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no longer interest them as I once did. I came away with rather a dissatisfied feeling with myself that I am unable to make myself agreeable in a promiscuous company. I presume it will end in my staying at home altogether. Dear Gertrude used to be quite a comfort to me in being interested in people and able to interest them. I wish I knew how to be affable. This Mr. Cummins (or Cummings) whose obituary I cut from the Sun, was in Rondout recruiting for the Mexican War and I knew him at the Mansion House.

Saturday March 29" 1884. Went home by 3.40 train. Snow all gone and the weather mild.

Sunday 30. Wind blowing a gale from N.W. and as cold as midwinter. The robins are about and last night I heard the newts piping in the swamp along the railroad. Staid at home all day except to go over to Girards. Put some glass in the hotbed frame which I found Tom had not attended to. My father is too old now to direct much but he seems very well and very cheerful.

Monday 31. Still very cold. Came down by 7.40 train and found it quite as cold in the city as at home. Busy with the Gordon reception. A nice note from Mr. Gordon greatly appreciating what is being done. A note from Geo. Wm Curtis sending his contribution to the Gordon Reception and speaking of my mother a notice of whose death he had seen, with kind messages to my father and most pleasant recollections of our house and trusting my "wife had not entirely forgotten him". So little we know of each other's losses and sorrows. I wrote him a kind note in reply. Went to the club in the evening.

Tuesday April 1" 1884.
Constant interruptions and busied with the Gordon affair but managed to paint on my picture in the afternoon. Went to the club. Holyoke talked in an enigmatical way about the decision in the Newton case. I thought he was pumping me and finally told him with some warmth I would not be questioned in the subject. He tried to explain that he was satisfied with the decision but that many of Newton's friends are not. George Booth has resigned from the club for which many are glad. I am sure I am.

Wednesday Apl 2. A miserable day with rain and snow. Painted on my picture but it was too dark to work with profit. John Weir came in and spent an hour with me. Eastman telegraphed me to come up to dinner which I did and found Nellie and Mary there they having come in to Reubens funeral. Eastman took me up in his studio and showed me chalk drawings of Booth and Edwina. They had been there today. Booth asked Eastman when he had seen me. He said he had not been to my studio in a long time. I told Eastman confidentially the relations which existed between us and that I hoped time would bring it about right again. He was surprised and regretted it greatly and thought as I do that our friendship should not have been touched. We came down to the annual meeting of the Art Union. Bad as the night was there were forty members present and great harmony prevailed in all the discussions. We passed a resolution assessing the members two dollars for which we gave them a share of stock.

Thursday 3. The weather was so dubious this morning that I did not go to Jersey City to join the excursion to the Dunderbergh. At breakfast Mary told me that Mrs. Birney died suddenly from pneumonia on Tuesday. She was there on Sunday apparently well.

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