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11

Friday Sept. 6" 1889. A letter from Eastman in which he says he would like to go up to Maine as I proposed. I wrote him from Girards office asking him to come up in the day boat for Sunday and put a quick delivery stamp on the letter. I continue to hear comments on the plan of laying out our property. Where would we have landed had we listened to the varying proposals. Sara and I went to Kingston after dinner to attend the annual meeting of the State Charities Aid but there was no quorum. Mr. Bevier was there from Marbletown, Cantine, Sara and I from Rondout and no one from Kingston except Arthur Westbrook. The sky was very threatening before we got home and shortly after we had a small shower which was greatly needed. A telegraphic item in the Freeman this evening announces the suicide of Dr. Brown who was once in charge of Bloomingdale Asylum. A fortnight ago a scandalous sensational article concerning him appeared in the World and I have no doubt his suicide is the direct result. I shall anxiously await further particulars. Calvert I think is through the worst of his troubles provided no new boils appear.

Saturday 7" As I supposed, the Tribune this morning confirms my suspicions that the dastardly article in the World of Aug. 25" was the cause of Dr. Browns suicide. Such newspapers are a curse to the community and it is a discouraging reflection that they are demanded by the larger part of the people as witness the enormous coruscation of the World. Eastman did not come today, nor Downing to whom I telegraphed for his father. Calvert is improving but there are indications of further troubles. The weather is cloudy and cool.

Sunday 8" The touch of the autumn is visible. The leaves are fading and the pear trees are losing their foliage. Few birds are seen except the Phoebe the wood peckers and occasionally the yellow birds. The wrens that were so busy all summer rearing their two broods over the front porch are gone as well as the "Chippies" that came to get the crumbs I scattered in front of the house. The ripening weeds, the autumnal flowers, the smoky air tell of the dead summer. The Autumn comes to me differently from the Autumns of earlier days. I do not feel the sweet suggestions which it once brought to me nor the desire to produce in pictures its unique sentiment, because my mind is full of material things. I think however later, if I go away to the woods it will all come back. - Calvert dressed himself and came down to dinner and walked about the place but he went back to his room and I think feels he overdid the matter. A number of people have been up here this afternoon to look at the lots to be sold. Cantine and Miss Sheffield called and he told me of a number of people who have told him they were going to bid and he thought it not unlikely we would sell all of them. I am not so sanguine as that. It has been a pleasant day but very smoky even with a North wind and this afternoon has been warm.

Monday 9" Cool comfortable day with brisk North wind. Tom is still at work carrying up the wood he has cut on the side hill. I went down town and got a letter from Mrs. Bayard Taylor and one from Lucy. Mine from Lucy was to apologize for some strictures in Saras letter on my advertising the sale without letting her know about it. I have written her to tell her all about it and why we kept our counsel until we were all ready and had definitely decided on our plan of procedure. Mrs. Taylor writes in rather a sad vein although she says she could be quite content but for the War cloud which hangs over Europe. She thinks of America with great affection but fears she would be lonely here. She says she is a homeless woman although she spends much of her time with Lilian and her husband and speaks with great affection of Lilians boy. - I ordered 250 postal cards printed to send out the morning of the sale so that the date will not be forgotten. Sara is not well today. I think she has been too much worried with Calverts carbuncles and his refusal to follow her directions. He seems to be getting on well. No word from Eastman who must have gone before my letter got to his house. No word from Royal Reed to whom I wrote a week ago. He may be away from home. Cousin Rachel came by the Powell 

Tuesday 10" It rained a little this morning and the wind has blown a gale from the N.E. all day and is still blowing, with reports of high tides and great damage all along the Coast, and particularly on Coney Island. I went down town this morning and got the postal cards from the Freeman office which I will send out the morning of the sale. From there I went to Kingston and saw Kenyon as to the day upon which we could settle with