October 15, 1852
Dear Diary,
Mrs. Trimble gave us a spelling test today. I made sure I knew all my words. Mamma helped me study them last night after supper. Nick didn't know any of his words at all. His brother Jarrod scolded him at recess. I thought it was funny.

December 26, 1852
Dear Diary,
Christmas was wonderful! We had turkey and stuffing and lots of pies. MaryJane came over and Mamma let us play with dress-up with her clothes. Then the Barkleys stopped by. I didn't know that Nick could be nice, but when his pappa is around he doesn't act mean at all. I wish his pappa would come to school with him everyday.

January 7, 1857
Dear Diary,
Today was horrible. Mrs. Trimble got tired of Nick and Billy fighting all the time so she made Nick move his desk next to mine. He spent the entire day picking on me. Mamma says that it is just something that boys do and that he'll outgrow it. I sure hope he grows up soon.

February 14, 1857
Dear Diary,
Why oh why won't Mrs. Trimble move Nick to another desk? Today he gave me a valentine and when I opened it, it had a squashed bug in it! He said he would like me for as long as that bug lived. When Billy saw it he got mad and told Nick that he'd better me nice to me, or else. Then Nick started teasing us saying that Billy loved me. I just don't think I can bear to go back to school tomorrow.

April 1, 1857
Dear Diary,
Today was the best day of the year. I didn't want to go to school at all and begged mamma not to make me go. I told her that I just knew that mean ol' Nick Barkley would try to get me somehow. She made me go anyway. After lunch, Nick's pappa came to the school to get Nick and Jarrod. I heard him say that Mrs. Barkley had her baby. Nick got all excited and was going around saying he had a new brother. Then Mr. Barkley told him that the baby was a girl! Nick kept asking if it was a joke, but it wasn't. We all laughed all day long.

April 17, 1857
Dear Diary,
We were supposed to have cake today because today was Nick’s birthday. His mamma made a special cake for him to bring to school. When he got to school though, all he had was a dirt-covered plate. Jarrod said that Nick was showing off his new gloves and dropped the cake right on the ground. Nick said that he hoped his tenth birthday would be better than his ninth.

May 1, 1857
Dear Diary,
I got to hold a baby today! Mamma and I went to the Barkley's after church and Mrs. Barkley let me hold the baby. Her name is Audra and she is so tiny. I had to be extra careful and I only got to hold her for a minute, but it was fun. As we were leaving, I whispered to Nick that I liked his new baby brother. He just glared at me. I don't think I will go to school tomorrow.

May 18, 1857
Dear Diary,
I am so glad that today is the last day of school. I won't have to put up with you-know-who for the whole summer long. I have to call him you-know-who now because Pappa said that I talk about him too much. He said that if I thought about my schoolwork half as much as I did on you-know-who, that I would never fail at anything. I think all boys, even pappas, are just sasperating. (I heard Mamma say that Nick must sasperate Mrs. Barkley, so I know what that word means.)

July 6, 1857
Dear Diary,
I am just so mad at MaryJane! I don't think I will ever talk to her again. We went camping at the lake with MaryJane and her family, and the Barkleys. I was so glad that MaryJane was going because I didn't want to have to play with Nick. Jarrod is too old to play and Audra is just a baby. But that traitor MaryJane invited Nick to go swimming with us. To make things worse, she told me that she actually likes him! Can you imagine anyone liking Nick Barkley? I think MaryJane was in the sun too long.

August 17, 1857
Dear Diary,
I had my ninth birthday today. Mamma gave me two new dresses, one for school and one for church. Pappa gave me a doll. She is beautiful. MaryJane says she is the prettiest doll she’s ever seen and she should know.

September 3, 1857
Dear Diary,
School started today. Mrs. Trimble was really nice and didn't give us any lessons to study at home. The best part is that I don't have to sit by Nick Barkley anymore. I have to sit next to Billy Johnson, but he's not so bad. At least he doesn't put lizards in my desk. MaryJane sits in front of me. She is happy because she gets to sit by Nick. I just don't understand her sometimes.

September 30, 1857
Dear Diary,
I think that Jarrod Barkley is the nicest boy in the world. Today at school I dropped all my books and Nick just stood there laughing at me. Jarrod scolded him then he helped me pick up my books. He even carried them to my desk for me. MaryJane says he is too old for me but I just told her that I wouldn't be nine forever.

October 7, 1857
Dear Diary,
We went to a social yesterday. We spent the entire day at the Johnson's. Everyone was there. MaryJane and I were playing by the creek with Betsy and Laura when Nick came running by yelling something to Jarrod, who was fishing. Stupid ol' Nick was running so fast that he tripped over his own feet. I would have laughed except that when he fell he knocked me right into the creek. Jarrod jumped in to help me out. He is just the kindest and cutest boy I've ever met. I didn't mind so much that Nick made me fall in.

October 21, 1857
Dear Diary,
How two brothers can come from the same family is beyond me. I don't know why in the world MaryJane thinks that Nick Barkley is cute. He is mean and stubborn and rude. He is not at all like Jarrod. Jarrod is like the hero in that book pappa read to me. When I told MaryJane that Jarrod was my hero after pulling me out of the creek, she said that I must still have water in my head.

November 2, 1857
Dear Diary,
Mamma told me that Mrs. Barkley is going to have another baby. I told her that I sure hope this one isn't like Nick. She said that wasn't a very nice thing to say, but then I heard her tell pappa the same thing. She said that maybe this baby would be more like Jarrod since he is more like a little gentleman. I think she's right. Jarrod is a gentleman.

November 27, 1857
Dear Diary,
I just love Thanksgiving. Not only do I not have to go to school, I also get to help mamma in the kitchen. We made a special pie to take to the Barkley's tomorrow. I asked mamma if I could make an extra-special one for Nick, but she said no. I don't know why she didn't trust me to make it right. I think a salt-pie would be just the thing for him.

November 28, 1857
Dear Diary,
We took the pie to the Barkley's today. I went up to see Audra and when I came down Nick was taking the last piece of pie. I told him that he had to share with me since I made it but he just shoved the whole piece of pie in his mouth. The whole thing! Jarrod thumped him on the ear then offered me half of his piece. Someday I am going to marry Jarrod Barkley.

January 1, 1858
Dear Diary,
MaryJane is so mad at me that she won't talk to me and I am so mad at Nick Barkley that I could scream. We went to the New Year's party at the Barkley's last night. It was awful. Jarrod spent all of his time talking to Katie Hammons. Pappa wouldn't let me drink any champagne because he said I was too young. The worst part was at midnight. When the big clock struck twelve Jarrod said it was tradition to share a kiss and so he kissed Katie Hammons! Then MaryJane looked at Nick and said that if it were a tradition, he should kiss someone too. He just shrugged and kissed me on the cheek. Jarrod and Katie laughed. Nick got mad and stormed off. MaryJane started crying and ran to her mamma. If I didn't think I'd get a whipping for it, I would punch Nick Barkley right in the nose.

January 5, 1858
Dear Diary,
MaryJane is speaking to me again. I had to tell her over and over that I did not like it when Nick kissed me. I don't think she believes me but at least she'll talk to me now. Nick wasn't in school today. Jarrod told Mrs. Trimble that Nick had been feeling sick for several days. Serves him right for making MaryJane mad at me.

January 8, 1858
Dear Diary,
Nick still has not come back to school. Jarrod told Katie Hammons that he thinks Nick has chicken pox. She told me that I would get it, too, since Nick kissed me on New Year's Eve. If I get chicken pox because of stupid ol' Nick Barkley, I'm going to kill him.

January 11, 1858
Dear Diary,
I am going to kill stupid ol' Nick Barkley. I have the chicken pox. It itches everywhere. I have spots on my arms, on my legs, and even on my face. Mamma says I can't scratch them or else they will leave marks. MaryJane wrote me a letter and said that she was glad he hadn't kissed her. She also said that now she like Billy Johnson. I'm glad she finally came to her senses.

February 15, 1858
Dear Diary,
All my spots are finally gone. I didn't think they would ever disappear. I'm just glad that Nick had them too. The other kids started calling us names like "Spotface" and "Chickenhead." They even said I was his chicken girlfriend, but he whipped them. No one calls us names anymore. I guess I really shouldn't have given him that squashed bug yesterday for Valentine's, but I thought it would be funny since he did that to me last year. Jarrod gave Katie Hammons a Valentine that said “I love you.” I never did like Katie Hammons much.

March 17, 1858
Dear Diary,
I got in so much trouble today and it was all Nick's fault. I forgot that it was Saint Patrick's Day so I didn't wear green like Mrs. Trimble suggested. At recess Nick pinched me so hard that my eyes watered. I got mad and slugged him in the arm. Mrs. Trimble saw me do it and made me come in. I had to apologize to Nick in front of the whole class. Then she wrote a note home to pappa and he gave me such a whipping. If I never see Nick Barkley again it will be too soon.

April 1, 1858
Dear Diary,
Today was so much fun! Mrs. Barkley had a big party for Audra's first birthday. The party was lots of fun. We got to have cake and everything. Jarrod brought me a piece of cake and told me that he wanted to make sure I got some before Nick ate it all. I think Nick feels bad about the whipping I got because he was really nice to me all day long. Either that or he's up to something.

April 5, 1858
Dear Diary,
Well, I guess Nick wasn't planning anything and was just being nice. He hasn't done anything to me at all. In fact, he's been ignoring me most of the time. I haven't really had time to worry about that though. MaryJane told me that her father is thinking about taking a job in San Francisco. I hope not. I will just die if MaryJane moves that far away.

April 17, 1858
Dear Diary,
Today was Nick’s tenth birthday. He was got a slingshot from his pappa. He was showing it off a recess and shot a rock right through the school window. I sure am glad I’m not him. His pappa is big and I’ll bet he gives hard whippings.

May 16, 1858
Dear Diary,
I am free for the summer. No more lessons until September. Mamma said that she is going to get me to help out more around the house. She also wants me to start acting more like a young lady. I think I act just fine; so does MaryJane. I told her I’d try though.

June 4, 1858
Dear Diary,
My luck is just so rotten lately. First mamma gets on to me about being such a tomboy, and now this. I can’t believe that Mrs. Barkley had a baby boy. They named him Eugene. He is the fattest baby I have ever seen. Nick is already calling him a little piglet. I sure hope that Eugene turns out like Jarrod and not like Nick. I don’t think Stockton is big enough for two Nick’s.

July 6, 1858
Dear Diary,
This year's camping trip was so much better than last years. MaryJane and I spent the entire weekend swimming and laughing and we didn't fight once. Even Nick left us alone. At night we all sat around the campfire and told ghost stories. Billy Johnson told one that scared us so bad that we couldn't sleep for two nights. MaryJane has decided that Billy isn't such a nice boy after all.

August 17, 1858
Dear Diary,
Mamma let me make my own cake for my birthday. I even got to decorate it! Nick said it was the funniest looking cake he’d ever seen. Jarrod said that it was just unique and tasted just fine. Pappa gave me another doll this year. I didn’t have the heart to tell him that I’m just too old for dolls. Nick didn’t worry about hurting Pappa’s feelings though. He just blurted out that dolls were for babies. Right in front of Pappa. Sometimes I wonder if his mouth moves faster than his brain.

September 6, 1858
Dear Diary,
School started back today. We have a new teacher. Her name is Miss Diefenbach. This is her first year to ever teach school. She said that Mrs. Trimble moved to Bakersfield. Everything was going fine until Billy said that it was all Nick’s fault that Mrs. Trimble moved. Nick punched Billy right in the nose. While Miss Diefenbach was trying to get them to stop fighting, Billy’s brother told Jarrod that he should control Nick. Before I knew it Jarrod and Matthew were fighting too. I think that poor Miss Diefenbach is sorry she moved to Stockton.

November 1, 1858
Dear Diary,
I went to my first Halloween party at school last night. It was fun. I dressed up as a cowgirl and MaryJane went as a princess. Mamma wanted me to be a princess, but I told her I had to go as a cowgirl. Billy Johnson went as a ghost. Jarrod went as a knight, and Nick was a pirate. He went around all night trying to steal people’s treasures. We got to play games and eat all kinds of treats. Some of us snuck out behind the schoolhouse and told scary stories. Nick found out what we were doing and snuck up behind us and yelled as loud as he could. He laughed and laughed until Billy grabbed his pirate sword and hit him with it.

November 15, 1858
Dear Diary,
My life is over. I can’t believe it. Mamma said that I have to move to Boston. She wants me to live with Aunt Margaret and learn how to be a proper young lady. I told her I didn’t want to go and that I would die without having MaryJane to talk to. She said that I had to go and it would only be for a few years. I don’t want to go. I hate Aunt Margaret. She is old and her house smells funny. I won’t become a proper young lady. I’ll show them.