Letter, James Gleason to Kate Gleason

[page 1]
Ithaca Nov 5—88
Dear Kate;
It is now some time since
I wrote home giving you the latest
reports, but all is well; The cause of my
not writing was a Freshman essay, which
is to be handed in on Friday next. Knowing
my great ability in this line as you do
perhaps you can appreciate the number of
miles I walked up and down my room trying
to get ideas that wouldn’t come. Sunday
afternoon a Soph by the name of Williams
who rooms next to me came in when I
was in the midst of it, and said he could
write one in an hour; well I let him and
he wrote five pages on a Fourth of July
celebration with brilliant descriptions of
Pyrotechnic displays etc. Combining his
with what I had, the essay is one which will
get me an honorable like rolling off a log.
If the Editor of the Sun wants it to publish

[side note]
Please send cash cash cash
Cash

[page 2]
He can have it for $100 no less. I have made a single
flunk in Rhetoric yet so that I can afford a few and
yet get an honorable this term in it. In your last
letter you do not make any mention of receiving my
last letter. I hope it is [illegible] there all right like
the cuff buttons arrived here: the letter was quite bulky.
I was telling you in it (the letter) about Warner the fellow who
was to be my roommate. Well since then Pres Adams
granted him a years vacation for calling on one of
the young ladies at Sage Cider Raid Night;
all the students were in the front of Sage the
boys put a long ladder up to the second story and
Warner went up and got on the window sill and
had a very pleasant time with the girls. I
dont think I will be able to get a roommate this
term, they all have rooms engaged and cant leave them any
more than I can. To make up for the extra expense
this term I will take one of the rooms in Sibley with another
fellow next term at $2.00 per week. They are very pleasant
rooms and the fellow is one of the nicest I have met here
and very smart. Now I enclose a card which perhaps
will be a surprise to you. (will write about it later)
Tell Ma when she comes she can stay in my rooms
providing I dont get a roommate which is not likely.
Mrs Kent will rig up an extra bed for me. Now
I will have to close this interesting story with the old
tune please excuse the great hurry.
An O.W.J. awaits me tonight.
Yours Jim