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[[left margin]] cleaned cisterns at my house [[/left margin]]

astronomer died yesterday in N.Y. from yellow fever. He had come from his place in Florida and was taken ill at the Westminster hotel. Yellow fever is raging in Jacksonville but he had not come from the infected district - I wrote to Church and went down town on some errands. The Democrats have nominated David B. Hill again for governor a man who has proven himself the worst type of demagogue. The infusion of a few "Mugwumps" into the Democratic Party has not purified it. It cant help returning to its idols. Tom has been cleaning out the cisterns over at my house and going over them with a coat of thin cement. My poor little house looks so shabby that it makes me sad to go over there Everything is going to decay and I do not want to spend any money on it until I give it a thorough overhauling. I think if dear Gertrude could see it in its neglected state it would sadden her loving, loyal heart. She loved the little place as the home of our early married life. Once she went over there while John and Nannie were living there. She sat down to the piano and Nannie went out for a short time. When she came back she found her crying; the tender memories of the familiar place had overcome her.

Friday Sept. 14" 1888. Beautiful cool weather. This afternoon I went up on the roof of my house to see how it was and found the cement around the ventilating chimney needed recovering which I did. The tin roof seemed in perfect order and did not even need painting but the shingle roof to the main house is beginning to decay. I am reading with great pleasure "Macaulays life & letters" After his return from India he made a visit to Italy which from his thorough knowledge of Roman literature and history as well as well as of Italian he was admirably equipped to enjoy to the utmost. 

Saturday 15" Harry Donaldson left this morning. He told me last night that he had thoroughly enjoyed his summer here and that he did not think they could have been more happily located. We will miss him greatly. He goes from here to Washington to attend the Scientific Convention and from there to [[strikethrough]] Washingt [[/strikethrough]] Baltimore. Julia will remain here until October I think. I had a letter from Lucy this morning. Gertrude is again as well as usual, to her great delight, for she has been anxious about her. - I went over to Chester St. with Ernest and gave him the N. boundary of his lots. Sara came home this evening from her visit to College Hill  

Sunday 16" A gentle rain fell during the whole day. I wrote to Lucy, read the Sunday Tribune, and Macauley life and letters which interests me even more than at the first reading.

Monday 17" The morning was extremely warm and "muggy" I went down town and bought an India rubber coat for my trip to Bisby. It rained in the afternoon and was raining all evening - Mary went home this afternoon. We settled our accounts up to today. 

Tuesday 18". A note from Husted tells me Oct. 2 is an excellent time to go to Bisby for the sketch. He will be there. I wrote him and told him I would go with Wilkinson and I have written the major to say I would go with him. It has been a melancholy sort of a day, grey and close and threatening rain. I went down town after breakfast and this afternoon I have been up to the eaves of the Carriage house on the N. side examining the roof which leaked badly last night. I think I could patch it if I dared go upon it but it is so steep and slippery I am afraid to. My lameness does not permit me to do these things as I once did. I found the gutter which was never put in correctly, was rusted through over a large space, and altogether it was discouraging. I wish I had the money to have it put in order for I am not able to do it myself. In reading       

Transcription Notes:
Mugwumps - political activists 5/20 - done ---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-05-20 16:27:25 ---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-05-20 21:47:55