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SALE OF THE SECRETAN PAINTINGS.
A LIVELY CONTEST FOR MILLET'S "ANGELUS"
-A BID OF 553,000 FRANCS SECURES IT.
Paris, July 1.-The sale of M. Secretan's collection of paintings was begun to-day. There was a large attendance. Many foreign galleries were represented. 
No. 63 in the catalogue was Millet's "The Angelus" (Evening Prayer). For this famous picture there was a spirited competition. The bidding started at 100,000 francs. Mr. Avery, of New-York, offered 490,000 francs. Just as a bid of 503,000 francs was made the auctioneer declared M. Proust the buyer of the picture. M. Proust, who was acting for the Musee de France, had bid 502,000 francs. The American bidders protested that the auctioneer had been too hasty. After an excited discussion, M. Proust yielded to the auctioneer's appeal to allow the sale to be resumed. The American bid up to 550,000 francs. M. Proust finally purchased the picture for 553,000 francs, or about $100,000.
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Tuesday July 2" 1889. Rain rain all day at intervals and at 10 o'clock pouring down with predictions for more tomorrow. I went down town as usual, Girard having told me Mrs. Gregory had paid him for her lot. I paid our assessment for grading Chester St- $408.52 including 2 pr.ct for not paying it within the 30 days. Girard and I came near having a disagreement but although I thought he was unjust to me I took into account the fact that he was perplexed for money as I was; it was a sticky depressing day and I tried not to be unkind. I paid him his commission $25 and gave him $100. besides to pay on the bill for curbing which is about $250. and came up home feeling rather troubled and disturbed. There I found Foster the artist and was obliged to be civil although I did not feel so. It rained, rained and he went back to Julias as soon as it held up and I went down to the garden and picked cucumbers + beets in a shower, and later picked the raspberries between the showers. Miss Jansen drove in with some eggs + berries, and I engaged some wood from her for this fall I felt sorry for her. She told us the farm had been sold under a mortgage and they now hired it for $200 a year. So all her poor fathers hard labor has gone and they are left with nothing. She is quite a pretty modest girl and I dare say the little money she got was an inducement to drive clear down here in the rain. I cut this from todays Tribune. Note that Millet had a struggle to live in a country distinguished for its love and appreciation of Art. I sent to Sam Coykendall today the interest I owe him. $12.
Wednesday 3" Rain most of the day. Everything is damp and soaked. I worked in my studio several hours on a little portrait of my mother I am trying to paint. Bowyer came up this evening. 
Thursday 4". The Fourth of July has come and gone. I always dread its noise and confusion and am glad when it is over. I went down town to the Post Office and got an account on vouchers for advertising from Philips + Wells and informed me that although they had now inquiry, now was the time of year to advertise if I wished to invest any thing further in advertising. Some how I had hoped this letter would tell me some thing encouraging, that they had had an inquiry or something of that sort, and it has depressed me and given me a discouraged sort of feeling. The weather is most discouraging too. It poured down rain again in the middle of the day just as Bowyer and Agnes had left for Kingston and every thing is damp and mouldy. I have felt most depressed and discouraged all day
Friday 5" A perfect day with wind from the North. Down town to the post office and sent Mrs Church information about the ice cream freezer. Picked some late cherries down in front of the house and then went at the plank walk back of the house which I relaid so as to avoid slipperiness and worked at it nearly all day, and completed it. I have to glean close now to find any lumber to work with, almost every thing having been used up. A letter from Lucy. It is well to be busy. I have had no time today for despondency and discouragement. Called down at John McEntees. He told me Annie Lee was coming tomorrow on her way to High Falls. Ben Foster is still there