Letter, Kate Gleason to James Gleason
A letter from Kate Gleason to her brother, James Gleason. Kate half-jokingly scolds Jim for not writing. She asks him to invite Gertrude Crane to Rochester during the spring break and discusses a party being planned by Gertrude Nugent. She reports that business is good, explains her preference for quiet gatherings over large parties, and boasts of her success at Euchre.
[page 1]
William Gleason,
Manufacturer of Machinists Tools,
Office, Brown’s Race,
Rochester, N.Y., Feb’y 26th. 1889
Dear Jim,-
I am not writing to you because you deserve it for when a
fellow lets two weeks go by without taking any notice of his sorrow-
ing relatives or of a $40 draft or a box of candy or of an elegant
embroidered table-scarf, he deserves to be severely ignored. But
the fact is I asked Gertrude Crane to come and see me some time this
year and this spring vacation is probably the most convenient time
for her and as it will be along here in a week or so, I wish you
would make time to go around and see her and second my invitation
and let me know what the prospects are. Enclosed is a view of the
vines I took last summer, as it includes most of our interesting family
you might show it to her and it might induce her to come.
Business still flourishes, money is reasonably plenty and to quote
Mr. Irwin “everything is lovely and the goose hangs high”.
Gertrude Nugent informed me that she had send you an invitation
for her soiree in hopes it would accelerate your arrival here. I wo
will not honor her festivities for I have reached that advanced age
where I don’t give a picayune for parties and henceforward will only
attend them when I have a guest to entertain or as a very special fa-
vor. So Wednesday night will see me trying to break the record in
[page 2]
standing high jump at the gymnasium instead of whirling about in the
mazy dance at Gertrude’s.
Hope you are remembering that Mother wants
you to have Ide stop off if possible, she is not quite sure in her
mind that he ^is angelic ^is enough to associate with a cherub like you and
so she wants to become acquainted with him.
No show of Emma coming
home for a month or more. I should think it would be pretty hard
work for a girl that likes parties and society generally to live in
such a prosy sedate kind of place as Rochester after the whirling
months she is putting in in Detroit.
We’re going to the Euchre party
at Connell’s to-night, nice quiet amusement like that is what suits me
these days, and I fully expect to carry off the first prize as I did
the last time. If I keep on winning Euchre prizes, our house will
soon boast an elegant collection of bric-a-brac secured at quite
economical rates.
Lovingly,
Kate.