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65

Sunday Feb. 17" 1886. A rainy, foggy day. Wrote to Mrs. Sanger and to Booth from whom I had a letter on Friday. I took up a little Autumn picture to present to Dr. Mager the Presbyterian clergyman for his kindness to our family when Maurice died and again at my mothers death. Mary Gifford is growing stout and is in much better health.

Monday 18". A dull day. Mr. Farnham made his appearance just as I was about to leave. He had his satchel and looked as if he meant to stay. I came away in the 4.40 train. He persuaded Mary Gifford to stay until tomorrow. I arrived at my room a little after 8. Went to the club and had some supper. Met Perry. The second No. if the Art Union is out but money is needed and we have to raise it somehow

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Daniel Underwood.

Daniel Underwood, whose death occurred in this city on Monday afternoon, was a man who made many friends during the many years he spent on the Ulster & Delaware Railroad, and he was an honest and trustworthy employee of the company which he served. He came to this railroad in the year 1870 from the New York Central & Hudson River Railroad, and has been constantly employed on the road since that time, save for a short season on the Wallkill Valley Road when under the same management. About four weeks ago his most intimate friends on the road noticed that "Dan" was not as jovial as usual, but it was only one week ago this morning that his severe illness began. Notwithstanding his large size and apparently robust health, Mr. Underwood had been troubled for a long time with hernia, and on Tuesday morning of last week he arose and dressed himself, and going out of doors swept the snow from the veranda, and from the front entrance of his residence. While engaged in this work he remembered that he had neglected to put on his truss, and entered the house to attend to the matter. Before securing his truss, unfortunately he was compelled to sneeze, which act so aggravated his peculiar malady that he was compelled to remain at home and send word to the railroad yard that he was unable to go out with his train. His condition rapidly grew worse, and though he was receiving intelligent care from the best surgeons in this city, his family and friends, wishing to do all that was possible under the circumstances, sent for Dr. Swinburne, the celebrated specialist in cases of hernia, at Albany, who came to this city, attended by Dr. Southwick, and on Saturday night Mr. Underwood submitted to a very severe and trying surgical operation for what the learned surgeons said was a case of strangulated hernia. The operation lasted the greater portion of two hours, and was performed with only a partial use of anæsthetics, as it was learned that the patient was not able to bear them to any extent. The operation was not an entirely successful one, as the patient did not rally from its effects, and on Monday his spirit took its flight. On Sunday afternoon Rev. Mr. Lewis, of Catskill, who had exchanged pulpits for the day with Rev. Mr. Schriver of the Wurts Street M. E. Church, was summoned to the bedside of the patient, and it is believed he died a firm believer in the truths of the Christian religion. His funeral will take place at the Wurts Street M. E. Church to-morrow and there will be Masonic funeral ceremonies at the grave, as the deceased was a member of Rondout Lodge No. 343, of this city. Mr. Underwood leaves a wife and grown up daughter to mourn his loss, and he was one of the most devoted of husbands and a loving parent.
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Tuesday 19" rainy and dismal again. Went to the dentists and called on Thompson at nearly 11 o'clock but he had not got to his studio. I hear he looks very badly. Fuller came with Mr. & Mrs. Sill. at 4 went to an Art Union meeting. We decided to discontinue the journal for the present. The debt has not increased and we discussed means of paying it, but came to no conclusion as it is not urgent. Birrtadt, Bristol and Shattuck were not present. In the evening the Newton trial proceeded at the Century. Hearn went through what seemed to me a total examination on the part of Vanderpoll who several of us thought was just a little "fou" He did not leave a favorable impression and I think Hearn bore himself well. The defense seems to me to be groping and are not familiar with the working of the club.

Wednesday 20. Fine cool weather. Began a picture 30 x 36 of a cliff in the Kaatskills from a sketch I made in 1859. Gertrude Tomkins came down from Rondout today and I took her to the Grand Opera house to see the "Rajah"

Thursday 21. Weather cold and bracing. The bodies of Delong and his companions in the Jeannelle Artic expedition have just arrived. I wonder if Delongs wife will see him and whether they have been frozen all this time. Painted on my picture. Julia and Gertrude came and later Julia Dillon. The Newton trial proceeded at the Century. They are managing their case badly and compelling us to feel that we as the board of management are on trial. I received from Mr. Gordon today a Fellowship in 

Transcription Notes:
Mary Gippers [?] - Gifford .