up tunes in the evening & some letters. A good day. Quite cool, but fine.
Sharp diary 1917 page 130. Wednesday 2 May 1917 - Pineville
Soon after breakfast we went up to the Townsleys again and noted 7 more songs including Riddle Song, Kitty alone and I, and a fine version of Awake. Called elsewhere afterwards to no effect and then back to lunch. After tea went to Eliza Sharp’s as by app[ointment], but found her niece could not come over to day so got no songs. Met Mr Myers at Hotel, who spoke to me about his sister’s ballets after lecture at Harrogate. Arranged to go with him after dinner to his sister’s Mrs Ingram. The ballets merely 18th cent soft sawder[?] + a few Burns’s etc, but had a very nice talk with Judge Ingram the husband who told me many useful things about the country, which we wanted to know. A very pleasant evening. Am still feeling very weak and used-up but am on the mend. Weather wonderful, bright & sunny but pleasantly cool at this altitude, i.e. about 1000 feet.
Sharp diary 1917 page 132. Friday 4 May 1917 - Pineville — Harlan, Kentucky
Went round to Mrs Townsley & Mrs Wilson in the morning and took 6 good songs off them. They are nice people & we must tap them again on return. In the afternoon we left for Kelly Hotel Harlan arriving about 7 p.m. The view from the train was not encouraging — little else than coal-mines and Colliery Co’s tenements and Harlan itself looked still worse for our purpose. Mr Kelly very obliging but quite as dirty & grubby as his hotel where we spent a very unpleasant night in thoroughly dirty airless surroundings. Weather very cold and cheerless which together with absence of prospects for the morrow sent us both to bed thoroughly depressed!
Sharp diary 1917 page 132. Friday 4 May 1917 - Pineville — Harlan, Kentucky
Went round to Mrs Townsley & Mrs Wilson in the morning and took 6 good songs off them. They are nice people & we must tap them again on return. In the afternoon we left for Kelly Hotel Harlan arriving about 7 p.m. The view from the train was not encouraging — little else than coal-mines and Colliery Co’s tenements and Harlan itself looked still worse for our purpose. Mr Kelly very obliging but quite as dirty & grubby as his hotel where we spent a very unpleasant night in thoroughly dirty airless surroundings. Weather very cold and cheerless which together with absence of prospects for the morrow sent us both to bed thoroughly depressed!
Sharp diary 1917 page 135. Monday 7 May 1917 - Barbourville
Up early and tramped in the rain to the depot to see after our trunks as we decide to stay here a few days before going on to Manchester — wire Campbell accordingly. Then call on President Franklin at Union College & promise to address his students in the evening.1 Write letters until noon when we have a hurried lunch and then repair again to our singers. Had a long séance, a third sister Mrs Poff turning up. Got some good songs but there were so many squalling children in the room it was very hard & tiring to note the tunes. Gave some dollars at the end which bucked them up tremendously and promised well for tomorrow. After dinner went round to Union College & addressed the students — not a very well behaved lot, particularly the girls. Got nothing of any value from them but Mrs Franklin sang me a beautiful version of Two Sisters which she had learned in her home at Ohio. Very tired on our return. Weather cold, wet & cheerless.
1: Union College, founded in 1879. Affiliated with the United Methodists.
Sharp diary 1917 page 136. Tuesday 8 May 1917 - Barbourville
After breakfast went out for a long tramp in atrocious mud along the road we went on Sunday morning. Called on several cabins, Mrs Sutton, Banvaver[?], & Adams, but got nothing. Mrs Adams however gave us the names of one or two singers. They were all very friendly in the mountain manner and our visits were very pleasant though abortive so far as songs go. We returned at noon and after a hurried lunch went off again to our singers. Mrs Alice Sloan tried to keep children away & succeeded except for Mrs Poff’s little girl who squalled incessantly. Mrs Broughton the mother, a dear old lady, sang most of the songs being the fount & origin of them. Returned at 3.30 dreadfully tired. After a short rest looked through & posted proofs which had arrived in the morning then began writing out tunes, adjourning at 6.45 for dinner. Wrote Campbell & Norman Wilkinson.
Sharp diary 1917 page 137. Wednesday 9 May 1917 - Barbourville
In the morning we went round to rout out a Mrs Delie Knuckles. After going to her former residence (and having a formal visit with her former hostess) we struck her present dwelling. Wouldn’t sing then — too busy, washing — but promised to do so tomorrow at 5. Then on to a Mr Ben Henson, a nice good-looking farmer chap of about 35, who by mere chance happened to be home. He gave me a beautiful version of B[arbara] Allen & promised to sing tomorrow night after dinner. At 12.30 we went again to the Broughton-cum-Sloan group and got several more good songs. On return found a lot of proofs awaiting me — only 2nd or 3rd proofs alas! — After a rest & some tea, did the proofs and posted them myself at 5 p.m. special delivery. At 6 went to the Franklin’s to dinner. Found them very friendly & hospitable. Rather like a slightly older & more sophisticated version of Storey & his wife of Mt Smokey! They entertained us pleasantly and it was a nice evening. But I am very tired & feel far from well.
Sharp diary 1917 page 138. Thursday 10 May 1917 - Barbourville
Felt very rotten on waking up and decide to spend a quiet morning at home. First wrote up my tunes gathered yesterday, then wrote a few letters including one to Aldrich. After lunch went round to the Sloan’s, or rather on this occasion to Mrs Broughton’s house where I got another 10 or 11 interesting tunes including a first rate Frog song and a Cock Robin, & curiously enough, a Cuckoo Song. Returned home feeling very seedy indeed and lay on my bed for an hour or two. Took my temperature 101 and got into bed. Clearly in for another attack of the infernal Flue or Grippe as they call "it" in these parts — From the way it starts it bids fair to be a pretty bad attack.
Sharp diary 1917 page 144. Wednesday 16 May - Barbourville
Feeling very ill, but on the whole a trifle better. Wire Campbell to come down if he can do so without any personal inconvenience. He wires later that he will arrive tomorrow at 1.30 accompanied by Dr Packhard who by chance was with him when my wire arrived. I have a lot of proofs to go through and in the afternoon early Maud gets Mrs. Knuckles to come round to sing to me. I take down five rather nice ones including a curious version of Lady Maisry which adds to my "Child" finds. I get off all the music proofs — quite a lot — but hold back the Introduction. I have practically no fever at night and am beginning to eat a little. When I shall be even decently strong again it is impossible to say but it must be a long time even if I do not get another attack which I am practically sure to do.
Sharp diary 1917 page 146. otelHHH -
Friday 18 May 1917 Barbourville After breakfast I made a great effort and got up, dressed and tottered downstairs escorted by Dr Packhard. Then with his help I went over to the barber’s and got 8 days beard removed, then went up to my room again, had lunch and rested. After tea I came down again and sat in the hall where it was much cooler and I got away from the smells of the painting that was going on on the top floor. We discussed plans and decided to make a dash for Berea in the morning Campbell telephoning to get us rooms and deciding together with Packhard to wait & see us through our journey. Maud packed all the evening while I lay in bed quite exhausted after my effort. In the morning Mrs Knuckles came in before I got up and gave me a few more songs. Weather distressingly hot which makes me perhaps feel my weakness more than ever. I never remember being such a crock.
Sharp diary 1917 page 148. Sunday 20 May 1917 - Berea
Woke up feeling very tired, but after breakfast in bed got up got up and went out into verandah. Then wrote up tunes in my books till lunch, after which I rested in my new & better room. After tea I finished writing out my tunes & then wrote to Miss [Peggy] Scovill and then again to verandah for dinner. Afterward some students came & sang 3 good tunes to me after which I addressed the company & Maud & I sang The Cruel Mother — Then talked to several people and finally went and had my pipe in the verandah talking to Miss Child (daughter of Prof[essor] Child) and Mrs Embree whose husband is Sec[retary] of Rockefeller Trust in N[ew] York! Two rather influential women if I could only get on the right side of them! To bed feeling certainly better though still very weak and good for nothing.
Sharp diary 1917 page 149. Monday 21 May 1917 - Berea
Weather very hot but rather better night in my new room. After breakfast make friends with some people of the name of Henry from Louisville. Miss Violet Henry sings me some very interesting songs which she learned as a child on her grandfather’s knee, the grandfather having come from Virginia. After dinner Mrs Vanhook sings me a few fairly good ones. My day is as follows. Breakfast at 7.15, sit on verandah, talk to people and try short walks till 10 when I lie down till dinner at noon. A pipe and a short walk in the verandah and then to bed till 3.30 when Maud makes me tea. Write up tunes etc or letters or sit on verandah till supper at 6, and then go to bed at 8. This evening President & Mrs Frost dine with us at the hotel and kindly promise to make better arrangements about my food with Miss Cameron who is a very ill-natured person who for some reason resents my being here. I have never spoken to her.
Sharp diary 1917 page 150. Tuesday 22 May 1917 - Berea
A very slow and uninteresting day. The weather is breaking up, storms etc. and it is getting rapidly cooler. I try to get in touch with Prof[essor] Smith & Rayne but it is difficult. The latter comes & sees me for a few minutes in the morning and I return him his MSS. He leaves some more of his collection for me to look through but it contains very little of any value — very largely made up of modern stuff quite worthless. He has a little more discrimination than Smith which is about all there is to be said. In the evening after dinner Droghan comes in & sings me a few more songs. He is a mountain boy but is now only interested in things that contain "great thoughts" and regards the fool songs as something far beneath his intellectual notice!
Sharp diary 1917 page 151. Wednesday 23 May 1917 - Berea
In the morning Maud and I walk to the Carnegie library & have an interesting talk with librarian. A very poor collection of ballads and not a single volume with music. Then feeling still no better although weather is now quite cold, 50 or lower, call in Dr Packhard’s friend Dr Cowley the College Dr. He examines me very thoroughly and thinks I have had mild tubercle for 20 years or more thus accounting for recurrent attacks of Flue in the past and the present. Strongly advises X-ray on my chest. Prepares to inject arsenic into me, but I promptly veto this. A nice, clean & sincere man but like all doctors full of one idea — in his case incipient tuberculosis from which he suffers himself. In the afternoon Miss Lilian Ogle and Miss Mayene Baker come in & sing me some songs.
Sharp diary 1917 page 153. Friday 25 May 1917 - Berea
Feeling rather seedy again, and temperature goes up ominously in the afternoon. However, nothing comes of it, and it soon goes down again to about a degree below normal, where it seems to like to sit more than anywhere else! Three students — the Hyltons & Moseley — come in in the afternoon & give me several songs. In the evening I address the Faculty, President Frost in the chair, and evidently interest them a good deal in my estimate of the ballads and of the mountain people. Professor Raine — hitherto rather snuffy — now adopts a most humble manner. I think they classed me before they knew me with Wyman, Brockway, McGill & that crowd!1 Find speaking rather tiring, but less so than I expected. Talked, sitting down, for the best part of an hour, ending up with songs.
1: Loraine Wyman (1855-1937), Josephine McGill, song collectors in Kentucky whose work was contemporary with or predated Sharp’s.
Sharp diary 1917 page 154. Saturday 26 May 1917 - Berea
A very busy day. Attend chapel at 9.30 and address students afterwards singing 3 or 4 songs. Makes a considerable stir and various students call on me during the day to sing to me. Mrs Frost brings Mr Baker round to sing to me together with a gift of honey in the comb. The honey of better quality than the songs! Prof. Raine dines with me and we have a long discussion afterwards about ballad singing at Berea. Also Miss Scotton[?] & Miss Jamieson call on me in the evening and we talk on verandah, the former showing me her dulcimer of three strings tuned in octave A. Weather very windy, but hot & muggy nevertheless.
Sharp diary 1917 page 155. Sunday 27 May 1917 - Berea
Mr J. L. Baker came in after breakfast and sang me some songs. Spent the morning writing up tunes, sitting in the verandah and resting on my bed. Mr Rigby the music director here lunched with me and we discussed Amherst and I strongly advised his being one of the President’s nominees. At 4 p.m. Mrs Frost drove us in a motor to a Mr Kinnard who sang me several songs but nothing very startling. Spent a quiet evening and had a bath before going to bed. Weather hot but boisterous. Do not seem to be getting much stronger yet. I finished off proof of Introduction and posted it to Putnams.
Sharp diary 1917 page 156. Monday 28 May 1917 - Berea
A lot of proofs arrived. I looked them through at high pressure in the morning and got them off to Putnams by the 1 o’clock post — record time! In the afternoon Miss Corwin[?], the librarian called for us and we went down to interview Mrs Talithah Powell, in the Hotel Bus! She sang me some good songs including Bailiff’s Daughter of Islington. At the end of the séance her sister started a prayer meeting, praying herself, followed in succession quickly by her brother who especially commended us to the Almighty for the "profitable" work we are doing! I was in deadly fear that the prayer making would extend to me but happily I was spared this ordeal and indignity. Prof[essor] Raine dined with us. We breakfasted with the President who consented to find money for Berea Ballad book. He is quite interested & asked me to address Faculty again on Wednesday.
Sharp diary 1917 page 157. Tuesday 29 May 1917 - Berea
Maud and I with Prof[essor] Raine walked round to a Mrs Hayes in the morning. She sang only one song of any value but promised to "stud" up some more for tomorrow at 4p.m. In the afternoon paid a visit to Mr Ehrenberg’s[?] "Log Cabin", the shrine of the weaving, basket making etc. All Arty & Crafty of the worst kind. Several people there including President & Mrs Frost and Bradley the mountain litterateur whom I met at my lecture in Boston in April. He is an interesting man. He dined with us and we talked long while afterwards in the verandah. Weather hot and not very pleasant.
Sharp diary 1917 page 158. Wednesday 30 May 1917 - Berea
Maud and I walked round after breakfast to see Mr Combes who sang me several nice songs. Finished writing up my tunes before lunch. After rest wrote several letters, including one to Constance, sent off cable to her "Accept" concerning Novellos’ book of songs for Training Colleges. At 4 p.m. went to Raine’s office to meet Mrs Hayes who gave me one more song. Miss Stoton also sang me Golden Vanity and a Mr Flannery several others. In the evening I addressed the Faculty — a very full meeting. Didn’t talk very well, but managed to get a good deal said in some sort of fashion. Very tired when I went to bed after a very warm sultry day. More thunder brewing and a stormy night before us.
Sharp diary 1917 page 159. Thursday 31 May 1917 - Berea — Pineville
It blew a great gale again in the night and rained torrents with the result that air is a little cooler. Packed after breakfast for our journey to Pineville at 12.40. Talked with Miss Corwin[?], Mrs Duncan, Raine etc. Several students came in in the morning and I took some good songs from Maud Kilburn and Ollie Huff. Went & said good bye to the President who told manager of Hotel to remit the payment of my personal expenses — an unexpected courtesy. Directly after lunch at 11.45 went down to station in motor, Bradley accompanying us and left by the 12.40. Changed at Corbin and reached Pineville at 5 p.m., glad to get to our old rooms and a comfortable hotel once again. Weather very hot in the morning and fairly warm on the journey, but it seemed a bit cooler at Pineville. Sat out in the cool on the verandah after dinner till bed-time.
Sharp diary 1917 page 161. Saturday 2 June 1917 - Pineville
Breakfast early and then sally forth to our old friends Mrs Townsley & Mrs Wilson who were ready to hug us with delight if we would have submitted! They had heard that a man & woman had been arrested for spies at Middlesboro and all their neighbours assured them that we no doubt were the criminal couple. Mrs Wilson nearly came to Middlesboro to see if she could help us! They gave us 7 good songs and a Mrs Lawson a beautiful version of The Cuckoo. Weather stifling. I found the walk very trying mainly because of the intense & close heat — 85 in the shade. A heavy thunderstorm at 5 a.m. this morning, and another at 3 p.m. After the latter had cleared off we went out and caught Mrs Thompson at home and took 3 songs from her, including a beautiful dorian version of Mrs Tom Price’s[?] Cruel Ship’s Carpenter tune. My temperature keeps consistently subnormal. Tonight it is only just over 96!!
Sharp diary 1917 page 163. Monday 4 June 1917 - Pineville
Woke up with another, a front tooth beginning to ache. Didn’t sleep very well. Went round to Mrs Townsley & Mrs Wilson after breakfast, first looking through and getting off some proofs. Got several songs and returned home at 11, very tired, chiefly I think because of the great heat. Lie down till lunch, and lie on my bed pretty nearly all the afternoon. Look through some more proofs at 5, & send them off. Do not feel much like going to Barbourville tomorrow as arranged, but we make plans to go by the 9.36 train, telephoning to Mrs Franklin. I go to bed very soon after dinner, feeling good for nothing. My teeth still bother me.
Teeth fixed in Asheville; Back to New York then Boston
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p106)
Sharp diary 1917 page 106. Sunday 8 April 1917 - New York
Worked at Introduction all the morning, Maud typing final copy. At 1.15 M & I went the Beaux Arts Cafe to lunch with Iden Paine who had asked the interesting Irish girl of last night’s play Miss Huban and the chief actor John P. Campbell to meet us. It was a very interesting party & we sat talking at the table till 4 p.m. Then we took Miss Gilman & her sister to tea at Henri’s. Dr Schleiter & Geoghegan came to have a chat at 6.30 and then M[aud] & I went out to dinner at Rasoff’s[?] in 6th Ave[nue] came home, wrote letters & went to bed early.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p107)
Sharp diary 1917 page 107. Monday 9 April 1917 - New York
Breakfast early. I went through Introduction for the last time & then took it round to Putnams where I left it, discussed about having a map in the back, gave instructions about letters & proofs in my absence, did a small amount of shopping, came back and then after one or two letters went to Public Library to look up tune in Clariona for Miss Gilchrist.1 Lunched at 1.45 rested afterwards & then packed, having tea in our rooms. M[aud] & I dined at Rostoffs[?] and then went to Miss Gilman’s where we examined 4 girls & 3 more for their el[ementary] certificates passing all of them. Rabold came back with us and we had a mild supper at the hotel & then to bed. Weather very cold, 7 inches of snow last night, freezing hard tonight.
1: W .B. Bradbury, Clariona (1867). Anne G. Gilchrist (1863- 1954), English folk music collector and scholar.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p108)
Sharp diary 1917 page 108. Tuesday 10 April 1917 - New York
Finished off packing and then wrote several letters to Miss Abone[?], Belden, Miss Gilchrist etc and put papers etc into order. Rabold came in about 12.45, read & liked my Introduction, and then had lunch with us. We went to the Penn station & caught the 3.30 train for Knoxville. Weather very cold, snow still on the ground and was quite deep in the high land beyond Philadelphia. Felt rather tired & seedy after the rush of the last few days. Train quite crowded. Went to bed at about 10.15.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p109)
Sharp diary 1917 page 109. Wednesday 11 April 1917 - Knoxville, Tennessee
Arrived at 2 o’clock. Had a tolerable night very cold in bed and woke with the usual tendency to headache especially after sitting in foetid used-up air in the carriage till 2 — really 3, because we changed to central time at Bristol. Campbell met us & we got nice rooms at Atkin Hotel. C[ampbell] had tea with us in our rooms and we discussed various matters. After dinner we attended meeting when Claxton — Ed[ucation] Man from Washington — gave an unedifying discourse concerning the industralisation of the mountains.1 He mentioned dollars — usually in billions — in every sentence, a most egregious & depressing performance. Headache got very bad as day went on partly on account of warm muggy & thundery weather — temp about 76. Met several friends, Ollie Henricks of Big Laurel, Miss Dickey, various Asheville teachers etc and was introduced to Miss Goodrich.
1: The Conference of Southern Mountain Workers, established in 1913.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p110)
Sharp diary 1917 page 110. Thursday 12 April 1917 - Knoxville
Woke with a bad headache after a very warm & stuffy night. Dr. Russell Smith whom I had met in the train on his way from Pennsylvania University of which he is a professor spoke about tree planting in highlands, a very good and suggestive address, in the morning. He lunched with me and left soon after 2 p.m. I spoke for an hour or more at 2.45, M[aud] & I singing several songs. It made rather an effect and my audience was clearly very interested at the appreciation which I gave of the mountaineers. A Rev Ellis of Virginia was especially struck and seemed to me a very nice man. Gave us a cordial invitation to his house. Had tea in my room & after dinner we went to hear Vogt talk on industrial & folk schools of Denmark. A very humorous — unconsciously so — address which kept us amused till 10 p.m. when we left leaving him in command of a greatly reduced audience! Beginning to rain & giving prospect of a cooler day tomorrow.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p111)
Sharp diary 1917 page 111. Friday 13 April 1917 - Knoxville
Miss Dickey breakfasted with us at 8 p.m. Headache much better thank goodness. A man spoke in the morning upon cheese factories in the mountains — a very good address & useful. Then we were called on again and spoke & sang for nearly an hour, extending my remarks of yesterday. Miss Ollie Henricks and Miss Rich of White Rock lunched with us. Then I had a long talk with Miss Goodrich whom I like very much, and many conversations with various principals of schools & colleges all of whom asked us to give them a visit for collecting purposes. Had a long talk with Campbell and decided to go first to Sevierville (Mr Storey) and then to Cumberland Gap (Dr. Hubble) Pineville, Manchester & Oneida. In the evening M[aud] & I attended mountain fiddlers convention — a most amusing & interesting affair making friends with a delightful old fiddler, W. Julian & Master of Cer[emonies] Frank Murphy. Weather getting quite cold again. Said good byes & to bed.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p112)
Sharp diary 1917 page 112. Saturday 14 April 1917 - Knoxville — Sevierville, Tennessee
Packed steadily till about 10.30 and then went out to make a few purchases in Knoxville and to call on the old fiddler Julian. I got 2 nice tunes from him and then returned to hotel, settled up, lunched and caught the 2.30 train to Sevierville, travelling with Dr. Johnson. Arrived there at 4 (fare 1 — 80) when Dr. Bishop met us. Acting under his advice we put up at Central hotel, a very primitive hostelry run by a nice old widow woman Mrs. Bromers. Managed to make ourselves fairly comfortable there though the feeding was pretty bad and not over clean. After dinner (!) at 6 we went to Dr. Bishop’s place to hear Johnson lecture on Sanitation after which I gave a short address and we sang some songs. Tried to get on to Storey but failed so I gave Johnson messages to carry thither when he went there tomorrow.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p113)
Sharp diary 1917 page 113. Sunday 15 April 1917 - Sevierville
Breakfasted at 7.30 — a late hour because of the day! Had a long walk about the place afterwards. Met Dr. Rogers who was motoring John on to M[ount]. Smokey. Made friends with a Mrs Dyer who might have songs. Dinner at 11.30! Rest afterwards and tea. We then went out again and called on Mrs Dyer. Her daughter knew something but not much — not enough to take — but her uncle Mr. Trotter Gan came in and we induced him to sing Derby Ram and Edward, the latter a very good version much better than Mrs. Gentry’s. This heartened us considerably and we returned with our songs in our books to supper at 6. After supper we wrote out our songs and went to bed, or prepared to do so, soon after 9, as breakfast tomorrow is fixed for 6 a.m.!
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p114)
Sharp diary 1917 page 114. Monday 16 April 1917 - Sevierville — Mount Smokey Academy
Breakfast at 6a.m. Strolled out in the morning and went to Mrs Dyer’s but got nothing worth having. Then got message from Mr Storey that motor was to meet us at 2. We packed and started for the mountains, motoring over a very rough road for 7 miles when it became impassable and Mr. Storey was to meet us there with buggy. We arrived before him & seeing a log cabin close by went in and struck a very good singer from whom I got 2 good songs. Then Storey met us & I walked while he drove Maud & the luggage. It was very hot and the 7_ miles pretty nearly did for me — I waded once to avoid a very wobbly foot-log, and negotiated a very high swing bridge. On arrival found Dr. Johnson there with whom I was told I was to share a bed! When he and I retired I explained that I couldn’t sleep 2 in a bed and he quite understood & respected my feelings. So I sat in a chair & he went to bed for 4 hours. Then he woke up & insisted on my getting into bed! About an hour later he was called out to a confinement case and I slept on till morning!
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p115)
Sharp diary 1917 page 115. Tuesday 17 April 1917 - Mount Smokey Academy
Dr. Johnson is a very decent fellow and behaved like a gentleman last night. Of course Storey knew nothing. In the morning we all went to a farmer named Jas A. Maples from whom and his wife I got several songs. In the afternoon Storey drove Johnson into Sevierville and Maud and I drew Bird’s Creek and got one or two more songs. Mrs. Maples had known Little Sir Hugh, but had forgotten it and promised to try & remember it before I went. Mrs. Storey was ill in the evening so Maud and I typed & wrote up our songs. Mrs. Storey is young, about 25, and Storey, I imagine a year or so older. They have one child Lucille, a nice little girl 2 years old but dreadfully spoiled. Stays up till they go to bed, eats more or less what they eat and is encouraged to "show off" on all occasions, and this is rather annoying & irritates me dreadfully. It is as bad as having a dog in the house! I waited up for Storey who returned about 10.30. Weather very hot indeed, as hot as last August in the mountains.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p116)
Sharp diary 1917 page 116. Wednesday 18 April 1917 - Mount Smokey Academy
Storey is a very humble, extraordinarily simple and nice man and I like him very much. His house, church, school, dormitory etc is on the top of a hill, with mountains all round, and stands 2800 feet up. Food very poor and not too much of it. Water with a strong taste of iron. On the whole I like the people & the place better than other missionary places I have stayed at. Mr & Mrs S[torey] Maud and I started off about 10 for Emmet’s[?] cave. At the head of the cave struck a good singer aged 70, Mr Solomon Williams from whom I got some songs. Had lunch in the sun — there was no shade anywhere, the trees are not yet in full leaf — a very warm and comfortless proceeding. Walked a long way down Emmet’s[?] Cave and into Green Briar but got no more songs. On return got some songs from Loveday’s and walked home the last 2 or 3 miles in the dark, getting back horribly tired about 7.30. Weather very fine but hotter than ever.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p117)
Sharp diary 1917 page 117. Thursday 19 April 1917 - Mount Smokey Academy
Maud & Storey buggied while I walked to Mr and Mrs Maples, got a version of Little Sir Hugh but only one verse of the text. Called on Hornby’s but got nothing & returned to lunch. After lunch went down Bird’s creek after "Sir Hugh" and eventually got a fairly full version from Mr Luther Campbell and some more songs in Webb’s Creek from Mrs King etc. After dinner I played, Maud and I sang, & Maud danced Jockey, and None so Pretty, to an audience consisting of Mr & Mrs Storey, two young men who work on the farm, and Myrtle a servant who is also a student in the school. This dancing, singing etc we did last night also and this was a repetition by request. I am not feeling too well, partly perhaps the intense heat, or the walking, or the iron water or the food or a combination of all! Have a cough and a sore chest and a good deal of rheumatism — perhaps the altitude is mainly responsible.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p118)
Sharp diary 1917 page 118. Friday 20 April 1917 - Mount Smokey Academy — Sevierville
Breakfast at 7. Finished writing up my tunes and packed and all started off for Sevierville — Mr and Mrs S[torey], Lucille, Maud and I — having ordered motor to meet us at Maples’ house. Found the walk very trying, weather very hot, muggy & thundery. Reached Maples house at 3. I bought some canned peaches at a store & we eat them at his house. Storey & family went on to Sevierville while we waited for the motor till 4.30, taking down some songs from Maples and his married daughter Mrs King. Curiously enough Maples volunteered to sing Little Sir Hugh so now I have got that ballad quite thoroughly. Luther Campbell called round early before breakfast with an extra verse or so and a good version of Fair Eleanor. When we arrived in Sevierville we dined Mr & Mrs Storey & Lucille at our hotel and then saw them off and said farewells about 7 p.m. I had a splitting headache and Maud quite seedy so we went to bed pretty early.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p119)
Sharp diary 1917 page 119. Saturday 21 April 1917 - Sevierville - Knoxville
Had a very bad night, my head aching badly. Had breakfast at 6.30 then motored round to train and eventually after much bumping arrived at Knoxville at 10.15, and the Atkin Hotel at 10.45. Feeling very seedy as though I had had a bad illness and was trying to recover from it. Had a bath and change of clothes then set to work at proofs, two lots of which awaited me, and one lot which had arrived on Wednesday & which I had not finished. These I finished off in the day & sent off in two batches, the first at 1 pm the second at 5 pm. Felt a little better after a good dinner in the middle of the day and a sleep afterwards. After tea Maud and I sallied forth and did a little shopping getting some books to send the Storey’s and some provisions.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p120)
Sharp diary 1917 page 120. Sunday 22 April 1917 - Knoxville
Woke up feeling a rag, after a very restless night, but head for the moment better. Did a lot of letters with Maud, and wrote a large amount myself including one to Constance and one to Charlie. Feel very seedy all day, but go out for a walk after tea with Maud. Eat very little dinner & went to bed early feeling anything but well. Believe I have some fever but have no thermometer to test it.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p121)
Sharp diary 1917 page 121. Monday 23 April 1917 - Knoxville
Wake up after a restless night with spasms of coughing, and head aching badly again. Take aspirin and breakfast and then return to my bed. At 1 o’clock decide impossible to go on to Cumberland Gap so wire Dr. Hubbell to that effect. Head rather better in the afternoon & Maud and I go out for a short spell of shopping. Go to bed early. Cough very troublesome, looser however, with a good deal of phlegm. A curious sticky sort of cold in my head. Weather very hot indeed, Hotel dirty & airless!
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p122)
Sharp diary 1917 page 122. Tuesday 24 April 1917 - Knoxville — Lincoln Memorial University, Harrogate, Tennessee
Woke up with headache again and feeling very seedy and good for nothing. Lie down all the morning and indeed till it was time to catch the train for Cumberland Gap — having sent a wire to Dr. Hubbell.1 We arrive at 6.45 and are met by a Mr. Claxton in a motor and driven up to the University where welcomed by Miss Buffon and given 2 very nice rooms next to each other. Have some dinner on arrival then taken to Auditorium to hear a Kentucky fiddler, Mr. Herd, and to lecture about songs. Broke down completely with bouts of coughing but manage to open up subject and interest students. Go to bed feeling very seedy but perhaps a little better.
1: Lincoln Memorial University was established in 1897 in memory of Abraham Lincoln. George A. Hubbell was its President.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p123)
Sharp diary 1917 page 123. Wednesday 25 April 1917 - Lincoln Memorial University
Breakfast at 7 a.m. Afterwards M[aud] and I sally forth first to some people of the name of Carroll — man out & woman couldn’t or wouldn’t sing. Then walked a mile or more to the Stamfords and drew a blank. Then to a Mrs. Brooks, a very nice woman, where we got one song. Walked home in time for dinner at 12. After that saw Mr Chester Lewis who gave me two good songs and Miss May Ray who also sang and seemed rather hopeful. Then feeling very ill & feverish went to bed with hot bottle & sent for doctor. He took temperature — over 103 — and then brutally commented — "Well you’ve swallowed it whole this time! And judging by your age you won’t get over it very quickly". Seemed to think I should have had typhoid if I wasn’t so old and hadn’t had it before! Cough very bad. Headache and much neuralgia on right side of face.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p124)
Sharp diary 1917 page 124. Thursday 26 April 1917 - Lincoln Memorial University
Had a very bad night indeed, Maud sleeping on the floor by my bedside and doing what she could to alleviate me! Stayed in bed all day. Temp. normal in the morning, about 100 between 5 & 6. Maud heard another student Alice Parsons sing. I toiled through some more proofs — sent off one batch yesterday — and spent a very miserable day. Couth, head & neuralgia very bad. Weather hot.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p125)
Sharp diary 1917 page 125. Friday 27 April 1917 - Lincoln Memorial University
A bad night again with much coughing & discomfort. Maud did not sit up with me but came in once or twice and gave me water etc. Looked through more proofs, and took down some songs from Alice Parsons in bed! She has some excellent songs & ballads. Didn’t get out of bed all day, except to have my bed made in the evening.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p126)
Sharp diary 1917 page 126. Saturday 28 April 1917 - Lincoln Memorial University
Bad night again but felt a trifle better in the morning although terribly depressed. Have no doubt but that I have had a sharp attack of Grippe of a sort with bad cough which I hear has been very common recently in Knoxville & vicinity. I got up at 10 and sat in the porch and smoked a cigarette, then walked with Miss Buffon to Conservatory of Music — a nice little building. Went down to dinner and met an interesting man Mr. Wilson, of the Tennessee University, Knoxville in the Agricultural department. Continue conversation with him afterwards and then return to rest for a while. After tea, write up some of my tunes then to bed about 5.30. Feeling very weak & ill.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p127)
Sharp diary 1917 page 127. Sunday 29 April 1917 - Lincoln Memorial University
Had a terribly bad night coughing continuously from 10 p.m. — 2 a.m. Head & neuralgia still rather bad. The side of my face so sore I cannot touch it and the scalp of my head so tender that I cannot brush my silver locks! In the afternoon take down several songs from Miss May Ray and one more from Alice Parsons. Altogether this week I have noted 24 tunes some very fine ones, making 60 for first 2 weeks, which considering conditions is not so bad. More proofs which I sent back with a letter of some importance. In the evening dined downstairs met Mr. & Mrs Bryson. He was a Kittredge student and very interested in ballads. Then to bed at 7 p.m. very tired, slept till 8.30. Settled for the night at 10 p.m.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p128)
Sharp diary 1917 page 128. Monday 30 April 1917 - Lincoln Memorial University — Pineville, Kentucky
Early up after breakfast in bed and still feeling very feeble & shaky was motored to station — a very primitive stopping place, called Harrogate, with no buildings whatsoever — and took train to Pineville where we arrived after a wonderful mountain journey at 10 a.m. Put up at Continental Hotel, a nice place and clean as things go in the south. We are surrounded by mountains, a very pretty place with pop[ulation] 1000, a great centre for collieries in the vicinity. Rest until lunch and then again afterwards. After tea we stroll out prospecting for songs and although we get nothing hit upon a Mrs. Eliza Sharp who tells us of a good singer Mrs. Pope to go and see and promises to get her niece to sing for us on Wed[nesday] afternoon — or "evening" as she called it. She also told me of another family of Sharps kinsmen of her husband, with whom the first name James is a tradition! Hope to investigate further. Write Constance & Miss Gilman after dinner. Weather very hot, sharp thunderstorm in afternoon and another in evening.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p129)
Sharp diary 1917 page 129. Tuesday 1 May 1917 - Pineville
Directly after breakfast Maud and I walked out towards the Poor Farm in quite cool weather. I found it very hard to walk so we went slow and then rested in a very rude log-cabin belonging to a Mrs Mullins. It was the poorest house I have been in, just a shed without windows, and a lean-to at the back by way of kitchen. Full of cracks & ventilation holes and in it Mr and Mrs & 4 or 5 children and a lodger lived. Then we walked on ran Mrs. Pope, a buxom middle aged woman, to earth at Little Jack Asher’s, and lured her away to her house where she sang me several good songs. Got one from a daughter of the house at which Mrs. P[ope] lodged. Then feeling very done up I telephoned for a motor & rode back to lunch. After a rest & tea we sallied forth again to Mrs. Townsley’s, a Creole woman, Irish cum French cum Indian, and her daughter Mrs. Wilson both of whom sang us two ripping songs, a fine version of Rejected Lover, and an execution song with a gorgeous dorian air. Wrote up tunes in the evening & some letters. A good day. Quite cool, but fine.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p130)
Sharp diary 1917 page 130. Wednesday 2 May 1917 - Pineville
Soon after breakfast we went up to the Townsleys again and noted 7 more songs including Riddle Song, Kitty alone and I, and a fine version of Awake. Called elsewhere afterwards to no effect and then back to lunch. After tea went to Eliza Sharp’s as by app[ointment], but found her niece could not come over to day so got no songs. Met Mr Myers at Hotel, who spoke to me about his sister’s ballets after lecture at Harrogate. Arranged to go with him after dinner to his sister’s Mrs Ingram. The ballets merely 18th cent soft sawder[?] + a few Burns’s etc, but had a very nice talk with Judge Ingram the husband who told me many useful things about the country, which we wanted to know. A very pleasant evening. Am still feeling very weak and used-up but am on the mend. Weather wonderful, bright & sunny but pleasantly cool at this altitude, i.e. about 1000 feet.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p131)
Sharp diary 1917 page 131. Thursday 3 May 1917 - Pineville
More proofs from Putnam’s but only driblets alas! Directly after breakfast M[aud] and I motored out to Orly[?] about 2_ miles and drew all the cabins there for songs but returned at dinner time empty-handed! We have come to the conclusion that there are too many people here connected with the mines & the railway and too few who are supporting themselves on the produce of their land to warrant our staying on here. So we decide to move on to Harlan tomorrow & wire Campbell accordingly. We make a few more abortive attempts in the afternoon which go to confirm the wisdom of our resolution to be off to other fields tomorrow. I write several letters in the evening including one to Mrs W. W. Kettlewell. Weather still fine but less sunny and more sultry — thunder about I expect. Sent off proofs to Putnam’s in the forenoon.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p132)
Sharp diary 1917 page 132. Friday 4 May 1917 - Pineville — Harlan, Kentucky
Went round to Mrs Townsley & Mrs Wilson in the morning and took 6 good songs off them. They are nice people & we must tap them again on return. In the afternoon we left for Kelly Hotel Harlan arriving about 7 p.m. The view from the train was not encouraging — little else than coal-mines and Colliery Co’s tenements and Harlan itself looked still worse for our purpose. Mr Kelly very obliging but quite as dirty & grubby as his hotel where we spent a very unpleasant night in thoroughly dirty airless surroundings. Weather very cold and cheerless which together with absence of prospects for the morrow sent us both to bed thoroughly depressed!
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p133)
Sharp diary 1917 page 133. Saturday 5 May 1917 - Harlan — Pineville
After breakfast Maud and I tramped several miles in the direction we were told was the most favourable. But 3 hours walking convinced us we had come to a thoroughly bad place for our purpose so we determined on return to go back to Pineville at once. This we did despite Mr Kelly’s protestations and were glad when we were once again decently and cleanly housed at the Continental. We did a little shopping , wrote letters and went to bed early after very enjoyable warm baths — the last we shall see for some weeks I expect.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p134)
Sharp diary 1917 page 134. Sunday 6 May 1917 - Pineville - Barbourville, Kentucky
Left Pineville at 9.37 and arrived at Barbourville & the Hotel Jones at 10.45. Prospected at once and found omens much more favourable. After lunch I rested while Maud explored in another direction but brought back unfavourable news. After tea we went out again and tried a third direction and about _ a mile from the Hotel struck a nest of singers of the right sort from whom in an hour and a half we take down 11 songs. Delighted at this turn in our luck. Arranged to call again at same place at noon tomorrow. Wrote up book in the evening and wrote long letters to Mrs Storrow & Constance. Hotel fairly comfortable Bath rooms but no hot water! Rather grubby and bed clothes distinctly "off". However, might be worse and so long as we get some songs we can put up with this amount of discomfort.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p135)
Sharp diary 1917 page 135. Monday 7 May 1917 - Barbourville
Up early and tramped in the rain to the depot to see after our trunks as we decide to stay here a few days before going on to Manchester — wire Campbell accordingly. Then call on President Franklin at Union College & promise to address his students in the evening.1 Write letters until noon when we have a hurried lunch and then repair again to our singers. Had a long séance, a third sister Mrs Poff turning up. Got some good songs but there were so many squalling children in the room it was very hard & tiring to note the tunes. Gave some dollars at the end which bucked them up tremendously and promised well for tomorrow. After dinner went round to Union College & addressed the students — not a very well behaved lot, particularly the girls. Got nothing of any value from them but Mrs Franklin sang me a beautiful version of Two Sisters which she had learned in her home at Ohio. Very tired on our return. Weather cold, wet & cheerless.
1: Union College, founded in 1879. Affiliated with the United Methodists.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p136)
Sharp diary 1917 page 136. Tuesday 8 May 1917 - Barbourville
After breakfast went out for a long tramp in atrocious mud along the road we went on Sunday morning. Called on several cabins, Mrs Sutton, Banvaver[?], & Adams, but got nothing. Mrs Adams however gave us the names of one or two singers. They were all very friendly in the mountain manner and our visits were very pleasant though abortive so far as songs go. We returned at noon and after a hurried lunch went off again to our singers. Mrs Alice Sloan tried to keep children away & succeeded except for Mrs Poff’s little girl who squalled incessantly. Mrs Broughton the mother, a dear old lady, sang most of the songs being the fount & origin of them. Returned at 3.30 dreadfully tired. After a short rest looked through & posted proofs which had arrived in the morning then began writing out tunes, adjourning at 6.45 for dinner. Wrote Campbell & Norman Wilkinson.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p137)
Sharp diary 1917 page 137. Wednesday 9 May 1917 - Barbourville
In the morning we went round to rout out a Mrs Delie Knuckles. After going to her former residence (and having a formal visit with her former hostess) we struck her present dwelling. Wouldn’t sing then — too busy, washing — but promised to do so tomorrow at 5. Then on to a Mr Ben Henson, a nice good-looking farmer chap of about 35, who by mere chance happened to be home. He gave me a beautiful version of B[arbara] Allen & promised to sing tomorrow night after dinner. At 12.30 we went again to the Broughton-cum-Sloan group and got several more good songs. On return found a lot of proofs awaiting me — only 2nd or 3rd proofs alas! — After a rest & some tea, did the proofs and posted them myself at 5 p.m. special delivery. At 6 went to the Franklin’s to dinner. Found them very friendly & hospitable. Rather like a slightly older & more sophisticated version of Storey & his wife of Mt Smokey! They entertained us pleasantly and it was a nice evening. But I am very tired & feel far from well.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p138)
Sharp diary 1917 page 138. Thursday 10 May 1917 - Barbourville
Felt very rotten on waking up and decide to spend a quiet morning at home. First wrote up my tunes gathered yesterday, then wrote a few letters including one to Aldrich. After lunch went round to the Sloan’s, or rather on this occasion to Mrs Broughton’s house where I got another 10 or 11 interesting tunes including a first rate Frog song and a Cock Robin, & curiously enough, a Cuckoo Song. Returned home feeling very seedy indeed and lay on my bed for an hour or two. Took my temperature 101 and got into bed. Clearly in for another attack of the infernal Flue or Grippe as they call "it" in these parts — From the way it starts it bids fair to be a pretty bad attack.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p139)
Sharp diary 1917 page 139. Friday 11 May 1917 - Barbourville
Slept much better than I expected, but of course feel very ill on waking. Temp[erature] still up, & remains up all day, somewhere about 100, rising in the late afternoon a degree or more. Feel very depressed for it is clear this puts a stopper on further collecting — at any rate it puts out of court any possibility of doing Manchester, Oneida, & Clay Co, and I fear I am in for another few years of susceptibility to Grippe like the awful years 1894-1906.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p140)
Sharp diary 1917 page 140. Saturday 12 May 1917 - Barbourville
Temperature very persistent. Some headache behind right eye and sometimes extending down right side of face, as I had at Harrogate. In fact attack similar except that it is more constant & persistent in the matter of temperature and there is no cold or cough — thank goodness. Very depressed at the smashing up of all my hopes & projects. But for this infernal disease this would have been pretty nearly a record week. Maud most devoted. Camping out in my room every night and does everything she can think of to help me. The Proprietors of the Hotel, Brothers Beales are most kind & helpful. The Hotel is a very second rate affair but they do what they can to accommodate me.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p141)
Sharp diary 1917 page 141. Sunday 13 May 1917 - Barbourville
No better. Temperature remains about the same. I eat nothing of course, and am feeling dreadfully weak. In afternoon call in a doctor Dr Logan — after consulting Mr Franklin over the telephone. He gave me some very powerful purgatives and promised to see me again tomorrow. Feeling very ill & hopeless. Change into a better room — next to Maud’s — in the afternoon. It is larger & more airy and the bed is not jammed up against the window[?] as in the other one. This Maud worked through the Beales.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p142)
Sharp diary 1917 page 142. Monday 14 May 1917 - Barbourville
Wake up feeling very weak but with less headache. D[octor] came after breakfast and says I am a bit better. Thinks temperature will not rise so much today. Hope he will prove a true prophet! Alas the temperature not only rose, but much higher than before. Indeed I had a really bad bout of fever with rigor[?] from 3p.m. till 11p.m.. The Dr wouldn’t come round nor did he suggest anything to relieve the fever mainly apparently because it would interfere with his diagnosis! Clearly the patient is made for the doctor in these as in other parts of the world.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p143)
Sharp diary 1917 page 143. Tuesday 15 May 1917 - Barbourville
Wake up feeling very weak after a disturbed and I expect semi-delirious night. But curiously enough my head is clearer intellectually than it has been for some time. Perhaps that fever bout yesterday was the last & worst kick from the fiend! D[octor] seems to hesitate as to whether I am down with typhoid, or grippe, or what he calls auto intoxication. Is going to call in another doctor tomorrow. Maud wires Campbell who wires back that he is coming here and will arrive 7.30 tomorrow. In the afternoon Dr Logan turns up accompanied by another brother saw- bones, ironically named Albright, a good-natured, smiling , rather old, and obviously stupid person who examines me and makes non-commital platitudes. Anyhow I feel a bit better and wire Campbell to postpone departure till he hears from us in the morning. Temperature rises again in the evening, not so severely as heretofore, but sufficiently to leave me like a chewed rag, in which state I embark on another night.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p144)
Sharp diary 1917 page 144. Wednesday 16 May - Barbourville
Feeling very ill, but on the whole a trifle better. Wire Campbell to come down if he can do so without any personal inconvenience. He wires later that he will arrive tomorrow at 1.30 accompanied by Dr Packhard who by chance was with him when my wire arrived. I have a lot of proofs to go through and in the afternoon early Maud gets Mrs. Knuckles to come round to sing to me. I take down five rather nice ones including a curious version of Lady Maisry which adds to my "Child" finds. I get off all the music proofs — quite a lot — but hold back the Introduction. I have practically no fever at night and am beginning to eat a little. When I shall be even decently strong again it is impossible to say but it must be a long time even if I do not get another attack which I am practically sure to do.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p145)
Sharp diary 1917 page 145. Thursday 17 May 1917 - Barbourville
A fair night, but always feel most seedy in the morning. Mail letters came yesterday and I re-read these and begin work on reading proof of Introduction. Campbell & Packhard turn up at 2 and I see a good deal of them in the afternoon. P. seems I think to favour Grippe theory and I expect he is right though probably I have had some other poison as well. Find it rather tiring to talk with my friends and am glad to be alone in the evening. My temp[erature] keeps down but is continually straying up a point or two. I do not feel I have done more as yet than arrest the attack. We discuss plans. Packhard wants to take me off to Berea tomorrow and look after me on the journey, but I veto this not feeling capable of the necessary exertion — I have not been out of bed yet!
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p146)
Sharp diary 1917 page 146. otelHHH -
Friday 18 May 1917 Barbourville After breakfast I made a great effort and got up, dressed and tottered downstairs escorted by Dr Packhard. Then with his help I went over to the barber’s and got 8 days beard removed, then went up to my room again, had lunch and rested. After tea I came down again and sat in the hall where it was much cooler and I got away from the smells of the painting that was going on on the top floor. We discussed plans and decided to make a dash for Berea in the morning Campbell telephoning to get us rooms and deciding together with Packhard to wait & see us through our journey. Maud packed all the evening while I lay in bed quite exhausted after my effort. In the morning Mrs Knuckles came in before I got up and gave me a few more songs. Weather distressingly hot which makes me perhaps feel my weakness more than ever. I never remember being such a crock.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p147)
Sharp diary 1917 page 147. Saturday 19 May 1917 - Barbourville — Berea College, Kentucky
Dressed soon after 9 and then at 10 motored with the Dr [Packhard] & Maud to the station C[ampbell] going ahead to see after baggage. We caught the 10.15 to Corbin changed there and after a very hot, stiflingly hot and wearisome journey — we stopped at every station — arrived at Berea at 1.15. Had lunch & then to my room. Tried to lie down but it was too hot. So had some tea & then came downstairs and sat in the verandah till dinner time. Campbell & Packhard went & called upon President Frost and rooted out particulars about singers. After dinner sat in verandah till 10 p.m. said good bye to Dr [Packhard] & Campbell who were going to catch midnight train back to Asheville. I completely collapsed when I reached my room where the heat was intense. Unless I can get a better room tomorrow I must go elsewhere.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p148)
Sharp diary 1917 page 148. Sunday 20 May 1917 - Berea
Woke up feeling very tired, but after breakfast in bed got up got up and went out into verandah. Then wrote up tunes in my books till lunch, after which I rested in my new & better room. After tea I finished writing out my tunes & then wrote to Miss [Peggy] Scovill and then again to verandah for dinner. Afterward some students came & sang 3 good tunes to me after which I addressed the company & Maud & I sang The Cruel Mother — Then talked to several people and finally went and had my pipe in the verandah talking to Miss Child (daughter of Prof[essor] Child) and Mrs Embree whose husband is Sec[retary] of Rockefeller Trust in N[ew] York! Two rather influential women if I could only get on the right side of them! To bed feeling certainly better though still very weak and good for nothing.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p149)
Sharp diary 1917 page 149. Monday 21 May 1917 - Berea
Weather very hot but rather better night in my new room. After breakfast make friends with some people of the name of Henry from Louisville. Miss Violet Henry sings me some very interesting songs which she learned as a child on her grandfather’s knee, the grandfather having come from Virginia. After dinner Mrs Vanhook sings me a few fairly good ones. My day is as follows. Breakfast at 7.15, sit on verandah, talk to people and try short walks till 10 when I lie down till dinner at noon. A pipe and a short walk in the verandah and then to bed till 3.30 when Maud makes me tea. Write up tunes etc or letters or sit on verandah till supper at 6, and then go to bed at 8. This evening President & Mrs Frost dine with us at the hotel and kindly promise to make better arrangements about my food with Miss Cameron who is a very ill-natured person who for some reason resents my being here. I have never spoken to her.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p150)
Sharp diary 1917 page 150. Tuesday 22 May 1917 - Berea
A very slow and uninteresting day. The weather is breaking up, storms etc. and it is getting rapidly cooler. I try to get in touch with Prof[essor] Smith & Rayne but it is difficult. The latter comes & sees me for a few minutes in the morning and I return him his MSS. He leaves some more of his collection for me to look through but it contains very little of any value — very largely made up of modern stuff quite worthless. He has a little more discrimination than Smith which is about all there is to be said. In the evening after dinner Droghan comes in & sings me a few more songs. He is a mountain boy but is now only interested in things that contain "great thoughts" and regards the fool songs as something far beneath his intellectual notice!
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p151)
Sharp diary 1917 page 151. Wednesday 23 May 1917 - Berea
In the morning Maud and I walk to the Carnegie library & have an interesting talk with librarian. A very poor collection of ballads and not a single volume with music. Then feeling still no better although weather is now quite cold, 50 or lower, call in Dr Packhard’s friend Dr Cowley the College Dr. He examines me very thoroughly and thinks I have had mild tubercle for 20 years or more thus accounting for recurrent attacks of Flue in the past and the present. Strongly advises X-ray on my chest. Prepares to inject arsenic into me, but I promptly veto this. A nice, clean & sincere man but like all doctors full of one idea — in his case incipient tuberculosis from which he suffers himself. In the afternoon Miss Lilian Ogle and Miss Mayene Baker come in & sing me some songs.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p152)
Sharp diary 1917 page 152. Thursday 24 May 1917 - Berea
Weather still very cold. At last my mail arrives from Asheville — have had nothing for 6 days. Letters from home very pleasant reading. No less than 5 packets of proofs from Putnam’s which occupy me all day — get them all off except one (Introduction) in the evening. In the afternoon 3 students come in & sing very nicely. The only ones of use to me here are those who have just come in from the mountains and are beginning their course. They are nice girls and sing prettily. Am asked to address Faculty tomorrow night at 7.30. No further calls from Smith nor Rayne! Every one seems to shun me. Weather gets warmer in the evening. I am much about the same with about as much strength as a mouse!
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p153)
Sharp diary 1917 page 153. Friday 25 May 1917 - Berea
Feeling rather seedy again, and temperature goes up ominously in the afternoon. However, nothing comes of it, and it soon goes down again to about a degree below normal, where it seems to like to sit more than anywhere else! Three students — the Hyltons & Moseley — come in in the afternoon & give me several songs. In the evening I address the Faculty, President Frost in the chair, and evidently interest them a good deal in my estimate of the ballads and of the mountain people. Professor Raine — hitherto rather snuffy — now adopts a most humble manner. I think they classed me before they knew me with Wyman, Brockway, McGill & that crowd!1 Find speaking rather tiring, but less so than I expected. Talked, sitting down, for the best part of an hour, ending up with songs.
1: Loraine Wyman (1855-1937), Josephine McGill, song collectors in Kentucky whose work was contemporary with or predated Sharp’s.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p154)
Sharp diary 1917 page 154. Saturday 26 May 1917 - Berea
A very busy day. Attend chapel at 9.30 and address students afterwards singing 3 or 4 songs. Makes a considerable stir and various students call on me during the day to sing to me. Mrs Frost brings Mr Baker round to sing to me together with a gift of honey in the comb. The honey of better quality than the songs! Prof. Raine dines with me and we have a long discussion afterwards about ballad singing at Berea. Also Miss Scotton[?] & Miss Jamieson call on me in the evening and we talk on verandah, the former showing me her dulcimer of three strings tuned in octave A. Weather very windy, but hot & muggy nevertheless.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p155)
Sharp diary 1917 page 155. Sunday 27 May 1917 - Berea
Mr J. L. Baker came in after breakfast and sang me some songs. Spent the morning writing up tunes, sitting in the verandah and resting on my bed. Mr Rigby the music director here lunched with me and we discussed Amherst and I strongly advised his being one of the President’s nominees. At 4 p.m. Mrs Frost drove us in a motor to a Mr Kinnard who sang me several songs but nothing very startling. Spent a quiet evening and had a bath before going to bed. Weather hot but boisterous. Do not seem to be getting much stronger yet. I finished off proof of Introduction and posted it to Putnams.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p156)
Sharp diary 1917 page 156. Monday 28 May 1917 - Berea
A lot of proofs arrived. I looked them through at high pressure in the morning and got them off to Putnams by the 1 o’clock post — record time! In the afternoon Miss Corwin[?], the librarian called for us and we went down to interview Mrs Talithah Powell, in the Hotel Bus! She sang me some good songs including Bailiff’s Daughter of Islington. At the end of the séance her sister started a prayer meeting, praying herself, followed in succession quickly by her brother who especially commended us to the Almighty for the "profitable" work we are doing! I was in deadly fear that the prayer making would extend to me but happily I was spared this ordeal and indignity. Prof[essor] Raine dined with us. We breakfasted with the President who consented to find money for Berea Ballad book. He is quite interested & asked me to address Faculty again on Wednesday.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p157)
Sharp diary 1917 page 157. Tuesday 29 May 1917 - Berea
Maud and I with Prof[essor] Raine walked round to a Mrs Hayes in the morning. She sang only one song of any value but promised to "stud" up some more for tomorrow at 4p.m. In the afternoon paid a visit to Mr Ehrenberg’s[?] "Log Cabin", the shrine of the weaving, basket making etc. All Arty & Crafty of the worst kind. Several people there including President & Mrs Frost and Bradley the mountain litterateur whom I met at my lecture in Boston in April. He is an interesting man. He dined with us and we talked long while afterwards in the verandah. Weather hot and not very pleasant.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p158)
Sharp diary 1917 page 158. Wednesday 30 May 1917 - Berea
Maud and I walked round after breakfast to see Mr Combes who sang me several nice songs. Finished writing up my tunes before lunch. After rest wrote several letters, including one to Constance, sent off cable to her "Accept" concerning Novellos’ book of songs for Training Colleges. At 4 p.m. went to Raine’s office to meet Mrs Hayes who gave me one more song. Miss Stoton also sang me Golden Vanity and a Mr Flannery several others. In the evening I addressed the Faculty — a very full meeting. Didn’t talk very well, but managed to get a good deal said in some sort of fashion. Very tired when I went to bed after a very warm sultry day. More thunder brewing and a stormy night before us.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p159)
Sharp diary 1917 page 159. Thursday 31 May 1917 - Berea — Pineville
It blew a great gale again in the night and rained torrents with the result that air is a little cooler. Packed after breakfast for our journey to Pineville at 12.40. Talked with Miss Corwin[?], Mrs Duncan, Raine etc. Several students came in in the morning and I took some good songs from Maud Kilburn and Ollie Huff. Went & said good bye to the President who told manager of Hotel to remit the payment of my personal expenses — an unexpected courtesy. Directly after lunch at 11.45 went down to station in motor, Bradley accompanying us and left by the 12.40. Changed at Corbin and reached Pineville at 5 p.m., glad to get to our old rooms and a comfortable hotel once again. Weather very hot in the morning and fairly warm on the journey, but it seemed a bit cooler at Pineville. Sat out in the cool on the verandah after dinner till bed-time.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p160)
Sharp diary 1917 page 160. Friday 1 June 1917 - Pineville
Maud went out after breakfast to follow up some clues while I wrote up my tune books and wrote several letters. A terrific thunderstorm broke at 11, and a large piece of my ceiling fell down, on the bed — not the one I sleep in — Fortunately although only a few feet away none of it fell on me! Maud returned at dinner time with satisfactory results and it looks as though we may get on to some new singers here. After tea we go out to see two of these but get nothing, one of them — Mrs Thompson — being out and the other not any use. Weather very hot but it is always cool here evening & morning and as we have 7.30 breakfast we get a good deal of the cool morning.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p161)
Sharp diary 1917 page 161. Saturday 2 June 1917 - Pineville
Breakfast early and then sally forth to our old friends Mrs Townsley & Mrs Wilson who were ready to hug us with delight if we would have submitted! They had heard that a man & woman had been arrested for spies at Middlesboro and all their neighbours assured them that we no doubt were the criminal couple. Mrs Wilson nearly came to Middlesboro to see if she could help us! They gave us 7 good songs and a Mrs Lawson a beautiful version of The Cuckoo. Weather stifling. I found the walk very trying mainly because of the intense & close heat — 85 in the shade. A heavy thunderstorm at 5 a.m. this morning, and another at 3 p.m. After the latter had cleared off we went out and caught Mrs Thompson at home and took 3 songs from her, including a beautiful dorian version of Mrs Tom Price’s[?] Cruel Ship’s Carpenter tune. My temperature keeps consistently subnormal. Tonight it is only just over 96!!
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p162)
Sharp diary 1917 page 162. Sunday 3 June 1917 - Pineville
Wrote letters all the morning to Campbell, Rabold, Packhard, Krehbeil, Shaw, Peabody, etc while Maud went out to follow up two clues of singers at Wallsend. She found one woman died last week and the other had gone away for a holiday! In the afternoon after tea we called on Mrs Field and her grandaughter sang to us, also an Aunt — quite a pleasant little party. Then I went to call on Mrs Sharp and give her the photograph I took of her children. A poor dinner and then early to bed, feeling very seedy again. My teeth are beginning to bother me and the heat is intense. Two heavy thunderstorms today, so much cooler — though very damp in the evening.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p163)
Sharp diary 1917 page 163. Monday 4 June 1917 - Pineville
Woke up with another, a front tooth beginning to ache. Didn’t sleep very well. Went round to Mrs Townsley & Mrs Wilson after breakfast, first looking through and getting off some proofs. Got several songs and returned home at 11, very tired, chiefly I think because of the great heat. Lie down till lunch, and lie on my bed pretty nearly all the afternoon. Look through some more proofs at 5, & send them off. Do not feel much like going to Barbourville tomorrow as arranged, but we make plans to go by the 9.36 train, telephoning to Mrs Franklin. I go to bed very soon after dinner, feeling good for nothing. My teeth still bother me.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p164)
Sharp diary 1917 page 164. Tuesday 5 June 1917 - Pineville
Had a long and apparently a good night, but feel so weak that after breakfast sitting on the verandah we decide to give up Barbourville and make tracks for Hot Springs tomorrow by the 4 a.m. train. Lucky we decided to do this for directly afterwards my front tooth suddenly began to ache violently necessitating a hurried visit to the dentist who very cleverly patched it up and stopped the aching. It is clear I must have my teeth properly seen to so decide to give up projected stay at Hot Springs & go direct to Asheville tomorrow. Wire Campbell accordingly. Mrs Wilson comes in in the afternoon to tea, and sings to me. Then I write up my books & Maud packs.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p165)
Sharp diary 1917 page 165. Wednesday 6 June 1917 - Pineville — Asheville
Called at 3 a.m. No water (except a single pail of it) because water supply in this individualistic community is cut off between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. However, make tea & wash after a fashion and catch 4.10 train, arriving at Middlesboro 4.50. Breakfast (!!) there at 5.30 and catch 6 train for Knoxville arriving at 9, where owing to 8.30 being late we catch a train for Asheville immediately and arrive there at 3 p.m. instead of waiting at Knoxville as we expected to do till 4, and getting to Asheville at 11 p.m. Campbell met us and after looking around take rooms at Grove Park Inn, a very wonderful and crazy sort of place where however we shall get clear & good air and wholesome and well cooked food, and those are what I am after for the moment. Weather piping hot but I stood journey wonderfully — considering.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p166)
Sharp diary 1917 page 166. Thursday 7 June 1917 - Asheville
Yesterday I asked Campbell to make an app[ointment] for me with a good dentist. This he did. Accordingly I go down and see Dr. Sinclair at 11.30. He said the six front teeth must come out — the sooner the better — and that he will try & fix me up with new sets, top & bottom, by Sunday next. Decide to have extracting done at 10.30 next morning. Then home to lunch and at 3 going out to Campbell’s new Log Hut in West Asheville, where we had tea and showed Mrs Campbell the songs we had collected on last trip. Had a nice chat & a pleasant afternoon getting back to our Inn at 8, in time for dinner, and to hear organ recital & see Movies afterwards. A curious set of people here. All very rich & respectable. Contrast between Grove Park Inn and Central Hotel Sevierville, pretty striking!
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p167)
Sharp diary 1917 page 167. Friday 8 June 1917 - Asheville
I faced the 2 doctors at 11 and had the teeth all out. But I never got properly under the influence of the gas, owing, I believe, to the bad & clumsy way in which it was administered, consequently it was a very painful business and I suffered a great deal from shock. The gums bled all day and all night and I had rather a miserable time of it altogether. Sinclair took a plaster mould of lower jaw and promised to put in teeth there tomorrow morning. Weather cooler, thunder storms etc and everything seems favourable except my unhappy condition owing to the operation this morning. However, it is a relief to know that the worst is over!
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p168)
Sharp diary 1917 page 168. Saturday 9 June 1917 - Asheville
To the dentist again in the morning to have a mould taken of the upper jaw, and to have the lower plate fitted — rather a nasty business. Sinclair promises to fit the upper plate either this afternoon or tomorrow morning — later on he telephones me to come tomorrow. The lower plate feels very peculiar but I feel I shall soon get used to it. Back to lunch. At 3.15 Campbell comes in and has tea with us and stays till 5.30. I have not yet met Mrs Crane who is staying at this Inn nor the crazy proprietor Mr Seely whom I am told, if I could engage his interest, might be inclined to help me financially. This Hotel is a fad of his, built & given to him by his father a man who made a fortune with a patent medicine.1
1: The Grove Park Inn, Asheville, was opened in 1913 by Edwin W. Grove and his son-in-law Fred L. Seely.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p169)
Sharp diary 1917 page 169. Sunday 10 June 1917 - Asheville
To the dentist again at 10 a.m. and am fitted with a new set of teeth for my upper jaw. At first it seemed impossible that I could ever talk again with any distinctiveness of enunciation but after practising a little and finding the difficult consonants I improve wonderfully and so rapidly that by the evening I believe I could have lectured had I been called upon to do so. the Campbells come to lunch and stay to tea and we have a very pleasant reunion. I am getting very sick of this idle, rich sort of life, and am wondering how I am going to stick it through the present week. I suppose the rest in such healthful conditions is good for me — but I hate it none the less on that account!
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p170)
Sharp diary 1917 page 170. Monday 11 June 1917 - Asheville
Decide to take a day off from the dentist to-day! Dictate letters to Putnam etc in the morning. In the afternoon go to the Perry’s where we meet the Campbells. Maud and I sing several songs and I play through my draft accompaniments which meet with very general approval. Get back in time for dinner at 8.30. Weather hot but not unpleasant. Am getting better in myself but very it takes very little physical exercise to knock me up. Have a good appetite.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p171)
Sharp diary 1917 page 171. Tuesday 12 June 1917 - Asheville
The lower plate hurting one of my teeth I go again to dentist. When he has put it right he proceeds to finish me off, first scraping tartar from teeth in lower jaw, then polishing them up to look nice — as good as new — and finally stopping the eye tooth in upperjaw. All very unpleasant but not actually painful. It was an immense relief when at the end of it he said there was nothing more to be done! I could hardly believe it. Home to lunch and a rest after. After tea Maud went to see Campbell while I sat in the verandah and put modal indices to my mountain tunes.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p172)
Sharp diary 1917 page 172. Wednesday 13 June 1917 - Asheville
My lower plate hurts more than ever so that I cannot use it. As Campbell had asked me to lunch to meet Revenel, I went down a little early and saw Sinclair who on the second attempt succeeded in making it all right — apparently. Then to lunch with Revenel, a Huguenot lawyer with property at Highlands, in N. Carolina. He gave me a good deal of information and seemed so interested in my discoveries that he suggested I should speak before a literary soc[iety] of which he is President — The "Pen and Plate" tomorrow night — to which I agree if it can be arranged. He telephones later on to say all is arranged. In the evening after dinner I have a long talk with Mrs Crane about Russia, Y.M.C.A. and other exciting questions. Maud seedy all day but better in the evening. Wire Algonquin that I arrive on Sunday & leave here on Sat[urday] aft[ernoon].
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p173)
Sharp diary 1917 page 173. Thursday 14 June 1917 - Asheville
Thunderstorm brewing in the morning. I sit in the verandah writing letters etc while Maud goes to Campbell to get mail, arrange about reservations for Saturdays journey etc. At noon we give Mrs Crane and her daughter a little private talk and concert concerning the mountain songs. Very nice old lady whose vision is limited by Y.M.C.A. affairs! Spend a quiet afternoon, resting & looking through proofs and then after dinner go down to the Manor Park Hotel and lecture to the Pen & Plate Club for 2 hours or more. Find to my satisfaction that I can talk as easily and as clearly with my new teeth as I used to with my old ones! and that 4 days only since I was fitted with them. Mr Hayes with Campbell motor us back to the hotel where we arrive about 11.30, have some milk & go to bed!
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p174)
Sharp diary 1917 page 174. Friday 15 June 1917 - Asheville
Spend a quiet morning on the verandah smoking and writing in lovely bright and cool weather. Maud goes down to the dentist while I interview a man from the Asheville Times who wants to put an article in next Sunday’s paper or the week after. Westray Battle comes to lunch and introduces me a flame[?] of his own a Mrs Liddell, rather a pretty woman. Campbell turns up to tea, all agog about last night’s lecture and the impression that it made on his friends! Mrs Campbell comes later on and we all dine together. They go rather early which gives us a little spare time to pack before we turn in. Weather quite cold to-day but fine & bright. Max[imum] temp[erature] only 64! Have to ask for a third blanket before going to bed! What a changeable climate this is!
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p175)
Sharp diary 1917 page 175. Saturday 16 June 1917 - Asheville — New York
Finish off packing after breakfast and prepare to get away to Campbell’s office for a farewell visit. Weather colder than ever. Call on Campbell and see the dentist for the last time and get him to make an adjustment and give me the name of a dentist who will do the same for me in N[ew] York, if required. Bring Campbell back to lunch and catch 3.45 train. Mrs Crane & her daughter in the train as far as Washington. Have a talk with her in the evening and say good bye, as she leaves the train early tomorrow before we get up.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p176)
Sharp diary 1917 page 176. Sunday 17 June 1917 - New York
A fair night and a nice breakfast — much nicer than the dinner last night which was in a Southern dining-car and very so-so, as all Southern things are. Arrive at New York at 1 p.m., drive to the Algonquin where we have lunch. Then a rest and begin unpacking boxes left behind here — our own trunks arrive in the evening. Empty mine in order that I may send trunk to be mended tomorrow. Go to bed rather early after writing several letters to tell people we are here. Miss Gilman came in & we had a long chat in the evening. N[ew] York about as cool as Asheville.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p177)
Sharp diary 1917 page 177. Sunday 23 June 1918 - New York
So cold that on getting up I arrayed myself in a winter suit with undervest and pants — March attire. A hardish ground frost not many miles from N[ew] York. Wrote a long & careful letter to Winthrop Rogers about my ballad book in the morning. Gowing resplendent in private’s uniform (at least as good as any officer’s) is staying here & called on us in the morning. He gave our lunch to the Gilmans downstairs, Rabold unfaithfully crying off. We had a nice talk at lunch and a longer one afterwards up in our room. After tea Mr Lioll Suete[?] the actor- manager called on me about the music & dances of a pageant-play he is to produce in the autumn. Had a long talk with him about Barker, Benson and other mutual friends. Iden Payne dined with us. He goes to St Louis to direct a pageant there on Tuesday, poor devil. We hope he will avoid the tentacles of the arch-fiend Le Beaune! After dinner he came up to our room and we sang & talked to a late hour. He is a very good friend of ours and it was nice to see him again.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p178)
Sharp diary 1917 page 178. Monday 24 June 1918 - New York
Called at 6.30 — early breakfast and then to the opening of the school in 93rd St[reet]. Our worst fears realized when only 5 or 6 students turned up, increased to 9 or 10 as the day went on. Rabold was at White Plains all day superintending the postponed pageant but Maud and I were more than enough to attend to the needs of our little flock. I took two Morris Classes, a C[ountry] D[ance] Class & Sword class and of course the singing class but didn’t talk — it seemed so unnecessary. Whether more will come or not I don’t know but expect not. Maud and I discuss whether we ought to advise the stopping of the school and on mentioning this to Miss Gilman agree to discuss the matter again on Wednesday. Weather beautifully bright but quite cool, not to say cold in the morning. Found the first day in harness very tiring and of course the failure of the venture was very depressing. It is bad enough for us but infinitely worse for poor Miss Gilman for whom I feel deeply sorry. This is not the country for an artist to exploit. Its taste is shown by its predilection for Rag Time, Bunny Hugs etc.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p179)
Sharp diary 1917 page 179. Wednesday 20 June 1917 - New York
Looked through proofs and took them to Putnam’s together with the map which Campbell had sent me. Had a long talk with Savage who was much more civil now that I went to him and not S. W. Putnam of whom he is clearly very jealous. He says book ought to be ready by September. The printers are going rather faster but I do not think he will prove a true prophet. Rested after lunch and then did a couple of hours harmonizing at Grays, dining with Maud at old English place in 43rd St[reet]. Weather warmer than yesterday but quite bearable.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p180)
Sharp diary 1917 page 180. Thursday 21 June 1917 - New York
Began Gilman week with classes 10-11.30 and lecture till 12. I taught a couple of dances and Maud did the rest. Home at 12.30 when we lunched. Maud went to dentist at 3.15 to have her tooth out and I accompanied her — it all went off pretty well. Classes again from 5-6, Maud & I sharing the work. Have a long talk with Mr Hills who foreshadows an engagement at Albany. Hough comes to dinner — rather late, 7.45. After dinner we go out to see illuminations in honour of Italian War Commission then return home and talk till nearly midnight when we roll into bed very tired! Weather much hotter.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p181)
Sharp diary 1917 page 181. Friday 22 June 1917 - New York
Miss Gilman again 10-12 and I get thro’ my second lecture with fair credit. Dr Wilson comes after and talks. Then to do some more proofs and entertain Miss Beiderhaze to lunch at Algonquin. Finish proofs after lunch, a short rest, tea at 4, take round proofs to Putnam’s and see proof of Map. Promise to see printed proof on Tuesday. Class as usual in afternoon. Dinner at Old English place in 43rd St[reet] then quiet evening at home & bed early. Weather very hot. This is the hottest day we have had in N[ew] York between 80 & 90. Miss Hamilton of Toronto came to class in the afternoon & we had a nice chat. She leaves tomorrow & wouldn’t dine with us.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p182)
Sharp diary 1917 page 182. Saturday 23 June 1917 - New York
Went out soon after breakfast, first correcting proofs for Putnam’s & returning them. Called on Everley at Rockefeller Foundation to discuss financial aspect of mountain work — not to much effect, alas! — then to Ames & Rollinson about certificates, leaving several with them & finally to the Swan Fountain people. Lunched in 6th Ave[nue], and after a rest went round to Grays and did 2_ h[ours] harmonizing. Returned in time to dress for dinner. Mr & Mrs Meredith dined with us and we went to his theatre in the evening. Saw 3 one-act plays, two of them very so-so, the 3rd, The Pariah, by Strindberg — very fine1.
1: Pariah, or the Outcast, play (1889) by August Strindberg (1849- 1912).
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p183)
Sharp diary 1917 page 183. Sunday 24 June 1917 - New York
A very quiet day. Rather late breakfast. Wrote some music at Hotel and then went to Grays at 10.45 to harmonize till lunch. The Misses Gilman lunched with us. After tea and a rest I went to Gray’s again till 7, when Maud and I dined at Henri’s. Rabold came round in the evening and we talked till late. Weather for last 2 or 3 days stiflingly hot & very trying. A cooler change seems to be beginning now. My hay fever is also coming on, and is pretty bad to-night. Maud went out & got me some adrenaline.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p184)
Sharp diary 1917 page 184. Monday 25 June 1917 - New York
After the school in the morning go to Players Club to lunch with Iden Payne. Then home calling at Cross’s about my trunk which of course they have not returned as per promise. After school in the afternoon go to Brevoort Hotel to dine with Hough . I went round to his room after and spent a very pleasant evening chatting over the piano etc. I liked him this evening better than I have done before. He is a very nice fellow despite his rather priggish manner. But then he has been in the Consular service & he is very young. Weather very hot.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p185)
Sharp diary 1917 page 185. Tuesday 26 June 1917 - New York
Rabold lunched with us after the morning school. I then work at proofs, take them round to Putnams see & discuss proof of map and then go to afternoon school. Rabold dined with us at Algonquin & talks of breakfasting with us tomorrow morning! Terrible evening packing for tomorrow’s journey. I am thoroughly sick of trying to stow away my clothes in my various boxes. Weather very hot but not unbearable.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p186)
Sharp diary 1917 page 186. Wednesday 27 June 1917 - New York — Boston
Rabold breakfasted with us. Weather hotter than ever! Usual classes in the morning after which we all lunch with Rabold at new place in 40th St[reet] i.e., the Gilmans Maud & self. After a hurried return to Algonquin to finish off packing begin classes again at 2, and the conduct C[ountry] D[ance] certificate exam with 4 candidates all of whom pass very well. Then back to Algonquin for our small luggage & to settle up, & then to station where after having tea we leave at 5 p.m. for Boston. Arrive at 10.10 and taxi to Hotel Touraine where we get good if rather gorgeous rooms on same floor.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p187)
Sharp diary 1917 page 187. Thursday 28 June 1917 - Boston
Sleep very well and have breakfast at 8. Telephone Mrs Storrow who promises to come to lunch at 12.15. Then to Mrs Coolidge’s to interview Newfoundland maid. Latter no singer but I have interesting information about N[ewfoundland] singers. Return to meet Mrs S, who, instead of lunching with us drives us about in her motor in search of Lily. After vain travellings hither & thither for an hour we return — Mrs S to go back to the Girls Scout’s camp we to entertain Belden at Lunch and afterwards to discuss our recent songs. At 5 we go to Girls camp, have dinner there and afterwards talk, sing, teach songs & dances etc. To bed at 10.30. Very tired.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p188)
Sharp diary 1917 page 188. Friday 29 June 1917 - Boston
Write letters after breakfast to Constance & others. Then go to see Fischer of Ditson’s to arrange for some of my books to go to Amherst & to discuss new Mountain Song book. He tells me they are negotiating for an Agent in London probably Kling, admiss[?] who has bought Chester’s business in Brighton & is setting up in London in Breitkopf & Hartel’s place in London. After early lunch catch 1.40 for Amherst. Raining hard when we arrive but cooler thank Heaven. In the evening see Miss Flanders, unpack and settle in generally. Prospects of School very gloomy. Partly because of war, partly because Mrs Storrow spread rumours of my illness abroad, the number of students woefully small. Then too there has been actually no advertising.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p189)
Sharp diary 1917 page 189. Saturday 30 June 1917 - Massachusetts Agricultural College
[M.A.C.], Amherst1 Start school at 9. Only about 20 students. Lily not yet arrived — at Pageant in Boston — so content with 3 classes, Nora [Jervis] taking 2nd class, and Miss Chapin 3rd. Nice singing class & demonstration. Students though few in number excellent in quality and top class a really good one. Make many arrangements with Thompson, the professor of M.A.C. who takes Herd’s place, and Miss Flanders who is our Secretary. I lecture in the afternoon and everything goes very smoothly. We are quite comfortable at Cosby’s who look after us wonderfully well. I have the same rooms as last year but we have our meals here this year which is a far better and pleasanter arrangement.
1: Founded 1863. Now centre of University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p190)
Sharp diary 1917 page 190. Sunday 1 July 1917 - M.A.C., Amherst
Breakfast at 8.30. Then sit, smoke & talk on verandah with Rabold & others till 11 when I work at my proofs till lunch at 1.30. After a rest and tea, Maud and I go a short walk and afterwards read till dinner at 6.30. After dinner Maud and I sang some mountain songs on the verandah to a chosen few and then after milk and biscuits go to bed early. Weather fairly cool and it looks as though there were going to be more rain. Country very beautiful. The view from the M.A.C. looking its best just now.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p191)
Sharp diary 1917 page 191. Monday 2 July 1917 - M.A.C., Amherst
The school went very well to-day though it is sad to see so few students. Maud’s class of 10 students is a fine one, but the other classes are feeble. Lily turned up yesterday so she is teaching. The delightful Peabody sisters motor us to & fro the school every day which is most kind of them & very helpful. I talked to day about ballet, aesthetic dancing etc, having on Saturday discussed the philosophy of folk art generally.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p192)
Sharp diary 1917 page 192. Tuesday 3 July 1917 - M.A.C., Amherst
Nothing important to relate. The weather is very hot but not unbearably so. I sleep badly but feel quite well and well able to dance again which is a great delight to me. I lecture in the evening finishing off yesterday’s discourse and then describing origin of Sword dance. We have our meals at Cosby’s (where we rent our rooms) which is a much better arrangement than last year.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p193)
Sharp diary 1917 page 193. Wednesday 4 July 1917 - M.A.C., Amherst
This being the national holiday we only hold our morning session and adjourn for the afternoon one. There was a pageant on the common which I went to see for 5 minutes but it was so dull I left it. I had piles of proofs to look through and this occupied me all the afternoon 3.30-6.45. Maud went out with the Peabody party a picknicking. Rabold came in in the evening and I played him some of the accompaniments (I have recently been writing) on my piano here. In the morning I started teaching the Handsworth sword dance.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p194)
Sharp diary 1917 page 194. Thursday 5 July 1917 - M.A.C., Amherst
A perfectly lovely day, fine & bright but not too hot. School went very well in the morning — I continued the Handsworth and find I remember it wonderfully. In the afternoon we gave our first public demonstration to quite a large audience. It went very well and I danced in 6 or 7 country dances! The Steinbergs motored over for the afternoon.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p195)
Sharp diary 1917 page 195. Friday 6 July 1917 - M.A.C., Amherst
Classes as usual. Resumed my lectures continuing discussion of Morris & Sword dances. Weather keeps wonderfully fine and nice. In the evening go to Movies with Charlotte and a bunch of students — great fun!
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p196)
Sharp diary 1917 page 196. Saturday 7 July 1917 - M.A.C., Amherst
Several new students I am glad to say and this brings our numbers up to nearly 30 which is fairly respectable. Maud ill and retires home after first class in the morning. I take her other classes as the day goes on. Meet Mrs Herd and Mrs Newlin on Common at 6 p.m. to discuss about demonstration on the 12th. Go to movies again in the evening with Charlotte etc and to drug store afterwards for drinks. Maud better.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p197)
Sharp diary 1917 page 197. Sunday 8 July 1917 - M.A.C., Amherst
A very quiet day. Breakfast at 8.30, look through two lots of proofs and write 8 or 10 letters to Mrs Storrow etc. Rest after lunch. Go walk with Maud after tea. Play tunes to select company on my piano in the evening. Maud got up about 11 a.m. and seems fairly well. Weather less sunny & rather cooler.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p198)
Sharp diary 1917 page 198. Monday 9 July 1917 - M.A.C., Amherst
Usual classes. Decide to institute 4th class tomorrow as Lily’s class is too heterogeneous. Maud teaches Midsummer Night’s Dream Mound dance to her class to be performed at tomorrow’s demonstration. They learn it very quickly & seem to like it hugely. Campbell arrives and calls on me in the late afternoon but we fail to meet. Maud and I dine with Miss Scovill and spend quite an interesting evening — Rabold being other guest. Weather quite cold, and people complained of the wintry blasts when sitting out under the trees listening to my evening’s discourse.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p199)
Sharp diary 1917 page 199. Tuesday 10 July 1917 - M.A.C., Amherst
Some little difficulty with Prof[essor] Thomson about rooms, but eventually straighten it out. Four classes in nice working order now. In the evening we did a demonstration in aid of the Red Cross on the Common in the town, doing amongst other things the M[idsummer] N[ight’s] D[ream] dance round a tree. Rain threatened all day and grass rather down[?] Ground lightens up. Danced from 7-8. Afterwards walked with Campbell & Miss Dame[?] to who is doing a pageant here and has rented a nice house for the year he has been here. Very pleasant evening with him & his family. Walked home about 10.30.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p200)
Sharp diary 1917 page 200. Wednesday 11 July 1917 - M.A.C., Amherst
A Miss Hewitt from Williamstown who had previously written to me arrived in the morning and arranged with me to give her a private singing lesson each day for 10 dollars, or 50 for the week including school fees. This will help our empty coffers a trifle. I give her first lesson to day. In the evening having come to an end with my talks about the 3 dances, I gave a lecture on Children’s Games, in the Chapel alas! as it was raining outside. Weather very dull and quite cold unusually so for this season of the year.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p201)
Sharp diary 1917 page 201. Thursday 12 July 1917 - M.A.C., Amherst
A very heavy day. I give Miss Hewitt her hour lesson during the morning country dance hour and practice Haxby with the demonstrators in sword dance hour. Display in Drill Hall in the afternoon a very good one. We did amongst other things, the M[idsummer] N[ight’s] D[ream] dance, Haxby and Step Stately, the latter a beautiful dance, going very beautifully. Herd Langdon & Campbell there and a very good audience. In the evening I lectured on Appalachian songs at Stockbridge Hall with lantern slides. Quite a successful little meeting and a nice audience of students & outsiders, the latter outnumbering the former.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p202)
Sharp diary 1917 page 202. Friday 13 July 1917 - M.A.C., Amherst
Still very dull but getting hot again and we swelter in a very muggy damp heat. Hold senior exams in the afternoon and pass the three who come before us, Mrs Gibbs, the Misses Bolles & Foss — the first Advanced Certificates awarded in America. They are very good indeed. Shall probably have 4 more candidates for same exam next week. Gave Miss Hewitt her third lesson 5.15-6.15. Began a nasty headache in the afternoon doubtless from the heat, so did not go to the C[ountry] D[ance] ball at the Chapel.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p203)
Sharp diary 1917 page 203. Saturday 14 July 1917 - M.A.C., Amherst
Maud not very well but is able to take her classes as usual. A few new students come in and about the same number leave — amongst the latter Miss Bolles whom we are all sorry to lose. Lecture on Chanties in the Chapel in the afternoon, Rabold illustrating. Dine with Professor Herd where I spend most pleasant evening meeting Prof. & Mrs Newlin and Prof. and Mrs Estey. A Thunderstorm bursts upon us when at dinner in the verandah but did not interrupt us. The more I see of Herd & his wife the more I like them.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p204)
Sharp diary 1917 page 204. Sunday 15 July 1917 - M.A.C., Amherst
Very asthmatic & hay-fevery in the night — 4 a.m. At 9 I give Miss Hewitt her 5th lesson. Then have short confab with Peabody. Afterwards look through proofs till lunch. Catch 3.30 Trolley for Northampton where Miss Hewitt meets me and Taxi’s me to Mr Cable’s where we have tea in the garden. He is an interesting man and sings some Creole folk songs collected in Louisiana. Trolley home again rather late for dinner — write letters & go to bed.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p205)
Sharp diary 1917 page 205. Monday 16 July 1917 - M.A.C., Amherst
Weather very dull & showery. Classes as usual though unhappily we have lost 2 of our men Gowing and Wheeler. This reduces us to 3 which means I have to dance a good deal. The staff entertain Miss Skovill & Rabold to dinner — later Mrs Storrow just arrived from Boston, joins us. We have an English dinner, roast fowl, bread sauce etc! Lily made up a folk dance menu rather cleverly in which the fowl appeared as "Roast Black Nag". All very good fooling. Nice to have Mrs Storrow back again. Mrs Peabody has joined her daughters. I lecture on Modes etc in the late afternoon.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p206)
Sharp diary 1917 page 206. Tuesday 17 July 1917 - M.A.C., Amherst
Weather brighter & hotter. I give Miss Hewitt her last lesson this evening. She is really very nice but horribly nervous and fearful of a mild person like myself! School quite up to previous weeks in numbers and in general interest. I lecture to day on Ballads, Maud and I singing a couple — The 2 sisters and Edward.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p207)
Sharp diary 1917 page 207. Wednesday 18 July 1917 - M.A.C., Amherst
Weather cloudy & muggy. Everything as usual. Make great preparations for Demonstration tomorrow. Wheeler, our fourth man went away on Monday but is coming back tomorrow with the Kilborns. We practise, Lull me, Step Stately & Greenwood, especially, in all of which I have to bear a hand. I have danced more in this school than I have ever done before and feel fully capable of doing it.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p208)
Sharp diary 1917 page 208. Thursday 19 July 1917 - M.A.C., Amherst
Demonstration a great success. A very crowded hall and great enthusiasm although we did no sword dance. Rabold sang Spanish Ladies, Miss Kilborn Crystal Spring and W[illiam] Taylor, Wheeler, Jenny of the Moor & Sally my dear. We dine with Miss Freer at Davenports and then go on to C[ountry] Dance Ball where I dance every dance which — after my efforts at the demonstration is really rather an achievement. Very exhausted however when I get to bed.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p209)
Sharp diary 1917 page 209. Friday 20 July 1917 - M.A.C., Amherst
A very pleasant morning. We sang all our favourite songs; then I gave a little talk, summing up Summer School and called upon them to teach accurately and uphold the accurate dissemination of the dances which is after all the main purpose of the E.F.D.S. Then we did a good many dances in the way we knew best and afterwards for the fun of the thing Fifine [Peabody] & Mrs Gibbs did I’ll go & enlist, and Maud & Lily Bonnets [so Blue] — all to rapturous applause & laughter. Mrs Storrow & Lily departed for Plattesburgh in the afternoon after the exams at which we passed 4 advanced (Rabold Vichman, Louise Chapin & Fifine) 4 Elementary & 4 C[ountry] D[ance]. Rabold & Peggy Scovill dined with me — Maud going to the Herds. Finished packing & then to bed.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p210)
Sharp diary 1917 page 210. Saturday 21 July 1917 - Amherst — New York
A very hot day, unfortunately. Finished up everything and then motored to Northampton where we caught the 11.4 train and arrived at N[ew] York at 4 p.m., very glad to be back again. Got fairly nice rooms. Had several letters to attend to and then went out to dinner. After dinner, our boxes having arrived, we unpacked before going to bed. Miss Hinman & party called when we were out at dinner, & left a message asking us to sup tomorrow. I looked through proofs before going to bed. Weather almost stifling with heat & humidity. Cannot stay here longer than necessary, not later than Wednesday I hope.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p211)
Sharp diary 1917 page 211. Sunday 22 July 1917 - New York
Terribly hot. Breakfast at 8 wrote letters etc in the morning, rested after lunch when a terrific thunderstorm burst over N[ew] York, one of the fiercest I have ever seen, with hail & tropical downpour. After tea we went to supper with Miss Hinman near Columbia University where I had a bad attack of asthma and only got home with difficulty — probably because of the very humid & heavy air after the rain. I could hardly breathe for some hours till I got back and burnt some of my [....?] powder. Miss Foss & Miss Rout at supper. Quite a nice little party though very little to eat! Went to bed early.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p212)
Sharp diary 1917 page 212. Monday 23 July 1917 - New York
Early breakfast & then to Putnam’s about proofs etc. Called at Gray’s. Gray in N[ew] York but not at office. Then down town to Ames & Rollinson about certificates, to Waterman’s for a fountain pen for Maud & to Chambers’s for note books, paper, ink etc for mountains. Then had my hair cut. Miss Young came to lunch and had a nice talk with me afterwards in our rooms. Began sorting things for mountains after tea and then went round to Miss Gilman’s to dinner meeting Rabold & Dr Wilson. We danced several 4-C[ountry] dances & Rabold did some jigs. The weather is unbearably hot and we go about more or less head-achy all day long. No prospect of any change.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p213)
Sharp diary 1917 page 213. Tuesday 24 July 1917 - New York
After breakfast write letters and then at 11 to Arnold Shaw about lectures in November. At present he has very little for me, only one lecture for certain at Maddison N[ew] J[ersey] Nov[ember] 20th at 10.30 a.m. 50 dollars. The Brooklyn people want me for 2 lectures at same price. Call on Gray after; not a very pleasant interview. Lunch with Glenn at Century Club and have a most interesting talk with him. Home to rest & then tea. Go out to shop, taking trousers (white) to be cleaned, shirt to have cuffed & 2 evening shirts to be put right at Rasllers[?]. Bought new pair of walking shoes for mountains. Home to continue packing. Rabold was to have come to dinner but Emanuelson who is going to England calls on him & he has to put us off.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p214)
Sharp diary 1917 page 214. Wednesday 25 July 1917 - New York
Dr Schleiter of Pittsburgh came to breakfast with us. Afterwards, hearing that the Alta Pass Hotel was closed, we decided to change our plans and go direct to Asheville, cabling Campbell accordingly. Went to Putnam’s to give directions about the sending of proofs etc & received a large batch from them. Rabold came round about 11.30 and accompanied us to the station and saw us off by the 1.10. I looked through the proofs and got them posted at Washington — a great weight off my mind. Weather very hot & sultry and carriages hot & dusty.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p215)
Sharp diary 1917 page 215. Thursday 26 July 1917 - Asheville, North Carolina
Wake up feeling pretty cheap as usual after a night in the train. We arrive at Asheville at 10.55, Campbell meeting us and make our way to the Langren where we take rooms. After a wash, shave, bath etc we have lunch here Campbell joining us. At 3 we motor to the Campbells, at West Asheville, have tea there and take down a song from an old man Connor. Leave after 7, have late dinner and to bed, very tired indeed. Hotel fairly comfortable but very noisy at night. It was a long time before I go to sleep on account of the noise within & without the hotel — I don’t know which was worst.
Cecil Sharp Diary 1917 (1917/p216)
Sharp diary 1917 page 216. Friday 27 July 1917 - Asheville
Called at 4.15, get to the station at 5.30 breakfast there & board the 6.10 train for Hot Springs, which however didn’t move out of the station till 7.10 — in true Southern fashion! On arrival call on Mrs Gentry & get 3 or 4 songs from her. Then on to Mrs House & Mrs Ellie Johnson who however were taken so unawares they could remember nothing! Made friends with Mrs Julie Williams, now living in Mrs House’s old Cabin, and got 2 good songs from her. Returned by 12.40 train (an hour late of course!) lunching in the train. After tea wrote up my books, and some letters. After dinner went to Movie show which was amusing.
Sharp diary 1917 page 219. Monday 30 July 1917 - Balsam
Weather warmer than ever. We hear N[ew] York is making heat-records day by day! Tramp off in another direction, nice fine views — as magnificent mountain scenery as I have ever seen — but no singers. Call on John Jones brother of Rufus, and Mrs Miles and Mrs Crawford the latter singing me one or two goodish songs. Her two nephews play banjo & fiddle ([….?]) rather characteristically. In the evening we call on Mr & Mrs Medford down the line. He has been a good singer but not much use now. He confirms what we had already divined that love songs are on the decline in these parts. Mrs M said she had not taught them to her children because no one else did! Medford sang me 2 or 3 nice songs including version of Edward. In the evening after dinner Maud & I sing some of our ballads. Decide to move on to Sylva tomorrow.
Sharp diary 1917 page 228. Wednesday 8 August 1917 - Barbourville
Having practically finished off our work here discuss next move. Maud advises Pineville for a week or more with a piano to harmonize songs for next week, where we can recuperate during the heat. I am still very slack and generally seedy with much asthma & lumbago. But Pineville can’t take us in, we learn by telephone! So we decide to risk Manchester, but alas Mrs Potter has no room for us! Our luck has not turned yet! Mrs Broughton & Mrs Poff turn up at 12.30 and I get some songs but nothing very exciting. The gatherings so far have been dismally disappointing and I am all for a dash on Manchester whatever the risk! Maud gradually comes round to this view more especially after her evening out with the Hotel Proprietor Beale, who escorts her to the Movies and then whispers sweet nothings at the Drug Store till a late hour.
Sharp diary 1917 page 230. Friday 10 August 1917 - Manchester, Kentucky
Didn’t sleep well as night very chilly with a dank, clammy mist which swept through the windows and wire door of my little out-house. No blankets, only counterpane sheet and cotton quilt. Dress with cold water and not too much of it, at 6 and breakfast at 6.45. Call on Mrs Broughton’s sister — a nice woman but no singer. Make 2 or 3 blank calls and then on return make friends with Walker, Judge Lyttell and his father, Dr Manning etc and get hold of a singer, Ben Finlay who gives me a new Child Lizzie Wan, much to my delight. Unhappily he is leaving his home tomorrow for a few days. Am very asthmatic sneezy etc. Weather damp and hot in the day but very cold in the evening.
Sharp diary 1917 page 234. Tuesday 14 August 1917 - Manchester
Maud not very well. This place is horribly insanitary and I am nervous about her. We go however to Goose Creek again, try Mrs Cis Jones with some result and then tramp 2 or 3 miles further on after the widow Mrs Polly Patrick. She sings some fairly good ones but owns she has not sung love songs for 25 years — "just like others about here" she adds ominously. Call on the Samples on our way back and at their suggestion on Mrs Cis Jones who they tell me used to sing Lamkin. She promises to study it and try to remember it for us. A very nice woman although an adherent of the Holiness sect. I am better — nights have been warmer, if days also — but I have a nasty hacking cough, throat rather than chest.
Sharp diary 1917 page 236. Thursday 16 August 1917 - Manchester — Oneida
Make a start in our jolt-wagon under the guidance of one William Sawyer at 8.15. The roads are just awful and the jolting indescribable! We first make a stop at Mrs Cis Jones who sings us a splendid version of Lamkin and several other fine songs assisted by Mrs Patrick and Mrs Nanny Smith who look in. Then we go on to Mrs Samples to say good bye. About half way a heavy rain comes on and Maud and I pay a call on Mr Jim Samples who sings us one or two nice songs and gives us dinner. Eventually after much jogging we arrive jolted, stiff & weary at Oneida. Miss Aldrich shows me my room, a very nice one and we settle in and make friends with the people here; Mr & Mrs Adams, the acting President, Mr & Mrs Walker, the business head are the chief ones.1 Food very spare & very indifferent. We shall find it hard to make a living if we stay long, but are lucky in having a friend in Miss Aldrich.
1: Oneida Baptist Institute, founded 1900 by James A. Burns.
Sharp diary 1917 page 237. Friday 17 August 1917 - Oneida, Kentucky
Breakfast at 5.30! and then start off, cross Goose Creek in a boat about 2 miles down the river and call on a Mr Geo Brewer, a garrulous old man of 70 who regales us with War Songs made by his father, but who knows nothing folk. Find people about here giving up folk-singing very much like the people about Manchester. Call on Mrs and her daughter Mrs Dora Robertson, nice people who give us dinner but utterly outside the folk- cult. Then to Mrs Sophie Annie Hensley and her daughter from whom we get good things including Johnnie Scot. On our return have to wait an hour or more to get ferried across Goose Creek! In the evening I address the students on the Campus and sing them many songs which seems to please everyone very much. Some of the students must surely know a good many songs.
Sharp diary 1917 page 238. Saturday 18 August 1917 - Oneida
After breakfast, singers begin to flock in as a result of last evening’s talk. First a Mr Nolan worker at the School who sings some and probably knows a good deal. Then 4 or 5 girls from whom I get something but not very much. This till lunch. Afterwards rest awhile as much as my cough will allow and then Miss Aldrich joins us at tea. We eat crackers from the Store here and marmalade a pot of which Miss A[ldrich] has given us. Maud & I then go out prospecting but get nothing — too weary to try very hard. Weather warm in day time but not unpleasantly so, and very cold at night. I use a double blanket and quilt which are none too much for warmth. Have a hot bath before going to bed. Find the scarce food rather trying. My cough is still troublesome and I have plenty of asthma.
Sharp diary 1917 page 240. Monday 20 August 1917 - Oneida
Started at 6.15 for the Hensleys only to find Mrs Hensley in bed — too ill to sing, alas! Our bad luck follows us! Her daughter Sophie Annie gave us what she could but it was nothing of any great value. We watched her sister do her Toilet & her hair, carefully adding a long spray of artificial stuff to the bun at the back. This cannot be said to be a primitive country! Miss Aldrich had tea with us. Did very little in the afternoon but took down a few songs from the students in the evening. This one of the hottest days we have had for some time and I have a very bad attack of asthma after dinner. Certainly not from indigestion as I only had a few crumbs of corn bread and a baked apple & water. We are being starved here. Miss Aldrich asked us to supper at 8 and we were glad of something to eat to enable us to sleep.
Sharp diary 1917 page 241. Tuesday 21 August 1917 - Oneida
Directly after breakfast — at 6 a.m. — tramped off 5 miles to Teges Creek to make another shot at Mrs Bishop. This time found her at home. Got there at 8, stayed 2 hours and returned by 11.30 in time for dinner — good walking considering state of roads and great heat. Rested after dinner, wrote up books, entertained Mrs Adams at tea, then wrote up books again till supper. After supper George Gibson, stone-mason, came in and sang me two good songs. Then set to work to pack ready for early start tomorrow for Manchester. Have decided there is no useful purpose to stay at Oneida any longer.
Sharp diary 1917 page 242. Wednesday 22 August 1917 - Oneida — Manchester
Started off walking to Manchester 14 miles at 7 a.m. after saying good bye to the staff and depositing our suit cases on the Mail-Hack. Weather sultry but no sun, one or two showers on the way. We called on Jim Samples but he was out. Some school children, as we left the Samples, called out "we can sing", so I took down a couple from them and would have got more but the school bell rang and they scampered off. We then called at the School, sang them a couple of songs & made a little speech. Called on Polly Patrick and had a pipe with her and a vivacious talk — no songs but arranged to meet her and Mrs Nanny Smith on Friday. Called on Mrs Cis Jones who promised to sing us some more on Friday. Got back to Manchester at 3.30 pretty hot & tired. Directly after our arrival a very heavy shower with thunder — we were just in time to miss it. The smells and greasy food seem worse than ever!
Sharp diary 1917 page 244. Friday 24 August 1917 - Manchester
Another very bad night, similar to the previous one, and for the same reason viz thunderstorms! Felt just awful when I rose but improved as the day went on. Campbell the jeweller came to do my trunk which I had to empty at 8 a.m. The new part arrived from the Hartmann people last night. We got away soon after 9. Mrs Cis Jones sang us Musgrove and Lover’s tasks — the latter a new "child". Then on to Mrs Polly Patrick who with Mrs Nanny Jones sang us several. Had dinner with them at 2, and got back to Drug Store at 4.30 where we regaled ourselves on grapejuice — Maud is fast becoming a toper. In the evening sang some songs to the Webbs, Patterson and Ralston etc. A really lovely day with fresh air, fleecy clouds, just like an English summer’s day with S.W. wind. Quite cold in the evening
Sharp diary 1917 page 245. Saturday 25 August 1917 - Manchester — Pineville
Slept much better — night quite cold, no rain and fairly clear. Finished packing and then caught the crazy train at 9 for Barbourville where we arrived at 11.30. Lunched at Hotel then to Mrs Broghton who sang us several songs. Saw Mrs Poff and Mrs Sudie whose husband has more or less recovered and was away at his mother’s. Caught the 4.10 train for Pineville and reached Continental Hotel at 5.30. Did some shopping, unpacked, had dinner, sat outside on the verandah, then walked out to see the shops! Nice to find ourselves in civilization again and to have warm baths before going to bed. Not very good rooms as they are hot getting the afternoon sun, which, though the nights and mornings are cool, is still very powerful.
Sharp diary 1917 page 248. Tuesday 28 August 1917 - Pineville — Pine Mountain Settlement
Breakfast at 6.30 (Maud is certainly better) and catch train 7.35 for Dillon where we arrive very travel worn & dirty at 11.45. Here we are met by Mr John Lewis and a pack horse. We load the latter with our suit cases type writer, dispatch case and mackintoshes and begin our long trek up the mountain side. I only just manage the first half of the journey i.e. up, because of my asthma which is pretty bad. Going down on the other side an easier matter, but the journey takes a full 3 hours though only 6 miles. On arrival am given room at Mr Zandae’s the Farm Superintendent and Maud one in a tent to be exchanged eventually for a room in Miss Pettit’s house.1 Meet everybody, Miss Wells, Pettit, De Long etc at tea under apple tree. Sing to children after supper at 6.
1: Pine Mountain Settlement School, established 1913 by Katherine Pettit and Ethel de Long.
Sharp diary 1917 page 249. Wednesday 29 August 1917 - Pine Mountain Settlement School
Breakfast at 6. Shortly after Maud and I tramp up Greasy Creek after songs and get a goodish lot from Mrs Mary Ann Short and her mother Mrs Berry Creech. Return home rather late for mid-day meal at 12 in the large dining hall. The latter is a magnificent room in which 70 or 80 people dining at round tables take up only part of the accommodation. The feeding of the children is excellent and a great contrast from Oneida. The general atmosphere is very good. The children most of whom are kiddies are just delightful, clean, bright & intelligent and are indistinguishable from the children of gentle-folk. I rest in the afternoon have tea at the office with Miss Wells, Dr Little etc and again after supper sing songs which are greatly appreciated by children & elders. Have a long talk with Miss Pettit in the evening.
harp diary 1917 page 250. Thursday 30 August 1917 - Pine Mountain Settlement
Maud is not at all well — nor indeed am I as I have been struggling against an attack of dysentery. Night very stormy & wet but cleared up in time for breakfast. Left Maud in bed (she got up for lunch) and sallied forth to the William Creech’s but Aunt Sally with whom I smoked a pipe, refused to sing. A Miss May Ritchie sang me a few songs in the morning and picked up a few in the evening. It is clear to me that there are many to be got here and we are thinking of returning here later on. Have tea again at the office. After lunch & again after supper we teach the staff Gathering Peascods & Rufty Tufty, having last night taught the children Roman Soldiers. In the evening sit till late on Miss Pettit’s verandah listening to men singing — nothing of great moment. Had many talks with Miss De Long.
Sharp diary 1917 page 254. Monday 3 September 1917 - Pineville — Lexington, Kentucky
We pack & settle up affairs in the morning and then take the 1.14 for Lexington, a very weary & hot journey with two changes and a long wait at Corbin — a very detestable place! It is Labor Day. I went to the P[ost[ O[ffice] to find it closed and a notice posted up to the effect that it was Labor Day Sept[ember] 4th etc. The inaccuracy one meets with in this country is just marvellous. It is no wonder that the postmaster made such a muddle over my letters! We stay the night at the Phoenix Hotel quite a good one, like the Gibson at Cincinnati — the best one we have struck in the South except Grove Park. Have a decent dinner, nicely cooked & served. Then proceed to hunt up Luther Shadoin. After a long hunt I run him to earth and persuade him to come to my room where he gave me excellent songs Golden Vanity & Edwin of the Lowlands Low — both of which he had learned from his mother.
Sharp diary 1917 page 256. Wednesday 5 September 1917 - Beattyville, Kentucky
Breakfast at 6.30 then start off for St Helens which is the next station on the line. A nice shady walk by the river (Kentucky river) for the first two thirds of the way. Get a couple of songs from a Mrs Bagley, a young woman just married, who tells us to go & see Mrs Carter, her aunt, and Mrs Couch her mother. Arrive at St Helens and after many enquiries find that N. Couch living a good 2 miles away. Get a boy, Mr Kincaid, to pilot us thither through the woods — a complex trail — and then we find our victim in bed — happily with a bad leg only, so able to sing. She has lately married a 2nd time to a Mr Dunagan, a very nice man. She turns out to be one excellent singer and I take down 6 rattling good songs including a really fine & full version of The 2 Brothers. We stay 2 hours or more, promise to return on the morrow & walk home again, reaching the hotel at 5 p.m. thoroughly done up — a good 12 miles walk in great heat
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Sharp diary 1917 page 257. Thursday 6 September 1917 - Beattyville
We hear there is a gasoline paddle boat which goes down the river to Malowby[?] — 3 miles on our way. So we take this at 8 a.m. & then walk on to the Dunagans buying a parcel of coffee & other dainties to take to the old lady. We get several more songs from her and a neighbour Mrs Thomas who looked in sang us a good version of Queen Jane — my 42nd Child! We like these people very much and sing many songs to them as well as they to us. No boat to help us on our way back so have to tramp it home arriving at 4 p.m. Our dysentery is rather better though Maud has still a good deal of pain. I fancy it is going slowly and that in a day or so we shall be all right. But we are both pretty weakened by it, though our weakness may be partly due to the lack of food. Feeding and accommodation here very indifferent. Can’t get anything done for us.
Sharp diary 1917 page 258. Friday 7 September 1917 - Beattyville
Go off soon after breakfast to Proctor across the river. This is a place of bridges, there are three at the back of our house; they cross Silver Creek Kentucky river & South Fork. To get to Proctor you cross three of these. We called on a Mrs Carter in the morning, she was out but we found her in in the afternoon. Her husband sat cobbling in the corner while we sang and she sang. She is a first rate singer nearly as good as Aunt Mar Dunagan — a rare piece of fortune to find two such singers in a week. We get no new Child from her, but a magnificent & fresh version of Young Hunting. We are very uncomfortable at Roberts Hotel, the Mrs Jones & daughters who run it being as disobliging as they can be. We can get no washing done, nor anything to eat and things are dirty and poverty stricken while Mrs J & her children, dress, make dresses & gossip all day, leaving 2 negroes to do the work as well as they can unsupervised. My bedroom contains a small broken table, a chair and a bed!
Sharp diary 1917 page 259. Saturday 8 September 1917 - Beattyville
Go off to Proctor again in the morning and pay Mrs Carter another visit to very good purpose. She sings me seven or eight more, all well worth taking down. This has been one of the richest weeks we have had, though a short one because of travelling 2 days. We draw other houses but get nothing else of value. As we intend to leave for Jackson tomorrow we begin packing in the afternoon, arranging about our transport & making other preparations in which we get no help, merely supercilious interest from the egregious Mrs Jones & Co. Make friends with Rev Alex Patterson the Episcopal minister who takes great interest in what I am doing. Everyone here very nice & friendly barring the hotel people. We are both nearly starved. I am eating nothing and Maud very little, partly because of the heat which is stifling but mainly because of the indifferent food.
Sharp diary 1917 page 260. Sunday 9 September - Beattyville — Jackson
Rise early as we intend to take boat to Malowby[?] walk to St Helens, interview Aunt Mar [Dunagan], and then catch afternoon train from St Helens on to Jackson. They charge us 2.25 [dollars] per day for our rooms & keep — each of us — 22.50 in all. I pay by cheque which is promptly refused. Unhappily I have only just enough cash to pay so have to get Revd Patterson to endorse my cheque, which he kindly did without murmur! Then to station with luggage to get tickets & cheques and afterwards just catch boat by the skin of our teeth. Aunt Mar surpasses herself and sings me a dozen more fine songs. We get to Jackson and a very comfortable hotel — as things go in these parts, called the Jefferson — at 5.30. Have a nice room in which after a good dinner & bath I write up my tunes and seven or eight letters. Weather very hot, but it is nice to be cleansed again!
Sharp diary 1917 page 263. Wednesday 12 September 1917 - Jackson
Took the 10 train to St Helens and then walked through the woods to Mrs Dunagan, calling upon Mrs Thomas on the way and bringing her along with us. Both sang us a good many songs, but nothing very exciting except a nice version of Cherry Tree [Carol] and another of Soldier wont you marry me? (modal). Came back by the 3.16 — late as usual — had tea, then went & got my hair cut at a very indifferent barber’s. After dinner, wrote up my books and began packing again. This cold weather has affected my liver and I am feeling dull, sleepy & stupid. The change is too violent for my delicate constitution!
Sharp diary 1917 page 265. Friday 14 September 1917 - Hazard, Kentucky
We sally forth on a very hot day — all the cold spell has departed, alas! — to Lot’s creek. Get hold of a singer, Mrs Mennes[?], on the way and hoped to get more from her on our return but meanwhile she had been poisoned against us and fled at sight of us — or one of us, I know not which. Tramped 14 miles to no purpose. The first 4 or 5 miles mainly mining & other manufacturing operations. Everything filthily dirty, and what with the heat and the dust and our empty note-books we were glad to get back again about 4 p.m. Decide to take train to Krypton tomorrow and prospect there. We are both bit slack as the weather is very hot & muggy. Still we are comfortable here and the food is better than we have had for some time — barring Lexington. Hotel people nice to us and pay us much attention. Offer to lend me their piano — glad to have it, even if a bit out of tune
Sharp diary 1917 page 268. Monday 17 September 1917 - Hazard — Hindman
Breakfast at 6.30 then settle up at hotel etc and finally get away in the Mail Hack quite a comfortable conveyance, hung on springs and spring under seats which are padded! We ride very comfortably half our distance to Feisty driven by a very delightful man, Combs, whose voice and manner of talking was a curious admixture of F. R. Benson & President Frost! Alas at Feisty we were turned over to another Jehu and another hack without seats & without springs, so we deposit our luggage in it and set out to walk the second half of the way — 10 miles. 1 Meet Bradley on arrival and dine at his hotel and then make for the School, where we are very cordially received by Miss Stone & her staff — too numerous to mention or remember — I am given the Guest room, a very comfortable nice little room and a nice bed into which I am very ready to tumble my tired body at 9 p.m.1
1: Hindman Settlement School was founded in 1902 by Katherine Pettit and May Stone.
Sharp diary 1917 page 269. Tuesday 18 September 1917 - Hindman Settlement School, Kentucky
Maud and I go off with Bradley to collect and make for Mrs [Martha] Stamper who lives about 4 or 5 miles off. Bradley tries to find a short cut but as usual lands us in difficulties. We get tied up first of all in a dense wood and then in a thick cornfield on the side of a hill and when we get to our destination we have gone nearly as far as the long way round and have taken rather longer time. Don’t get many songs but a few very average ones. In the evening go to a dance, walking 2 miles along a very muddy road. All the men indulged in whiskey by way of a preliminary and danced badly — as badly as the half-dozen girls there. We didn’t learn much about the Running Set, but we got something. It was a queer business because in these parts a party is always a public affair and we were crowded out with loafers who didn’t dance but took up the space on the floor. Returned about midnight.
harp diary 1917 page 271. Thursday 20 September 1917 - Hindman
In the morning tramped out 4 miles to Mrs Webb Pratt who sang me 4 or 5 excellent tunes. Back to lunch with Bradley at his hotel and drinks at the drug store afterwards. In the afternoon I spent 2 or more hours with Hilliard Smith who gave me quite a lot of most interesting songs. Back in time for supper at 5.30 and afterwards the girls in the school sang me a lot of songs, some of them very first rate ones. I gave them a talk about the songs and cross examined them afterwards as to what they know and in this way got a lot of splendid songs. One of the best days I have had for a long time and I must have taken down over 30 songs! I am beginning a bad cold in my chest, probably the result of the dance on Tuesday and the wet feet I got going to it. Got a mustard plaster to put on in bed
Sharp diary 1917 page 272. Friday 21 September 1917 - Hindman
Had a baddish night with asthma & coughing. Hope I’m not going to knock up, but I feel very seedy. Go with Maud to Austin Ritchie about 2_ miles off. He sings a little and then escorts us 3 or more miles through a wood and over a mountain to Mr Warton’s. There we dine (alas!) and Warton sings quite a lot of songs, some quite good ones. On the way home we get caught in heavy thunder rain but fortunately have umbrellas and keep fairly dry. Get back just in time for supper after which some of the girls sing to me again and then we have a social at which I try to speak and sing but am prevented from doing myself justice by much coughing. Maud teaches them "A Hunting", "Roman Soldiers" & dances Jockey [to the Fair] & Princess Royal — a very successful evening which the children enjoyed mightily.
Sharp diary 1917 page 273. Saturday 22 September 1917 - Hindman
Maud and I and Miss Watts — one of the staff who was at Knoxville — go to Mrs Lucindy Pratt and we got some excellent songs. After dinner I rest and then have tea with Miss Watts and Miss Cobb. Begin to write up my books which are sadly behind hand as we have taken down between 50 and 60 songs in the last 2 or 3 days — pretty well a record! My cold is very bad and I am glad there is not much to do to-day. Jason Ritchie was to have come over but they couldn’t get hold of him — also Wylie Parkes. There is a great deal to be done here but I think it better to leave on Monday and come here again next year perhaps. Spend evening in sitting room where one of the children gives me a song. We have supper there — spaghetti etc — and then to bed, five minutes before electric light goes out (9.30).
Sharp diary 1917 page 282. Monday 1 October 1917 - Hyden
Go round to school at 8 o’clock, talk to the children and Maud & I sing them several songs. A very sticky hum-drum sort of school permeated with presbyterianism and sloppy bible religion and utterly devoid of art of any kind. Then call on Mrs Eliza Pace an old lady of 67 who we afterwards hear has been a great offender in retailing Moonshine and has been sentenced several times. But she has good songs. A Mr Davidson gives me one tune. Look in on the court and hear the judge charging the grand jury. Plenty of melodramatic American spread-eagleism, every platitude uttered as though it were a deep & serious truth and every sentence punctuated with the use of the spittoon. Quite amusing and quite a revelation of one side of American life. Hyden quite full of people attracted by the opening day of the Sessions. I like Hyden but the climate is very bad and I am wondering how long I can stand it. Have never had such asthma before in my life.
Sharp diary 1917 page 283. Tuesday 2 October 1917 - Hyden
After a very bad night start off down Owlsnest Creek in search of Mrs Leona Melton. Go very much out of our way along Cutshin Creek which we have to ford several times but after 5 hours tramping get to mouth of Mackintosh creek where she & her husband live. They are nice people & she sings very prettily and gives me a new "Child" — the Mermaid. They tell us of a "nigh-way" home, only about 4_ miles, which we take and reach Hyden about 5, thoroughly done up — we get some grape juice at the Drugstore — no ice alas, here. Am writing up my books when Asher comes in and says he can get up a dance if I will come. Maud is in bed! but gets up and we go round to a house run by two bachelors Westcott & Brown, agents of Peabody Colliery Co. Lewis the postmaster, son of the hotel proprietor, leads. There are 4 couples who dance sufficiently well for us to learn the figures. This delights us as it may now make a visit to Pine Mountain unnecessary. I like Westcott who invites me to dine with him on Thursday at 6.
Sharp diary 1917 page 284. Wednesday 3 October 1917 - Hyden
Directly after breakfast Maud and I discuss & write out dance. There are 13 figures. We find we know it quite well but there are a few points upon which we have doubts. Have more or less a quiet day, pumping Mrs Eliza Pace again and getting a further instalment of good songs. But at our first visit we are pursued by a lot of lazy gossiping females who come in to see the show! There is no privacy in this country! So we retire and call upon Mrs Linda Walker, a coloured "lady" who sings very beautifully to us. Then to Mrs Pace again who gave me more songs. In the evening young Lewis comes in and I go through all the figures with him and clear up the few remaining doubtful points. He is a clear headed little man, nicely dressed, regular mountain manners and a good specimen of the mountaineer who has gone up a peg in the world.
' Sharp diary 1917 page 286. Friday 5 October 1917 - Hyden
After breakfast tramp off to Short Creek after a Mr William Morgan, better known as T Hawker[?], presumably because he is a purveyor of illicit whiskey! A long walk, very rough under foot, but very beautiful. While at Morgan’s house a small thunderstorm which suddenly produces quite cold weather. He sang 2 or 3 moderately good songs — these singers of wide reputation, e.g. Frizzly Bill — rarely have very much of value to me. Feel much stronger to day walking and get back at 1 feeling less tired than usual. Directly, however, I lie down to rest, I get a shivering fit and fever. Maud take my temp[erature] - which is 100.4 so I am in for something — suspect lungs as I have been coughing continuously since my Manchester cold 8 weeks ago. Call in doctor — little better than a labouring man, who finds my temp is now 102. Gives me some aconite & aspirin and advises canned soup. I have a lot of asthma but don’t feel particularly ill - no headache. Temp normal at 10 p.m.
Sharp diary 1917 page 290. Tuesday 9 October 1917 - Hyden
Feel rather stronger to day and decide to go out to bid farewell to friends and make a dash for Krypton and Jackson tomorrow. Engage a wagon to start at 6.30 tomorrow. Call on Mrs Byers first, then say good bye to Miss Byers at the school and then go to Westcott where I have a nice chat. Back to lunch and after a rest & tea go for the last time to Mrs Eliza Pace who rather unexpectedly sings me some very good songs. These I write up in the evening after I have finished my packing. The walk made me feel pretty groggy but I expect if it is a nice day tomorrow that I shall compass the journey all right. It is curious how weak that short attack of fever has left me.
Sharp diary 1917 page 293. Friday 12 October 1917 - Jackson
Felt very groggy in the morning, a warning that I have not yet got rid of the effects of that infernal fever. But I got better as the day wore on. We caught the 10 train to St Helens. First called at the Store where Snowden directed as to Dunaway’s house. Mr D & his wife both sing and they both sang us a song or two and promised to do more if we came to see them next Sunday. Then we walked through the wood to Mrs Dunagan who is now out of bed. She sang me several good songs but was very distrait owing to the visit of 2 women who haggled with her over the purchase of some of her potatoes — I am sure they cheated the old lady! We caught the afternoon train home and got to the hotel at 5. In the evening Sewell Williams came in and told me many things about the Running Set as danced in this County. Weather very cold indeed — froze last night.
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1918 April Virginia
Sharp diary 1918 page 111. Thursday 18 April 1918 - Woodstock — Harrisonburg
Pack in the morning, write some letters, settle up and leave for Harrisonburg by the 12.30, arriving 2.30. Get very nice rooms at The Kavanagh, unpack, have some tea and then call on a Miss Martha Davis [collector for Virginia Folklore Society from 1913]. Find her a comfortable looking middle-aged spinster quite ready to help us but not able to be of any great assistance. She has done very little collecting as most of her finds were traditions in her own family — including the Robin Hood’s as I had suspected. She tells us however that this valley is almost wholly peopled by Dutch or Germans and that we shall have to get into the mountains proper to find the Scotch-Irish as she calls them. We then do a little shopping at a very decent grocer’s shop and return to hotel where our trunks have by now arrived. After dinner try to get on by phone to Revd Ellis. He however is out and Mrs E promises to ask him to phone us in the morning. We patronize the movies again after dinner, have drinks at the drug store afterwards and then to bed. Weather very fine & warm but less stuffy here than at Woodstock.
Sharp diary 1918 page 116. Tuesday 23 April 1918 - Afton, Virginia
Weather fine but still chilly. After breakfast Maud and I walk down the road, talk to several people without result. Finally call on a Mrs MacDonald, a nice rather fat woman of 35, who was making baskets and eventually sang to us 4 or 5 quite decent tunes. What was more important she told us of other singers and of the dances which were done in these parts. We stayed at her house a couple of hours or more and left greatly rejoiced at our hitting the trail at last. Lunched with the Corbett’s and had a nice time there till 3.15. Walked home, rested, had tea and then walked up the mountain to Royal Orchard a grand house owned by a millionaire Mr Scott, and called on Mrs Fitzgerald, Mrs Macdonald’s daughter, who sang 2 or 3 tunes very well. Discussed dances with her and promised to call again on Thursday morning & perhaps on Sunday to see her husband who sings & plays. We got caught in a thunder storm going up the mountain and got rather wet, but the weather cleared before we got to the top where we had a very wonderful view. This is a very beautiful place and we shall be glad to stay here a few days if only we can go on getting songs.
Sharp diary 1918 page 117. Wednesday 24 April 1918 - Afton
Maud not well so stays in bed for breakfast. I go to Greenwood making friends with a Mr Langdon an orchardist. He went with me in the train & discussed English politics. He said Asquith was a notorious drunkard a very weak, superficial person who relied on his power of oratory to win over the mob — a sort of William Jennings Bryan he said! This comes from reading Maxse I discover!1 At Greenwood I went to the school and saw Miss Maxwell (engaged to H. M. Macmanaway!) but couldn’t get any eventually[?] information from her or from her children. But I heard of a Mrs Mayo between Greenwood and Afton and on my way back called on her and got 5 very good tunes. Eat my bread & cheese in a wood and tramped home about 5 or 6 miles calling on several cottages but not getting anything good enough to take down. Got home at 4.30 and had tea with Maud who afterwards got up for the evening meal. I wrote my tunes out in the evening and also some letters to Professor Cox of Morgantown[?], Mrs Callery and Susannah . Weather fine and quite hot in the middle of the day when tramping along a dusty road, but very chilly in the evening when the wind changed round to the east. We may be in for some cold weather again I fear.
1: Leopold Maxse (1864-1932), right-wing journalist, owner of the National Review, who referred to H. H. Asquith (Prime Minister 1908- 16) as H. H. Boozle.
Sharp diary 1918 page 118. Thursday 25 April 1918 - Afton
A very cold night and I couldn’t sleep. Have plenty of clothes on my bed but all cotton no wool at all and therefore no use whatever against this cold. A heavy Scotch mist when we got up and this we carried with us to the top of the mountain whither we went after breakfast in search of Mrs Fitzgerald. The lady sang again to us and gave me amongst other things a very good version of Polly Oliver. Discussed question of dance on Sat[urday] night. The difficulty is to get a room. We lunched with the Corbett’s and they suggested the hotel but when I saw the proprietor — who keeps the store — he was afraid the people might harm it, but suggested Mr Bragg’s house. Called on Mr B but no use. Then looked at another empty house which was too tumble down to be safe. Went round to Corbett’s in the evening and they suggested an empty house belonging to Mr Rhodes. Will investigate etc in the morning. White the agent of Royal Orchard is very strongly opposed to dancing and will do all in his power to wreck my scheme. His wife seemed more amenable but they are both very ignorant prejudiced narrow people. If he threatens the Fitzgeralds & Co and stops their dance it will be as high-handed an action as Feudal England could be capable of! Shouldn’t be at all surprised!
Sharp diary 1918 page 119. Friday 26 April 1918 - Afton
Weather colder than ever. I don’t know the temperature but it must be pretty low. Damp but not actually wet. Go and see empty house called the Vineyard belonging to Mr Rhodes and think it will do for dance tomorrow night. Write to Mrs Fitzgerald telling her to prepare for the dance. Then train to Crozet. Look up Mrs Henry, mother of Mrs Mayo, but she has nothing more than what her daughter gave me. Then had lunch at a drug store and set out for Mrs Spence Gibson. A long walk or seemed long as it was very steep to a lovely place with a wonderful view. Mrs Gibson was a fine woman regular type of mountaineer and sang very well. Got several songs from her including fine versions of Pretty Saro and Earl Brand. Enjoyed our visit very much. On our return got a lift in a motor driven by Mr O’Neil a farmer who was interested in our search because he had been in Prof[essor] Alphonso Smith’s class at Charlottesville. The boy was very nice mannered and a good specimen of an American University. Trained home arriving soon after 6. Supped with the Corbett’s sang to them afterwards and discussed the mountain people at great length. Mrs C tried hard to get our p[oint] of view but her old idea is so deeply rooted that she is really incapable of taking on any other.
Sharp diary 1918 page 121. Sunday 28 April 1918 - Afton
Trudged up to Royal Orchard for the 4th time directly after breakfast and called on the Fitzgeralds who both sang to us. Mr F sang me several very good songs including two very beautiful tunes of his father’s one to Earl Brand and the other to The Lady and the Dragoon. He told us a lot about Rockfish and the Tye river valley to both of which places we ought to go sometime. Got back to lunch. After tea I wrote several letters Mrs Aldrich, Bradley, Mrs Storrows, Gray, Dr Leland, & Miss Gilman, also sending telegrams to Mrs Aldrich saying that May 14th will suit for my lecture and to Miss Gilman about mail. Wrote up a lot of my tunes. Find I have taken down about 30 this week of good average quality. Everyone knows of the songs about here although they sing a good many of the modern ones — more than they did in N[orth] C[arolina] but no more than they do in Kentucky. We decided to move on to Buena Vista tomorrow. Had supper with the Corbett’s and said good bye with some compunction. They have been exceedingly nice to us and their society — as well as the meals they gave us — have helped us out this not over comfortable week. The weather which has been dreadfully cold since Wednesday with strong East wind has changed to day and is now warmer & brighter.
Sharp diary 1918 page 123. Tuesday 30 April 1918 - Buena Vista, Virginia
A very dull and stifling day which turns to rain about noon and continues till sundown. After breakfast we began prospecting and hit upon Mrs Nanny Birch from whom I got 4 good songs including a first rate version of "Kitty alone and I". Then Maud called on the principal, Miss Rickett’s, of the Ladies Seminary here in the hope that we might get a mild job there; prospects not very rosy however! After tea we put on oilskins and tramped 3 miles in mud & rain to Green Hall’s Farm to find a Mrs Maddox, sister of Mrs Birch. From her I got two really beautiful tunes, Lord Randal and Jack he went a sailing — well worth the effort. After dinner wrote up my books, drafted my notation of the Afton dance and wrote a long letter to Campbell. We are fairly comfortable here, but service as bad as it could be. Food is clean but very rich and mainly meat, so we are living on eggs and cheese almost exclusively for the moment. Maud meditates canned soups etc but I am not very keen. People in the hotel not at all obliging. Hotel noisy mainly owing to the squalling family of the proprietor!
Sharp diary 1918 page 124. Wednesday 1 May 1918 - Buena Vista
After breakfast sallied forth as usual on the hunt. First drew Mrs Hayes Gilbert, Mrs Campbell’s sister, but without result. Then walked to Mr Hughes from whom I took down one song, then to Mrs & Miss Campbell who gave me their version of Lord Rendal. Then returned to lunch which took us a full hour to negotiate owing to the indifferent service — one waitress to about 16 people. After a short rest and some tea went off at 3 p.m. to Mrs Maddox again, our 3 mile grind, only to find — contrary to her promise of yesterday — she had gone into town for the day! So had to tramp home disconsolate. Then called on Mrs Wheeler whom we had found out this morning. This time she was surrounded by her 13 thoroughly dirty but delightful children, nearly all of whom sang with her when she started The Green Bed to a first rate air. Her husband came in after she had sung two and interrupted the séance. Must go tomorrow again. After dinner went to the movies for an hour, the drug store for a drink, and then to bed, thoroughly tired out after a long & arduous day. Weather cold and very blustery — quite unpleasantly so.
Sharp diary 1918 page 125. Thursday 2 May 1918 - Buena Vista
Really a "pretty" day — as they say here, cloudless, heat-misty in the morning & warm in the afternoon with a coolish breeze. Walked out in the morning to the settlement behind the seminary and worked pretty hard at it till lunch time but got absolutely nothing. We found it an industrial quarter, nearly every house providing one or more members to the Stationery factory, or the paper, fertiliser[?], or furnace and those at home disinclined to receive strangers, let alone sing to them. Directly after lunch called on Mrs Wheeler and spent a long time there taking down songs and afterwards photographing the delightful but dirty family, 13 in all, 7 of her own and 6 step-children. Then at last ran the Howard Campbell’s to earth only to find that although they had been having one & two dances per week at their house through the winter they had just discontinued them. Found out they always danced the square-eights, apparently in the Afton manner. Dictated first part of Afton dance to Maud in the evening but the squalling children and negro music was so distracting we fled at 9.30 to the drug store and drowned our cares in soft drinks!
Sharp diary 1918 page 126. Friday 3 May 1918 - Buena Vista
Had an early breakfast and then took train to Loch Laird[?] thinking it would land us near Mrs Maddox’s dwelling but it only took us 3 or 4 hundred yards on the way and then turned us down to tramp the rest of the way. This time luck was on our side and we found Mrs M[addox] in and she sang several very beautiful tunes to us — she has not given us one bad tune. To-day, amongst others, she gave us the first good and complete version of the 2 Crows and also Green Bushes. Weather much the same as yesterday but rather warmer. On our return we did some shopping buying canned goods etc in preparation for our leaving for Natural Bridge by the 4.39. Lunched, rested, packed had tea and embarked on train arriving at the station at 6.15 and at the hotel — 3 miles away — at 6.30. Lovely place and very comfortable rooms but I am afraid we shan’t get any songs. Still it will be nice to get some decent food and rest and time to write up our books. Probably shall not stay beyond week end. Several people at the hotel and lovely country, but the hotel has clearly spoiled the immediate neighbourhood.
Sharp diary 1918 page 130. Tuesday 7 May 1918 - Nash, Virginia
Mr Fulton Ligon — a half-caste negro — calls before we are up, and I arrange with him to motor us to Nash at 10 o’clock. So after breakfast we settle up with the Bayrds telephone to Tye River station and order our trunks to be sent to Charlottesville, change some money at the bank and then start for Nash — a wonderful 10 mile drive right into the heart of the mountains. Road quite good after our experiences in Kentucky. On arrival call on Mr Hency Coffey whose wife agrees to take care of us. A very primitive little house, scarcely more than a log cabin, but very nice people of good mountain stock. Three children living with them Bruce, a very handsome youth about 18, Maisie about 13, and William, who is sick, about 10. We have some lunch and then sally forth and call on Mr Philander L. Fitzgerald (father of Clinton of Afton) and his blind wife, with whom we spend several delightful hours. He sang several excellent songs and is a really delightful old man 76 years old. We got a corrupt version of John o’Hazelgreen from him & several others. They live in a very small cabin high on the mountain side. Return about 6.30 and make ourselves some tea. Sup with the family at 8.30 and sit on the porch singing songs till 10, both Mr and Mrs Coffey contributing ditties. Then bed. Only one sheet — an under one — to my bed — just a patch work coverlet over me. Only one wash basin in the house! But things are fairly clean and that is what matters most of all.
Sharp diary 1918 page 131. Wednesday 8 May 1918 - Nash
The family get up first & use the wash-basin in the back porch. Maud then has it in her room and I get it last of all and manage to shave & wash in it after a fashion. Slept fairly well and should have slept quite well except for the dogs who barked incessantly in the early part of the night. After breakfast we take our lunch and start off for A. T. Allen — Andy Allen — about 5 miles off — a glorious walk over the hills, through woods, and the rushing Tye sometimes 100 feet below us. Call on several people on the way and finally on Mrs Fanny Coffey & her son. She gives me half a dozen fair — not very good — songs, and her son — shortly going to Camp — accompanied us on part of our journey. Eventually arrive at Allen’s house to find he has gone away for a week’s visit. His two sons sing & fiddle but all modern stuff and we console ourselves for our disappointment by imagining that the father sang nothing else. So about 2.30 we turned our faces homewards and tramped back in a very hot sun and — for the first 2 or 3 miles — very little shade. Called in on the Coffeys on our way and Mrs Coffey sang me 7 more songs really good ones this time! So after all I have not done badly to day. Get back soon after six and Maud makes me some tea. Rather tired after our 11 or 12 miles tramp but not over much so. The family go to prayer meeting after supper but we beg to be excused and, instead, retire early to bed — not however to sleep, so far as I am concerned because of the dogs who bark worse than ever!
Sharp diary 1918 page 132. Thursday 9 May 1918 - Nash
Slept very badly again although the night was quite cool, even cold. But I miss a sheet (upper one) and the dogs make an infernal row and prevent my getting off to sleep. Weather fairly cool, so directly after breakfast make for Crab Tree Falls, calling at P[ost] O[ffice] where I found a large batch of letters awaiting me from England, Bradley etc. Last night there was a prayer meeting after which apparently the whole village discussed us. It was generally agreed we were German spies — noting tunes etc was clearly a blind to hid nefarious intentions — the fact that we eat no meat too was a clear indication that there was something wrong. Then we had asked at Mrs Taylor’s yesterday where her spring was (of course we had done no such thing) and that meant we intended to poison it! Although how killing poor Mrs Taylor would assist the Kaiser, no one seemed to think! Last of all we were 4 people not two and Mr & Mrs Coffey were greatly to be pitied for being taken in by two such obvious rascals — but then "Selina would do anything for money!". All this we heard at the houses we called at, chiefly from dear old Aunt Betty Fitzgerald aged 85 with whom we had many talks, but from whom we got no songs! The [….?] FitzGeralds obviously eyed us askance & refused to sing, and the two [….?] Elders staying with her treated us most curtly. Got no songs until we called on old Philander who sang us several first raters. His old blind wife, he told us, had cut out, made & served the skirt she wore all by herself. She threads the needle in her mouth with her tongue. In the evening I showed Coffey my passport in case he might be influenced by rumours. We all sat in my room & sang & laughed and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves till nearly 11 p.m. Bruce — a delightful youth of about 17 — Maisie nice but fat — William who has been and still is very sick and the parents. We have decided to leave tomorrow if we can get a motor to take us to Arrington. We have more or less finished the singers within walking distance.
Sharp diary 1918 page 133. Friday 10 May 1918 - Nash
Had a very poor night again but slept a bit towards morning when the dogs quietened down. Maud went off with Maisie to Mr Hatter at Tyre to get him if possible to motor us while I walked in steaming hot weather to Mrs Fanny Coffey. Found her, her father, old Alex Coffey, & her mother sitting out some distance away from her home. She & her father sang me several nice songs including a beautiful version of Arise Arise. Then her father went to the mill while I waited behind for some time calling on the father at the mill on the way back, tested Arise and got him to sing several others. He is a fine singer. I got back very hot at 1 had lunch and then took 8 photos of the family. The motor came at 2.30 & we said good bye with genuine reluctance. They are thoroughly nice people, with nice feelings. They never did anything snobbish or affected or unpleasant — a great contrast to the Bayrd’s — and were not in the least bit shy or overawed — took us just as we were and obviously interested in our lives which were so different from their own. A very hot, dusty & unpleasant motor drive to Arrington arriving at 4.30. Happily there was a clean little hotel where we got a wash, some tea & jam[?] and a quiet room for a smoke. Dived on the G&S[?] train and got rooms at the old Gleason revelling in a bath & clean sheets!
Washington then
Sharp diary 1918 page 143. Monday 20 May 1918 - Afton - Nellysford
Slept well but wake up feeling pretty bad and good for nothing. Telephoned for a motor from Waynesville and started down the Rockfish valley soon after 10. Hearing that Chisholm — presumably the brother or relation of Nep - lives at Greenfield we made enquiries there about lodgings but finding that C[hisholm] had recently moved on to Nellysford we go on there where after a little trouble we obtain a lodging in a fine old Queen Anne farmhouse belonging to Charlie Godwin. I have a large square room high ceiling, plenty of air & light & quite clean, while Maud has a similar room immediately above me. The food too is quite nice and the people friendly so we have dropped on very pleasant surroundings for once. After a rest & some tea we walk in search of Chisholm, calling on Mrs Berry on the way, from whom I get a couple of tunes. Mrs C and her daughter are at home but not Chisholm. We find out that he is Nep’s brother and that he is a thoroughly musical man. Mrs C arranges for him to be home tomorrow between 2 & 3 so we make that appointment. Weather very hot but cools off after dinner. We all sit out on the grass in front of the house until it is time to go to bed i.e. about 9 p.m.
Sharp diary 1918 page 144. Tuesday 21 May 1918 - Nellysford, Virginia
A very hot day with thunder about. Began to rain about 1 o’clock and rained quietly at intervals the rest of the day. Wrote a lot of letters in the morning to Bradley, Bispham, Schirmer, Mattie Lindo etc. Called on some so-called singers but found them out. After early lunched trudged off by myself — Maud was seedy — in the rain to Jim Chisholm. Found him at home as he promised and he and his wife sang me some rather nice songs including the Lark in the Morn which I had not hitherto got here before two very interesting tunes to Cruel Mother & Sweet William and a fine tune to the Soldier Boy — not a bad lot considering that he is an instrumentalist rather than a singer. He plays the organ, fiddle & guitar while his daughter also plays the last. I played some tunes on the organ which they liked very much. Altogether quite a pleasant afternoon. Called on Mrs Berry on my return. The walk very hot, rather wet & extremely tiring. Got back about 7 p.m. We shall probably stay here another day though we do not expect to get much more here. But the food is very good — lots of milk — and we are comfortable and as neither of us is overfit we feel we ought to postpone for one day a change for the worse.
Sharp diary 1918 page 145. Wednesday 22 May 1918 - Nellysford
Breakfast at 6.30 -7 and then wrote up in my books the tunes I got yesterday — in fact a very fine lot. Then we go out on the hunt and call at the Small’s first where we get a splendid bunch including one or two well above the average. A Miss Small — now Lola Harris accompanies us to another woman, Mrs Willy Roberts, about 2 miles away — one of the hottest walks I have ever essayed! There we got a really beautiful version of The Cruel Mother and others. By lunch time we had walked for some 4 or 5 hours and got together 8 or 9 splendid songs. A Presbyterian Minister was at lunch much to the enjoyment of Miss Gardelow, sister of Mrs Godwin who lives here and shares with the latter the onus of the housekeeping. The Godwins are well to do farmers, by no means lacking in refinement or education, rather clever, but very simple and in many ways unsophisticated. After tea we went to see an old Coloured woman, Aunt Maria Tomes who sang us one good tune. She was a slave woman and was born 80 years ago — rather a nice old lady. She smoked a pipe. Weather very hot to day — really a July rather than a May day. Everyone predicts rain, but so far it has held off.
Sharp diary 1918 page 146. Thursday 23 May 1918 - Nellysford
Weather hotter than ever after a little rain in the night. We make for Stony Creek, a very beautiful tributary of the Rockfish river, and call at several houses but without any result. At two of the houses we were received quite sullenly — the people evidently suspecting us in these troublous times. The papers have worked up the spy scandal and we are the victims. We shall evidently have to be careful. After tea called on Mrs Willie Roberts and got one or two nice tunes out of her. After supper went into the Dol Small’s a most delightful family, Dol & his wife and 12 children, all smiling! They sang to us and then adjourned to the next house where there was a new and quite good piano upon which I operated greatly to the delight of the family who smiled more than ever! They are really a delightful and happy lot and it was a great pleasure to be able to return them something. We decide to go on to Beechgrove tomorrow as we have several good clues to follow up. A large packet of mail letters from England etc and my photographs from Meyrowitz which have come out splendidly this time.
Sharp diary 1918 page 147. Friday 24 May 1918 - Beechgrove, Virginia
Packed and motored to Beechgrove soon after breakfast in Dol Small’s motor. Called on the Smalls, Dol insisting that I should play the Cuckoo’s Nest on the piano as a farewell — which of course I did greatly to his satisfaction. Rather a nasty road and bumpy journey and then on our arrival found great difficulty in finding a lodging. Mrs Lindy Thompson was most suspicious about us and refused us finally point blank. Mrs Ewing however agreed to board us and give Maud a room if I could persuade Mrs L. Thompson to give me a bed. This after much persuasion she ultimately agreed to do, but not until after I had shown & read to her my passport. We had a scrap lunch and then walked a couple of miles up the valley — a very beautiful walk by the side of the Rockfish — which is very nearly but not quite as lovely as the Tye. Called on Napoleon FitzGerald, brother of old Philander, and got some interesting songs from him though he is not the singer that his brother is. Then to Mrs Dodd from whom I got some very good ones. After supper went to Thompson, made friends with him and then to bed, on a shuck[?] mattress and no sheets, but room & bed fairly clean. So dead tired that I managed to sleep.
Sharp diary 1918 page 148. Saturday 25 May 1918 - Beechgrove — Afton
In very cloudy weather walked up again to FitzGeralds and got one more song from him; then to Mrs Dodd who sang me 3 first raters. Returned to Mr FitzGerald’s where I took several photos of himself and family but in a very bad light. It began to rain & thunder as we returned and presaged a very slippery & nervy motor ride back to Afton. After lunch sang several songs to the three teachers who board at Mrs Ewing’s. Then to the Thompson’s to say good bye. The car came at 3 and we began in heavy rain a very nasty ride of some 20 miles. The rain stopped before we got to Nellysford (where I got my letters) and after that the roads got worse & worse and a very inexperienced and rather reckless young driver (Hughes by name) added to my terror. When we got to Avon I alighted & walked the rest of the way — about 5 miles — in very heavy clay roads so that I arrived at Afton quite tired out. The Corbett’s provided a warm bath which was a real treat — there was no wash basin in my room last night — not even a looking glass! — and revived me. After dinner & a smoke went to bed early thoroughly tired out. Weather very hot.
Sharp diary 1918 page 151. Tuesday 28 May 1918 - Ronceverte
Got up at 6 and caught the 7.30 electric trolley to Lewisberg making friends with a nice old lady Mrs Strater in the train whom we found smoking her pipe. Lewisberg is an old fashioned County Seat situated on a high plateau covered with large & flourishing farms. Not at all the place for us the more especially as Lewisberg consists of comfortable homes peopled by white men & women of respectable standing, and negroes in large numbers by whom the labour is performed. We had an interesting talk with a Mrs Gilman a lawyer’s wife who told us about the country generally and we got 2 or 3 songs from a Mrs Vergie Charlton and should have got more from her brother in law, Rutterford, a blacksmith had he not been too busy. We returned by the 1.30 trolley. After tea sent off my photos to Meyrowitz, wrote to Miss Hough of Baltimore, Miss Dickey etc. Telephoned & found out that the hotel at Pence Springs was open and decide to go on there tomorrow, but dread another night here! Go to Movies, drug store and then to bed.
Sharp diary 1918 page 153. Thursday 30 May 1918 - Pence Springs, West Virginia
Start off directly after breakfast up one of the creeks and call on Mrs Fletch Miller a very nice woman who after considerable pressure sings me 3 tolerably good ones. Then a long walk thro’ the woods — very beautiful — to Mr Hill’s whose wife (the reputed singer) is out. Then to Mr Canterbury who also is out, and whose wife seems to know nothing whatever about love-songs. Call also at a Mrs Duncan who knows nothing either. Things begin to look ominous as these people in other parts would certainly know something at any rate about the songs. We get back at 3.45 extremely hot, dusty and tired out. Get some milk and biscuits, lie down, wash up and have tea after which we feel fairly refreshed. Do not feel up to going out again so stay in room and put photos in my book. In the evening the weather gets a little cooler and we sit outside on the verandah with Mr & Mrs Paxton and enjoy the cool and the quietude.
Sharp diary 1918 page 156. Sunday 2 June 1918 - Blue Ridge Springs
Wake feeling rather refreshed but find the place very depressing, chiefly because of the darkness. I cannot write in my room and can scarcely see to read except in the middle of the day. Breakfast rather late — nearly 9. Met a nice old Gentleman at our table a real old Virginian a Capt[ain] Tait, one of the celebrated Newmarket Cadets1. He is a little dotty but a gentleman with a mild sense of humour and we like him. Go out on the tramp 10-2 and get a few songs, calling on 3 houses. I think this may be a favourable hunting ground if we can stand the hotel! After a rest and some tea sally out again and get one or two more tunes at the Pooley’s. Then home to write letters on the verandah — the only place I can see! Write to Mrs Aldrich, Mr Corbett & Gray and put my papers in order. I am feeling pretty done up, partly the result of the extreme heat but chiefly I believe because 7 or 8 weeks of this work brings me about to the end of my tether. However, after a blank week like the last one I cannot give up yet.
1: Newmarket Cadets: students of the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) who had a decisive part in the Battle of New Market (1864).
Sharp diary 1918 page 158. Tuesday 4 June 1918 - Blue Ridge Springs
Breakfasted at 6.30 and caught 7 a.m. train for Villamont about 3 or 4 miles away. We first called on Mrs Reba Dooley and got a little from her; then to Mrs Roberts to settle a point about the Brown Girl and back again to Mrs Dooley’s where we met a Mrs J. L. Long who not only sang to us but took us to a Mrs Bowyer who was quite a good singer. Mr Bowyer who when he appeared in his working clothes, excused himself because of his "outside appearance" showed me some old coins he had collected. Then we went on a long hot tramp to Dewey where we found Mrs Donald out! Then through the woods to the Lawson Greys meeting an old lady Mrs Thomas in a small log cabin nursing a small baby and singing a lullaby which I noted. The Greys were very nice and I got a nice bunch of songs at their house. Then another 2 or 3 miles to Montvale station where we took the train home arriving about 5 — a good 10 hours day in great heat, walking over 10 miles, and neither eating nor drinking anything. Some milk, tea and a rest. After dinner sang some more songs to old Capt[ain] Tait and a friend of his etc.
Sharp diary 1918 page 160. Thursday 6 June 1918 - Blue Ridge Springs
Breakfast at 6.30. Caught 7 train for Dewey a small flag-station between here & Montvale. Walked to Mrs Donald’s house and got Mrs Donald — an old lady — to sing which she did very beautifully giving me 10 first rate tunes — words not of much account. Then walked on to the Lawson Gray’s eating our lunch in a wood (bread and raisins is my fare, but Maud debauches herself with hard-boiled eggs) getting there about 11. Had quite a concert, Mrs Tina Dooley, Mr Gray’s sister being there and singing rather well. We sang a great many songs, The two Crows being the most popular one. I got some nice songs and at 2.30 we walked back to Montvale station, in a shower, which though not very heavy, spoiled my new white umbrella! Very tired on getting back. Had milk and tea & rested till dinner. Sang songs on verandah to the hotel guests in the evening.
Sharp diary 1918 page 162. Saturday 8 June 1918 - Blue Ridge Springs
Weather quite cold when we get up at 6 a.m. and I put on my coat — but not waistcoat. Catch the usual 7 a.m. train for Dewey and walk on to Mrs Donald’s again. Get some songs from her but not nearly such good ones as on Thursday. Then after eating our lunch in the woods to the Lawson Grays. I photograph the family and they sing some more songs. Mrs Gray strongly advises us to go & see Mrs Gross, her mother, who lives 2_ miles up the side of the mountain; and then walk over the mountain back to Blue Ridge. Unhappily our luck is against us. We find Mrs Gross’s house but she is out! Then we fail to get any clear directions and go 2 or 3 miles out of our way going down the mountain on the wrong side and having to toil up again! I got terribly tired but Maud stood it fairly well. We must have walked 9 or 10 miles from Mrs Lawson Gray’s, i.e. 12 or 13 miles altogether and most of it pretty rough travelling. Got a few songs from Mrs Rhoda Gray who lives with Mrs Julia Gray, Lawson’s mother, near Mrs Gross’s house. Go to bed early having secured extra blankets!
Sharp diary 1918 page 163. Sunday 9 June 1918 - Blue Ridge Springs
A very cold night again even with overcoats on the beds as well as extra blankets! Breakfast rather late — at 8.45 — and then write up tunes, sitting on verandah. Last week was one of the best weeks I have ever had. I took down 62 tunes including some very fine ones indeed. The Virginian tunes are the best I have yet got, though the words are poor and we do not get many ballads. The folk songs are dying out here slowly but surely just as in England. Everyone has known them, it is just a matter of recalling them. And we get most of them from oldish people. After tea called at Ed Donald’s but drew a blank. Then at his suggestion went to see Bob Bradley from whom we got several rather nice ones. Sitting under the trees with him & his family was very pleasant; he sang & we sang in return much to their delight. We promise to go in again one evening.
Sharp diary 1918 page 164. Monday 10 June 1918 - Blue Ridge Springs
Breakfast at 6.30 & train to Dewey and thence to Mrs Donald, for the last time. We got several more from her but she is a vague inconsequent person and it is hard work pumping her — but worth the trouble. Then to Mrs Bowyer from whom we extracted several more including quite a wonderful tune to the "Little Merchant’s Daughter" and a nice variant of "Geordie". Then we called on Mrs Long who was "sick" and couldn’t sing so we tramped back 3 or 4 miles home along a dusty road in an intense heat arriving in a state of sweat & collapse — Maud worse than I on this occasion. After lunch, a rest and tea wrote out my tunes. I find I have taken down between 70 & 80 in this last week — a record. In the evening walked round to Bob Bradley’s, got some more songs from him and sang several ourselves. His son played the banjo and a man did a very spirited hoe-down after which Maud danced Lumps of Plum Pudding & None so Pretty to my singing accompaniment, much to everyone’s delight! Home to bed pretty tired.
1918 July-September (Virginia, North Carolina)
Sharp diary 1918 page 217. Friday 2 August 1918 - Reba (Virginia)
Decided it was useless to stay any longer so we persuaded the elder Miss Falls — a very nice woman about 30 or so — to motor us over to Montvale, about 15 miles, where we arrived at 12 o’clock and secured fairly good rooms at the Montrose[?] hotel. After lunch, a rest and some tea we walked out to Dewey, about 2 miles to Mrs. Donald’s, only to find that she was in Montvale, nursing a maternity case. Called on her on our return and she was delighted to see us & promised to look round this or tomorrow evening and sing to us. But we are pretty sure that she won’t come to night and as a matter of fact she doesn’t. Weather terribly close & hot and we sit on the verandah after dinner trying in vain to get some cool air to breathe. There are about a dozen fat be-powdered dames here as at Mores, only a cut lower, who all talk at the tops of their voices. America would be so much more pleasant a place to live in if people talked less loud!
Sharp diary 1918 page 232. Saturday 17 August 1918 - St Peters Mission (Virginia)
Felt rather tired after the fierce dissipation of last night but started off pretty early, nevertheless, to Mrs Richards who sang me several more songs. Called on Mrs Beckett again and Mr Ormerod but got no more. After lunch a thunder storm struck us and it was nearly 5 before we could start over the fields for old Jake Sowder’s. When we got there we found Mr Webb there who had just received news that his son had been badly wounded in France — for the second time. Had a very nice long talk and laugh but did not get much more out of old Sowder. Sally Jones walked back as far as her home into which we went for a few minutes and sang several songs. Our own singing has made quite a reputation here! In the evening the rain came on again and it began to get quite cold and Miss Davis said it looked as though we were in for a bad spell of wet weather and there are certainly many signs of it. Find it hard to get warm in bed under two blankets and a thick quilt! And only a few hours ago we were sweltering under a heat between 90 & 100!!
Sharp diary 1918 page 233. Sunday 18 August 1918 - St Peters Mission
Rained more or less all night and to day we are evidently enveloped in a rain-cloud. Wrote letters in the morning to Constance, Mr Glenn, Gray, Mr Graves (sending him ballet of the Keeper) and then wrote up my tune book. So cold we were glad of the fire which they lit in the hall and we toasted ourselves before it with great eagerness. Lunched at 3 — punctuality is unknown in these parts — and directly after Maud and I started to wade through the rain and mud under our mackintoshes to Ebe Richards’s. It was a dreadful walk, that red Virginia mud being the worst of its kind I have ever struck. He sang us several nice songs including a good version of Edward and at about 6.30 we started for home arriving in a pretty bad state. Changed everything of course and put trousers & boots before the fire to dry. Sat over the fire after supper and then shivered in bed unable to get warm for a long while. We had intended to go on to Endicott tomorrow but that is now out of the question. Decide, if we can get away at all to go back to Rockymount but I am afraid we may be stuck here for some time unable to move out of the house.
Sharp diary 1918 page 237. Thursday 22 August 1918 - Endicott, Virginia
Breakfast at 8 and then taking our lunch we make for Hurd’s Creek. We draw several cabins but get nothing of value. When we get to the head of the Branch we decide to cross the mountain & return by Runninghog creek. We got up the mountain all right but missed the path going down and had a terrible job battling our way through the forest. Eventually we reached the bottom and found a small cabin the old man & his wife who lived there giving us water and shade to sit in but no songs alas! Then we tramped 4 or more miles down the creek in a hot sun back to our house where we arrived about 4. Had some tea which largely restored us and then went downstairs & tackled Mrs Cannady & her mother in law an old lady well over 70. Between them we got some very good songs — about a dozen! It so often happens that we get nothing when we work hard & a lot when we work not at all. Weather rather warmer but quite cool mornings & evenings. Shall probably move on to Shooting Creek tomorrow.
Sharp diary 1918 page 243. Wednesday 28 August 1918 - Meadows of Dan, Virginia
A wet night & morning. Mackintosh up and call on Mrs Green Shelor but get nothing. Then walk a couple of miles to see Preacher Shelor but mistake his house & call on Mrs William Shelor instead. She sings me 2 or 3 songs and then tells us of Joe Blackett (Blackard) the postman who is home for the day. We call there to find him out but arrange with his daughter to call at 4 p.m. Then on the way home see the Preacher & make an app[ointment] with him for tomorrow "evening". After lunch & a short rest go to the Blackett’s and stay there a couple of hours. He sang me 7 or 8 fairly good songs and is a "banger-man" while I played the piano — quite a nice one — and Maud & I sang. Got back in time for dinner at 6.30 — "fast" time! We live very comfortably here. Our rooms are nicely furnished scrupulously clean — as is the whole house — and more like a small English Farm house than any other we have yet struck in the mountains. The 3 old people are each & all famous talkers. "Bill" & his wife are regular Chicago people but Mrs S is more or less a mountaineer & wonderfully fit for her age. Weather clears up in the afternoon but we have a very heavy thunder shower after dinner. We sing & play in the parlour.
Sharp diary 1918 page 229. Wednesday 14 August 1918 - St Peters Mission
Maud seems much better so we go out together to attack old man Sowder. We have to pass the Fulton Jones’s on the way so we go in and get a couple more songs from Sally including a delightful variant of the Rebel Soldier. Then find old Jacob & Mrs Sowder at home and stay there a long while. They are very delightful people and he (who is 70) evidently knows a lot of songs if we can only extract them. We leave about 12.30, promising to return at 5 p.m., as we have promised to teach the school children some songs & dances. At first we sing to them then teach them Roman Soldiers and Sally go round and then try Gathering Peascods which however we find nearly impossible — none of them have the remotest conception of dancing. At 5 we return to the Sowders and the old man eventually sings me quite a lot of interesting modal tunes which delight me greatly. I like him & his wife immensely but Miss Davis gives him a very bad character and tells me he is a foul mouthed backbiter and a degenerate both physical & moral. As he is 70 years of age, very active on his feet & in his mind it is difficult to see the force of the criticism!
Sharp diary 1918 page 231. Friday 16 August 1918 - St Peters Mission
Much cooler — thank heaven — though not much to boast about yet! First called on Mrs Laura Beckett, Mrs Bridge’s sister. Found her very delighted to see us and very ready to sing. Sang me a fine version of Golden Vanity amongst other things. Then went on a half-mile to a Mrs Ebe Richards, who to our joy proved to be a first-rate singer, the first we have struck this trip. She sang me a dozen and then it was time to get back — nearly 3 p.m! I found our hostess rather sniffy as the two singers we had tapped and were now praising were not on the "approved" list. We were told bloodcurdling stories of the escapades of their fathers & near relations, their rascality & low mentality etc. O these missionaries. Their whole life seems set upon nosing out what is objectionable in anybody — except themselves of course — and ignoring the good. Two women came to give an address on "canning" with magic lantern slides. We listened to the usual gushing but completely empty discourse by one who was subsidised by the Federal Government as well as by the State!! Maud & I sang some songs and taught some of them a couple of dances — Brighton Camp & Butterfly. Went to bed at midnight.
Sharp diary 1918 page 244. Thursday 29 August 1918 - Meadows of Dan
As it is plain that the Byerly’s are not anxious to have us for more than one night, and as the songs are few & far between we decide to leave on the morrow. But it seems impossible to get a wagon or car. Maud walks 7 miles and I 6 independently in the morning but with no result. The telephone is out of order & we cannot get Stuart. After lunch we go off straight to Bill Shelor the Baptist preacher, a nice old man with all his family around him. He sings but has forgotten most of his love-songs. He & I crack many jokes together, Maud & I sing and I play Joe Blackett’s Rebel Song on the organ. When we get home again Mr Debart comes on the scene and throws some energy into the matter of our conveyance and after much telephoning prevails upon Mr Hilton of Ballard to promise to come over tomorrow at 7.30 & take us down so that by catching the 12 train we can get to Winston Salem tomorrow night. We pack in the evening and go to bed very tired not from collecting but from our efforts to get away tomorrow. The Meadows of Dan is a regular rat-trap, except that it was nearly as hard to get into it as out of it.
Sharp diary 1918 page 247. Sunday 1 September 1918 - Winston Salem
Breakfasted rather late and then wrote letters till lunch time, Maud typing them, to Miss Gilchrist, Miss Amy Wells, Alphonso Smith & Miss Freer. Then had lunch at the Café down stairs. After rest & tea called on Mrs Plegne, Mrs Weaver’s (of Woolwire) sister where we met her husband — a Frenchman — and a Mr Duke Hay. Mrs Plegne sang me a few songs and Mr Hay gave me some Charleston street- cries. Then back home where I wrote to Constance, Mrs Armstrong and the Roanoke Trunk Co[mpany], who sent me hangers[?] of the wrong size — a typical American blunder! Also fixed up my photos & film-book. Dined downstairs and then did accounts with Maud and wrote up my books to date, including tunes taken down this afternoon. Then busied myself packing in preparation for tomorrow’s journey. After dinner I wrote a long letter to Mrs Storrows and continued the packing chiefly of my papers. This is a noisy place and the air impregnated with tobacco, molasses and nigger!
Sharp diary 1918 page 250. Wednesday 4 September 1918 - Marion
Upon my return home last night I felt very seedy and after dinner went to bed having a violent attack of dysentery & vomiting. Must have picked up some poison somewhere or other but as Maud had eaten exactly the same things as I had and was unaffected it was difficult to fix the cause. She went out & got some of Chisholm’s[?] mixture and gave me a very strong dose — it may have been that which made me so bad! Anyhow I stayed in bed for breakfast this morning and didn’t get up till pretty late. Had an early lunch and rest and then went out to see Mrs Godfrey. There we stayed quite a long time though what we got from her was rather disappointing — she has had her taste spoiled by modern music and owned that she couldn’t "carry a minor tune". I played her piano much to her delight and to that of her children. On the way home we called at Mrs Gibson’s and she sang me 2 or 3 songs which were worth all that Mrs Godfrey had sung to me! Thelma, Mrs Godfrey’s daughter, walked back with us a girl of 12 and said she went to school for the 6 months each year the school was open and then worked in the cotton mill for the remaining 6 months — 12 hours a day, 6 a.m. — 6 p.m. with one hour off — not bad, this, for America!
Sharp diary 1918 page 255. Monday 9 September 1918
Feel not so well, but the weather looking as though it might clear, we take 9.50 train to the junction, Clinchfield, and rout about for songs. First call on the Helmes (pronounced Emes) but as their son is going to Berea they were too upset to sit down & sing. Then to Mrs Seagle who gave me some rather nice songs and afterwards to Mrs Early who also gave me some. Take 1 train back to Marion. After rest & tea motored out to Morgan’s Dairy to see Mrs Snipes who sang me several songs. Her version of The Cruel Mother is an interesting one and she tells me old Mrs Haskins of Wood Lawn might be able to give me all the words, but I am afraid it is too far to go there on the chance of her remembering the words — she is very old. Walk back to Marion in time for dinner. Weather is now fine again and warmer. After dinner write a long letter to Joan while Maud writes to Mr Campbell in reply to his long letter of instructions which arrived this morning. Feel very seedy & weak and find walking very difficult.
Sharp diary 1918 page 258. Thursday 12 September 1918 - Burnsville, North Carolina
Have a very bad night, asthma etc and wake up feeling very seedy with bad neuralgia in my right eye. Still very cold indeed. Go out prospecting after first calling on Mrs Cheseborough whom we met 2 years ago at the Knoxville conference. She received us very cordially and asked us to lunch with her tomorrow at 12.30. Then we draw Bowley’s Creek but I am too tired to go far and beyond getting some clues we get nothing. After tea we move upstairs to two very pleasant rooms and then go up Mitchell Branch. Call on Mrs Hannah Mitchell who did sing but has forgotten her songs and then at her advice go on to her daughter Mrs Effie Mitchell from whom we get half a dozen rather good ones. After dinner when sitting on the verandah, Dr Patterson, prof[essor] of physics at N[orth] C[arolina] University introduces me and asks me to come & talk with the Governor of N[orth] C[arolina] — Mr J. W. Bickett, who had a copy of my Putnam book and showed a good deal of interest in my work. Sat talking with him & Patterson — who is in attendance upon him — till bed- time. Find them both very interesting. Go to bed with a very bad headache & feeling woefully seedy. A heavy thunderstorm in the evening.
Sharp diary 1918 page 259. Friday 13 September 1918 - Burnsville
Had a good night, thank goodness, and wake up feeling much better — headache gone! Weather cold but fine. Maud goes out to prospect hard by while I stay at home to write up my books and a letter to Miss Jenny Moor of Rocky Fork enquiring about Jeff Stockton. We think of going round to Asheville that way if he is still alive & able to sing. Also a letter to Revd C. B. Bryan of Petersburgh. Lunch with Mrs Chesebrough and have coffee under the trees afterwards — nice but rather chilly! After a rest and tea go out to see a Mrs Bennett whom Maud had found in the morning and whom we had already seen before lunch. She is one of the best singers I have struck this tour and she gave me eleven of the very best. This is a great find and a good omen for our success in this part of the world. Then we go down to the station about my trunk which had been reposing there ever since we arrived on Wednesday despite what the baggage man said! After dinner sit on verandah for a short while and read the good news of the American offensive in the paper. Then to bed feeling very cold and tired.
Sharp diary 1918 page 260. Saturday 14 September 1918 - Burnsville
After breakfast go out collecting first from Mr Jack Bennett, Sam Bennett’s brother, and then from Mrs Ayres, Sam Bennett’s daughter from whom I get quite a nice bunch of songs. Lunch early so as to go & hear Governor Bickett’s speech at the Methodist Chapel. We were highly amused at the way in which we were all marshalled about as though we were children during what the M[aster of] C[eremonies] called "the exercises". First they sang "America" (i.e. God save the King) being told to sing last verse "prayerfully". The Governor is by way of being an orator and made a fine speech so far as content went, but he ranted, shook with emotion, clenched his fists and had an objectionable habit of suddenly shouting out, or shrieking out the last word of his sentence — for no reason whatsoever! But he put England’s case very fairly and all he said about England was extremely nice. After dinner a lot of people came in and we danced square dances, The Virginia Reel, Maud & I sang, Mrs Hempel (ex-ballet dancer) did some dances pretty badly, the Victrola did its wont and we all enjoyed ourself — but it is hard to be festive without drinks in this benighted country!
Sharp diary 1918 page 264. Wednesday 18 September 1918 - Burnsville
After two hard days, we thought we would take a quiet day off. So after breakfast wrote up our books and Maud wrote to Miss Whitworth about the Cleveland business in November. Then we went out to see Mrs Virginia Bennett again and after a little pressing and manoeuvring managed to squeeze out 4 more songs from her. After tea we went up to Mitchell town but found Effie Mitchell had gone to the Circus — a travelling company of a very feeble primitive character. But we had a long talk with her sister who was washing and found that she knew some songs. But she wouldn’t sing them then — she couldn’t very well as her movements were too violent! — but promised to sing if we called on her on Sunday afternoon next. Then back home again, wrote up my books and after dinner sat on porch. Then Maud taught the little boy the Bacca Pipes Jig much to his delight, his sister trying to join in but moving very clumsily. Weather much colder. Rained last night and part of the morning but cleared afterwards.
Sharp diary 1918 page 265. Thursday 19 September 1918 - Burnsville
Taking our lunch with us we made for Mine Fork, getting off by 8.45. We struck the creek about 2_ miles off and first called on Mrs Anna Bailey from whom we noted 2 rather nice songs. After calling upon several people including a Mrs Deeton & Mrs Edwards found Mrs Clancy Deeton, Mrs Jones’ aunt. She sang us 4 or 5 songs and then her husband Ned Deeton came home to dinner and we left. Finding a comfortable log to sit upon we eat up our lunch and then called upon Widow Edwards from whom we got nothing but religious snivel and some "good" — really atrocious — songs. Returning to Mrs Deeton we found a different atmosphere and apart from one song, very reluctantly sung, she refused to sing any more saying she didn’t know any — a manifest excuse. Something had happened to arouse suspicion, but what it was I do not know. Then we called on another Mrs Deeton, another Mrs Amobel[?] Edwards and taking a "nigh way" up a very steep hill we re-called on Mrs Anna Bailey who gave us another one. Then we trudged home getting to the hotel at 6.30 after a very hard 10-hour day and a rather disappointing one as we had expected much from Mrs Clancy Deeton. Found letters from Evy, Mark Cross, Sonneck etc awaiting us.
Sharp diary 1918 page 267. Saturday 21 September 1918 - Burnsville
The rain continued nearly all night i.e. for about 36 hours continuously so that the roads were almost impassable so far as walking went. Not feeling inclined to waste another day we hired a team from Briggs and drove out to Mr Wray’s farm on Cane River. Awful journey what with the mud and the intense cold. On arriving we attacked old Mrs Ellen Webb and got several songs from her. Then eat our lunch, sitting in the sun and afterwards went to her and got some more — altogether a very good haul. At 3.45 we started for home taking Mrs Webb with her to spend week end with her son David. Journey pleasanter as roads a little better and the wind, still very cold, behind us. After dinner sat indoors over the fire and later did some dancing, square eights etc but nothing much of value so far as noting went. Maud had a bad tumble on the stairs which they had been generously oiling and hurt her back rather badly. Tried to get some really hot water for a bath but failed. This cold weather is really very trying and we are feeling it very badly even in these comparatively comfortable quarters.
Sharp diary 1918 page 268. Sunday 22 September 1918 - Burnsville
Breakfast very late, so that we did not get off till after 10. We then went up to David Webb’s. He sang, also Mrs Webb and her mother Mrs Polly Mitchell and we got a dozen quite good songs — a very pleasant and profitable morning. I took some photos of old Mrs Polly and we promised to go & see her again some day. After tea we went again to Mitchell Town and called on Mrs Becky Mitchell, but a crowd of children & relatives fell upon us including Mrs Polly & David. At one time there were 19 people in the room and two dogs and it was quite suffocating, and, there being such a large audience that Polly & her daughter were "ashamed" to sing. However, David sang one or two so that we did not come entirely empty away! Weather nice & sunny to day and in the afternoon much warmer, but very cold in the morning. There was a white frost last night which is very bad for the corn which is still far from ripe.
Sharp diary 1918 page 270. Tuesday 24 September 1918 - Burnsville
Wrote to Constance and Meyrowitz directly after breakfast when Mrs Becky Mitchell called to take our washing. She sang me one good song before she went. Then we went out and called on a Mrs Angel, got no songs, but she told me all the Angel’s were dark "complected", black hair & eyes etc. Then we called on Mrs McConnell[?] and afterwards her daughter Mrs Banks but got nothing, meeting Mrs Chesebrough on the way riding. Afterwards we looked up Mrs West Angel and her daughter was the living image of Neve! West, her husband sings but was not at home. After tea called on a nice old lady Mrs Jasper Robertson whose husband hawks a patent medicine. Got some nice songs from her and then went on to Mrs Virginia Bennett whom we have now completely exhausted of songs. She told us of a Mrs Julie Boone — who is queer, i.e. crazy — but sings Cruel Mother & other songs — lives on Plum Creek. Wrote a long letter to Mrs Storrows sending her a couple of copies of the M[orning] P[ost] article. Mrs Chesebrough came to dinner & we had a long talk afterwards over the fire. Weather a trifle warmer.
Sharp diary 1918 page 271. Wednesday 25 September 1918 - Burnsville
Determined to try and run Mrs Julie Boone to earth. So we walked to Plum Branch only to find she had gone to Micaville. We went there to find she had gone a mile or so up another creek. We followed her, found her, brought her back to Micaville and got her to sing. She repaid us for the trouble we had spent by singing some really good songs. We left her at 5 p.m. and walked back reaching the Hotel about 7 p.m. pretty well tired out, having tramped altogether about 14 miles over very rough roads. We made an appointment to meet her again tomorrow at noon and mean to take the train to Micaville this time and perhaps to return by it. Before going out I wrote several letters sending out copies of the M[orning] P[ost] article to Mrs Campbell, Mr Glenn, Bradley etc. In the evening Maud tried to teach some dances to the children of the house & some others but found them very difficult to teach & handle. Weather much warmer in the day time but cold night & morning — especially night.
Sharp diary 1918 page 273. Friday 27 September 1918 - Burnsville
Wrote up tunes all the morning and a long letter to Peggy Kettlewell. After tea we went round to Mitchell Town first calling on Mrs Hannah Mitchell. Hannah was out but Mrs Doovey who was there received us and poured out her sorrows concerning her cow which had strayed away into the mountains 2 days ago and despite numerous search parties had not yet been discovered. We listened for a long while and commiserated as best we could and then went on to Mrs Effie. After some conversation she sang me 4 or 5 songs — very good ones — and we returned home well satisfied with our plunder. The Mitchells are a wonderful clan, living in a small narrow creek about a mile from the hotel. They are considered a very low-down lot by the richer people here who wonder why we like them & go there so often. Mrs Hannah is the mother and three daughters, Mrs Effie, Mrs Becky and Mrs Dovey. Old Mrs Polly Mitchell is I believe her sister in law.
Sharp diary 1918 page 274. Saturday 28 September 1918 - Burnsville
Directly after breakfast we tramped off to try & find Mrs Sina Boone of Shoal Creek, sister of Mrs Willard Boone of Plum Branch. The creek branches off at Wisdom[?] and Mrs Sina lives at the head about 2_ miles up the creek. We found her at home and quite ready to sing much to her own delight and that of her husband. She sang two good songs and then we adjourned for dinner — we having fortunately had our dinner already got off with cups of coffee! Then she sang a lot more and we had a long talk with the family on the porch her son and his wife joining the party. The latter told us that Mrs Ivey was very ill and that Dr Reay pronounced it Appendicitis and doubted whether she would get over it. I took several photos of the family and the Sorghum boiling which was going on and then we walked home — about 10 miles altogether. After dinner we went round to Dr Reay who evidently refuses to see patients who have no money! He said Mrs Ivey might have appendicitis, pleurisy, pneumonia, colic or gall stones! Made friends with his invalid daughter Lucille and then spent the evening with Mrs Chesebrough.
Sharp diary 1918 page 275. Sunday 29 September 1918 - Burnsville
After breakfast wrote 2 or 3 letters to Miss Gilman, to the postmaster at Barbourville — and then walked out to Mitchell Town to Mrs Becky’s. There we found Big Becky, old Mrs Polly & Mrs Hannah while Mrs Effie came in shortly afterwards. We talked and 2 or 3 of them sang us some good songs and we spent a very pleasant 2 or 3 hours and very profitable ones, too, as the songs were excellent. I took many photographs of them — 14 in all — and then we returned to lunch. After tea called at the Jasper Robertson’s and found him at home after a heavy week’s peddling of a patent medicine containing 17 different herbs and being good for the nerves! He is a typical Scotchman and sang me 3 or 4 moralizing songs — all very fine ones. We promised to return next Sunday. The weather which has been very cold, unsettled and wet nearly all the time we have been here — 2_ weeks — looks as though it were going to improve. Today was a typical Autumn day, bright, hot in the sun but cool in the shade. The trees are beginning to turn colour in earnest and the forests are looking lovely.
Sharp diary 1918 page 277. Tuesday 1 October 1918 - Burnsville
Wrote long letter to Mrs Sidgwick after breakfast and then caught the train to Wisdom, travelling thither with Mrs Chesebrough. Walked up Shoal Creek and called on the McConnor’s finding the husband at home. He does not know any songs but plays the fiddle and as his fiddle is at the doctors he couldn’t play to us. Then on, under a very hot sun, to Mrs Sina Boone’s eating our lunch on the way. She sang us about 10 more songs and that with the 12 we have already got from her represents about the whole of her repertoire. Then on the way back we found old Sam Rathbone cutting shingles. He is a regular Irishman — though half English by birth — and used to know any number of songs but has recently given them up for sacred ones! However he sang us 3 or 4 and then we walked all the way home, singing — by request — a song at Mrs Young’s on the way. Very tired on getting home. I felt terribly done up after supper, quite collapsed, and rather feverish. So I went to bed about 8.30. Curiously enough I felt unusually well when we started out this morning & remarked on it to Maud.
Sharp diary 1918 page 279. Thursday 3 October 1918 - Burnsville
Sent off reprints of article to Mrs Collien & Mrs Moore of Chicago. Felt much better this morning though still rather groggy so we decided to go to Cave Branch with as little walking as possible. So we trained to Micaville and then went to the Ivey’s. Mrs I. was up and a good deal better but still looking pretty bad. They said Mrs Boone was still there so arranged to come back at 3 p.m. and get her to sing again. Then we tramped on to Cave Branch and eat our lunch close by the Baptist Church. A man passing saw us, said ‘good morning’ and then said smiling "Fixing to eat, I see!" Then we walked up the Branch to Mrs Ef. Chrisom who sang us some very good songs and will probably remember more. We returned about 3 to Mrs Ivey’s where Julie Boone sang me several more. They were all very nice and friendly to us. We telephoned to Mr Waychester to motor us back which he did charging us 2_ dollars only instead of the 3 dollars he ordinarily charges drummers, but then, he said ‘you are spending money amongst the people whereas drummers are getting money out of them!’ a curious attitude. Not too tired on my return.
Sharp diary 1918 page 281. Saturday 5 October 1918 - Burnsville
Had a very restless night but feel that we ought to make an expedition to day. So we hire a team from Biggs and drive via Wray’s farm on Cave river up Price’s Creek to Mrs Mary Blankenshipp. We had dinner with her & her husband who by the way reminded me in many ways of my old father. We got on very well with them and stayed till after 3, Mrs B[lankenshipp] singing me 4 or 5 capital tunes. Then on the way home we stayed near Lee Allen’s farm to see Mrs Delie Hughes. We had only time to stay half an hour but found her a good singer & a great character. She and husband lived in a tiny cabin and were clothed in rags, presenting a sorry sight. We promised to be back again next Wednesday in the morning to hear her sing again. She called Maud the "pretty little girl" and when I said that would make her conceited & Maud said I was jealous she said "Well I like the old boy and it is clear he has graduated in music". We got home at 7.15 after a long day of 9 hours very tired but not unpleased with the results of our labours.
Sharp diary 1918 page 282. Sunday 6 October 1918 - Burnsville
Weather quite warm again. A strong S.W. wind blowing up from the Gulf Stream — probably "fixing for rain". Walked out after breakfast to Mitcheltown first to Becky’s where we got nothing to speak of, then to Mrs Effie who gave me 4 or 5 of the best. I took Savannah’s photo and that of her baby. Then on to Mr David Webb where he and his mother Mrs Ellen, sang several rather nice songs to us. They are all very friendly to us in that settlement and we have had nice times up there with them all. Mrs Effie is the best singer of the bunch. In the afternoon we called upon the Jasper Robersons . He did not sing to us but we had a very pleasant & friendly time there. We then wrote letters to Feakins, Miss Perrin, Miss Dyar and Mr Alexander of Ypsilanti. I then began to write up my books and set my papers in order. Sat out in the porch after dinner just as though it were summer again. Rain came on about 9 o’clock but it soon stopped again. This will produce a change of wind, they tell me.
Sharp diary 1918 page 285. Wednesday 9 October 1918 - Burnsville
In the afternoon wrote letters to Oliver Ditson, Mr Campbell Charles Rabold, Mr McGregor, Miss Whitworth and Mrs Aldrich. Maud was better and against my advice, got up to breakfast. After some trouble found a motor — same man, Owens, who drove me yesterday — and we went out to see Mrs Delie Hughes. The river was too deep for the car and we stuck, drowned out, as to the engine. After some tinkering however we got going again and eventually got to Mrs Hughes, the motor waiting in the lane for us. She sang me several jigs, all very interesting as types but not of great value aesthetically. It was amusing to see her [….?] dancing & singing all at once! Got back, without further mishap, at about 1.30 had lunch, a rest and then moving to a room with a fire wrote the letters mentioned above. Weather still very cold and we were glad to get round the fire after dinner. This was probably my last collecting expedition this year and I suspect my last in the mountains &, probably, in America. In the three seasons 400, 600, and 625, i.e. 1625 tunes in all, a wonderful experience taking it all together.
Sharp diary 1918 page 289. Sunday 13 October 1918 - Asheville
Breakfast at 9.15!!! It was good to read the paper and see the suprising prospect of an early peace. It is soon to crow yet, but it really looks as though Germany is nearly, if not quite, ready to give in and climb down & accept what is offered her. In the morning I write several letters to Mrs Storrows, Lucille Ray, The Bank, Constance and Algonquin Hotel; while Maud and I make out some statistics showing the number of tunes I have noted in the 4 states, V[irginia], N[orth] C[arolina], Tenn[essee], & K[entucky], and the number of singers who have sung to me — 300 in all. The tunes I have taken down amount to 1625. We have a short walk before lunch and before dinner we sit on the terrace and see one of the most wonderful sunsets I have ever seen and see it too in all its phases. I take some snapshots of it, but do not expect to get any results. After dinner the usual organ recital with the Storm as "piece de resistance", lights down, pedal thunder & electric light lightning — all very childish but amusing. Am enjoying the rest & good food immensely.