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at Big Moose lake this spring we stopped at a little cabin which the guide John Cummerford told me belonged to a Mr. Dulton of Philadelphia and from all the information I could gather I concluded it was Gertrudes friend and I left my name written on a stick, in the absence of a card, in the key hole of the cabin. It seems he has been there and found it. Julia had a letter from Laura today in which she told her that her father and his wife started very suddenly for Ottawa and that from there he was going to Fort Bridger for Gertrude. This explains Gertrudes illness. Sara was confident she had heard something to disturb her and as Lucy has plainly told her she did not want to see her father and has not concealed her feeling toward him this peak of his has made her ill. Certainly the man is insane and there is no telling what he may not do. I hope Lucy will not return with him and I certainly do not want him to come here. 

Tuesday Sept 11" 1888. Have been over on Chester St. to see if Mr. Sears the City engineer had driven the iron bolt in the angle in the West side of Chester St. where our property joins the Wolfer estate, as he said he would on Friday when we left there late in the evening. He had not done it and I did it myself having taken a large hammer along. This will now be the point to verify all our measurements from on Chester St. and is exactly on the one between our property and the Wolfer or Samson property and in the corner (W) of the angle in Chester St caused by the street being ten feet narrower North of our line. President Clevelands letter of acceptance for a second nomination which he at first considered so dangerous to the liberties of the country has been published. It is a repetition of his free trade theories with an attempt to soften them. The reply of Maine this morning is over 20,000 majority for the Republican State ticket. It amazes me that any man of sense can regard Cleveland as a more than very commonplace man, and yet plenty of intelligent men seem to think him a great statesman.- I was over at my little house this afternoon getting my painting materials in readiness to go to Bisby Lake whenever the time comes. I went up stairs to our little bed room. It always makes me very sad to go over there, it looks so shabby and seems so neglected where dear Gertrude and I used to be so careful of everything. I wish we could go and live there, since we must leave here for I should like to grow accustomed to the place again and to put it in order and to feel I am to spend my days there.

Wednesday 12". I wrote to Mr. W. H. Dutton yesterday, from whom I had a letter from Big Moose Lake a few days ago. His letter was brief but not too much so and characterized with a proper amount of feeling. I have a sense that perhaps in mine I was a little too much inclined to dwell upon the changes of the years since I had met him and particularly since dear Gertrude was a familiar visitor at his house. Perhaps he will not think so. I hope not. I feel somewhat depressed today, as though I would like some near friend with me. Alas! where on earth is there such a friend, outside my sisters and even they except Sara have their own interests which absorb them. I wish I could get interested in painting some thing but the idea of painting for sale is so depressing that I can not set about it. I manage to employ myself here at home but I ought to be at my profession. I hope when the Autumn comes I will be moved to work. I never feel like making pictures until I begin to feel the sentiment of the Autumn. I am rereading Mcacauleys life and letters. What a noble, high souled man. His loyalty to his family is not the least attractive element in his character.- Girard today gave me Mrs. Addie Ernests check for $500 for her lot on Chester St. which I have sent to the Bank of the Metropolis to be placed to my credit. 

Thursday 13" A heavy thunder storm passed far to the south of us. This mornings paper spoke of its having touched N.Y. Richard A. Proctor the             

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removed [[underlined]] old instructions, pls read current ---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-05-20 13:32:14 ---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-05-20 16:16:20 ---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-05-20 17:15:45 ---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-05-21 13:10:12