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41

Kingston and heard Mr. Van Slyke preach.

Friday Nov. 30th 1883. Painted in my studio all day although I was cold and we had a snow squall. I was cold all day. Mr. & Mrs. Ezra Van Aken and their son called to see the picture but it was so dark they could see but very little. He told me of an old straw bee hive which he thought he could get for me

Saturday December 1st 1883
Awoke with a head ache caused by indigestion. I was cold all day yesterday while painting and I presume this retarded digestion. Staid in the house all forenoon to my great regret as the day was fine, what dear Gertrude and I used to call a Roman winter day, cause I was anxious to finish my painting as I wish to go to N.Y. next week.  After dinner I felt better and went to work and painted for a couple of hours.  On Thursday Mrs. Ruggles (née Carrie Barker called here with her son and Mrs & Miss Elmendorf from Kingston with whom her son is staying having some position in the offices of the N. S. rail road. She had come down to attend Judge Schoonmakers party.  

Sunday 2nd. Went over to my studio and built a fire and spent the forenoon arranging and packing my sketches preparatory to going to N.Y. Calvert, Gussie and Sara came over and saw the portraits of my mother I am going to send to Lucy and they all thought they were very much like her. After dinner Calvert Park and I took a walk across the bridge and over the hill to the right on the opposite side of the creek and home through the tunnel and around by John O Reillys.  The weather was cold with a brisk N.W. wind. Steward Barber and his wife who live in Toledo called to see us. He looks much as he used to. He is 68 years old he told my father. Thinks Rondout has improved more than any other place he knows. 

Monday 3. It was very cold last night and ice formed on the flats and along the shore. Calvert went back to N.Y. on the H.R. train. I went at my painting in my studio and finished it just as the sun went down. I got very cold on the North side of the building where I had a little work to do. I am very glad it is finished. Wrote to Henry R. Goetschens of Columbus Georgia telling him I had received his letter and its inclosure which I would return after a little while. We think and talk of our Mother but with no sadness and no wish to call her back. I am constantly surprised that I do not have that aching sorrow for her. There seems so much satisfaction in her release from her helplessness and besides while we are all together here she really seems to be very near to us as I believe she is. I 

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