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the Roatina where I gave Park a swim. Poor Park is growing old too and he will not be a companion for a great while longer.  I used to take so much pleasure roaming over this region and get many of the subjects for my pictures there. But it has changed and I am changed and my enthusiasms are sobered and I have cares and sorrows that I had not then. A letter came from Joe from N.Y. enclosing a check for $82 to pay me a balance on the picture "Burning Christmas Greens" which he bought of me in 1872. I thought it had all been settled except $50 which he got from the Express Co. for the first picture which was burned on the train and which I replaced by another. Joe had never paid me that however and my minor conundrum of the transaction I had marked as paid and dismissed it from my thought. I wrote him a kind letter returning the check and telling him I considered it paid. I think Joe must be very unhappy. He is in N.Y. and apparently doing nothing for he wanted to go anywhere with me. I cannot leave now however and wrote him so. Laura, Mary, Sara and I sat in the parlor this evening and talked of those who are gone from this household with tears and with the aching sorrow that can never find words for its expression. I busied myself this afternoon gathering some of the pears which my dear mother always used to love to do.

Tuesday Aug. 26" 1884. It was raining this morning and still so cool that I put on my winter suit. It cleared in the forenoon however and I had to change my clothes as it grew warm. John McEntee sent up word by Girard that he would call for me at 1 oclock to go fishing out at Leggs Mills. Girard and IK. North were going along. We were to have gone with our turn to Cantines Bridge this morning but the rain persisted. We spent the afternoon at Leggs Mills John and I fishing above the dam and Girard and IK. below but the water was very roily from the rain and the fish would not bite. Got home about 7. Found letters from Denning, Alice and Jeanette. Jeanette spoke most tenderly of dear Gertrude and of their visit to me in the Story [[?]] years ago. She is a cheerful woman and takes life easily as most spiritualists seem to, looking forward to the future for the happiness and the satisfactions denied us here. I wrote Joe yesterday and sent the letter this morning. I hope he will not think I intended to be unkind as I did not. 

Wednesday 27". This has been a day of incident and excitement. I went down town with Girard and bought one of the torches used in political processions, to burn the worms nests in the trees. I also saw Wood and had a talk about the Turck notes, telling him I thought they could all be accounted for except the last $200 note. He said he would go to the bank and look it up and subsequently sent me word it had been paid and cancelled, presumably by Turck. I went to work at home burning out the caterpillars as it was a fine cool day. Mrs. Stringham came and we invited her to dinner. Presently Mary Waldo and Mrs Howard, Uncle Thomas' daughter came. After dinner Mary Gifford came on her way to the mountains to visit the Wheelers. My father and I went over to the school house to vote for Wm. Winter for trustee and when I returned I drove Mary Gifford up to the West Shore depot. There we met Julia come up from Pokeepsie to go with her and they went on together. I had a letter from Joe telling me he would be here Saturday to stay until Monday and this evening came another long letter returning the check he sent me and filled with misery and unhappiness. I do feel very sorry for him and if he comes here I hope I may be able to comfort him and make him feel better. Such a day as this is most trying to me. 

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