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101

Monday Dec 29. 1873. This morning I commenced a little figure subject of a young girl taking an autumn walk and stopping on a little foot bridge to watch the leaves floating in the water using Gertrude for a model for the figure and drapery. We were very much amused by my invention for a railing for the bridge for her to lean on which I constructed from a quilting frame one end resting on the table and the other on a foot stool which answered capitally. I have succeeded in drawing a very graceful figure and painted on it all day with measurable success. I am extremely interested and find the days all too short. If I can only get into the way of doing figures what a new source of interest will be opened to me, and I am sure I can do them after proper practice. At three oclock we went for a sleigh ride. My father, Downing, Gertrude and I. We went through Kingston, out on Lucas's turnpike to a road that goes from Hurley, to Whiteport a charming winding road which I had never been over before. One view down through a gap in Hussey Hill struck me as remarkably fine. It was a beautiful winter afternoon with a fine sunset and twilight sky and the whole ride was a delight. Wrote to Bret Harte to come by the 10.45 train Jan 2. Would meet him there if I heard no further from him.

Tuesday 30. I very foolishly attempted to paint on my little figure today. The sun shone and the light was so entirely different that I thought I would paint the face without having Gertrude to stand. The result is that it is not half so good after working on it all day as it was before I began and it has made me feel very depressed in connection with some other worries. It is very cold. Downing and I took a walk up towards Kingston just before tea.     

Monday Dec 31. Worked on my little figure all day and got it out of the horrible state it was in but it is still unsatisfactory. We took tea and spent the evening at John McEntees very pleasantly. My father and I took a ride in the afternoon out on the Saugerties road and home by Flat-bush. 

Thursday Jan. 1" 1874.
Its a strange and a somewhat sad sensation to write the New Year the first time. It seems to me that the year which has passed has been too full of cares and worries to have been as profitable as it might have been for me and I enter upon this new one with no well defined plans and not much hope that my material interests will greatly improve. I hope however I am learning something towards adapting myself to my condition and accepting the lot which