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97

Monday July 14" 1890. My 62" birthday anniversary – It has been spent in activity. By agreement I went to Sams office about 9 o'clock this morning with maps and diagram which we went over carefully. I gave him his choice of my place and up to the line next this house, or this place up to my line at the same price. After looking over the map including my place he said – "Now what is that worth?" I replied $30,000. "Oh now" he said in a deprecating way – "but I am not going to ask you quite as much as that" I said – and that is as near as we got to a price. He wanted me to leave the maps with him to show to his wife, who, he said was ready to consider it and they are to come up this evening and he said he thought they would come to some decision. I told him it would be necessary to decide very soon as a man wanted one of the front lots and I had to put him off for a day or two, which is true, as Van Ettan came up yesterday to take the lot next my line and to pay $1000. down. – Tom and I cleared out the shop today and covered and sodded the ditch of the water pipe. A letter came from Mary saying Calvert and Marion had taken their passage for England for the 23 inst, and then she would come up here for a few days. Sam and his wife and his son Ed. came up after 7 o'clock. Mary has at last made up her mind that she is willing to come here. We walked all about and Sam even talked to Dewey and Jones about the removal of the short McEntee Hillway. Now he wants me to tell him what we will take, in addition for all below the Terrace, where the path goes to the garden in rear of Deweys, Norths & Crosbys lots to the line of Lindsley and out to Chestnut St and back to Crosbys line. This upsets all our map and necessitates a new consideration of the property. He is going to N.Y. tomorrow and as I should have to consult Calvert and John we have arranged for Calvert and me to meet him at the Gilsey house to dine with him and talk it over. I am to telegraph Calvert tomorrow. He asked me the price of what he had settled upon including my place and I told him I would sell either part for $25,000. He made a little protest but that I expected and wanted to know how much money I wanted him to pay down. I told him we could undoubtedly arrange that to suit him. He said for the coming year he needed his capital, which I dare say is so. Mary went to her mother today as a last resort and she refused to let her have their place except on such terms as she could not submit to and it really looks now as though they may buy here. However we have been quite near a sale before and I am not sure of this now.

Wednesday July 16". I went to N.Y. yesterday, by the noon train after having telegraphed Calvert to meet me at his house at 4. I arrived there a little before that time and found him awaiting me. I attempted to state Sams proposition of buying the half of the Terrace lots &c which he could not understand and it rather vexed and irritated him, but after talking until near 6 we both concluded to decline the idea. He said he did not want to go to dine with Sam as he did not want to talk about that and altogether seemed worried over his own affairs. Mary and Marion were at Yonkers where he had expected to go. So I turned up to the Gilsey house and got there late and hot and flurried as it was very hot in N.Y. He now proposed to buy my place and what is left of this place up to the house (4 front lots &c) and the two lots in Chestnut St. next to Lindsleys place. I asked $25,000. he offered $22,000 and we talked & talked more. I did not accept, nor did I decline, but told him I would have to consult the others and if Calvert could come we would all meet at our house on Sunday, but I could not be sure about Calvert