Friday, Dec 4, 1885 The weather is colder. I tried to paint a little yellow wood sketch but with indifferent success. Mr. & Mrs. Warren came by appointment at 11 oclock and after talking the matter of the picture over and looking at a number of sketches she finally selected one of my Shokan studies which I have just painted with variations as a late Autumn picture. It is to be oblong and as near as I could understand early Autumn with brilliant color but as usual left the treatment to my discretion. They told me to paint a picture for $350 including frame but I shall not charge them the balance $330 and after thinking it over I think I will paint 15x24--the other picture for which they paid me $300 is 15x18 including frame. I am to go there to dine next Wednesday evening. A young lady called while they were here with a card of introduction from Mrs. Mary H. Peabody whom I cannot recall. She said she would call with a friend at 1 oclock. Booth came to see me about 2 oclock and these two ladies who are students at the League came soon after but after looking at my pictures went away. I had a pleasant visit with Booth who has aged I think and is growing very grey. We chatted for a couple of hours. I proposed to him to take any pictures he saw. He has concluded to take the "Kaatskill brook" 30x36 I have been working on for $1000 and the "Mountain River" for $450. I dont think he wants them very much but I told him I was anxious to pay him something on my indebtedness and at present could do it in no other way. He said he thought if sometime I could perhaps exchange with some other artist and let him have a picture not of my own he would like it, but was very delicate and kind. I told him I recognised he was getting a good deal of my work but if we sold our place I would take these back if he wished. He said after he had them hung up he would not want them to go but I told him I would leave him free to do it if he wished. He was very kind as he always has been and told me he never thought of this affair between us, of which he has assured me over and over again. He went away about 4 oclock, is going to stay for the Century monthly meeting Saturday night and expects to go to Boston on Sunday. I asked him if Edwina and her husband lived with him and he said they did but that they had their separate suite of apartments and as they breakfasted before he did he really saw very little of them. He said they kept a good deal to themselves and seemed to be absorbed in and very fond of each other. Mary and I attended our French class at Mrs. Scotts in the evening.
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