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[[newspaper clipping]]
Post Aug 23" 1866. 
DEATH OF JOHN H. PLATT.

Mr. John H. Platt, of the law firm of Hutchins & Platt of this city, died at South Manchester, Conn, on Saturday, of malarial fever.

Mr. Platt was born at Rhinebeck, N.Y., and was fifty-nine years of age. When about twenty years old he came to this city and began the study of law with Augustus Schell and Judge John Slawson of the Superior Court. He was graduated a few years later from Union College. He was one of the founders of the Bar Association of this city, and in 1871 was appointed as a general assignee in bankruptcy. He was a member of the Union League Club and the St. Nicholas Club, and was Secretary of the Century Club. He was one of the executors of the will of William Cullen Bryant, and has had the management of many other important trusts. He was one of the trustees of THE EVENING POST. He leaves a wife and five children, four sons and one daughter. One of his sons, Charles A. Platt, is married to a daughter of the late Richard M. Hoe, and is a well-known etcher. Another, John Cheney Platt, is a member of the firm of Louis A. Tiffany & Co. Mr. Platt fell about six weeks ago and fractured his collar-bone, but had almost completely recovered from this injury when stricken down with the fever that resulted in his death. The last prominent suit with which he was connected was the litigation growing out of the robbery of the Manhattan Savings Institution. He took no part in public life, but was very widely known and highly respected. His reputation as a lawyer was very high and his integrity was unimpeachable. His personal friends were very many, and the intelligence of his death will be received with deep sorrow. [[/newspaper clipping]]

Tuesday Aug. 24" 1886. Tom and I have been at work all day on the kitchen drain which got clogged and has to be dug up, a most disagreeable job. I am getting too old to do these things as I once was willing to, and I should like to be released from the necessity of doing them. I had a letter from Janette wanting our permission for Sara to stay until Saturday. Sara will have received my letter in which I advise her to stay, although in a postscript to Janettes letter she says she will be home Thursday. I have been too busy today to be worried which shows that even cleaning out drains has its compensations.
[[left margin]] Cool and comfortable [[/left margin]]

Monday 25" Began the day with a feeling of discouragement. Tom asked me for some money and I was obliged to tell him I could not let him have it at present. I felt despairing and worked myself into a state of absolute misery. I seriously thought of going down to see Cuykendall and selling our place to him if possible for I feel that this lack of money will kill me. I am about as miserable as one can well be - A letter came from Sara this morning saying she had received my letter and now would not come home until Saturday. I wrote a letter of Condolence to Mrs. Platt but could not half express my sorrow for her loss. I also wrote to Weir. Calvert came up by the Powell looking jaded and anxious.
[[left margin]] Warm but not hot. Wind N. [[/left margin]]

Thursday 26". The first thing I did this morning was to go down on the side hill and mend the fence. It was very hot and so the steep slipping side hill was very hard work for me. Mrs. Treat nee Mary Kirchner came before tea and remained to tea and some time after. Meanwhile Lucy has gone down to call on Mrs. Cuykendall and made a long call. She learned that they had no idea of buying our place except once when the Major threatened to sell building lots on Wurts St. along their place, and she represented that they were getting on harmoniously now. I think that is the real state of the case. She does not want to leave there and will not if it is possible to remain and so goes my hope of relief in the sale of the place to him. Although I feared some such result from Lucy's visit I confess a feeling of despair swept over me for now I see no way out of our entanglements. I will try to subsist but I fear our property will fade away from our sheer inability to hold it. I have done my best and contributed every cent I could earn to save it but it begins to seem as though I could go not much farther.
[[left margin]] Very hot and close. [[/left margin]]

Friday 27. Did not go to bed until midnight last night waiting for Jamie who was out and took the key of the back door but failed to lock the door. I awoke about 3 o'clock from the blowing of some [[?]] whistle which sounds loud and long about that hour every day, and could not get to sleep again. Unutterable anguish rocked me, a feeling of despair and deep dejection from which I have hardly rallied today. Still after breakfast I went over to my studio and determined to get to work if possible. I worked on my twilight picture and I think helped it. Lucy, Mary and Andrews went over and saw it and were greatly pleased with it and later Calvert also who thought it excellent. Now I mean to try to get interested in my work and let other things go for by that I stand or fall. I must not lose my interest in my painting. It is very dry and today has been hot, Depressing weather to me  [[left margin]] Hot and dry [[/left margin]]

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---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-05-11 17:37:38