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trying to keep things in any thing like decent order. I meant to have gone to the 20'' Regiment reunion today at Pokeepsie but I had to see to the repairing of this root cellar. John McEntee went and Girard also I believe. It has not been a favorable day for the Bartholdi Statue inauguration but it was a very distinguished occasion in spite of the weather. The President and his cabinet were there and there was great enthusiasm according to the report this evening. It is raining now as I am about to go to bed. I had a letter from Genl. Jake Sharpe today and one from Miss Nesmith. 
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Friday Oct. 29" 1886. Grey and rainy at intervals. I discovered this morning that the beam supporting the roof of the root cellar was weak and torn and I spent most of the forenoon putting a new one in, a very dirty and disagreeable job. Such work is becoming more and more irksome to me and it seems my lot to have more and more of it to do. This afternoon I made a sketch from the parlor window to try to get some of the lovely color. We all went over to Girards and spent the evening- John, Lucy, Mary, Sara and I. Jamie came up from Highland Falls this evening to stay until Monday.

Saturday 30" Dark and rainy at intervals and has rained all evening Tom carried the apples in the cellar and there have been hordes of children here to pick up what still lay under the trees. Parks house was also brought up in anticipation of the winter. Boys from the school house tormented me by tearing boards from the fences to get into the orchard. I have got some of their names and today wrote a note to the principal to send to him on Monday. A lot of them got over the fence today and when they saw me ran a short distance and defied me. I knew they would be back and going around by the side hill I found them all back in the orchard and got among them before they discovered me. I caught one of them, a handsome boy, but I spanked him and boxed his ears well and boosted him over the fence - but I regret now that I did it. I dislike to be savage towards boys and would willingly give them all the apples they want, only they tear the fences to pieces and are a constant annoyance to me. I believe I wont chase them again but try and submit.- I had a short but most cordial note from Booth today from Cleveland. I think he believes in my regard for him in spite of the strains to which our friendship has been submitted. He goes to N.Y. to begin a four weeks engagement on Monday.    

Sunday 31." October is gone and I have got but little from that time of the year which was always so full of repose for me. I find myself torn with anxieties, dissatisfied most with myself and of little comfort to any one else. Am I to lapse into a morose and gloomy man or is there some reasonable road to greater content and serenity. I went in to see my father today. He sat in his chair almost oblivious to all about him. I asked him if he was ever lonely and he said sometimes he was. I told him I was too and he said it would not be a great while before we were all on the other side and strangers would be living here. He feels sad over Lucys going away and thinks he will never see her again but I told him she was not going so far this time which seemed to cheer him. It makes me sad to see how nearly all earthly interests cease to touch him and yet at times he shows this is not absolutely the case. John McEntee called just as he was going to retire and he regretted he could not see him. Mary and I walked down to Johns just before tea and saw Aunt Christina. John had gone out but he came up and spent the evening with us. It was raining this morning and has been unsettled all day until towards evening when it cleared. I wrote to Weir and commenced a letter to Booth but thought I might see him in N.Y. The time of Lucys departure draws near and we all dread it and the loneliness which will follow. Mary goes tomorrow. Girard, Mary and Jimmy were here at dinner today.

Monday November 1"
Andrews went to N.Y. by the 6.10 train and returned this evening. Mary went home to N.Y. and Jamie to his school at [[underlined]]Highland Falls[[/underlined]] by the 11.55 train. Jamie felt very forlorn at parting with his mother and we all felt badly. I felt sorry for Jamie remembering how homesick I used to be going back to School and thinking what changes may come before we all get together again. At noon I went up to talk with Dick Van Gaasbeck about grading Chester St. He was just going away and I had only a brief conversation with him. He is to be at the Common Council meeting next 

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