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afternoon with reference to the idea of laying out this property. I read aloud this evening in Page's "Old Virginia" and am reading Tristram Shandy. I picked a ripe "Hackensack musk-melon today. Downing did not come.

Sunday Aug. 4" 1889. A beautiful day with a cool and pleasant temperature. I wrote to Alice after getting the vegetables from the garden. Girard came over this evening and told me that Cantine had told him he hoped to be able to sell this place for us. We talked of his troubles which seem to me to be none the less serious the more I examine into them. I wonder if the time will ever come when my mind and all my thoughts will not be occupied with these sordid and annoying subjects. I am tired of the whole thing and wish I could go away beyond the reach of them if there be such a place any where. 

Monday 5" It rained heavily during the night and was coming down most dismally this morning. I went down town in the rain and called to see Cantine and had a talk with him about Girards affairs. Girard came in to see me after dinner and the result has been that I have enclosed a note of $1500 for him which he says Coykendall told him he would discount for him. He is to give me a mortgage on his interest in his father's estate and also a mortgage on his house. I do this not so much for security as to impress him with our idea of his responsibility and to make it impossible for him to alienate his interest to outside parties. I told him I had said all I intended to or could say in the way of counsel or advice, but that I should try to keep myself informed as to his income and his expenses. He looks very troubled and harassed as well he may and if he will only learn wisdom from his troubles they will not have been in vain.—— Mrs. Reed (Fanny Stringham) called. She wants Sara and me to visit them at Quogue but I told her I could not now much as I would like to. Just before she left a carriage drove up containing Rev B. T. Philips who used to preach here, his (third) wife and his daughter Mrs Gilbert Hasbrouch and her baby. Mr. Philips looked remarkably well except for his being so much bent with rheumatism and seemed pleased to see Mary and me. Sara had gone to a Home meeting but saw him at Julias. He told me his daughter Gertrude named from my dear Gertrude was twenty years old, was a teacher and a very bright woman. I have never seen her. They made a long call which we were glad to have them do and at six oclock they left for their home at Manchester N.J.—— We expected Cantine to tea but he did not come. Downing came up by the 3.30 H.R. train and arrived here just as we were going in to tea. I have given him the outlines of my plan and tomorrow we will go at the measurements. Sara and I went down to Mrs Stringhams to call on Mr & Mrs. Reed. The rain cleared after noon and the afternoon and evening have been cool and pleasant with a moonlight rising.

Tuesday 5" A fine day. Downing got to work about 10 oclock and have been at it all day but there have been some difficult points to decide and towards evening new ideas presented themselves which will necessitate alterations tomorrow. After much discussion we decided on the street at the rear of the Chestnut St. lots instead of up on the plateau. While we were in the midst of our work and greatly preplexed, Genl Sharpe drove up to tell me that one of the men whose designs for the soldiers monument are still here had come and he wanted to meet the committee and asked me what hour today would be convenient. I told him of all days in the year this was the one I 

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