Tuesday, June 15, 1886 It was three years yesterday since poor Maurice died. I did not think of it until Sara mentioned it this morning although I did only a day or two ago. The recollection of that day is full of sadness and it all comes back to me. I drove Calvert up to the morning train. I felt a little silent and severe as he did, but he always tries more than I do to forget our tiffs. I drove down to Rondout taking Mary and Dwight to take the litter boat up to her mothers. I met Cantine in the street and he asked me if I would come to his office for a moment which I did. I had the map of our place with me to leave with Girard and an advertisement of the lots for sale for the Freeman. Cantine told me he had in a jocose way asked Sam when he was coming up on the hill to live and after they got to talking about it Cantine told him what I had said about my intention to put lots upon the market and said if I did that and he had any intention of buying it would be a great mistake for him as he could not get it back and advised him not to let four or five thousand dollars stand in the way of getting the place if he wanted it. He acknowledged he wanted it but that he had consulted two different people and they thought as he did that I asked too much for it and told him he would give me $30000 for the whole property between the two streets and from Marys line to my hedge. Cantine told him I would not let him have the fifty feet I had added to my place as I wanted to live on it and there would be no use making me this offer. He rather advised me however to take that for it all except this. I did not say I would not. I told him I had an advertisement written and meant to put it in the paper which he strongly advised me to do as he said it would confirm what he told him, and as he knew me to be a man of my word he would not think it a piece of "bluff" which I disclaimed. I told him Mr. Vaux and I had concluded upon this course and I did, go and put it in the paper for a month and paid for it. I think this will show him we are in earnest. If he should make me an offer of $35,000 for the whole I would take it, and perhaps I may be obliged to take $30000. I dont mean to be too stiff this time although I think he wants it and it is a reasonable price. Went over and looked over the property beyond Chester St. Tom has been mending the rickety fences so that we can put the cows in there. I also looked at the corner in connection with the map. Found some one had been digging sod in the street. Two German women told me who it was and I went over to the home where he lived beyond the school house and saw his yard covered with what he took from there. He was not there but a young woman came to the door and I told her to tell him that I should put a stop to that sort of thing that he knew he was trespassing. I ought to sue him and make an example of him.
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