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518

which will be $30. The roof is so bad that I thought it unwise to risk it through the winter. It has been gray and threatening all day until 3 o'clock when it began to rain a little. Cannons are being fired and a band is playing, presumably for a Republican victory. I hope Democratic fraud will not cheat us out of it It is too decisive I think for that. Sara got home about 7 o'clock having found the latter part of the ride in the rain and dark very tedious

Friday Nov 9" 1888. It rained all forenoon. After lunch it ceased and I went down town to mail a letter I have written to Mr. Welles. The news of Harrisons election is amply confirmed and the indications are that the Republicans have a majority in Congress. Last summer Andrews sent me a copy of Puck with a political caricature in it representing the Republican Party as a poor sick elephant which was being prodded and told to get up and dance for protection. I kept it and today wrote under it "and he got up and he got there all the same." I also pasted upon it an extract from the Times admitting that the Legislature of Delaware, Johns native state was Republican thus assuring the choice of a Republican Senator for the first time in the history of the state. I wrote on it "I received this copy of Puck from Fort Bridger last summer. I now return it with thanks. Frame it." We must have our little revenges. Some of the shingles and the nails for the new roof were delivered today. It will be a great relief to have this secure before winter. The trees are as bare as in winter, earlier it seems to me than usual. We put on the double windows yesterday as the indications promised colder weather. It is warmer however today Today I threw into the fire a flannel rag from our little portfolio which I have used many years and which doubtless dear Gertrude often used and for that reason although utterly useless, I destroyed it with a pang. Went up to Kingston to John Forsyths to meet a few people to form a "Twenty Questions" Society. Stopped for the Cantines but he was ill and they could mot go. Dr. Van Slyke & Wife, Kitty and Ellen Forsyth Mr & Mrs Clark and Miss Shufeldt and Mr Coors were there. Walter Scott was selected and the meeting is to be at our house next Friday evening. We came home by the 10 oclock car. The mud is ankle deep.
 
Saturday 10. Rained all day and at intervals very hard. I called at the Cantines on my way down town after lunch to report about the meeting last night. He was up and feeling better. Have been looking the literary & artistic cotemporaries [[contemporaries]] of Walter Scott and read Robt. Elsmere this evening finishing the first half. It rained very hard in the evening and the whole country seems soaked and saturated.

Sunday 11" Cleared in the night and has been cooler with wind from N.W. - Wrote to Lucy and read a sermon of Mr. Eatons in the Leader, the Tribune and commenced the second half of Robt Elsmere. Julia Dillon spent the evening and John McEntee came up later when we made a cup of tea over the fire.
 
Monday 12" Two men came this morning and began putting the shingles on the main part of the house. I mixed some Venetian red and painted the ridge boards so that they could dry before being put on. The day was cloudy and at times windy and I feared rain but it did not come. I went down town after lunch and ordered more paint and oil. I met little Michael Murray whom we want to send out West by the Childrens Aid Society. He said he would go and is to come up to see me on Wednesday but I doubt if he comes.
 
[[left margin]] Began shingling the house. [[/left margin]]  
        

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---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-05-21 18:30:09