Wednesday, May 13, 1885 This is the anniversary of dear Gussies death. How well I remember how she looked the last time I saw her a year ago this morning when I was called early as Sara thought she was near her end. Poor child. If she were conscious of the trouble which has arisen between her children and all of us how it would torture her sensitive nature. I wonder what their thoughts have been today, for they must regret this aberration. Sara came over in the forenoon to see my pictures. Wood and I walked up to the Academy where lunch was served at 1. The meeting was called at 2. Wood presided as Huntington was sick. All the old officers were reelected with the exception of two councilmen in place of two who retire. On the vote for Academicians not a single candidate was chosen. I think every one was surprised and disappointed and at once a reconsideration was moved by Carl Brandt, who seemed not to know for whom to vote, in the case of Millet, who only lacked one vote. It was carried, the vote taken and he was elected by a large majority. The same thing was done in the case of Maynard, Nicoll & F. S. Church. Four associates were elected. Frank Jones[,] Alden Weir, W. H. Lippincott and J. Francis Murphy. Dinner was served by Pinard at 6 1/4 very elegantly and in marked contrast to the dinners of several years ago. The dinner is usually pleasant until the champagne begins to warm up some of the garrulous ones and then the speeches are apt to be of a rambling character. I would like to hear some serious topic discussed connected with our institution and to get some kind of an expression from the artists themselves as to what is for the best interests of the Academy, particularly from the grumblers and fault finders. Weir, Whittredge, Eastman Johnson and I sat together and Whittredge and I walked down to my room about 10. He was pretty well disgusted with the lack of seriousness in the talk at the dinner but I argued that having been seriously engaged all day they feel rather like being a little festive and foolish. Whittredge and I sat and talked until midnight.
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