Viewing page 289 of 607

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

275

Friday Jan. 15" 1886. Worked on my large picture and improved it. I am growing anxious about affairs. I hear nothing from Detroit and cannot imagine why. Attended the French class in the evening but left early to go to the Union League Club to see the annual display of expensive foreign pictures which is always talked of as being insured for so many hundred thousand dollars, this time thrice hundred thousand. It was an interesting exhibit. Two fine Troyons, a Millet, two fine Lefebvres, Ricco, Passini very careful and good, William Bouguereaus Charity and After the bath, Mussomers, Rousseaus Diez &c &c. with a Bastien Lepage with his fine feeling united to ugliness and prominence of ugly surroundings

Saturday 16" To the dentists directly after breakfast for a short time then to 42" St near 7" Av. to look at a piece of property for sale The Methodist Old Ladies Home" with reference to a site for the Century. Then down to Dr Bellows' church to attend the funeral of Mrs. Carnes, Mrs. Churchs mother. I saw Mrs. Church come in with Freddie then Louis and Winnie and "[[D?]]". I thought of the days we were in Europe together and the many confidential talks we had together, Mrs. Carnes having been a life long Unitarian. When the choir sang "Lead Kindly light" my dear Gertrudes voice rang out to me from the vanished years and touched my heart with the memories linked with her who lay asleep in her coffin before me and I feel that it is indeed better to go to the house of mourning than to the house of feasting, better for our sympathies and our tenderer natures. I wrote to Mrs. Church after I returned to my room. At 3 o'clock Julia Dillon came for me by appointment and we went to Mrs. Taslers reception to Fanny Lee. Coming from there we called on Annie Norton and found Freds sister, Mrs Curtis there. I dined at Platts with Collins, Col & Mrs Waring, Dick and Lizzie who has grown into a very pretty young woman. Mrs. Waring has grown enormously stout and the Col, bald and so we all grow older. We had a very agreeable, informal time and afterward we went around to the club where I remained until 12 oclock. 

Sunday 17" Went home by the 9.30 train. It was a bright and lovely winter day and I greatly enjoyed the beauty of the winter landscape. I saw a beautiful effect just after leaving Newburgh looking back toward the Highlands. People were skating on the river at Haverstraw and Ice boats were seen every where above Newburgh. Tom met me with the sleight although there is little sleighing. Found my father looking better than usual. Had a very nice letter from Dr Sawyer. In the evening Sara and I called on the Cantines and afterward on Nannie. John had gone to N.Y. Gertrude Tremper is visiting there. We had a cup of tea and a chat about the dinner at Genl. Sharps.

Monday 18" A charming winter day. About 3 o'clock after I had written to Mary Gifford and to Lucy Sara and I had Tom drive us up to Kingston in the wagon and we called upon Mrs. Kate Davis whom I have not seen in many years. We saw there a very good portrait of her mother by the elder Vanderlyn. From there we went to call upon Mrs. Sickles and her daughter Mrs. Hess. Mrs. H. was away from home and Mrs. Sickles was lying down but she insisted upon seeing us and we had a very interesting call upon her. Mrs. Davis told us she had passed her 89" year and she is still vivacious and entertaining. I had never met her before but she knew Gertrude who often called upon her. We saw here a portrait of Mr. Sickles by Vanderlyn. Then we went to call upon Mrs. Fitch who was out. Then to Mrs. Clearwaters who was ill and then home, where we had dinner and after reading the Freeman to my father I came    

Transcription Notes:
Constant Troyon, French painter Diez - Wilhelm von Diez, German painter