Charles E. Burchfield (1893-1967)

May 18, 1926

In the evening I take Mary Alice & Martha in the buggy over on the Seneca Creek Road to get some onion shoots. A delicately beautiful May evening. The busy turmoil of work in the factory, in the steamy heat, had ended, followed by a standing up ride down Niagara St to Shelton Square, a hurried half-running trip to the Seneca line, and a final sprint around a block to head off the car that was just starting up; a sweaty ride out Seneca on the crowded car trying to read David Grayson, and finally a peaceful ride on the Gardenville Ebenezer trolley (they had the windows open, and it was pleasant to feel the cool wind coming in from the cool green fields & flower covered trees—)  I had hurried home bent on going out on Union Rd. & sketching some elm trees whose tops had been cut off, stopping a moment to note with satisfaction that the farmer had plowed up the back-yard. Then deaf to the entreaties of Mary Alice & Martha I had gone out, meeting Frank on the way who brought me a letter from J.J.L. (the letter containing a proof each of “Mellow Autumn Afternoon” & “Cain” that excited me greatly) I had proceeded to my sketching and accomplishing my purpose I had come back home, where Mary Alice reproached me with my failing to take them for a walk. I had met Fritz Javer who had said both his grand-