Lena is Back!
Many of you enjoyed reading the diary of Lena Megquier that was featured on our Facebook page last year. Lena was a young woman from South Windham who lived and worked as a housemaid in a mansion on State Street in Portland's West End. Throughout 2021, we shared daily entries from her diary from the year 1898. We thought our glimpse into her life would end at the end of the year, but recently were proven wrong. Facebook follower Becky Delaware surprised us with a copy of Lena’s 1899 diary to share with you. We are so excited to continue her story this year. In this diary, which is more of a notebook than an actual daily diary, she is able to provide a bit more detail about her days. She did not write in the book every day, so you’ll have to check in daily for her entries. We will be posting them on the day that coincides with her original 1899 entries.
The cover page and first page of Lena Megquier’s 1899 diary
Could you read Lena’s handwriting?
Diary entry of Lena A. Meg-quier ~ 1899
“Remember three things come not back.
The arrow sent upon its track, it will not swerve, it will not stay its speed.
It flies to wound or slay.
The spoken word so soon forgot by thee. But it has perished not.
In other hearts 'tis living still, and doing work for good or ill.
And the lost opportunity, that cometh back no more to thee,
In vain thou weepest, in vain dost yearn.
Those three will never more return.”