Out of the Past: 1872 diary from Apalachicola continues

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the fifth in a series of articles from an old Apalachicola diary.
Samuel A. Floyd, log and timber inspector of Franklin County, continues:
March 26th - attended a meeting of the citizens last eve who met to consider the expediency of changing the charter of the city into that of a borough. No action was taken. R. Baker was chairman. The meeting was very belligerent and very amusing in many of its aspects.
29th - Mrs. Sauvman and Miss Amelia Pohlman took passage aboard the St. Clair en route for Philadelphia and New York. Croquet set arrived yesterday - cost $5.25, the only set in Columbus.
April 1872
April 10 - thanked Miss MRH for the pretty tobacco pouch. The materials of the pouch are very rich and the embroidery is considered admirably executed by those to whom I have shown it. A croquet club has been organized at the other end of town.
12th - a “hop” was given at Mrs. Pohlman’s last eve — felt badly and did not enjoy it much. Richardson presented me with five “Havanas” just before I entered and after the first dance I sought a dark corner in the back porch and consoled myself with their delicate aromas. Heard of a contemplated “May Party.” “We are to invite you gentlemen to take us to Parker Grove in boats,” said Miss Baker - refreshingly cool in this hot weather. Feel a little weary from last night’s dissipation. Kissed Carrie last night after a protracted scuffle - very rude of me and prudish in her.
13th - This is decidedly too warm a day for comfort. This morning at breakfast Mrs. Eaton told me that the ghost had wakened everyone in the house last night. “Davis too’?” I asked. “Yes,” she said, and what’s more Capt. Davis said he heard someone calling as if in distress. I heard it also. Indeed it cannot be a delusion when everybody hears it.
When I saw Davis at the mill some moments thereafter, I asked him about it - thinking of course that he would make light of it and probably state that he was trying to augment Mrs. Eaton’s superstitious fears. But to my surprise Davis became very grave when I bantered him, and said that he did hear a most distinct wail as if a child was crying in distress.
I changed my place of board from Mrs. Goodlet’s to the Roan House where Davis, Hill, Richardson and myself are keeping house. Mrs. Eaton keeps the house for us with a girl Kate Lee as “help,” Yankee parlance. The orange trees have an unprecedented prodigality of blossoms this spring and the whole atmosphere is redolent with their exquisite flowers also abound in great profusion and variety on all the parterres.
14th - I heard an amusing story last eve about Miss Ella Wakefield - the more so, I have always thought that young lady to be a model of conventional dignity. It seems that when her kinswoman, Miss Georgia Bryant, was here last summer, they were in the habit of playing all sorts of tricks on one another. Miss Ella conceived the remarkable idea of besieging her fair friend with an army of fleas.
For the successful accomplishment of her object, a large vial was procured into which she confined all the largest and most vicious of those insects she could find (judging the latter quality by the degree of pain inflicted upon person). By diligent perseverance the vial was half filled in the course of several weeks and a good opportunity was all that was required to carry out the design. One soon offered.
One afternoon being the subject of more ordinary merriment from her cousin, she rushed at her with the vial up her sleeve all ready to be uncorked as soon as they got to close quarters. But Lady Georgia being stronger whirled Miss Ella against a bed thereby displacing the vial stopper and liberating the contents of half-starved fleas on her own person. The effect upon Miss Bryant (who naturally loved a joke) can best be imagined.
A satisfactory solution of the ghost fright was the theme at the breakfast table when it was discovered that a child with whooping cough accounted for the cry of distress in an old deserted cotton warehouse just across the street which served as a rendezvous for all the goats in town at night.
17th - Yesterday afternoon I went up front of LaPrade’s house to meet a croquet party, according to appointment. Misses Baker and Phena Pohlman against Ella King and Theresa with my siding with the latter. After a spirited contest, we were vanquished. It was quite dark when we finished, and I had to see the young ladies in their houses. In the evening I called at Mrs. Pohlman’s.
20th - Went to church to hear the new Episcopal minister. I liked his sermon very much. He had a good delivery. His name is Ovaris. Henry Grady remarked when he heard it “we went for a preacher, and they sent us a Dutch oven,” (gentlemen of German extraction). In p.m. played croquet.
22nd - I escorted Miss Theresa to church last eve - M. Wiggins who is the presiding elder for the dioceses preached. He is a very impressive speaker. I met him at Mandarin 18 months ago.
24th - feel badly in consequence of a fever last eve. Weather is cool and cloudy and very cheerless. Alderman made me an invitation to visit him when he moves on the Chipola River, which I will very likely accept if I remain here through the summer and told him so. “I will be much gratified to have you and there are fine fishing and hunting grounds,” he wrote.