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523

comforts and today I have felt the thrill of feelings that I had almost supposed were dead in me. Mrs Davis showed me a note which dear Gertrude wrote for her to Mr Abbey in 1877 acknowledging his kindness in sending her the interest on some money he owed her husband when he failed. How familiar her hand writing, lasting unchanged while she is no more. Dear Gertrude, how vividly it brought her before me, the dear loving heart whose counterpart does not exist for me in all the wide world. I measure all women by her and they all come short to me. I wrote to Alice this morning - have read the Leader, the Tribune and some of Victor Hugo's Notre Dame. I cut this little poem from today's Tribune.

[[newspaper clipping]]
THE CITY OF THE DEAD.
By Richard E. Burton
They do neither plight nor wed
In the city of the dead,
In the city where they sleep away the hours;
But they lie, while o'er them range
Winter blight and summer change,
And a hundred happy whisperings of flowers,
No they neither wed nor plight,
And the day is like the night,
For their vision is of other kind than ours.

They do neither sing nor sigh
In the burgh of by and by,
Where the streets have grasses growing, cool and long:
But they rest within their bed,
Leaving all their thoughts unsaid,
Deeming silence better far than sob or song.
No, they neither sigh nor sing,
Though the robin be a-wing,
Though the leaves of autumn march a million strong.

There is only rest and peace
In the city of surcease
From the failings and the wailings 'neath the sun;
And the wings of the swift years
Beat but gently o'er the biers,
Making music to the sleepers, every one,
There is only peace and rest;
But to them it seemeth best,
For they lie at ease, and know that life is done.
[[/newspaper clipping]]

Monday Nov. 26" 1888. The wind howled all night but the snow is mostly all blown off the hill. The Tribune gives accounts of the severity of the storm in all directions. It is raining a little today and the wind still blowing pretty hard from the North. Mrs. Jansens daughter and her aunt drive in today and brought us half a bushel of their nice hickory nuts. They are to send the hickory wood next week and we also engaged a Christmas turkey from them. I wrote Robt. Wilkinson a note and sent back "Marius the Epicurean" which he lent me. I went down town after lunch to see about the new stove for the hall but they had not received it. A letter from Mary to say she and Sedgwick, and probably Downing would come up on Wednesday but that Calvert would not come.-I was very irritable tonight and made Lucy and Sara unhappy. They had been pressing me pretty hard for being worried and over anxious. I confess I am very easily troubled. I am afraid sometimes that my trouble being of a nervous nature may have made a naturally quick temper, abnormally so. I know it makes me very unhappy and I strive against it. I know I am too sensitive and I fear it is gradually estranging my friends and making it a dread to meet people. 

Tuesday 27" From all accounts the storm has been more severe than for many years. It has been grey and threatening and has rained at intervals all day. I went down town after lunch. The new hall stove has arrived at Canfields and they are to put it up tomorrow. I have fixed up Sedgwicks old rocking horse and with his consent will send it up to the "Home" for the Children. Louise Broadhead has spent the day here. I am thinking of going to N.Y. and with no enthusiasm. I would rather be here.

Wednesday 28" The weather still unsettled. Went down town and told Canfield to send up the new hall stove (Royal Argand No. 25) directly after dinner as the fire would be out and the stove cold by that time. They did not send it up until 3 o'clock and it was nearly dark before it was put up and the fire kindled. I was sorry to see the old one carried out as having outlived its usefulness. How many years my father tended it and how much comfort it has given us during at least 25 years I think. My father showed wisdom in selecting so large a stove for it has lasted twice as long as it would had it been smaller. I think the new one will be an excellent substitute. Mary and Sedgwick came by the evening train but did not get here until long after 8 o'clock. Calvert and Downing whom we had invited for Thanksgiving did not come. I had a letter from Robt. Wilkinson today. He had received the "Marius" and Mary Gifford was visiting them.
[[left margin]] Put up new Hall stove. [[/left margin]]     

Transcription Notes:
---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-05-21 18:54:33