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Wednesday Dec. 25, 1878. Christmas.

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Snowy winter weather. The river frozen and the ferry boat going with difficulty. The mercury at about 12° every morning. We passed a quiet delightful day having the tree and the presents in the room. So many of our family being together made it all most satisfactory. Mary & Calvert & Bouyer could not come but Marion is still here and Gertrude also, with Lucy and her children. Nannie sent me some lovely flowers with a beautiful note expressive of her happiness in the possession of the picture I gave them. I replied to it telling her how great a pleasure it had been to me to do this much for her and John and that my greatest satisfaction was to know that they were pleased. I find no particular record in my diary of last Christmas. We did not celebrate it and it was always a disappointment to Gertrude to let this season go by unmarked. 

Thursday 26. My canoe came last Saturday from John Sanford and with it a small one and a pole for Church and a Toboggin for Osborne which I today forwarded to them by Express. A box of presents came from Mary this morning. Received a letter from Will Osborne asking about his toboggin just after I had sent it. Wrote to Church. Wrote Miss Durfee yesterday that she had put my picture too low in Chicago ($250) I would not sell it for less than $350. Alice has staid in bed all day. She and the baby are suffering from cold and are quite ill. I am troubled about them. I am growing very much attached to the baby. 

Friday 27. Warmer today and snowed a little this morning. The carpenters have been making the foundation for the hearth in the sitting room. Alice is still in her room but seems somewhat better. The children were off skating today. Cousin Rachel took tea with us. Looks like snow again this evening. We are still using the large room and find it perfectly comfortable. Wrote to John Sanford today and sent him a check for $15 for the canoe and one dollar bill, an after thought for the cane seat.