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my pleasure to remain in the country with all my belongings about me. Gertrude has been ill for three days and today I called Dr. Cinpell who thinks she is doing well and that it will not be necessary to see her again. Poor Mrs. Lawton died today after years of suffering. Lucy and my mother went down there and came home about 9 o'clock in a fierce North East snow storm. I amused the baby as well as I could but he missed his mother. I attempted to repair one of his disasters which we submitted to most gracefully but I failed utterly and was obliged to give him to Josephine. He protested with all his power but she finally consoled him. It is astonishing to see how this little fellow shows his likes and dislikes. These instincts are implanted. Lucy's new nurse came today and seems a very nice young girl and a great improvement on Katy. Uncle Philip has been here a week. He and Pa sit by the fire and talk over the Past. This is Gertrude's birth day, her 41st and I am away I have made no particular recognition of it. She always remembers mine and is sure to have a little surprise of some sort for me. 

Sunday 31. We buried Mrs. Lawton today. I officiated as one of the pall bearers. It snowed violently all day but there was no wind and it tempered the sadness of the occasion rather than added to it as a rain storm would. The snow was more than a foot deep in the cemetery and it fell thickly on the coffin and the flowers before we could get them in the box. As we rode to the grave it struck me rather curiously that we all talked on light rather than serious subjects and yet I dont think there was one among us who did not sincerely sympathize with the afflicted family. Mr. Clark the Presbyterian Clergymans remarks at the house were comforting and in excellent taste. They have given me a great respect for him. 

Monday Feb. 1. 1875. Maurice drove Uncle Charles and me down the creek and over the river to the 9.44 train for N.Y. It was a most glorious winter morning. The storm had cleared off and the new fallen snow lay deep over every thing. The sun shone brightly and the wind was keen from the north. We arrived in New York at 12.30, 14 minutes less than 3 hours from Rhinebeck and I went directly to my studio where I found my boxes, unpacked my pictures, put them in their frames and busied myself the rest of the day arranging my studio and looking over a half bushel of documents

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