[XLV] Diary from Nov 10, 1913
to
July 1st, 1915
1913
10, 11, 12. At home writing a little.
13.
To N.Y. to meet De Loach. Stay at P.

14.
At P.

15.
In N.Y. lunch with Pratt and De Loach.

16.
At P. De Loach with us. Receive a call from Miss Scudder daughter of my old play fellow. Rube sudden in the early 50s.

17.
To N.Y. to pose for Pietro, then to Floral Park.

18.
Posing for Pietro, then to E. Orange. Fair weather and mild.

19.
Back to N.Y. pose again; the best a success.

20.
At P. Warm, even hot.

21.
C.B. come to town to see the best. Mr. Evans also; both like it. Home in p.m.

22.
Fine warm day.

23.
We drive to Olive in our car, Julian and Mrs. B. and I. In the Tongore cemetery, see the graves of some of my pupils of 59 years ago and the graves of their parents. Cloudy mild day. Olive soon to be under water, a sad but interesting day.

24.
Cool cloudy.

25.
Writing in study.

26.
Cool, we go to Hobart in p.m. mild and chill at H. Eden and Mag well.

27.
Thanksgiving dinner at E's. Olly and Ort there and Charly Grant and Willie and Jennie, snow on the mountains. Froze hard last night.

28.
Cloudy, with fine pouring snow. Return on morning train. Stop at R. till p.m.

29.
Rain last night, cloudy and chilly today. Write in study.

30.
Chilly, cloudy, misty. Feel well these days, in wood for work. Dec 1. Dark, damp, chilly day, C.B. comes at 2 p.m.


2.
Fog till 10 O'clock. Trees drip as in a shower. Fine and nearly clear in p.m. mild like Oct. Julian, Chant and I drive to Highland at 3. C.B. leaves on noon train - thinks she will take the house.

3.
Bright lovely day. Drive to Yama farms with Julian and his friends in Petersons big car. 1 3/4 hours each way, very brilliant in p.m. and colder. Mr. Seaman in N.Y. visited Jenny brook and Yama farms Inn, a day I think that prolongs life.

4.
Fine day, Chant at work in the house.

5.
Lovely day, no freezing last night.

6.
Clear crisp day, no freezing last night, Mrs. B. leaves today for P. and in p.m. for N.Y. Lovely to be here now.

7.
At Pelham, C.B. well. Rain today.

8.
At Pelham, the Fords come, windy and cold.

9.
In N.Y. with Fords. To Johnson at night.

10.
Ford leave today. In p.m. with Mr. Pratt I visit a large Eastside school - hundreds of Jewish Children, bright and eager, know my books.

11.
Clear cold; down to 20, at P. in p.m.

12.
In p.m. return to Poughkeepsie to Mrs. B. a little warm.

13.
Clear, calm, Indian summer like day; river like glass, warmer, men at work on new cistern e.t.c. a nearly full moon at night.

14.
Lovely day. Dandelions blooming and maturing their seeds.


17. Still clear and fine like wild Nov, days. Freezes a little at night, much haze in the air. Blue birds here and happy, so am I. 18, 19. Fine mild days, more progressing with the new cistern and pipe and tile laying. Go to Saugerties on 19, farmers plowing.
20.
Mild day, drive to P. with J. and his family in Peterson's car. I stay with Mrs. B, she is ill with neuralgia in neck and head - has had a hard time.

21.
Sunday, cloudy and chilly. Mrs. B. better. Return to W.P. in p.m.

22.
Wonderful weather continues [but] clearing and colder. Bright Nov day.

23.
Cloudy, very dark, wind lasts. Rain sets in at 3, continues part of the night with a streak of snow. Our outside work is done.

24.
Clearing, still mild, a little frost last night, looks like early Nov.


27. In P. most of the time with Mrs. B. She is gaining, pretty cold, down to 4. 1914 Jany 1st. Cold, at P. Go to W.P. and to Julians in p.m.
3.
To N.Y. and to Pelham. C.B. looks well, rain and wind and sleet at night.

4.
Clearing, windy and colder.

5.
In N.Y. pose for Pietro and see Mrs. Gilder.

6.
Home this a.m. cold, a little snow, feel well


-[gained] weight 150.
7.
At P. Mrs. B. nearly well. Chant progressing with house.

8.
Mild the past 3 days. Go to W.P. and to Julian's to dinner. J. drives me to P. in p.m.

9.
Mild; off for W. at 8.40 See Mr. and Mrs. Ford in N.Y. for a few moments. Reach W. at 6. Go to the Hummers [on] 812 E. Capitol St.

10.
Pretty cold.

11.
Go up to the camp of some normal teachers near Sycamore Island. Take lunch with them, Mr. - brings in a handful of hepaticas.

At night Mr. Humm aged 86 is run over by an ambulance and so injured that he dies Tuesday night - a fine old fellow in Picketts. Change at Gettysburg.

12.
Move to Gerald St. in Meridian hill - a room with Mrs. Duncan near 14th St. Stay here till the 30; fine weather most of the time, see my old friends, drive about W. and out into Md. and Va. in a car Mr. Ford provides, a very pleasant 3 weeks. Work at Cosmos Club every morning. Dine with Peck and Mr. Johns Aaron but little changed Meet Prst Wilson, hear him read a message to congress a fine impression of him; believe he will make a record. Mrs. B. keeps pretty well, dine out 9 days in succession. Jany 30. Start for Atlantic at 8.50. Reach there at 6 on 31.


31. Start for Experiment at 8. reach there at 9.30 De Louch glad to see us. Feb 12. Here with the De Loaches. Fine sunny April like weather most of the time. Our cold snap on [the] Saturday and Sunday last - Lucy Stanton and Miss Brown come down from Athens. Soft maples in bloom and a hive with honey bees. Drive every p.m. with car Mr. Ford has provided. Drive to Barnsville today, 20 miles. On the 10th went to Atlanta and was entertained at lunch by the Burroughs Club. Drove out to the home of Joel Chandler, Harris, keep well and work each morning, weigh 154 too much.
24.
Fine days here with De L. Write mornings and walk and drive in p.m. Both keep well. Very cold in the North with 2 feet of snow. At Hobat 30 below. Leave tonight for Fla.

25.
Here at Ft. Myers with the Edisons and the Fords, Reached here on the 23d mid summer weather - a real tropical scene - reminds me of Jamaica and Honolulu. I can eat three oranges and grape fruit, a coconut tree loaded with fruit out of my window, pretty nearly an earthly paradise here, looks over the mountains to lift one up toward heaven. Health good mind active, Mrs. B. at Experiment. night cool, days 72 Mch 10. Been here since 22d of Feb. Weather very cool - two or three time down to 34, with light frost. Bright days most of the time. Write mornings, fish, drive, walk in p.m. Edison and Ford good playfellows. E sleeps, 10 or 12 hours in the 24, says he can store up enough sleep to last him 2 years, E. is a great mind and great philosopher.


-Loves jokes and good stories, a remarkable man, Mr. Ford a lovable man, a great machinist but not the philosopher E. is. A very modest man - shrinks from any publicity or from these who would make a fuss over him no vanity or conceit at all. He is not puffed up, thinkable no will, has great good will for all, a real nature and bird lover and lover of his kind. Start at 3.40 for Ga. the Fords and I.
11.
At Jacksonville this morning; bright and warm. Part with the Fords; they on to N.Y. I to Griffin on Experiment. Reach E. at 5.30, raining.

12.
Raining, much cooler, Mrs. B. well.


28. The March days have passed pleasantly and profitably here with the De Loach. I write every morning, drive or walk every p.m. Keep extra well, cool weather with frost occasionally but today is like May. Fruit trees blooming, peas up 6 inches, went to Tallulah Falls on 23d.
I drive De Loaches car every p.m. and am getting master of it. It makes me tremble only a little now when I back it out and drive it in. De L. and I sit in the study at night and read and discuss scientific matters. He often gives me good hints but quite unconsciously, my mind these days is like a trout looking for flies. On the 31st we plan to leave for home.
31. Rain last night and cloudy this morning. We leave Experiment at 9.20 for Atlanta. Take train there at 1.30 for N.Y. Rain and fog all the way, much cooler in Va. April 1st. Reach N.Y, all right at 2 p.m. Wet and chilly, Mr. Pratt meets us and takes us to Grand Central station. Mrs.
B. goes to Poughkeepsie at 3.30 p.m. I stay in N.Y. and Pelham. April 2d. Clearing, colder, C.B. well but then, call an Alden today and collect $400 of Harpers - 2 articles. Alden a picturesque figure and suggestive talker. 3d. My 77th birthday, clear and cold. C.B. and I take lunch with the Pratts in N.Y. a happy day, I am well and weigh
155. Have finished 5 or 6 essays since last birth day.
4.
Clear and cold. Return to P. today. Mr. B well; to West Park in p.m. Julian and family well, snow gone except in woods, Feb and March, very hard months here, deep snow and extreme cold.

5.
Cloudy with snow flakes in the air, stay with Julian.

6.
Clear, cold, froze hard, last night. In my study this morning at work, Hud and Green sawing wood, Ed. in bad way, near his end, poor boy.


10.
Hepaticas today, from Myra C. - found under the hill. Cool a frost at night.

11.
Sixty years ago today, began my first school in Tongore. Bright mild day. Go to P. in p.m. and stay with Mrs. B. Light rain at night.

12.
Bright windy day, blows the smoke down the chimney and suffer the river so as to reveal its soily water agitation always, vanishes the effect of sky from the river and slows its muddy character if it is such, as anger and excitement bring out a man's true character. Dine at Julian's and drive my car down here.

13.
Clear and cold; three of four degrees below freezing last night. River sparkles very prettily this morning, still alone here and sleeping in my study. Ed sinking and we are powerless to help him.

14.
Clear, cold, down to 26 this morning. Warn during the day and really spring like. Start the hot air engine today pumping water up the hill.

15.
Cloudy, colder again, from North. Threatens rain. Rain and p.m. at night.

16.
Cold rain and snow from the North - snow all day but most of it melts.

17.
Chilly, a little snow on ground, Wife and I go to Pelham in p.m. C.B. well, never expect to see Ed alive again.

18.
Warm bright day. In N.Y. lunch with Ida Tarbell at Arts Club on Gramercy Park. Miss Tarbell, a very superior woman.

Dinner at night with C.B. and her friends to celebrate the coming out of her book on J.B. Dinner at The Alps on 6th Ave. 10 present, Mr. and Mrs. Ford, Mr. and Mrs. Pratt, Mr. and Mrs. Dr Johnson, Dr. Baker of Volico, my wife and I and C.B. a very pleasant 2 hours. Mr. Ford sends us back to Pelham in a big Packard car.

19.
Hot lovely day; above 80 at W.P. We come back to P. at night. Virginia Scripps of La Jolla Cal. calls in p.m.

20.
I come up to W.P. in morning. Raining. Ed. died on Sunday p.m. at 3.

21.
Bright day, Mrs. B. come home from P. Ed's funeral day. Poor boy, I shall miss him greatly. For 15 years he had lived and worked here. He was not wise but he was my brothers son. He had many excellent traits. He was proud and carried himself well. He wrote a nice hand but his spelling and his grammar were bad. I doubt if he ever read a line in any of my books. But I loved him all the same. His body rest in a beautiful place, in sight of the Catskills out of which he came. His two children rest beside him. As I stood there that bright afternoon and saw his coffin lowered into the fine soft soil I asked myself how many centuries or thousands of centuries it will be before that sandy ridge will disappear, all eroded away by the elements and no trace of human bodies or head stones remaining? In time geologic time, it must inevitably come.

22.
Fine day, Julian and his family and I drive to Kingston in p.m.

23.
Lovely day but sharp. Frost last night. In p.m. I drive car to Newburgh, Chant and Eliza with me, a fine drive through the greening land. I enjoy it much, visit Mr. Vanamee; find him in bed, but looking well and talking well; heart

trouble, near his end he thinks, an old and valued friend of mine, a great lover of books; a fine writer but a luxurious liver old friend of C.B.

24.
Clear and sharp; frost last night. But storm brewing. Never saw so many snow birds as this spring; swarm of them everywhere and many robin, like old times, no plowing yet.

25.
Cloudy, cold rain sets in in p.m. 50 Vassar girls at S.S. Go to Falls in slow rain.

26.
Heavy rain all night, continuing this a.m. sets up in p.m. Walk up to Julian's.

27.
Clearing, cold, more juncos this spring than I ever saw before and many more robins than last spring.

28.
Cloudy and warm. Drive to Pot E. in p.m. with Julian and family.

29.
Rainy, colder, Charley Benton and family call in p.m. Very glad to see him. Looks the old man but the same Charley only dulled a little, Myrons brother.

30.
Rain and mist and chill continues the 4th and 5th day.


Wood thrush yesterday morning. Bobolink and house wren this morning. Swarm of juncos and sparrows everywhere. May 1st. Clear, cold, frost last night.
2. Clear, cold with frost. Birds very numerous. The musical festival of the Goldfinches began a week or two ago, in the trees in the corner of the wall near the station and still continues, also purple finches; the latter are feeding on the seeds in the sycamore balls - a hard feat for them [owney] to the long string by which the ball is held.
-A downy wood pecker drumming morning after morning on the stub of a dry limb of the big maple up by the side of the road, one morning I saw the female come to the tree and busy herself searching up and around a large limb some distance from the drummer. He was evidently instantly aware of his presence. He drummed rapidly twice, then after a moments pause, dropped down a few feet and clung silent and motionless to the stub. The female worked nearer and nearer but the male made no sign. Finally she alighted on the branch upon which he was perched and busied herself on the opposite side of it, still he made no sign. After a few moment, he flew swiftly away and disappeared in some trees nearby. After about a minute the female disappeared in the same direction. She seemed more ardent than he did. May be he was not drumming for her; he had drummed up an unwelcome female and would have more of her.
3.
Warm, day of great beauty and charm, a high hole day, also a white throat day. How their calls and songs bring back the past. Drive to Lloyd and Centreville and Highland with Julian in p.m. Over 50 normal School girls on Saturday.

4.
Partly cloudy, but mild and inviting. Bless the high holes that call from below the hill.


-the identical calls I heard in my boyhood come up from the old meadow. Working each day on my Life. MS. Plowed garden this morning.
5.
Fine May day.

6.
Steady rain all day, mild. Dizziness continues. Two weeks now.

7.
Clearing, Clara Reed and Miss Clark at S.S.

8.
Cloudy plant more garden. Wm. Vanamee died last night, an old friend of 40 years a man of much talent and many admirable traits. Books his dissipature. His library in Middletown was a resort of mine for many years. Peace to his ashes.

9.
Foggy, stagnant air, cherry trees in full bloom, maple leaves 1/3 out, mild. Miss Sanderson comes to paint S.S.

10.
To Newbury to Mr. Vanamee's funeral, a long day, drive down in my car. Julian and Hud with me. C.B. there very tearful. She comes back with us to look house over.


12.
Miss S. goes today.

13.
Rain last night, Dark and chilly today. Mr. Ford comes at noon.

14.
Fine day. Mr. F and I stay at S.S.

15.
Lovely day; walk to old mill. In p.m. Start for Yama Farms in car. Reach there at 5.

16.
At Yama Farm; a lovely day. Camp fire at night.

17.
Warm lovely day.

18.
Warm lovely day. Drive back in morning, home at 11. Mr. Ford leaves on 2 p.m. train, a man I love.

19.
Clear warm day, perfect.

20.
Clear warm, a red dry sun.

21.
Drive to Highland to meet Dr. Barren and the children, a great event. 22 and 23. Helping Dr. B. arrange her house.


24.
Drive to S/S in p.m. a fine day.

25.
To Roxbury this morning. warm, reach home at 11. Orchards piled with bloom. County very fresh, bobolinks in

meadow.

26.
Very hot 84 degrees. Work in garden, shoot woodchucks and dream the old dreams.

27.
Violent thunder shower in the night - barn struck in West settlement, ash tree in sap bush. I sleep on the porch, a very hot day - from 88 to 90.

28.
A little cooler. Return home today no rain here, getting dry. 29 Fine day, cooler, May at its best.


30. Hot day, partly cloudy, lots of company at S.S. and Riverby. C.B. and the children very happy in their new home. 31 Clear dry, cool, a day of wondrous brilliancy, my heart is light.
Dizziness slowly leaving me. June 1st. Peterson drives Julian and I to Roofs in Frest Valley. Leave here at 5 a.m. reach there at 8 1/2, a long drive through the fresh cool June morning, an ideal trout day, warm and wind S.W. I fish from 9 to 12 and take 25 fine trout. Julian and P. do as well, a happy day in the lucid stream and with Mr. Roof and Miss Hovey, J. and P. leave at 5. 2d. Cooler; the trout do not rise today, but ?I enjoy the wondrous stream about as much. In the evening sit by the open fire and have much talk with Miss H. a fine Whitmanesque young woman.
3.
Warmer, hazy. Drive to Yama Farm Inn. Lunch there and Mr. R. and Miss H. return. Julian meets me at Charn Ferry in R. at 6.

4.
Delicious rain all the forenoon, much needed, warm. Mr. Pratt come at 2 p.m.

5.
Clear, cooler, moving picture man from Edisons here, to take pictures for Mr. Pratt. They put me through my paces. Mr. Knox Taylor and Mr. cloud come.

6.
Warmer, fine day, lots of company at S.S. and here. Mr. Pratt leaves at 5 p.m.

7.
Soft warm Sunday. Feel pretty well. S. berries ripening. Drive over to Rifton in p.m.

8.
Hot, slow shower in morning. In p.m. drive to P. very warm, muddy and muggy, shower at 3.

9.
Clearing and cooler. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. Fine June days. Riverby very attractive.


19.
Join Mr. and Mrs. Ford at Albany on their way to Detroit from the Edison wedding.

20.
In D. cool, clear, go to the Sugarcamp and get our dinner. Ford, Roy and I, moving picture man in p.m.

21.
At the Fort bungalow; raining and warm. We pull wild S. berries and have S. Shortcake.

22.
Still showery and warm. Back to D. in p.m.

23.
Hot, sail on lake St. Clair in p.m.

24.
Hot, more movng pictures. Leave in p.m. on boat for Buffalo.

25.
Reach B. on time, a fine sail, my second sail on Lake Erie. First sail in Sept 1856 from B. to D. on my way to Ille.

26.
At Mr. Hoots last night on the lake shore, - meet 50 or 60 members of the Burroughs Club e.t.c. a drive through the park, in morning with Supt. In p.m. a lunch at Mr. Foreman's under a tree, delightful day.

27.
Lovely day, start for home at 9 a.m. Reach Rowland at 5, Julian meets me with car, all well, C.B. all right. 28, 29, 30. Fine June days. Gather Cherries e.t.c. Charley Benton comes on 30th. July 1st. Drive across country, Mrs. B, C.B. and C.B. and me to Myron Bentons old farm, a pleasant day with a background of precious memories. Look on Myrons house and farm again after an elapse of 35 years.


-Rain on the return trip. 2d. Cool with light showers, Charley leaves in p.m.
3.
Cool, light shower, Harriet and Eleanor leave for home today, shall miss them greatly. Sole of cherries.

4.
Cool, clear, air full of bird voices. 5th. Drive to H. to Mrs. Pierce in p.m. humming birds nest and pewees nest, cool, shower sets in on our way home; rains hard an hour or more.


6.
Cool, cloudy, pick cherries.

7.
Cloudy and showery, pick cherries upper cistern full.

8.
Clearing and warmer. 9, 10, 11. Warm humid days. Pick cherries, write a little read a little.


On the 11th a shower from N.E. a furious electric storm after dark only moderate rain fall. An enormous charge of electricity came up out of the earth under the maple at the foot of the hill scattering the soil, the roots and bushes and then making a wide ragged trench down the hill in the ground for 7 or 8 ft when it dived beneath the wagon track, bursting out here and there on the surface and escaping out of the bank made by the
plough at the top of the vineyard. Here it seems to have left to the wire to which the vines are tied running along it Northward, scorching the leaves here and there and completely demolishing a wren and blue bird box on the post by the path down the hill. It seems to have struck the box furiously going a foot or more out of its way to do so. What drew it to the box? The nail, probably. It came out from under the roots of the tree like an explosion and then it rooted around like a pig. Why did it go down the hill, when one would have expected it it go upward? It acted like some blind crazy material body, a cannon shot would have made a smoother trench. Its zig zag corner is seen in the ground. It seems to have annihilated the turf. It threw out of the trench, not a vestige of it anywhere. What a blaze of fire there must have been around that tree and ground and grape wire at that instant. The explosion was terrific and made me jump from my bed. But it seemed above us and not below us. Is it because of the speed of the lightening that it cannot go straight. Why this reluctance? this strained character? The stress of the other? a sheaf of electrons rooting like a pig. From the tree to the edge of the vineyard where the bolt left the ground is about 20 ft about half this distance it traveled above ground and half below a non-material thing leaving a path like that of a plow shear.
12.
Hot, cloudy, stagnant day. Mrs. Dr. More here. Feel very limp and lazy as of the electric storm had used up all my electricity.

13.
Still hot and nerveless; cloud and sun, cherries just gone.


-The blueness of the waters of the great lakes is remarkable; So unlike river water it the colorless water of our mountain lakes. The vast expanse of the blue sky above them, seems to have colored them; the heavenly blue is contagious and effects the water. There is a hint of the sea in the look of the great lakes. In the smallest of them I have seen St. Clair than as a strange far off elemental look. Superior is the father of it. you feel that that water has been somewhere thus had unusual experiences. July 18,1914, 8 a.m., Roxbury Here I am again at my barn door outlook, clear and fresh after the brisk shower of yesterday p.m. The old familiar scenes and sounds.
I hear two scarlet tanagers singing up in the woods, their strong rather harsh notes riding above the continuous warble of the red eyed vireo. The occasional "Per chick on pee" of the gold finch. The tall Timothy in the meadow above me slowly stirs in the gentle breeze; here and there the breeze touches it and gently agitates it, there are tille centres of rippling activity. No swallows skimming over it get as last summer and all is silent in the loft of the old barn, a blue bird warbles in the orchard. Crows call in the distance. The sky is that clear intense blue arching the vault above the hills, that I have known from my youth. Only once in long years is the country so green and fresh as at present, an abundance of rain since spring now and then the jiggling song of the indigo bird in the woods above me. 16 Julian drives Dr. B. and me to Roxbury, reach there at 4 p.m. a pleasant trip. Julian returns next day.
18. All of August spent at Woodchuck Lodge, much rain; country very green. Carry Bexter came about the 25th. Dessie helps us for 10 days. Mrs. B. came last of July. Not as well as I was last year, a good deal of dizziness. Write a little, but not with much zest. The terrible war in Europe oppresses me. That war drunk Kaiser my special detestation. He will bring ruin upon his country and great injury to the whole world. But if the militarism of which he is the embodiment is crushed and cast out by the war, there will be great gain. Drove over to Eden's twice; E. is pale and rather feeble but works some each day. Finish a paper on Life and mind and send it to N.A. Review, Build, reservoirs above the house the later part of Aug; holds 3000 galls. Mr. Childs come and stays over night, glad to have him. Many callers from the village and other places - one party in auto from Ogle Co. Ills. Dr. Clump come and takes Dr. B. and me to his place on Prime hill, an enjoyable trip. Begin the wall below the barn for the new lot, I take a hand in helping to pry up the rocks. Enjoy doing what my father and brothers wanted to do - bring back the old days. Sept came in rather warm and wet. No use for the reservoirs this year. On Aug 30, came De Loach, very glad to have him; like him more and more, - a genuine man and brother. Sept 6. De Loach still here and the days pass pleasantly. He helps pry up the rocks. On the 2d we drove to Harpersfield where I wanted to go to school in 1853, but did not get there, a forlom little village - very sad for me to look upon, especially in the light if my youthful enthusiasm and the rosy lives in which I had painted it. Drive to Hobart in p.m. to see Eden, a bright lovely day. Mr. Pratt came last night, always glad to have him come. Miss Baxter left on the 2d. I walk up in the night and groan in spirit over the carnage in Europe. If that military bully the Kaiser, was only compelled to go in the fore front of the fight! But what can save him as long and England and France are supreme on the seas, I cannot see. In p.m. drive over to old school house and then to the falls.
7.
A mild, partly cloudy windy day from S.W. Feel very well today, 10 a.m. De Loach and Pratt have just gone down for the mail in the car. I pray for good news that is for bad news for the Germans.

8.
Pratt left this morning on early train.

De Loach and I go to Stamford in car to Dr. Lambert. In p.m. I drive down to see Eden, find him digging his potatoes and piling up the tops of weeds, in nest piles on the margin leaving the ground very clean. He is very pale but seems in pretty good heart.

9.
Miss Clark, the Dr's patient came last night. De loach leaves this morning. I shall miss him greatly - a very lovable man a bright cold day, near a frost last night.

10.
Bright, cold, Mrs. B leaves for home today, sorry to see her go. War news pretty good.

11.
Still clear and cold on the verge of a frost.

12.
Windy, clear, cold N.E. Write letter to Tinn and in p.m. work at the stone. Feel pretty well.

13.
Sunday, clear cold, the 6th cold day this week, near s frost every night; getting dry, N.A. Recien takes my paper on "Life and mind" Killed a yellow ort this morning with my rifle, prowling about for birds and my chipmunks Read little but news papers these days - hungry for war news and for the defeat of the Kaisers army.


16. Days of wonderful brilliancy nearly a week of them. Very cool at night but getting warmer. Drove to Makers. Hollow on Monday the 14th. Work a part of each day with the men digging stone and rocks, Drive down for the papers each morning and rejoice that the tide of war seems turned against the German Heros, not a cloud in the sky yesterday or today. No frost here yet.
18. The wonderful Sept days continues, not a cloud, no wind, a valley of fog in the morning a hot mild day. Cool nights. Farmer thrashing their buck wheat and cutting their corn. We are hauling rocks and stones and building stone wall. Fighting in Europe enormous armies, but apparently small loss of life in proportion to numbers engaged. Advantage with Russia in East nearly drawn battle, in West, a million men in battle in France apparently lose less men than armies of 10,000 each lost in our civil war.
20. The lovely days continue. Warm getting dry. Reading "Pan Germanism" and much impressed by it. I did not dream of such. schemings, such jealousies, such rivalries and animosities among the nations of my own day. Civilization seems to have done nothing toward eradicating greed and and selfishness among the races. For nations to live together as brothers and neighbors seems out of the question. Work a few hours each day with the man prying rocks and stones; it does me good, I am all the time bruising the head of German militarism.
22.
Hot clear dry weather continues - above 90 in some places, night cool, well and contented these days. Write in morning, work in stone in p.m. Hot as July.

23.
Very hot 90 or over, dry. Drive out in p.m. a thunder shower at night goes South of us.

24.
Cooler, cloudy, spits of rain, Eden ill, must go over there today. Go to Eden's for dinner. Find him up and around, but pale and out of serts, coughs hard at times. Eats his dinner with apparent relish. Dr. and Miss C. go with me and dine at the hotel. Go back home at 6.

25.
Slow rain all night, much needed, cool.

26.
Bright sharp day, Miss Harland comes in a.m.

27.
Cloudy and windy with spirts of rain. Clearing in p.m.

28.
Monday, over first frost last night, not heavy, Miss H. goes today.

29.
Clear, sharp, a killing frost last night. Eden is worse and I must go over to see him today.

30.
Found Eden better, will soon be up again I think, stayed there last night. Bright sharp day. Oct 1. Clear, cool, lovely day. Work in field with men.


2.
Cloudless day, Fog in the valley. write in morning and work in field in p.m. Drive down at 4 for Miss Bertrand.

3.
Another matchless day, still clear and warm; the perfection of Oct days. Dr. Eliots letter in yesterdays 'Times on the war,' excellent, my own views, a broad just and statesman like view. Julian and his family come at 5 p.m.

4.
Sunday, very happy to have J. and the children here, a glorious day. We dine on roast duck. Before dinner Julian and Ursa and Betty and I walk over the new field. John up to all sorts of mischief, they leave at 1 1/2 p.m. Down the road they go waving their adieus, a pathetic sight to me. How quickly they vanish on the turn by Caswells.

5.
A glorious day - all color and sunshine. Warm and still a soft haze in the air I work a while with the man in p.m. Days so beautiful that they effect one like music, at 4 p.m. a Mr. W.H. Taylor from Berkley Cal. calls. Like him much - a man after my own heart, a traveler an observer, a thinker, a naturalist, a reader of books and a very human genuine man. I could become greatly attached to him. Hope I shall see him again. Talks with his hands and arms and eyebrows as much as with his tongue and talks well.

6.
Another day of wondrous beauty. Write a litlle and work with the man.

7.
A high fog blots out the sky and sun all day. Chilly.

8.
Still the high fog. Miss Bertrand leaves today.


-How much labor the old ice sheet has caused mankind.
-Covering the soil and packing into it rocks and stones over all parts of a large section of the globe. For many weeks I have had men and teams battling with these obstructions in a field on the old farm. In many places the soil is packed with them; there are medial moraine nearly all over the field, many of the rocks and larger stones that we move are rounded and rubbed and grooved on the bottom as if they had been sliding down hill. The ice sheet nearly or quite doubled the labor of the first settlers in this part of the country and added much to the labor of their descendants without it. New England and New York land would have been as easy to clean up and made tillable as land in Ga and Tenn. Drive to So. Gilboa to dinner with the Laws, a clear lovely afternoon. Walk up to the sap bush where home made sugar. Drive to Eden's at 3. Find him sitting up and feeling much better he said than last week. But he is still very pale and his feet swell - a bad symptom. We spend an hour there (Hatter with us) then drive home.
9.
Another fine day. Work all morning with the men; hot, Mr. and Mrs. Chambers from Kansas city come to dinner. Great admirer of my books. We all like them, they followed us up yesterday to S. Gilboa, just to see and speak to me. How many friend my books have made for me!

10.
Fog clouds from S.W. may develop rain before night. Rain much needed everywhere. Very dry.


-Anything we can write or say without emotion is not poetry whatever else it may be. Still warm.
11.
Warm fine day. Walk down for Sunday paper.

12.
Cool partly cloudy. Drive to Hubble to get car fixed.

13.
Cool. To Margaretsville to get car fixed.

14.
Fine cool day, Fred leaves today. Shall miss him much.

15.
Cloudy, threatens rain, Frank Talbot and wife of Gloversville come at night. Glad to have them under my roof.

16.
Raining slowly; rained nearly all day. Talbots leave at 10 a.m. train.

17.
Warm, clearing. Rain over; not half enough. Drive to the village. Clear and fine in p.m.

18.
Clear, calm lovely morning. Blue bird voice fill the air. Crows cawing in all directions. Preparing to leave here tomorrow.

19.
Rain all night and mist and rain all day, no West Park today.

20.
Clears off, a lovely warm day start for home at 9 1/2, a fine run to Kingston. Dine there at 1 1/2. Home at 3 1/2 all well.

21.
Fine day, glad to be here.

22.
Lovely day and warm. Start for Gloversville at 2:10. Reach G. at 7 p.m.

23.
Cool and clear, drive with Mr. and Mrs. Talbot and Mr. Parsons to Lake Pleasant at speculator. See uncle David again, dine there, a cold windy drive. Back home at G. at 7 p.m.

24.
Cloudy, some signs of a cold coming on, loof about town with Talbot.

25.
Bright cold day a bad night from soar throat and cold in my head. Too much wind on Friday, on a drive of 120 miles. Talked last night before the Burroughs Club at the library. Start for home at 11 1/2. Reach home at 5 p.m. all well.

26.
Cold better, mild. Drive to Highland in p.m.

27.
Clearing, much colder and windy. 29, 30. Fine days.


31. Fine day and warm. Nov 1st. Lovely warm day, Mrs. V. and her friends from N.
2.
Lovely day, like Sept, cloud and sun.

3.
Ideal election day. Bright cool and dry. The progressives have had all the evenings they will ever have.

4.
Mild, partly cloudy; good day to work. 5, 6. Fine days.


7.
Fine day like Sept. Vassar teachers at S.S.

8.
Rain a little this morning, not very well, cloudy in p.m.

9.
Rained last night, colder. Mr. Childs comes at 2 p.m.

10.
Clear, colder down to 24, feel better.


13.
Mild, windy. Drive to Napanoch with C.B. and Miss Clark.

14.
At Yama Farms Inn. Rain, meet Admiral Goodrich, a very attractive man.

15.
Fine sharp day. Drive to Jenny Brook, walk back through the silent sweet woods, C.B. I and others.

16.
Mild day, return home. reach here at 3.


18.
To N.Y. to attend Academy meetings. Pose for Rowland.

19.
At Academy meeting in Acolian Hall. Rain.

20.
Pose for R. skip the A. meeting. Cold.

21.
Very sharp. Return home in p.m. Winter at W.P 6 inches of snow on Thursday, cold.

22.
Clear and cold, down to 24.

23.
Clear, milder a winter landscape.

24.
Bright sharp winter like days.

25.
Milder, start for Hobart today, wife and I reach there at 5.45. Eden and Mag well as usual, Eden much better that when I last saw him in Oct; face quite full though pale. Eats and sleeps well and does a few chores.

26.
Thanksgiving day, mild, partly cloudy, snow melting fast from S. wind. Ort and Olly and Dessy come on morning train and Charley Grant. Have a pleasant dinner. Willy and Jenny there. Snow nearly gone by night

27.
Go over to Roxbury this morning. John and I fix up on business matters, colder. Clearing in p.m. I go over to Woodchuck Lodge and build fire. I walk around the new field spend night at W.L. cold, freezing, clear moonlight Do not keep quite warm. Pretty lovely.

28.
Back home today. Milder clear.

29.
Mild day, cloudy, go to P.

30.
Mild and very foggy, C.B. at P.B. Dec 1st. Mild, foggy in morning.


2.
Mild tranquil day, above 50 degrees, foggy in morning, warm as early Oct.

3.
Foggy morning and warm. The one overshadowing and all absorbing event of this fall. The European war finds hardly an echo in this record. It is too tremendous. It eccupies more than half my thoughts. I can read little else than the newspapers. I even read the yellow journals, lest some scrap of news escape me. But the news I most want - the enter defeat of the Kaisers armies. I do not yet find. The struggle in Poland now seems to be the crucial battle. Dec 5. Mild day, start for Yama Farms Inn at 10.25. Lunch in K. reach Napanoch at 3. Get well fixed at the Inn.


6.
Cloudy, sharp N.E. wind, establish myself at the Hut; delightful. Walk in p.m. with C.B. and others to Honk Falls.

7.
Raining a little from N.E. Mercury 33.


16.
Pleasant winter days at the Inn. I have my comfort with me. Write mornings and saw wood or walk in p.m. Gaining in wright fasts.

17.
Off for West Park today. Reach there at noon. Stay with Julian over night, off for N.Y. in morning. Pose for Rowland; then to Pratts.

18.
Cold, all day with Pratt and De Loach. To the auto Cat meeting at night in Brooklyn. Poor puss fares poorly. Stay with Pratt.

19.
De Loach leaves this morning. Off for Napanoch at 12.15.

20.
Clear cold day.

21.
Snow 4 inches ending in rain. In p.m. ride down hill with C.B. and the Wattsons.

22.
Cold and clear; a sleigh ride to Ellenville in p.m.

23.
Cold; down to 8. Work in the Hut revising the chapters of "The Breath of Life" a letter from a German prof at Wurzburg protesting against my 'Tribune letter,' not a strong reply. Got a cold in my nose and throat facing the cold wind yesterday.

24.
Cold, a light snow - under the weather from a slight cold, a light fever. Took a sweat.

25.
Cold and cloudy, much better, news comes of John Muirs death - an event I have been expecting and dreading for more than a year, a unique character - greater as a talker than as writer - loved personal combat and shone in it. He hated writing and composed with difficulty, though his books have charm of style, but his talk came easily and showed him at his best. I shall greatly miss him though I saw him so rarely.


20. Mercury has been down to 17, good sleighing. 27, 28, 29. Cold and fair most of the time. Write a little each fore noon. Gained 7 lbs since the 5th.
30.
Warm, rain all fore noon. Mr. Childs came yesterday.

31.
Clearing and cold. 1915 Jany 1st. Cold about 7 or 8, clear. A big crowd from N.Y.


12. Fine sharp winter weather most of the time this month - down to 17 and near zero several days. One big rain and break up of the ice in the stream over a week ago; warm and rain again last night and this a.m. In good health and at work wrote ... letter to Trebune and sent ... yesterday; weigh 142 naked ... "a great success. ... kind of hatred it is ... most pronounced and violent when civilization is lowest." Ana Bismarck said that "Envy is the national vice of the German people. They cannot bear that anyone should be greater than themselves" quoted in E's "arch enemy"
And, between ourselves, I never hated the French, although I thanked God when we were rid of them. How could I, to whom the question of culture and barbarism alone is all imprtant, hate a nation which is among the most cultured of the world, and to which I owe so great a part of my own culture? National hatred is indeed a peculiar thing. It is always found most pronounced and violent where civilization is lowest, but there is a stage of culture where it vanishes altogether, where one stands, so to say, above all nations, and feels the happiness and sorrows of neighboring people as much as if they were part of one's own.
20. Mercury has been down to 17. Good sleighing. 27, 28, 29. Cold and fair most of the time. Write a little each fore noon. Gained 7 lbs since the 5th.
30.
Warmer, rain all forenoon. Mr. Childs came yesterday.

31.
Clearing and cold. 1915 Jany 1st. Cold - about 7 or 8, clear. A big crowd from N.Y.


12. Fine sharp winter weather most of the time this month - down to 17 and near zero several days. One big rain and break up of the ice in the stream over a week ago; warm and rain again last night and this a.m. In good health and at work - wrote another letter to Trebune and sent it off yesterday; weigh 142 naked, the "hut" a great success. Goethe said of hatred "it is always found most pronounced and violent when civilization is lowest" Ana Bismarck said that "Envy is the national view of the German people. They cannot bear that anyone should be greater than themselves" quoted in E's "arch enemy"
Books Worth Re..
A New English translat.. been published of "Comm... ballis" that remarkable work Abbe de Montfaucon de Villa... which students of French litera... supposed to be familiar. The bo... its original publication in Paris ... and mant editions of it were iss...
13.
Two nights and one day of hard rain, water everywhere this morning and snow nearly gone, clearing and warmer.

14.
Mild March like day write and walk and pose for Cordie and saw wood. Robins and blue birds here.

15.
Still March like, no frost last night. Great earth quake in study. Hell let loose upon earth.


17.
Rain all day and night, warm as March.

18.
Rain and fog. Snow all gone. Streams very high. Winter is knocked out I think.

19.
Clearing, mild, but signs of colder.


-"This world is 1/5 hot, 4/5 cold, 1/5 clay, 4/5 water. Air is of the same make up as the world, but in a neutral state e.t.c." from a MS. on "Make up of the universe from a natural cause, by a Johnston Rosedale, Kansas. 1915 Feb Stayed at Yama Farm Inn till Feb 4th - a bad cold in late Jany, on Jany 29 swallowed a small bone that lacerated my gullet all the way down and caused me much pain and several sleepless nights for a week - neck was sore and swollen on outside. Snow and cold when we left. Reached Experiment on the 6th - bright sunshine till today ever since.
15. Mid April here, toads and peepers at night, bear working on soft maples. Heavy rain last night, I am fairly well again and am about ready to send off the last essays of my "Breath of Life". De
Loach wonderfully kind and helpful - would my own son cared half as much for me.
19. Nearly a week of sunshine, with frost at night. Heavy rain last Sunday, farmers plowing. Heard robins this p.m. Walk an hour or two each day. Resting my brain for a while, my last upper tooth drawn yesterday, wisdom tooth. Good riddener. Poke around the place a good ideal. Feel much better, cough about stopped, but oh, the past, and the horrible war. It oppresses my night and day. Read but little, eat and sleep well, see but few people. Waiting the proofs of the new vol. Mrs. B. well, mind less eager and active than last winter. C.B. in N.Y.
22.
Mild spring like day, partly cloudy, a wedding here, Miss De Loach and Mr. Van - of others, a wedding is always a solemn occassion to me. Correct proof in morning of new book.

23.
Rain all night, dark and damp and cooler this morning.


-A great thing is to know what you want to know - so that your reading and studies may not be aimless and profitless. In my youth I knew that I wanted to know the birds, to know geology and astronomy and all natural knowledge.
-On Sunday my weight was a little short of 150. Feb 25. Sick since Tuesday with my old trouble - low fever and a feeling of discomfort generally. Bright spring like weather, a brisk 2 1/2 mile walk today but do little work as soon as I take food pulse goes up, sleep poor.
26. Poor sleep last night, but fever gone this morning, am taking only a little rice water - have eaten too much this winter - must now pay for it. Julian writes that ice in river broke up on 24. Snow nearly all gone - fearfully muddy. Blue birds there Mendeleef says. If a linen surface, moistened with an acid, be placed in perfectly pure air then the washings are found to contain sodium, calcium, iron and potassium. Linen moistened with an alkali absorb carbonic, sulphuric, phosphoric and hydrochloric acids". The presence of organic substances in the air can be proved by similar experiments. "The chief component parts of the air, placed in the order of their relative amounts, are nitrogen, oxygen, aqueous vapor, carbonic anhydride, nitric acid, salts of ammonia, oxides of nitrogen and also ozone hydrogen peroxide and complex organic nitrogenous substances" also particles of solids perhaps of cosmic origin (Cosmic dust). Here then is where air plants get their ash. They draw their substances from this air soil. They are rooted to this soil through their leaves; they breathe it in with the air. The atmosphere then is another and finer earth with nearly all the mineral and gaseous elements and a living organisms .a finer world superimposed upon the world in which we live.
28. Some rain, cool. Peach trees blooming. Yesterday 60 teachers from Atlanta were here - had their lunch on the ground near the cabin study, cloudy day. Mch 1st. Fine day, cool from the N. nearly well again, correct proof all morning in the cabin.
2.
Cloudy, Mrs. R. and Mr. De L. go to Atlanta. Write in Cabin till noon, many white throats at my free lunch table. To town and to the dentist in p.m.

3.
Overcast, chilly. In Cabin this morning, feeling well at last. Downy drumming in two keys in woods, nearby. Write on birds.

4.
Cloudy, windy from the East, threatens rain. Return of my old trouble this morning, only slight, through qualms I hope have checked it. Two abusive letters this morning from Pro Germans - one very better anonumous - wants me shot from the end of a torpedo. What it is all about, I don't know. The N.Y. journal seems to have been making me say something.


6.
Bright day, my old trouble back again - fever and little sleep. Consult on old Griffins doctor, prescribes a tonic .thinks my nerves need bracing.

7.
Cloudy and windy and chilly. Keep quiet. Fever again last night, a young Georgian came to see me, a fine, wholesome intelligent fellow, a Rival Delivery man. The shadow of a chill from 3 till I retire, am in doubt yet about the old doctors tonic.

8.
A poor night, not more than 2 hours sleep but no pain, a low fever till 3 a.m. a cool windy day, but clear - more than half persuaded that I have malaria.

9.
Clear and sharp, down to 32 last night, no fever since night before last.

10.
Bright and warm, a little fever no pill last night, am much puzzled.

11.
Bright rather sharp day. Fever has gone for good I think. Drive in p.m.

12.
Bright lovely day. How the red maples do hum with the bees this morning. No fever, sleep well, think I am well again, no proof this week.

13.
Mild, partly cloudy day, a lot of women from Atlanta, members of the Burroughs Club, a little below par today.

14.
Lovely bright day. Feel prime today - ample sleep last night.

15.
Mild day, partly cloudy. Go to Stone Mt. for the second time, a fascinating climb an hour or more on top. Probably


the biggest single granite knob or hump in the world. 20 or 30 buzzards circling high over the top. Return home on 4
p.m. train.
16.
Cloudy, windy cold day, correct proof in shanty study and walk in p.m.

17.
Clear, cold, near a frost last night. Sharp as some of our March days. Health fully restored I think.

18.
Milder, partly cloudy. Finish the piece which I call "Old friends in new places." this morning, a respectable magazine article.


20. Colder, a white frost this morning - down to 28. 22d. Start for home this morning. Partly cloudy, shall probably never see Experiment again - too noisy, no better friend in the world than De Loach. He goes with us to Atlanta. Take 105 train for N.Y.
23.
A safe and pleasant journey to N.Y. reach there on time. C.B. and Mr. Pratt meet us at station. We get the 4 p.m. train on West Shore. Reach home on time Julian and Hud meet us at station. House warm.

24.
Bright dry sharp day, no rain or snow here this month. Roads dusty. Very glad to be back. How good all things look to me. All early birds here. Day of wonderful brilliancy.

25.
Bright day, with some clouds and mild. Walk up to Julian's.

26.
A sprinkle of rain last night. Clear today and growing colder, down to 28 before sun down.

27.
Cold night, down to 16, but clear and dry. Roads as dusty as in summer. Health good, but my contentment not yet here.


29.
C.B. came this p.m. looking well, my fever also came yesterday.

30.
Still dry and sharp, freezing every night.

31.
Clear, windy, cold, down to 22. April 1st. No change in weather. Consult Dr. Van Tilray. 2d. Cold and sharp; feeling a little better. 3d. My 78 birthday, fever gone. Cloudy, cold driving wind from N.E. Began snowing at noon, a driving snow storm till bed time. Columbia student here last night to interview me for Tribune, a fine Ohio boy from the farm


4.
Six inches of snow, clearing and warmer, snow melting fast, no more fever.

5.
Warmer snow nearly gone, cloudy. Appetite returning with a rush.

6.
Slow rain. Fine in p.m.

7.
Go to Roxbury on early train. Ride up from village with Johns milk team, a dark, sour, chilly day. John boiling sap, spend part of the p.m. with him in sap house. Build fire at Woodchuck Lodge and dry out bedding e.t.c, spend the night there.

8.
A glorious day, all sun and sky; not a cloud, should be a good sap day but sap runs feeble, though it froze quite hard last night and there is old frost in the ground, I loiter in the woods and climb the hill and look over in West Settlement. [Fines] and hills still shelter old snow banks, Wood on mountains still full of snow. It shines through the dark mantle of trees as I saw it so many times in my youth. Blue birds at W.L. and one robin on song. Several song sparrows. Pass the night at W.L.

9.
Partly cloudy, start for home on morning train. Warm at W.P. and lovely.

10.
A lovely warm day of cloud and sun. Drive to P. with C.B. and her children. Then drive to Julian's and to woods in


p.m. Two hepaticas under the leaves.
11. Slow warm rain last night, gentle rain part of the day. The song of the toad under the hill Prof Lounesbury died suddenly two days ago, a lovable man, I liked him best of all the academicians, my last word and walk with him last Nov in N.Y. He told me then that his heart was his weak point. He would not hurry to catch a street car as I was included to do. He made a most effective criticism of a statement of Arnold in one of his later essays. Hopkinson Smith died also at same age 77. But I cared little for Smith. S. orated when he talked. Rest to their ashes. Both should have lived to see the end of the war.
15.
Brilliant sharp April days, freezes a little every night, on the 13th and 14th C.B. and Mildred cleaned Slabsides, a thorough job, days without a cloud. This p.m. we drive to P.

16.
Another cloudless sharp day, a high hole morning. How they do call from points near the river, one of the most welcome and characteristic sounds of spring. Write letters in morning. Health good.


-It is said that the hedgehog stores up fat in the region of the neck for sustenance during hibernation. The Maki ape of Madagascar stores up fat in its tail against his sleep over the dry season.
The bacteria of splenites stands a temperature of liquid hydrogen - 252 degrees.
17.
Cloudy in morning, clearing in p.m. Walk to the woods in p.m. Dry and hazy.

18.
A cloudless day, wonderfully brilliant. We all drive to Ashokan dam and around it. Julian and his family and I mine except Mrs. B. a day long to be remembered. Eat our lunch in the deep gorge of Tremper Hollow Stream, under the superb arched bridge of the Ashokan Lake Road. Warm and inviting the full clear mountain trout brook casts its spell upon us. About 2 hours run from here. Colts foot in bloom along the stream. Arbutus opening here.

19.
Lovely day, warmer, April it her best.


24. A week of dry bright lovely weather, a soft haze in the air one frost. Warmer yesterday and today asparagus and rhubard this week. Plum trees on bloom. At Slabsides on the 20th trying to write again. Up to mirror lake yesterday with Julian and Peterson. No fish but a lovely p.m. Water thrush there and red shouldered starting. Drove to H. in a.m. Well these days, but not much sleep in me physically or mentally, but enjoy the April days - effect me like music. How my mind and heart go back. Had a longing this morning for the old Washington days. How fragrant they are in my memory!
C.B. off this morning for N.Y. A very dry spring so far.
25.
One hundred and ten Vassar girls yesterday at S.S. and a dozen High School girls from P. also the president of Vassar and his wife, I like the young man much, a lovely still clear warm morning. Rare April days indeed. Jenny Wren here this morning.

26.
Hot and dry, above 80.

27.
Very hot, start for Roxbury at 10 in my car, a hot drive. Delayed at Griffins Corner, by a flat tire. Reach R. at 4. The country green and lovely.

28.
Light rain last night, cooler today, make garden, sleep on the porch.

29.
Warmer again, I go fishing down through the Hemlocks, take 4 trout - as good as a hundred, long sad thoughts; fish down below the old days saw mill dam; return up the ridge, Partridge drumming in the Hemlocks a bed of Claytonia makes a little hollow gay. Yellow violets in bush woods. Drive out to Edens in p.m. a brisk thunder shower beyond Moresville delays me 1/2 hour. Find Eden out looking after his chickens. Face pale and full bloated I fear. Eats well but is short of breath.

30.
Clearing, cool, start for home at 7 a.m. Reach Kingston at 11 in a mist and fog; reach home at 12 1/2 May 1st. cloudy; a band of school children at S.S. Rain a little, children very happy, Ursa and Betty among them.


2.
Fine day. Two bands of Vassar girls at S.S. The night if the apple bloom, cherry, pear and apple trees in bloom at same time. Fringed polygela showing the purple.

3.
Fine day, cool. Go to Vassar and talk an hour in Whitman to the class in American Literature - a harum scarum talk. Miss Ballard very sweet.

4.
Cloudy, cool, very tired today.

5.
A light slow rain from N.E. maple leaves about half grown season early and dry. Peas up 2 inches. Young blue - bird today - flying well and being fed by its parents a surprise. Lilacs just beginning to bloom. May 1st. cloudy; a band of school children at S.S. Rain a little, children very happy, Ursa and Betty among them.


2.
Fine day. Two bands of Vassar girls at S.S. The night if the apple bloom, cherry, pear and apple trees in bloom at same time. Fringed polygela showing the purple.

3.
Fine day, cool. Go to Vassar and talk an hour in Whitman to the class in American Literature - a harum scarum talk. Miss Ballard very sweet.

4.
Cloudy, cool, very tired today.

5.
A light slow rain from N.E. maple leaves about half grown season early and dry. Peas up 2 inches. Young blue - bird today - flying well and being fed by its parents a surprise. Lilacs just beginning to bloom.

6.
Off to N.Y. on early train. Go to Edisons at Orange at noon. A long auto ride in p.m. and then to N.Y. to Carnegie Hall to the Circle Forum function in home of Edison, Mr. Ford sits by me on platform. I sit next Edison, an interesting ceremony, much speech making, but Edison will not say a word. The gold medal presented him is large and fine, E. notes all the talk and palaver, - the whole thing a bore to him. Go to Belmont and spend night with Mr. Ford.

7.
Fine day, Mr. F. comes home with me after seeing Dr. Van. Tiling in P. - the first doctor he ever consulted. The

doctor find him sound - only a little sluggishness of the liver.

8.
Rain last night, light off this morning, with Mr. F. to sing sing spend. Visit Osborne and the prison. Go through the prison, and then see the 1800 march in to dinner - the rag tag and bob tail of humanity - very depressing to look at their crude impressive faces, not one in ten with any foundation for character building. But an atmosphere of content and good will seems to persuade the place. Osborne a great success - treats the prisoners as human beings and gives every man a show. Incredible [that] for ages that the state should have aimed to punish and torment its prisoners, instead of trying to make better men of them. Osborne has abolished nearly all guards and spies and tries to let the men govern themselves. I leave at 2 p.m. and reach home at 4.30. Mr. Ford to take later train for Detroit. Mr. F. and I both had to make little speeches, in the big dining hall after the men were through dinner. How they did clap Mr. F.! He said he had never made a speech in his life, and he was much embarrassed and only spoke a dozen word. Among other things I said it was their bad luck that they were there and probably my good luck I was not there - which made them laugh. If day had all been as well born as I was and brought up to industrious habits on the farm e.t.c. e.t.c.

9.
A bright lovely morning - the perfection of May. 10, 11. Fine days.


12.
At S.S. at work in morning playing in p.m.

13.
A light rain last night. Start for Shandaken in car C.B., Mildred, the children and I, Julian and his family and Peterson and his off with us for Snyder Hollow. We drive to Chickester to Mildred's home and then to Phoenicia and up


S. Hollow, stop in the woods above Larkins old place. I fish an hour, only 3 trout under size. Peterson takes only two, J. now but a joyful day amid the old scenes I have known so well. Start back at 4. a light shower, reach home about 6.15.
15.
Fine day, over 100 Mr. Paltz normal pupils and a dozen of more from Schenectady led by principal Jeffers, a happy crowd, I enjoy it all. Lead the way up to Julian's rock not specially tired at night.

16.
Partly cloudy, Miss Haight and 4 of her friends from Vassar - one of them a granddaughter of Longfellow, Miss Thorp. We have a good time. Go to the falls e.t.c.

17.
Go to S.S. and write. Cool a frost in places.

18.
Cool frost, light, go to S.S.

19.
Cool frost, light, go to S.S.


C.B. and the children off to P. adenoids, work the car in p.m. Omission the use of May 19, May 30, and the first part of May 21.
22.
Quite a thunder shower in the night, enough rain to help vegetation and put some water in the cisterns. Sprinkles of rain all day, Nelly Woodworth comes at 4.30, very glad to see her again.

23.
Clearing and cooler, surface of the ground fairly well wet. June 2d. Off for Roofs on Neversink this morning at 5. Julian, Peterson, C.B. and myself, a cool fair morning. Reach roofs at 8. Fish till one, take 20 fine trout, a warm day; trout rise freely. Fish also in p.m.


3.
At Roofs; fish in morning; take about 20. Feel well and strong. In p.m. we go to High falls, C.B., Frank and I.

4.
Start for home this morning. Roofs takes us to Big Indian in auto, a fine ride. Reach home at 12 1/2.

5.
Company from Bronx; also


19.
Much discouraged about the war; doubt if the English and French force the Dardanelles - mismanagement, too small a land force. Russia completely outgenerated, forced back from Carpathians, nearly a dead lock in Belgium and France. England not united like Germany, common people show lack of patriotism, dissentious in cabinet, a dark outlook. But if Italy joins allies may turn the tide.

20.
Clara Reed and Gertrude Ballard come in p.m. Walk in the woods on way to Slabsides, a pleasant night around the open fire - two fine women.

21.
Rain a little in the night; misty and threatening in the morning. Walk over for 8 o'clock train. Sprinkles of rain with mist all day. Mr. Pratt and his friend, stay at S.S. Saturday and Sunday night. Mr. Pietro here over Sunday. June 7. Slight soar throat today, but feel well.


8.
Very bad throat with hoarseness; telegraph Mr. Ford too ill to start for Detroit.

9.
Throat very soar and hoarseness very severe.

10.
See Dr. Dobson for throat. His treatment improves it.

11.
Feel well and throat better, at 3 p.m. pick two gts of S. [scrubs] take them to C.B.s and nearly collapse on her porch. Came near fainting, heart behaves badly; too ill to go home. Dr. Benedict of Newburgh at night says I must stay there and keep quiet, [Strechman] every 4 hours.


14. Dr. Van Tiling comes; prescribes several drugs; 1 gr calomel, says keep quiet for two weeks; no appetite, no sleep since the 11th. C.B. nurses me and is very devoted.
30. Still at C.B.'s slowly gaining, appetite came back over week ago, put on my clothes yesterday and took an auto ride up to Julian's. The Roofs call, I walk a little. Begin to sleep naturally some lovely days and nights on the porch. Read and write a little. legs weak, but heart behaving well, steady but not strong. Old Adam assertive, no pain at any time during my illness, nearly gave up hope the first week. A cloudy day threatening rain. Telephone peas ready,