Wednesday, Dec 5, 1883 First thing after breakfast, moved the sitting room Franklin out into the room and cleaned the soot out of the fire place to save the chimney from taking fire. Left for New York to begin the winter, by noon train W. S. road. As soon as I arrived there began moving the things out of my bed room preparatory to having it cleaned. The first incident was a row with one of Dodds Express drivers. The agent on the cars gave me a written agreement that my trunk should be carried to my room on the second floor, before I would give him my checks. The driver refused to bring my trunk up and I would not receipt for it. I was furious and called him a robber and a lazy scoundrel and told him my trunk should be delivered at my room and I would compel the company to do it, but he took it away to my great inconvenience. Just after this rumpus and while I was in my shirt sleeves and in the midst of my work a committee of the Springfield Art, something-or-other called and wanted to know if I were going to send any thing to their exhibition. I told them I did not intend to and when they asked me why, I answered that I did not like the conditions, especially the one which subjected my work to the chance of rejection by a committee of their appointment after having invited me to contribute. "Well" said their spokesman "Dont all Academies do that?" I told him that I was not aware that they had an academy in Springfield of sufficient standing to assume that attitude towards established artists. "Well" said he in an excited tone "We dont want your work on any other conditions." ["]Very well" I replied ["]You cant have my pictures on those terms" and they swept out. I dined in my studio and worked all evening. Wrote to Sara recounting the history of the day.
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