Thursday, Mar 31, 1887 It is much milder but still cold with an East wind and a prospect of a storm. Mary and I are going to see Sara Bernhardt in Theodora tonight. It costs me seven dollars, a pretty [?]. This is varnishing day at the Academy. I went up after breakfast. The galleries have been decorated with some olive plush which gives them a much more elegant appearance--but the most noticeable feature is the absence of the mountains of rubbish which used to encumber the walls. There are enough pictures and one is not offended by such a mass of crude work. It is a decided step in advance and I hope it will be a precedent for future exhibitions. One of my pictures, Eastern Sky at sunset is hung in an excellent place on the line near the centre of the South wall of the south gallery and looks well, to my surprise, better than in my room. I wish now I had painted it larger. The funeral of a Veteran is in the North room over another picture in a dark place. The sunset is next the floor in the corridor in a corner. I dont think I have been well treated but I shall make no complaint. Mary and I went to see Sara Bernhardt in Theodora this evening. The play lasted from 7 3/4 to nearly 12 o'clock and was a thoroughly artistic performance. She is a genius, no doubt of it, and I think this must be her finest role. There was a large and enthusiastic audience--we had seats in the second row, balcony in front, one of the best places in the house. I was surprised that I could understand so little of the language. After it was over we went to the Dairy Kitchen, not an ideal place and had some ice cream. It was 1 o'clock before I got to bed.
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