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Friday April 4, 1884. Bright and cold with wind brisk from N.W. Not a very enticing day for a mountain ramble, still I had my breakfast at 7 and went over to the Pa. R.R. depot where I met our party consisting of Mrs. Prychonska, her daughter, Edith Cook, Eugene, Miss Barstow, Miss Skelding, Mr. Matthews and Mr Sargent from Boston and Mr. Thompson from Brooklyn. The wind blew a gale and as the train sped along we noticed the distant hill tops were covered with snow. We called it a party of Pneumoniacs going Dunderbergling. We got out at Caldwells and immediately began the ascent of the Dunderberg. Soon came to snow and on the top found it six inches deep. Went along the whole crest though snow and among the brush the wind nearly taking our hair off. Finally we struck a wood road which we followed down the mountain to "Doodletown" where we ate our lunch behind a big rock, after which we followed the road around the point of the Dunderberg back to Caldwells where we had to wait three and a half hours for the train. We reached the city at a little after 8 our feet were soaking wet. In spite of all the disadvantages we had an enjoyable day. I came to my room and changed my shoes and stockings and went up to the club where I had some supper

[[newspaper clipping]]
BIRNEY——On Tuesday, April 1, of pneumonia, Mary Deuel Birney, wife of the late Captain James G. Birney, U. S. A.
Funeral service at her late residence, No. 100 East 17th-st. on Friday, April 4, at 11 o'clock a.m.
Relatives and friends are invited,
Interment at Greenwood Cemetery.
[[/newspaper clipping]]

Saturday 5" Edith Cook, Mr. Sargent and Mr. Matthews called. The weather is as cold as yesterday. I went home by 3.40 train. After supper we all went down to John McEntee's and spent the evening.

Sunday 6 The mountains white with snow and looking as wintry as at any time during the winter. I walked over to the cemetery. There were some flowers on my mothers grave which Sara put there on my fathers birth day. I thought so sadly of her and Maurice and Gertrude all with us only a short time ago. When I came home I looked over some old letters I found in a book last summer. They made me feel very sad and indeed whenever I go home there is so much to remind me of the beloved dead that I have all I can do to keep cheerful.

Monday 7. Came down to town by the 7.40 train. The first thing which greeted me was my little picture which Conkey bought for the Elmira Female School, returned. The Janitor said he was to see me or write to me Not a single paper, so far as I have seen has alluded to my pictures in the Academy or mentioned my name as an exhibitor except that the Freeman had an extract from some paper, the name not mentioned, speaking favorably of my "Yellow Woods" The Tribune man never mentions my name and as for the rest of the scribblers they only know what they call the new men. I feel a sense of discouragement today but it will pass off. Went over to Marys for lunch as I had a letter from Julia to deliver. A great fire was raging in the St. George Apartment House in 17th St, which was destroyed. Went to the Academy not in a pleasant mood. Somehow my picture which is hung in the North room did not look well to me. The exhibition seemed to lack in ideas in the picture. I notice a growth of the pernicious doctrine of "Art for Arts sake" and a stirring for outsider qualities, but then I was not felling happy and that probably colored my estimation of the pictures. Dined at Eastmans with Miss Mullany, Rouse and Mr. Hague a geologist who is going to be in the Yellowstone Park this year as he was last.

Tuesday 8. Thought I would paint today but did not get a chance. The Gordon reception business breaks in on my time. Marion with Miss Hamilton and Miss Hutchinson called and afterwards, Mrs Eastman Johnson, Miss Mulling and Ethel. Attended a meeting of

Transcription Notes:
---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-04-27 23:14:41 ---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-04-28 07:30:47 The Dunderberg was an ironclad ship Doodletown, NY - is a small hamlet in NY Caldwell is the actual name of the village, not Caldwells. It is in the Lake George area.