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Tuesday January 24 1882. Bitterly cold this morning. Mapes said a neighbor told him it was 17 degrees below zero. I came away with the morning train. Everyone was talking of the cold. The river was frozen over clear down and in the Highlands a steamer, the "Miller" with a barge was frozen in. A passenger on the train said he reached ashore from her and that the clear water ice was six inches thick about her. As we passed the scene of the Spaglen disaster the passengers pointed out the spot but I could not detect a vestige of it; the brown grass did not even seem crushed. They cleared it all carefully away and raked the spot over, I was told. It is a beautiful winter day, such as one I love in the country. Went down to the foot of 11th St and ordered a cord of hickory wood for which I had to pay 16.50 and from there over to the Post Office beyond 3rd Av. to mail six photographs of Col. Morris Rauch which I have had taken. Have not painted since last Friday. Downing and I came over to my room and finished our braid by half past ten.

Wednesday 25. Still very cold. It is delightful and I like it. Took the braid over to Mr. Dunlap who is to make it up into two hats one for me and one for Downing and is to let me know when they will be done. I talked with him for some time. He seems a very pleasant man to deal with. I can fancy how disagreeable this would all be with some dealers. Painted all day on my Academy picture which grows day by day. When I went to dinner it was snowing and was much milder. After dinner I went out from Marys to call on John Gouslie. It was raining and very slippery. Found Gouslie and his sister at home all looking just as they did twenty years ago. He showed me his receipt for one million dollars for money he paid me as treasurer of the Sanctuary fair in (I think) 1863. Went back to Calverts and smoked a cigar and then came to my room. Julia is ill again and at first they were alarmed, fearing a return of her fever, but it seems not to be that. When I got home last Saturday I feared that Aunt Nellie Tremper had been buried that day. She died on Thursday, I think. Ellenville was named after her.

Thursday 26. Painted all day. Thompson called with his Mary Collins, his cousins. He was a little hilarious. A funny call from two men, one in some way connected with art interests (very recently) at Cedar Rapids Iowa. Wanted to buy a picture for someone there. Wanted the artist to send out five or six pictures to let the person choose from and would not guarantee to take anything. The price for the picture to be $200!! I