Monday, Jan 30, 1888 Eastman began to work on Gertrudes portrait directly after breakfast and worked until the sleigh drove up to take him to the train. He has softened and improved the rather exaggerated features very much and it is much more like her. The face has never been satisfactory to me but it is far more agreeable to me now. I wish he had had more time for I think he would have made it still better. I went down town and got a letter from Sara written Thursday, the first note I have had from her. She arrived in a blow and a snow storm, but they were very glad to see her and she was very happy with her two friends. I mailed a letter to her and told her I thought I would have to go to N. Y. Wednesday. I wish she could stay longer, but I got a letter from Ortgies saying the bill was 34 on the Calendar and it took unanimous consent to get it so far & now it only needs a majority to pass and he thinks it will pass tomorrow, so I think I will go down and order my frames at once as he thinks there is no doubt of its passing. I expect it will be a little lonely now that Eastman is gone but he greatly enjoyed his visit and wished he could stay longer. Yesterday was dear Gertrudes birth day. It was rather a coincidence that in the afternoon Eastman in looking at her portrait by Wood, remarked that with a little work he could make it look more like her. I told him to do it and that I often was tempted to paint on it. He said he didnt like to interfere with Woods work, but I urged him to and was sure Wood would not object, as Eastman knew her so well. We took it down and he painted a little on it but it was late and the dinner bell rang and he rubbed off what he did to begin again tomorrow, although what he did in so short a time improved it greatly. Then I told him this was her birth day. I went down town again this afternoon and mailed a long letter to Lucy sending Saras and one to Wilmurt asking if next [?]day would be in time to order my frames and if not to telegraph me. This was Maurices birth day.
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