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purpose. Received a note from Freds wife saying her little girl has scarlet fever but not severely. Called on Mrs. Arthur Parton who seems a very agreeable woman. Miss Parton was there also.

Thursday 23. Shortly after I got to my rooms this morning Miss Van Doren came as she said after her picture I gave her. She said she came back in an hour afterwards yesterday but I had gone. I presume she thought it not a dreadful thing to accept it. She brought me some Holly and Mistletoe. I tried to make her feel at ease and under no obligation. Mrs. Lawrence Bassett and Mrs. Clara Erskine Clement called with a card from Lawrence Hutton. Mrs. Clement was associated with him in compiling a history of artists which I have not seen. Mrs. Barnett is a very beautiful woman and was picturesquely and becomingly dressed. I had a very agreeable call from them. Soon after they left Joe Cornell and his wife called. They looked at all of my pictures and bought my "Kaatskill River" for $800. I told him I would let him have it for that but that my price was $1000. This is a relief. It provides for my pressing demands which were staring me in the face and making me wretched. There was no immediate demand but the taxes will soon be due and now I am ready for them. I went and deposited my check and sent the picture home by Russell and I feel a thousand times freer and lighter. It is astonishing what power for worry and trouble is the lack of money. I am going home tomorrow and I am so glad I can have some pleasant things to say to others.

Friday 24. Went home by 11 o'clock train. Fine misty weather. The ferry open but the river closed.

Saturday 25" Christmas. No one at home except me and family. I went over to the cemetery after breakfast. It had snowed a little in the night and as I stood beside the snowy mound above my dear Gertrude, I felt anew a sense of my loss in her and I could not keep back the tears. The stone had been protected as I ordered it. I could not bear to stay there for my memories of her who slept below were too overpowering and I went for a walk with Park across the fields. The quiet wintry landscape brought a sense of repose and rest to me but I was glad to be at home again and to be with my people. We had a quiet Christmas and but few presents. I had something for the servants and my mother and Sara and for Marys children (Girards) who had a little tree. Oscar Sawyer came up by the morning train. It was a charming winter day and I feel how blessed a thing it was for me to be able to go to so pleasant a home and to be able to take them some encouraging news. In the evening we all went down to John McEntees where were all his and Freds families. Julia Dillon went up with me on Friday and staid at our house until Saturday. Oscar is not well.

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