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some strichnine in the cellar on pieces of meat for mice, and no doubt the cats got it. I was very sorry to lose the nice little kitten the last of a long line of mice cats we have had many years. It was perfectly well when I came in to dinner and came up to me as it always did. This comparatively trivial incident made me feel very badly, the last of something accustomed and familiar in the household.

Friday Nov. 19th 1880. Went to N.Y. by noon train. Dined at Mrs. Giffords with Robt. McKinnon, Jas Gifford and his wife, Mr. & Mrs. Wheeler. Weir came in. We then went to the century to attend the memorial services to Gifford. There was a large attendance of the best men. The gallery was filled with his pictures. Weir led the exercises with his paper a well written and interesting one. Then came Stoddards fine poem which he read with excellent effect and which was received with great enthusiasm. Next came Whittredge with reminiscence, full of a quaint humor and just what he alone could say. Then Stedmans poem read by Conant as Stedman could not be present. He did not read it as well as Stedman would have. I closed with my brief paper which I seem to have read sufficiently well as near as I could judge. Parke Godwin read an extract from a letter from Benson (evidently) and Vincent Collyer made a mistake in attempting to read some of Giffords early letters which were inappropriate to the occasion and from which he was obliged to desist. We staid at the club until past midnight. I went home with Eastman and staid with him all the time I was in town.

Saturday 20. Rained. After breakfast went down to Marys. Went to see Tiltons pictures at Moores. At noon went with Weir and Whittredge up to Mrs Giffords where we met Mary Gifford. Dined at Eastmans and he and I spent the evening at the club.

Sunday 21. Lunched at Mrs Giffords with Mary Gifford, Mrs. & Mr Richard Butter, Guss Brother, Mrs. Lord, Dora Wheeler and Eastman and his wife. Took Dora and Miss Cutler to the club to see Giffords pictures and Mary Gifford and I went to Mary Vauxs. I called on Mrs. Taylor and she gave me her new edition of Bayards dramatic poems. Walked back to Mrs. Giffords with Mary and then went to dine with Ben Butler to meet Alfred Butler who is here from England for a short time and then back to Eastmans.

Mnoday 22. Intensely cold this morning. Came home by the 11 oclk train. Found a letter from Booth since he began to play Full of anxiety but hopeful. A pleasant note from John [[Gonslie?]]