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Monday July 20" 1885. Took my father to Kingston after doing some errands down town. We both remarked the activity and the prosperous look of the place, people building, repairing and painting. I sent the braid for his hats by express to Mr. Dunlap today, one of them to be made for me. We were invited down to Johns this evening. Sara, Mary, Alice, Monroe and I went and found there Miss Shufeldt, Esther and her two daughters and Miss Forsyth & Annie Lee. It has been a hot day.

Tuesday 21" This has been our hottest day thus far with a strong South wind. I have done little but try to keep cool. Annie Lee and Nannie came up this forenoon and I showed Annie Lee how to braid birch bark. I took Sara to the 7.40 train this morning on her way to meet Miss Reed (Fanny Stringham) at Quogue L.I. Julia Vaux Donaldson came this evening by the Powell. She saw Sara in N.Y. pretty hot from some shopping. The cows with their calves are a great nuisance Just now the old cow is making night hideous with her bawling and tomorrow something must be done to abate the nuisance.

Wednesday 22 A rumpus with the stupid cows and calves this morning in which I got heated, exasperated and exhausted. Tom finally made a pen for the calves in the wood-shed and peace reigns for the present. One of the cows bawled all last night and made herself a nuisance to the whole community. Went over to my studio after dinner and tried a starry effect I saw last night but with poor success. It was very hot over there and the flies were exasperating. Mrs. Willis and Mrs. Heim her sister-in-law an invalid called in a carriage. Mrs. Heim who is going away in a day or two wanted to see my picture and I went over to my studio with her and showed it to her. She was here the fall Downing and I came from our camp and saw my studies. We are having a succession of beautiful and brilliant twilights and the moonlight this evening was charming. We had a shower yesterday and the lightning struck a tree on the side hill, the Freeman of this evening said, down near Holmes St. Genl. Grant is very low and we are expecting to hear of his death at any moment.

Thursday 23" Genl. Grant died peacefully this morning about 8 o'clock and it was known almost instantly over the whole earth. For integrity of character, fidelity, self control, sincerity and simplicity of purpose, to my mind the greatest man of modern times. I learned step by step thoroughly to believe in him and all the clamor of political adversaries and the cruel criticisms of those who were once his friends never for a moment shook my faith in the fundamental integrity of his character. I think one universal feeling of sorrow possesses the whole nation and a sympathy and adoration for his heroic bearing under suffering which is unprecedented. Mary is ill today and this evening we called Dr. Chalker to see her and little Gertrude. We were all over at Girard's this evening and John, Nannie, Annie Lee and Esther also. The moonlight evenings are glorious. We had a ride this forenoon down town around by the river road and back through Kingston taking my father, Julia, Alice and little Gertrude.

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