Thursday June 3d Mrs Patterson went to Bridgewater
but was not satisfied with the house and
returned to night I have painted my
ice closet and have been to work about
house all day Jane is not worth much
she is so forgetful and if she stays I
shall have another girl
After two days off, Evelina was back in her apron. She did her chores and painted the new ice closet. Did she use the green paint that covered so much of the rest of the home’s interior?
Evelina had relied heavily on her servants during spring cleaning. Mrs. Patterson, in particular, had proved a real help with the work. She was apparently more industrious than Jane McHanna, providing an unfavorable contrast. Jane may have been slacking off, her attention pulled away by events we can’t know, or Mrs. Patterson was just better at housework. Whatever “forgetful” Jane was up to, Evelina was becoming dissatisfied with her.
The weather report from Old Oliver was a bit gloomy: “[T]he 3d of June was a verry warm day […] it has bin fair weather and verry drying since the 23d of May and grass on the high land is wilting there was a little rain yesterday.” He was worried about the hay and the corn.
*Oliver Ames, Journal, Stonehill College Archives, Arnold Tofias Collection
