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Tuesday Sept. 14" 1886. The wind has blown from the South all day with an effect upon me like Sirocco in Rome, disturbing and unquieting me. I did not feel like going to my Studio and spent the forenoon in idle brooding. After dinner Sam and I with Tom to drive went to Kingston to attend the meeting of the Holland Society, in the Dutch Church. Genl Sharpe delivered an address and Judge Hooper Van Vorst presided. A number of distinguished men were present, among them John Jay, Judge Rumell, Judge Vanderpool, with whom I talked and others. Sam Coykendall introduced me to Judge Rumell and I found he knew me as an artist and he is the chairman of the Art Committee of the Union League club. After the services we looked at the Dutch antiquities and relics and spoke with many people. We then went around to the old Senate house and went through it, Mr and Mrs. Marius Schoonmaker having thrown it open for inspection. They have quantities of interesting things in the way of antique furniture &c and the house is most interesting and much greater in extent than I imagined. My father lived there when he first came to Kingston and there his first wife died. Genl Sharpe introduced me here to Judge Barnard his brother=in=law who was an early friend of Church. From here we drove down to the Fair St. Station where a special train was waiting to tke the Society up to the Katterskill Hotel where they are to dine and pass the night returning to N.Y. tomorrow. The meeting seems to have been a most satisfactory and interesting one. We drove down and called on the Ludlums and Mrs. Tolles who is stopping a day or two with them. We also saw Helen lying upon her couch but looking very well. She spoke feelingly of dear Gertrude as the one person it was always a pleasure for her to meet. I feel better for this little episode which Sara was obliged to urge upon me. 
[[left margin]] Holland Society. [[/left margin]]

Wednesday 15" Cool, comfortable day with N. wind. I got the hose directly after breakfast and spent the forenoon filling again the bathroom cistern. There were indications of rain this evening but it is warmer and I fear the drought will continue. Jamie went off to his school at Highland Falls by the noon train. He did not want any one to go with him and Sedgwick drove him and his trunk up to the train with the buck board. Jamie felt badly when he left as we all did. To him it is the beginning of his separation from home and practical life is about opening for him. He will be homesick for he is of the homesick kind, and I felt great sympathy for him as he drove off, remembering how I used to feel when I went away to school. My father came down before dinner and sat on the porch, but he is very feeble and moves with the greatest difficulty. I think he grows gradually more feeble and I look to the future with sorrow and apprehension. The time will soon come for Lucy and Andrews to leave and I shall be obliged to go to N.Y. and leave Sara here with my father. It all seems very sad and I look only to anxiety and sadness. I wish I could be hopeful but I see little to make me cheerful. The Freeman this evening had a full account of the dinner and speeches of the Holland Society at the Hotel Kaaterskill last night. They seem to have had a satisfactory and interesting time. All this will call attention to the historical interest of our town and I trust result in preserving the historical records and traditions of the settlers. Lucy and I talked of the dear ones who have gone from us and particularly of Gussie as we were on the back porch and looked over to the little house where she lived and struggled with her trials and sorrows. This place is full of sadness to me in these anxious days. I had a short letter from Downing from Lake Placid and 

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---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-05-12 22:12:28 .