Selected snippets from The Complete Journals of L.M. Montgomery: The PEI Years, 1889–1900.

MONDAY, SEPT. 1, 1890Mr Mustard—what a funny name!FRIDAY, SEPT. 19, 1890Mr Mustard had a cranky fit on—he takes them occasionally although between times he never makes any attempt to secure order—and nearly snapped our heads off we spoke a word…THURSDAY, DEC. 4, 1890Presently a knock came at the door and when I opened it there stood Mr Mustard himself. And he is such a bore! He stayed until I thought he would never go.WEDNESDAY, JAN. 7, 1891Mr Mustard has been dreadfully cranky for a week and to-day his ill-humour reached a climax.THURSDAY, JAN. 8, 1891I didn’t thaw out towards Mustard at all and he kept me in again to “explain,” saying that his action had been prompted by his “sincere friendship” for me.MONDAY, JAN. 26, 1891This evening when I went to answer the door, who should stand there but he himself… I had to sit there the whole evening to entertain him.MONDAY, FEB. 23, 1891Mr Mustard was furious with me to-day because he caught me exchanging notes with Will.FRIDAY, FEB. 27, 1891Mr Mustard had one of his “bad days” to-day and as a result there was not much fun going.MONDAY, MAR. 9, 1891Mr Mustard was terribly cross…THURSDAY, APR. 9, 1891That detestable Mustard came again to-night and stayed until 11.30… if Mr Mustard calls again for a fortnight I will even fall upon him and rend him limb from limb!!!!MONDAY, APR. 13, 1891Well, it is nearly 12 o’clock and I am just boiling over with rage. Mr Mustard was here again to-night.MONDAY, APR. 20, 1891I hate to be alone with Mustard! It makes me simply furious!MONDAY, APR. 27, 1891In the course of the evening I found a chance to put the clock on half an hour, so M. left at what he fondly believed to be 10.30, whereas it was only 10.SATURDAY, JUNE 6, 1891This evening Mr Mustard came shuffling along at nine and stayed till eleven. I don’t know how I kept from laughing right out in his face.THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 1891Mr Mustard was here this evening and was limp as usual.MONDAY, JUNE 22, 1891I’ve never been half decent to him. I’ve snubbed him times without number! I’ve made fun of him to his very face and he knows it—and yet he comes and comes!SUNDAY, JUNE 29, 1891There is something about the man which makes me feel so self-conscious and positively ashamed.WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 1891Mustard actually mustered—oh, forgive the pun. It just made itself—up enough courage to put his fate to the test this evening. He did it about as awkwardly as possible but he did it.“Do you think, Miss Montgomery,that our friendship will ever develop into anything else?”“I don’t see what else it can develop into, Mr Mustard.”MONDAY, OCT. 19, 1891I had a letter from Mr Mustard to-day. It was as dry and poky as himself.THURSDAY, DEC. 3, 1891I had a letter from Mr Mustard to-day. It was a frightfully dry epistle.THURSDAY, JUNE 8, 1893I had a letter from Mr Mustard to-day. It was a very incomprehensible epistle.THURSDAY, OCT. 26, 1893I had a letter from Mr Mustard to-day. Poor mortal—he seems to have an uncomfortable sort of temperament—always torturing himself and others on the rack of self-analysis.TUESDAY, SEPT. 4, 1894Mustard is a by-gone. I stopped writing to him last winter for I simply could not be bothered any longer with him.