Colonial Occupations– Apothecary

Dear Diary.

I woke up this morning while my husband was in the field and I had a loaf of corn bread. Then I grabed my Mortar and my Pestle and started grinding my herbs. A young woman who looked like she had just gotten married had just walked in my house and asked me to put some leeches on her arms and legs because she was so swollen! Afterwards she payed me 300 pounds for some leeches and some herbs. Then RIGHT AFTER the woman had walked out a hurt man came fast-walking in and sat his rump in my mixing chair while I was getting a book! How rude was that. Soon he told me that I needed to bleed him. He said he would pay me 5,000 POUNDS. I took the challenge and I bleed him. I told him that with all of the pounds that I got today, we could buy a HOUSE! Plus my salary of 14 pounds! My husband will be SO PROUD! Now I shall speak in you tomorrow I must now go feed the pigs, cook dinner, and clean up all of the blood from the bleeding and the leeches.

A Girl in the business, Massuchuesetts