Wednesday, Feb 3, 1886 To the dentists directly after breakfast. After he finished with me I walked down to my studio stopping to buy some flowers and some fruit and to go to the bank. When I reached my studio Sara was here and we went to work getting things in readiness for the lunch party. She arranged the flowers, carnations and lilacs, beautifully in my Venetian [?] and set the table. I put a card "Engaged" on my door. It began to snow violently and as though it meant to continue. There was a knock at my door and Mr & Mrs. Auchincloss came in with three little boys, somewhat surprised at the festal preparations, but Sara and I were jolly and polite and put them at their ease. They came to see my pictures, particularly the one I wrote him about at his request. After looking at the two, (same size) he asked me if I would send one up to his house to see how it would look there, as he would take one or the other. I told him I would send both and that seemed entirely satisfactory. While they were here there was another knock at the door and Booth came in to bring me tickets for this evening which I had to decline, but he is to send me three for Friday. He looked well and was cordial to Sade. I told him I was going to have some interesting ladies to lunch and asked him to join us, but he said he was afraid of ladies and had just had his breakfast and was one his way to see his sister Rose. The ladies came about 1. It was snowing hard but it looked very cosy and pleasant here and they seemed to like each other and get on swimmingly together. The lunch began at 2 and was very good but entirely sans ceremonie. I think they were all pleased with Mrs. Custer and she really seems very attractive. She left at 4 and Mrs Anderson and Miss Nesmith at 5 all declaring that they had a delightful time. Then Sade and I hustled things out of the way as far as we could and went on ahead to ride over home. I followed shortly after with a box of flowers for Julia Dillon and a satchel full of the "funeral baked meats" for Marion. I reached there first and Sade had to walk after all. There we found Julia Dillon, Miss Tuckerman and Downing who dined with us. Sara and I hurried off directly after dinner to go to see the Mikado at the Standard. It was snowing and blowing and very cold, but we got a green car and reached there pretty comfortably. We had a the best seats in the house directly in front in the balcony, and we enjoyed the play very much. We walked back. It had stopped snowing but still blew and was cold. I left Sade at 142 and came to my room where I wrote to Mary all about our doings, a note to Mrs. Custer explaining a careless remark I made today, and finding a note here from Mrs. Eastman Johnson telling me of their arrival home from Europe, I wrote a note welcoming them home and sent my list to the Century, and went out and posted them. By this time it was after 1 oclock and I went to bed very tired. Mr. Auchincloss sent me his check for one of the pictures $450.
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