Viewing page 14 of 126

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

12

purchasers and he thought not before Thursday 26" when Calvert, John and I will have to be present at his office to execute the necessary papers. He thinks the mortgages had better be made directly to Booth. I also am to go up directly after the sale with descriptions of the lots &c so as to get the papers ready. I went and saw the Auctioneer who is to be on hand at the day of sale early. He seemed to think it a wise precaution to have an officer present but I forgot to see John Barry. I walked down and got home about dinner time. I have spent the whole afternoon writing out descriptions of the several lots and directing the postal cards. Calvert is rapidly recovering and has been dressed and down stairs most of the day and I have been reading in Hay & Nicolays Life of Lincoln, particularly of the depression, anxiety and discouragements of 1864. When the Democratic party goes back to that time and contemplates its record it must feel pretty sick. I should find it hard to own that name. I had a letter from Alice giving encouraging accounts of Toms year on the Star Landing property and of Mr & Mrs. Sawyers continued good health. The wind is waning as I write at 9 o clock.

Wednesday Sept. 11" 1889.  The wind has blown a gale all day from the N.E. and it has been dark and gloomy with occasional spits of rain. I went down town and found a letter from Royal Reed. He is ready to go with me and says if anything should prevent him he has two small boys who are guides. I wrote him that about the 15" I would be able to let him know whether I would go or not. That the probabilities were that I would and that Johnson would come with me and if so we want him and one of his sons and possibly both of them. I have also written Johnson about Royals letter and telling him I would probably know in a week whether I could go or not when I would write him. Have been writing instructions for the auctioneer and getting every thing in readiness that I can for the sale. I had a letter from Jeanette still hopeful about their English estates. Calvert is about well and expects to go home on Friday evening.

Thursday 17"  It has rained nearly all day and the N.E. gale has continued, the third day of the gale.  Tonight the moon has come out and the storm which along the coast has been the most destructive in many years, has exhausted its force. I was down town in the morning.  A large oak on the side hill just opposite Canfields blew down in the night and completely blocked the street. Tom cleared it out sufficiently to allow travel through. Calvert seems to have another boil coming under his arm but I think it will not be serious. He is pretty disheartened at this discovery. I have been over at my studio arranging my sketching traps so as to be ready if I can go to Maine. I sent Woolsey down town. He said a woman asked him what our lots would probably bring and he gave her prices fully up to our valuation and above our limit and in some cases above our valuation. Have written Downing to make a complete map of the homestead property for future use, and a tracing of the part we propose to sell now, double the scale of the one in the circulars.

Friday 13"  It has rained again a good part of the day, but the wind which is still from the N.E. has gone down. I went down town and afterwards over to Chester St and measured off Miss Bakers lot. It began to rain before I was quite done but I completed it and then went up to the City hall and saw John Barry and engaged him to come Monday to be at the sale to look out for any marauding from little boys, should there be any about.- I had occasion today to go to the trunk where is kept all the things which I took out of dear Gertrudes bureau drawers when Julia and Harry occupied my room. I could not help noting with sorrow how they were growing somewhat faded and dingy being unused and kept in the dark so many years. There were many little mute but [[?]] suggestions of her, indeed every little riband and trinket seemed a part of her beloved personality. There was a little box of buttons tied carefully

[[newspaper clipping]] 
BIERSTADT'S MAGNIFICENT PAINTING, "The Last of the Buffalo." a masterpiece which the New York artists in charge of the American Art display at the Paris Exhibition condemned as unworthy of figuring alongside of their own pitiful daubs, now fills the place of honor in the great picture-gallery of the millionaire Col. NORTH, the Nitrate King, who purchased it at a cost of $50,000. As Col. NORTH has been assisted in the selection of the works of art which fill his gallery by SIR FREDERICK LEIGHTON and other of the most eminent English painters, the choice of Mr, BIERSTADT'S picture and the fact that the price paid for it is without parallel in the annals of American Art may be regarded as a tribute to the magnificent conception of the artist and as a condemnation of the New York Committee which took upon itself to refuse a place to this truly national masterpiece. 
[[/newspaper clipping]]