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44 Friday Mch 21st

  Rather cooler today - but the ice is [?wearing?] pretty fast - have been helping Mr Adams' folks take account of stock - watching proceedings at the river - and loafing about to the best advantage. -

Saturday Mch 22d

  Warmer and signs of rain - have been loafing about town. here and there just to pass away the time - evening - it rains and looks like a severe South rain - the Locomotive of the construction train got off the track and the men did not get home until 10 O'clock - they could hardly be told from a pile of mud they were so completely covered. -

Sunday Mch 23d

   Arose at 8 oclock and dressed for Church but did not go - I went to walk 2 or 3 miles and had just turned my steps towards the Church when I saw several hundred persons on the bank of the river and walked down to see what was going on - I found that the ice had started in a body of some 20 [?acres?]  in front of the city. and the people were watching it -. the scene was quite exciting - the roar of the ice grating one piece against another and piling up 10 feet high in some places - together with the joy depicted on every countenance - tend to make one feel (not much like being in church) very happy - it is very warm today - it would be very comfortable in the Sun without a coat on - after dinner went to ride with friend Wyman - we had a very fine Horse and Buggy and rode out several miles on each of the roads leading out of the city - we did not go out far enough to see the Trains but through some very romantic scenery and had a very pleasant ride - in the evening went to the Congregational Church and heard a Temperance Sermon by the Pastor Mr. [?Halter?] from the text "Do thyself no harm" - he gave a glowing illustration of the effect of Liquors on the mind and body and exhorted his congregation to do themselves no harm - to keep themselves pure. and use their influence to keep others so - he regarded the intemperance as the faster Mother of more than half the crime in the world - and should not we as Christians set ourselves at work to rid Society of such a pest. -