Sunday, Oct. 19, 1873- I returned last evening from Deans Corners where I went on Sept. 18 to join Whittredge for our autmn sketching. Whittredge was much out of health when I first went out, a rain storm set in and I was very undecided about remaining. However I thought it would be unwise to come back without investigating the region and the result was that I found it an exceedingly interesting place. We went directly to work, the autumn color soon began to show and we never lacked for subjects. The streams are charming and the meadows which in summer are almost inaccessible in summer for their rank growth were as beautiful as anything could be. I made about twenty sketches in all and the most of them are things which I think I will be pretty sure to use. We had an excellent boarding place at Mr. P. Elmendorfs, a fine new house where we were luxuriously installed and alltogether the four weeks have been most satisfactory. Vaux joined us after we had been there a week and remained three weeks sketching all the time and enjoying it to the utmost. I came home twice in the interval the last time I found Gifford here come to urge us go up to the Laurel House where he had agreed to go with his sister Mary, Mrs. Wheeler & Carrie and Fitch. He was much disappointed to find I had concluded to remain at Deans. He staid here over Sunday which we spent in taking a ride up to Rosendale, a fearfully hot day. On the following Monday he and I returned to Deans as he wanted to see the place as well as to see Whittredge and Vaux. He was much disappointed that we were not going to the Laurel House and I don't think would have bound himself to go there had he not been quite sure we would join him. He said once or twice he wished he were to be with us and I am sure we all regretted he was not to be of our party. He returned by the afternoon train to Hudson. Mary Vaux and Gertrude came out on Saturday 11 and Mary and Vaux left the following Monday for home as Vaux was obliged to go to Philadelphia on business connected with his design for the Centennial building. Gertrude remained a week and became charmed with the place as did Mary. The autumn color was very much there as it is a maple region but the mountain forests began to look bare and Novembery before we left. We concluded that the color was at its brightest on the third of Oct when we had a severe frost, and the brightest foliage faded and fell off. Then we had a storm and we feared it was all over, but after that a new glory came on the trees that had not shed their leaves and the color was as rich and brilliant as one could wish. We left Whittredge and his wife there. He is much improved in health and is coming to visit us for a day or two on his way to Newport on Wednesday. We came home to find that John Dillon had died on Thursday night, happily closing a life that had become a burden to himself and friends. We attended his funeral today. Gussie came on two or three weeks ago and we found Joe here last evening when we arrived. A great financial panic has come on since I went away and has not yet passed and I begin to dread the aspect of the coming winter. Mr. Moore who owes me five hundred dollars is not able to pay me and I received a letter from Mrs. Winter who is in need of what I owe her, so that the annual worry about money begins. I received a long letter from Bayard Taylor in answer to me. I wrote him more than three months ago. He is busy, cheerful and hopeful under much discouragement and I fear there is financial trouble in store for him in the future.
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