Letter, James Gleason to Kate Gleason

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Ithaca Nov 6—88

Dear Kate;
When you heard I had swung D.U. perhaps
it was a surprise. Nearly everyone thought I would go
Thate Delte, they did themselves that is the Thate Deltes.
But I got quite struck on the Thate Delte Delte Us.
Just got a letter from Andrew and he tells me you
have a visitor: Seems as though I have heard some of the
boys speak of her; wasnt she here last year? The expense
of joining the fraternity will not be much this year only
the pin and a little Initiation. When it will have to be
paid I don’t know. Warner the fellow who was to be my
roommate will be located in Rochester for some time to come, so he
told me last night. He will probably look you up as he has
heard of your glorious record here. Now dont take him
for a specimen of the fellows I go with for he aint. I
picked him up for a roommate late in the term when
I couldn’t get anyone else. He is a good hearted fellow
but as poor a student as I ever saw and not over stylish.
But say take him on a cane rush and he is a whooper, [quite?]
a favorite in the class. I was thinking if he stays in
Rochester perhaps it would be a good idea to put Archie [illegible] to

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him and make an F.C.C. out of him. He’s about that speed.
He wanted me to write to you and give him a great record. it
certainly wasn’t on account of the Sage business that he was
retired but on account of his studies. At least he would
have been all right if he was well up in them. Andrew
tells me Ma wont come here Thanksgiving but wants
me to go home. Of course that is out of the question. We
only get the one two days and it would put me behind if I did.
Wouldn’t it do her good to come here. She needs a vacation.
Besides she will have no idea of the crowd here if she don’t.
The Christmas vacation begins in 22 days after Thanksgiving
and if I come out high enough on prelims I will be
home in 20 days after. Perhaps this place would be a little
dull for anyone but students but she will have a very
good time if she comes. She always did take well with
the boys you know so I’ll have a long string waiting for
introductions. The military ball comes off that Friday
night. She might like to go to that. Father wrote
me a long letter this week and it was quite a treat.
Hurrah for Harrison. If someone told you the
majority of students and profs here were Democrats, they are all
wrong over 800 of the students are Rep. They cant get
hardly enough to turn out in a democratic parade. The profs
are mostly democrats. Thurston and only four or five more
are Rep. Morris is a red hot democrat. I was in talking
politics with Thurston this afternoon; Warren Grube says it
will be a very close thing as to whether you or I will leave here the better
known, but I have the inside track for he bets on me. By the way
Prof Thurston sends his regards, also Morris and Smith and Marks. Yours Jim.