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365

common place and uninteresting today, showing that it is not locality but a happy combination of reality with other conditions which goes to make up the picturesque. I came home through Ludlows woods and reached home very healthily tired after walking about three hours. I sat before the fire and read the paper until dinner at 5 which I had a most excellent appetite for. I ordered a sign made today to put up near the Toboggan home to advertise the Chester St. lots as numbers of people go there now to see the construction of the slide.

Tuesday 21" Dec. 1886. Sara and I drove to Kingston to do some errands and to see Miss Forsyth about having Mr. Brace come here to be entertained tomorrow when he comes to attend the 10" anniversary of the Industrial Home and arranged that we take him. I left Sara at home on my return and drove down town. The sleighing is capital and the streets thronged with sleighs both in Kingston and Rondout. I got a note from Bray telling me he would reverse my note coming due the 27" which takes off so much pressure. The sign for the Chester St. lots was finished and I sent Tom down after it intending to paint the letters today but it was not dry enough. I am anxious to get it up as many people are going there now. I went to my studio at noon and worked until after 3 finishing the little interior but began no new one. I wrote the titles on the back of most of the little sketches.

Wednesday 22. A pretty busy day. This morning I drove to Rondout and up to Kingston to do many errands and at noon went over to my studio and went to work upon the sign for Chester St which I did not quite finish at half past 4 when I came over to my room to dress in order to e ready to receive Mr. Brace when he came. Miss Forsyth brought him here just before I was ready to go down but Sara received him and I went down shortly after. He seemed delighted with the house and the place and wondered he had never heard more about it. We had dinner at 5 and at 7.15 Tom drove him, Sara and me up to the Academy of Music where the exercises of the celebration of the 10" Anniversary of the Home took place. There was a large audience. he spoke in a very interesting manner. A Mr. Faine of St. Johns Guild also spoke as did Clearwater. There were exercises by the children, singing by the Kingston Academy Glee Club and music by Goellers band. We got home a little after 10, had a little supper, some cherry bounce a cigar and went to bed at 11.30.

Thursday 23. We awoke to a magnificent winter morning. A mist had frozen on the branches and the sun shone through a brilliant haze. After breakfast I took Mr. Brace out for a drive. We went around by the Alms House, through Kingston and to the West Shore Station in time for him to take the 10.45 train for Kaatskill. He evidently had enjoyed his little visit as we did and seemed to be much impressed with the charms of our place as well as the surrounding country. I drove down to Rondout and returned home when Sara and I went to work to get a box of Xmas things ready for Mrs. Weir and another for Dr. Sawyer. In the Weirs we put pears, Spitzenburgh apples, Walnuts, a box of honey, a box of Molasses Candy of various sorts a box of crollers and a little bottle of Cherry Bounce. We put about the same things in the College Hill box and when they were all ready and marked I drove down to the Express office with them and paid the charges 75C on each. Sara also sent a little box by mail to Janette & Mrs Warren and a little scarf to Katie S[[?]]. I received a rather amusing letter from Dr. Taylor. When I returned I went over to my studio and completed the sign which I hope to put up tomorrow. Tonight it is snowing and a cold wave is predicted. 

Friday 24" Down town to the mail. A letter from Bowyer and my felt hat he got for me. Christmas presents for Sara from Alice and from Susie Perlman. Winters "England of Shakespeare" for me from Alice 

Transcription Notes:
Cherry Bounce is a type of liqueur