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about it all which made it very satisfactory. They had in the act representing an Indian attack upon a stagecoach, the identical stage coach which originally ran from Cheyenne to Deadwood and which had literally been baptized with fire and blood. It was driven by a man who was a contemporary of "Hawk Monk" a famous plains driver. Old Rice (I think was his name) the scout who first piloted Brigham Young to Salt Lake, rode outside and a man who had frequently performed the real service rode on horseback as outrider. It was all historic, dramatic and most interesting. We came home in company with Bierstadt whom we met there. He tried to find "Buffalo Bill" to introduce us to him. He says he keeps his sketch box down there and goes down nearly every day to make sketches as he is painting a buffalo hunt. I dined at Marys with her, Calvert, and Downing. About 10 o'clock I went around to the century as Bierstadt and Eastman said they would come there. Bierstadt came but Eastman did not. Saw Perry, Bradford and Maynard and Mr. Hayward. Did not go to my room until midnight

Wednesday June 20" 1888 Breakfasted with Mary and Calvert. She told me yesterday was Gussies birthday which I had forgotten. It was a comfortable morning. I came home by the 11:30 train which I barely reached as I went downtown to make a purchase. I wanted to come up by the Powell but I had nothing to do and no place to go to and felt adrift. It is a lonely feeling to be in New York with nothing to do and alone. I have had a pleasant but it has stimulated my desire to travel and if I could afford it I would go west.

Thursday 21" Warm. Went downtown and afterwards worked on my mothers portrait at my studio. I cannot make it look like her and am discouraged about my painting. Sara and I called on Mr. Laster and his new wife but they had gone to church. Went over to Mrs. Phillips' with her.

Friday 22. How fast the time goes and how little I accomplish. The year is actually on the move again and the days will grow shorter henceforth. I went to Rondout and thence to Kingston to secure seats for the Philharmonic concert on Monday evening. Sam Coykendall invited me to go to the opening of the "Fox and bear inn" near Tannersville in the first week of July. It is their scheme for a colony near Thurbers. I dont know whether Sara and I will go or not. I fixed the cellar door but it is too hot to do anything. The work of Chester St. is going on. I hope I will sell something to pay assessments. Peter Schuman[[?]] also spoke to me about a lot and Girard had an inquiry for a lot at the foot of the side hill opposite Canfields, but these inquiries do not amount to much. It is difficult to sell anything here. I wish we could sell everything and go away. It is beginning to be melancholy to me here.

Saturday 23" Bonyer [[Bouyer?]] and his fianceé Miss Chipp spent the day coming down from Kingston to breakfast. A warm day.

Sunday 24" Very warm. I wrote Lucy a long letter and also one to Mary Gifford. While I was writing to Lucy, just before noon there was an explosion as of one of the big firecrackers followed by a regular volley. I wondered who was making all this noise on Sunday when the fire bells began to ring. Looking out a cloud of smoke arose apparently in the vicinity of the Mansion House. Girards boys ran down and when they returned reported that Rice's variety store had taken fire, with a lot of fireworks in it. His old mother nearly 90 was either suffocated or frightened to death. Adjoining buildings and stocks 

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