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man and whom we will not have with us long. I would like to do anything in the world I could for his happiness and do make many sacrifices for him as he does for us but he is too strenuous in carrying out his ideas in opposition to all the rest of the family. Such things leave cruel scars and they poison our lives. I wrote a long letter to Gussie. This evening occurs the memorial meeting to Gifford at the Century. I wrote [[strikethrough]] Gifford [[/strikethrough]] Beard I could not be present. I dread such occasions. They add to my sadness and so I did not go down

Thursday Oct. 28. 1880. Went to my studio and commenced a picture 12 x 20 of corn husking from a print I got on our last ride. A telegram came from J.Q.A. Wood asking him to meet me at our station at the 11. A.M. train. I went over the ferry at 1.30 and he came on his way out to his fishing lodge at the head of the Rondout. He had been at the meeting at the Century last night. A committee was appointed to decide upon some appropriate memorial of Gifford. He told me it was first proposed that a paper should be written and I had been selected to write it but finally it was thought that several of his intimate friends should write, which I think an excellent idea. I am to go down to N.Y. with him on Thursday night. Came home and found the man waiting to put up my stove in my studio, which was soon done and now I have the same stove there I put up there at least twenty seven years ago. I shall only use it in very cold weather. Have begun this evening to write my paper on Gifford but there seems so much to say I hardly know where to begin. It has been cold but bright today. 

Friday 29. Went down to see that we were registered. Have worked all day in my studio. The weather grey and threatening rain or snow. Two of Uncle Thomas' grand daughters arrived today, daughters of Mr & Mrs Howard. Read some of dear Gertrudes letters after I cam from my studio. I think of her often over in my studio, once today as I took up a piece of glass on which she transferred an engraving and commenced to paint it, and when I do think of here it seems so sad and lonely there where her piano used to stand and where she so often sang. I can hardly bear it when I think of all this and feel as if I must fly from there but I go to work and try to forget.

Saturday 30. Spent a part of the forenoon fixing the plank walk to the coal cellar. A rainy day. Went to my studio and painted all day a part of the time on my little husking scene and a part of the time on a portrait of dear Gertrude I am painting for her mother. This evening was to have taken place a great Republican parade with Delegations from all the country round, but the rain is pouring and of course nothing could be done. A letter from Beard.