[Letter] Sept.5,1888,Magnoria,Mass. [on Smith College letterhead], [to F.H. Giddings]

Sept.5, 1888, Magnolia, Mass. [on Smith College letterhead]

Dear Mr. Giddings.
          We have just
arrived at the sea shore and are
in an unpacked condition
hence the use of a pencil for
letter writing. Your very pleasant
letter came to me at Jackson
with its anything but pleasant
reminder that you are no
longer to be found at #389
Union St, neither at Harrison
Ave. You may be very sure
you are "missed at home." I
am delaying till the last
practicable minute my own
return to Northampton; for
I shall be positively lonely, with
25 teachers and 375 pupils
for company. My fears now
take the shape of dread
lest you may work altogether
too hard in your anxiety to
satisfy the Bryn Mawr people.
Don't be anxious and don't
overwork, and your success
will be assured in advance.
I find myself housed at the
cottage of Rev. Mr. Sprague of
Springfield, for a week. We
return on next Tuesday to
Northampton, and do
certainly hope that something
may enable us to have the
visit spoken of before you leave
New England. By the way the
name of Mr. Sprague suggests
the Econ. Association. I am
sure we had better defer rather
indefinitely the mutiny at which
we were to extend the general
invitation to the present
association. Does Mr. Dennison
act as Dec.? I think his
name is George, but have
forgotten his middle initial
and his local address. I suppose
we must try to concoct a
September program, unless
possibly some arrangement has
been made or partly made.
Perhaps we can ( ) in the
Amherst area. I act on the
supposition that you will be too
busy to read anything. If that is
not the case, and if you are
not to be out of the state when
the meeting comes no card would
be better for the association
than a farewell paper from
you. Moreover we could set
the meeting ahead to
accommodate your needs as to
time. Would you have something
you could read without any
extra work? And could you then
afford to take a bit of vacation
and read it, and have a visit with
me at the same time? Of course
we should defray expenses. I ask
these questions rather timidly,
for my predominant wish is
to share your work and wish
your initial days at Bryn Mawr
pleasant and easy by reason of
a physically vigorous feeling. If
you could do all that and read
a paper that you may have on hand
also it would be an ideal arrangement.

          Yours Very Truly,
                J. B. Clark

Address for a week Magnolia Mass.