Viewing page 159 of 607

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

141

one connected with him. We will avoid all controversy about this matter and not attempt to oppose him. Mary and I came down by the morning train and I have been getting things ready to send up home on Thursday and getting my rooms in order. I am obliged to send my Franklin up home and get a stove which grieves me, for I will miss my open wood fire. It is not practical now since I have no bedroom fire. All my thoughts are about our affairs and I do not feel like painting. I am going to try to sell our place for that would give me some peace and rest and my father is ready and anxious to do it.

Tuesday Dec. 9" 1884. I commenced a little picture 15 X 18 but I seem to have no ideas and my work is not interesting to me. I suppose I have been in just this state before but it alarms me as if it were the premonition of failing powers. Downing came in and spent an hour with me and we talked about selling our place which we are all agreed is the thing to labor for. He had hardly got away when Sam Coykendall came. I think he came expecting to have me broach the subject which I did after a little. He proposed that his wife did not want to go on the hill but I saw that that would not be in the way. I told him we were making an effort to sell and advised him to buy it as eminently adapted to his needs and said we would sell at a reasonable price and told him how much land we proposed to sell. I told him he would regret it if someone else bought it as it was a valuable place and the only one in Rondout. He showed I think that he would like it and said he would talk with his wife and see me again. I do not know how to talk with these sharp business men but I have always believed that the best diplomacy was frankness and I relied on that. Told him why we wanted to sell, that it was too large and too much care and expense and that we wanted to live in my smaller house. I am afraid he will be inclined to wait thinking we will be obliged to sell before long and that then he will get it at his own price but at least I have opened the subject and now it remains to be seen what will come of it. I wrote to Sara about my interview with him

Wednesday 10" Went down to Water St. this morning and bought a stove called the "Hub Art Stove" for which I paid $32. I think it a very nice one but I deeply regret having to dispense with my open wood fire. When I got back I went to work at the brook scene I painted last spring called "Midsummer" and have entirely changed it. I feel encouraged about it and hope to make a good picture of it. How much better I feel when I am at work and accomplishing something. The future looks brighter and I can think of my work and not my worries

Thursday 11" My cheerful old Franklin was taken out of my studio and sent up to Rondout with some other things this morning. I shall miss it very much and never expect to be so comfortable here again. The new stove was to be here at 11 o clock but as it had not arrived at 2 I sent a messenger to tell them to send it up at once. It came about 4 o'clock but I had to look for a means to put it up which took some time and I did not start a fire in it until 6. I cant tell how it is going to burn but I fear not very well. Major MacKinnon called this afternoon but it was cold in my room the stove not having arrived. Wrote to Miss Nesmith and spent the evening in my studio.

Transcription Notes:
---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-04-27 16:51:07 ---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-04-30 19:39:50 ---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-05-02 .11:41:15