[Letter] Dec.11,1888,Smith College [to F.H. Giddings]

Dec. 11, 1888, Smith College.

Dear Mr. Giddings,
        Although I had
not forgotten your kind
expression of a desire
that I stay with you
while in Philadelphia,
I had wondered a little
whether it might not be
best for that I should
stay at the hotel through
the crowded days of the
meeting and then spend
a quiet day with you
after the crowd departs.
My wife will not be
with me, though she
would like to be. She
cannot leave the house
and children for so
long a time. Your
invitation repeated in
the letter last received
is so alluring that I
have no heart to say
nay to it. I have always
been a good acceptor
of invitations to your
hospitable home, for the
reason that they have
always attracted me as
very few invitations do that
ever come to me. If
therefore your good wife
is so situated that my
presence will not subject
her to fatigue I shall give
myself the largest pleasure
that is involved in the
meeting of the association,
that, namely, of a visit
with you. I expect to
reach Phila. on Wednesday
as early as I well can, but
have not looked up the
trains. I will do so before
long and write to you
again. I have slightly
lamed my back and dread
receptions; so that I may
shirk the first one
on Wed. evening. I would
not, however, allow you to
stay away from it for any
such reason. I wonder, by the
way, whether I need to bring
my dress suit with me?
I have an impression
that I do not; but can
you give me an opinion
as to the character of the
receptions? I should suppose
only Mr. [Stuart] Wood's would
demand full dress. From
the house of that reception
it might be safer to ( )
be claw-hammered. I wonder
what others will do.

            Yours Very Truly,
                  J. B. Clark