[Letter] Sept.7,1888,Smith College [to F.H. Giddings]

Sept. 7, 1888, Smith College.

Dear Mr. Giddings.
       A letter asking me
to preside at a dinner in
your honor, written last
Saturday, has just come
to me here. Moving about
rapidly, I have failed to
get my mail matter with
any promptness of late.
I at first thought of making
a rush to the R.R. station
and managing, by some
afternoon train, to reach
Springfield, though of course
someone else has long ago
been selected to preside. I
know not what, short of
the wedding of a brother or
sister, could have drawn
me more strongly than this
invitation. I saw, however,
that even being present was
scarcely a possibility, and
not a possibility in the
true sense; for I have a
large family party on my
hands, including, besides
wife and children grandparents,
with whom I am to make
a little journey on Saturday
and return on Tuesday. I did also have
the feelings that in some way I must
manage to secure a quiet little visit
with you, which would be out of the
question If I were merely to be in
Springfield for an evening and to depart
early on the following morning. I know
you will not, under the circumstances,
think me lukewarm in my desire to
be present and certainly know that you
will not think me lacking in friendly feeling.
I can trust you to trust me in that particular.

            Yours Very Truly,
                  J. B. Clark