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of dear Gertrude I began long ago. It was warmer Friday and thawed a little so that the Toboggan slide was not used tonight. I wrote to Joe Warren.

Thursday Jan. 13" 1887. After walking down to the mail where I got a letter from Mary I went to my studio and worked the rest of the day on the portrait of dear Gertrude. It seems to bring me nearer to her to thus try to reproduce my mimicry of her dear personality. Sara had been down to see Nannie and found her in a very discouraging state. I am afraid she is in a very precarious condition. I have been thinking of various ways to get money to pay our taxes while I am waiting to get some returns from the little pictures. I finally concluded I would write to Fuller and tell him what I want and say that I would rather sell one of my pictures at a low price than to borrow and if he could let me have four hundred dollars he might take any of the pictures now in my studio and I would make the price to his satisfaction, which I have done and at the same time sent him my card to admit him to my studio, or if he did not want any of the pictures to take one of them until I could refund the money. I also told him of the picture "Funeral of a Veteran" which I have been painting. I dislike awfully to do such things but I have to do what I can. If I hadnt property behind me in borrowing I would give up and never do it. I wrote to Wilmurt ordering a frame for my picture.

Friday 14" Six or seven inches of snow fell in the night and today we have had sleet and rain. There is a great body of snow on the ground now and I had Tom remove some of it from the stable and barn roofs for fear it might crush them. I walked down to the mail and received a letter from Downing saying he could not come up now. Not a word about the little pictures from any one. I begin to think the scheme I hoped so much from will be a failure as I have no money to advertise more. I sent my letter to Fuller today. I went to my studio but did not do much. I begin to be a little anxious and worried and when I feel that way I cannot work.

Saturday 15" Walked down to the mail and got a letter from Bonyer. He could not come up today as he is very busy. Says a lady wants a little picture and wants me to send him four or five. Says he has faith in our venture and thinks it is not time yet for the advertisement to have effect. Went over to my studio and painted on the picture with the large sycamore tree a study of which I made last fall at Arkville. I am beginning to feel that I will have to go to New York before long but shall wait to hear about the studio. It has been mild today but tonight is colder with the wind N.W.

Sunday 16" It has been a perfect winter day, sunny and mild. I have felt the need of exercise but the snow is so deep and the walking so slippery it is difficult to get about. I wrote to Van Derlip asking for a settlement and understanding of our transactions, to Vint of Albany to return my water color, to Hann and Ives of Detroit to return my little picture of Paestum, which are all the pictures I have out, to Bonyer also answering his letter received yesterday. I also wrote a little in a letter Sara sent to Julia McKinnon and Mary Gifford. I am contemplating going to N.Y. before long and with no great ardor.
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Monday 17. It snowed this forenoon and then turned to rain with the promise of the approach of a cold wave. I awoke with a headache but walked down to the mail. Recd a letter from Major McKinnon inquiring how best to proceed to sell Sanfords Claverack Creek belonging to Mrs. Bryan neé Molly Gifford and I have written him. Have been at work in my studio until it grew too dark to see on account of the fog. The storm has cleared and tonight the wind is howling. I was shocked today to hear of the death yesterday of Mrs. Kate Davis. She was discovered insensible at her door one day last week where she had fallen. She called here only a few days before and seemed in excellent health. It makes me feel the uncertain tenure of life to note these sudden departures. 

Transcription Notes:
05/11 first FULL pass complete. One [?] remains. An Indian Summer Day On Claverack Creek Sanford Robinson Gifford American 1877–79 ---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-05-14 15:59:38 .