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502

Saturday Sept. 1" 1888.
It rained most of the night. On looking at the barn roof which I painted yesterday forenoon, I find most of it was washed off and it will have to be done over. It has however been a good thing for my strawberry bed. I spent the greater part of the forenoon copying a letter I wrote to Dr. Pellin in Feb. 1853 giving him an account of my trip to Balsam lake. Joseph Dubins whom I met yesterday spoke to me about it and I told him I could find it I would send it to him. The summer is g one and I feel no more settled than at its commencement. Sara and I have finally decided to remain here for the winter. I have tried to busy myself in doing some masonry work about the place such as the painting the roof and the sash. I see much more that ought to be done, while my own little house g rows shabbier and shabbier each day. I feel little heart in doing anything here in view of the changes which must soon take place. I fear I shall never feel settled again but I try not to think of it more than I can help for it makes me very unhappy. Sara had a letter from Lucy today with discouraging accounts of Gertrude Tomkins who has been spending the summer with her at Fort Bridger. She was greatly improved the fore part of the summer but is now so poorly that Lucy is alarmed about her and fears she may not be able to endure the journey home. We are in the midst of the melon season and for ten days past have had an abundance of the most delicious muskmelons from our garden. We have just begun with watermelons having had two large and delicious ones. The garden has done very well this summer.

Sunday 2" The wind is N. today and the temperature delightful with a decidedly autumnal feeling. Girard and I went over to Chester St. to see the progress of the grading. It is practically done with the exception of a mass of rock on the Walker property. We have had notice to curb our property. We stopped in to see Griffiths house which is enclosed and the floors being laid. Girard told me that Richard Van Grosbeck had asked John McEntee if he knew of any place which would suit Mrs. Rimer for a residence and he replied he did, and mentioned our place. Richard said the Ludlums place had been spoken of. Girard has been to see Teller her son-in-law who told him she would not buy unless she could sell her place in Kingston but he recommended him to take this as a new possibility that none of us had thought of and I should think with the proper management it might be sold to her. Sara went down to see Mrs. Cornell who was glad to see her and had her come to her room. She found her much improved and quite cheerful and had recovered in some degree from her stroke of paralysis. She and I went down to John McEntee in the evening. I saw Nannie for a few minutes. She seems perfectly sane but very melancholy. Sara advised her to go back to Middletown for a while and she seems to be considering it. I wrote to Lucy.

Monday 3" Sara went to Boston this morning via West Shore Road to Albany. She left by the 7 o'clock train and as she has an hour in Albany will get her breakfast there. I finished Lucys letter and took it down to the office before breakfast. Painted on the barn roof all forenoon. This afternoon made a gallon of "Cherry juice. The weather is threatening and I fear my work on the roof is to be ruined again.

Tuesday 4" Finished the barn roof this morning and painted the three piazza roofs of the house. Fine autumnal weather but this evening there are indications of rain. Am reading Allans life of Sir Walter Scott and rereading Merimees "lettres à une inconnue"

Wednesday 5" Like an October day with a N. wind. I put in two panes of glass in the stable which some boys had broken. Wrote to Genl. Husted to tell me know when the autumn color comes at Bisbee Lake where I am 

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