Charles Burchfield, Journals, August 19, 1913

Today was a care-less happy go lucky day at the office - and lazy. I might add. This morning, as Schweitz and I were checking the envelopes against the payroll, we got to laughing over something we imagined was very funny. John and Phillips were hard at work making out the change list. Finally, our silli­ness got too much for John.  He blurted gruffly, “don’t you fellows go and get that payroll all balled up with your monkeying.” We stopped laughing, but only by not looking at each other. The afternoon I spent largely in manufacturing sarcasms for Coffee, which, as far as Coffee himself was concerned, were a waste of time and energy, but which afforded and myself much amuse­ment.

Today was fairly-like, in respect to Nature. Morning was misty and elusive. At noon a beautiful blue smoke came from somewhere and filled the air. The sun’s light became yellowed and striking buildings and ground, presented an odd appearance. At evening the sun had become reddish gold and slowly disappeared among some rose colored mists. After he was gone, an afterglow,a bright warm yellow, came in the sky, lighting up the whole earth, filling all nooks and crannies. From out of the sky came a long flock of blackbirds, an impressive sight - speckling the sky with their black bodies.

Charles E Burchfield,  Tuesday Aug. 19, 1913