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colored lights and legs. Four or five young women dancers in black pleated skirts and black tights were very amusing, lively and graceful. The turn of a beautiful limb in a graceful dance certainly will never fail to instruct. When we came out we found the fire engines just beginning to play on a fire directly in rear of the theatre, a large five story building in Crosby St being on fire. We stayed until it was got under control. We walked up to 20" St and I went to attend the installation of "Founders Night" at the Players. I was somewhat disconcerted at finding every one in full dress and this together with not knowing many people rather disconcerted me. I spoke with Booth a moment. He looked pale and changed I thought. Saw Oakley, spoke with Aldwich a moment, talked with Dewing who introduced me to a Mr. Walker, a painter who has just been elected to the Century and another young man who seemed very agreeable. Pinchot and I went into supper together, I had a draught from the "loving cup" (after I saw the cub bearer wipe the brim with a napkin) and left about 1 o clock feeling that I did not know people enough to have had a good time. One encounters at such places always a number of the kind of people one would rather not meet, as for instance Avery, Dick Hunt, Rush Hawkins. After all one must grow accustomed to indifference even in the people we call our friends. As life goes on I long for the love of my dear Gertrude that unfailing solace for all despondency and disappointment. The year is dead, always a solemn thought, though the years end each day. It leaves me more contented and happy than I ever expected to be again and with a feeling that henceforth I am to be able serenely to meet the events of the future whatever they have in store

Wednesday January 1". 1890.
Have been in my room all day, painting a little and writing a letter to Sara. It has been a mild, grey day, too warm for a fire. I dined with the Pinchots. There was no one else present except his youngest son at home from school for the holidays. Nettie who is ill asked to see me and I went to her room for a few minutes. I staid until 10 o clock and came to my room and went to bed.

Thursday 2" Still very mild. I walk without my overcoat and am uncomfortably warm. Went out and bought some water color paper and prepared a sheet, mounting it on a stretcher 15 x 18 and shall try to reproduce my Winter. I am going to try smooth paper this time believing I can secure more delicacy. Whittredge came in and talked over the Mutual Aid Society. When Whittredge is a little perplexed he is very amusing. He provokes me sometimes and is captious and a little unjust but he always regrets it. I told him today he was unnecessarily severe upon me regarding the last meeting, but he acknowledge he was under a misapprehension and said "will let that all go." He seemed to like my picture and said a good deal about it. I cut this notice of the death of Horatio Allen from todays Tribune. He was in my fathers party of engineers on the building of the Delaware and Hudson canal. I went around to the club a little while this evening but found it rather doleful and did not stay long.

Friday 3. A little cooler but not much. I slept all night with my window open and only a sheet over me. Began my water color today but it does not seem to work well. I do not seem able to get an uniform tint over the paper. A little before two I went up to Dr. Taylors and had an interview with him. He thinks I had better come there and take some of the movements and thinks it very likely he can rid me of some of my troubles. I am to begin on Tuesday. When I got back to my room I found Girard waiting for me in the hall. He had come down on business and thought he would go home with the 8 o'clk train after seeing Fred. Norton.- We attempted a meeting of the Artists Mutual Aid Society this evening but there were present only Wood, Brown Farrar, Nicoll, Whittredge, Beard (who left early) and Turner & myself. Proceedings were entirely informal as we had no power to decide anything. Whittredge and I were the only ones to support the original idea. Nicoll & Farrar   

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