118 HENRY HILL GOODELL 



offer, but I cannot accept it, much as I would like to. My 

 annual report to the legislature is due in about two weeks, 

 I have only just commenced it. Then I shall have three bills 

 in the legislature whose wild career must be watched over. 

 After that, if I could get away for a couple of weeks, it 

 would greatly build me up. I have had a little whack of 

 bronchitis and to-day was out for the first time. So you 

 see I am improving and my back, under the gentle treat- 

 ment of a corset, is slowly limbering up. 

 Heaven bless you for your kindly thoughts of me. 



Affectionately, 



Your Dad. 



A few days later, when the whole scheme was revealed 

 to him, he wrote : — 



Amherst, Mass., December 23, 1902. 



My dear Mason, — They say corporations have no 

 souls. I am beginning to doubt it. The committee of 

 trustees with whom for six months I have been a co-worker 

 met last Saturday unbeknownst to me (but I suspect 

 Stebs); agreed to take upon themselves the duty of care 

 of our bills in the legislature this winter, and voted to 

 recommend to the full board of trustees to give me leave 

 of absence immediately after presentation of my report. 

 Verily my cup runneth over, and when I think of the beau- 

 tiful friendship that has bound you and Dick and Stebs 

 and myself together for so many years, my eyes grow quite 

 shiny and I thank the Lord that I have been permitted to 

 be one of you. And so, my dear Mase, sometime after New 

 Years I will come down to Plainfield and report for orders. 



