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156

Monday 8 March 1880. Am getting my "Uplands" near completion. Tom Sawyer came to see me. I was painting on Gertrudes picture which I cannot make to look much like her. I love to try however and would like to keep at it all the time for I am with her then. Dear, darling woman. How my heart almost stops beating many and many times a day when I see some little thing associated with her and at such times a feeling of despair comes over me that I am never to see her again, for I keep looking forward as though somewhere at last I must find her. I had a letter from Mr. Chicking who is going to let me have my piano back for a picture for which I get $250 and I am going to let Alice have it until I want it. Went to the Council meeting. A letter from Sade telling me Pa is better and has ridden out.

Tuesday 9. A snow storm. Painted on Gertrudes picture a while and then took up my "Uplands" and improved it very much. Whittredge came in and gave me a good suggestion about letting the clouds drag over the mountain. Dinner at the Academy. On Monday evening Eastman Johnson and I were put on the hanging committee of the Academy on behalf of the Council much against my will. Snowed most of the day.

Wednesday 10. Painted a little on several things. Mr. Weeks called with the lady who he thought mite buy my picture. I think however she did not care very much for it. Dora Wheeler & Miss Van Doren called and Julia Dillon and Miss Woodward. Wrote to Sara and received a letter from her telling me Pa is much better and enclosing a letter of Gertrudes she had just found among some old letters in the garret, written to her at Christmas only two weeks after our marriage. It would be vain for me to try to express the tender memories that came over me at reading this happy record of those sweet days. Joe and Gussie came down from the Cove today and dined at Marys. I called to see Baker but only saw his son=in=law. He told me he was in a very critical condition and I doubt if he ever recovers again.