End of Daisy

New Ipswich Historical Society

Marion Davis Audio-Tape Transcriptions

Sometime before her death in 1986, Marion Davis recorded her memories at the encouragement of her brother, Walter Buck. The recordings were transcribed by a secretary.

The Friends of Wapack have made these available to the Historical Society. Marion was born on February 8, 1894 in Fitchburg, MA.

Kicking Spell

We had 4 horses standing in the barn. There was Dixie, then Sukie then Daisy, then Dolly. Dolly was a gray mare. They used to have kicking spells sometimes. Daisy backed up in her stall pretty well one night and Dixie must have kicked her in the hock--that's what we call the heel on a horse--and that caused a lot of trouble. She got what we call "open joint" and I can remember how she kept going downhill. We had the veterinarian for it her; she'd keep getting down, and we'd get her up onto her feet. Finally Frank came home with an ox sling one time--that's a big leather blanket-like that they put under a horse. There are big eyelets in it that you hang it overhead over a rafter through these eyelets. It goes under the horse's belly. We got Daisy hitched up that way and one afternoon we could hear thumping out there. Mable and I went out and she was kind of pitching front a little bit so Mable took what we call a "breast plate" and she rigged that up under the front end of her and we hung that up. Then along toward night we heard some more thumping; we went out and she sitting back the other way a little. Her hind feet were on the floor somewhat so we took a crouper strap and put under her tail and rigged that up. I had had just about all I could take of it. Frank was on selectman's work at that time and was up town most of the time. When he got home that night I said, "Either you're going to take care of that horse or I'm going down to Fitchburg with the folks for a while". So the next morning he put her out of the way; we hitched Dixie on and took her down to the burial ground. That was the end of Daisy.

Photo Archives

This appears to be a lawn party at the Barr Estate. What intrigues me is the collection of papers on the table. What was going on with those. Also notice the wicker rockers and that interesting rustic bench.

James Roger diary entry

10th December 1912

Frost; 10 degrees; wind southwest and strong all day; dust coming thick past Gordon's house. Daniel & David got the old barn down. One link with langsyne broken and a blot on the landscape removed. I cleaned out the wood closet at the Hall and swept the Hall. Also fed the poultry.

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