Letter, Kate Gleason to James Gleason
A letter from Kate Gleason to her brother, James Gleason. Kate reassures Jim after his failure to make a sale to the Auger Company in Ithaca and sends him a tie for his effort to secure them as a customer. She asks him to return the promotional materials he had used since he will no longer need them. She reports on various social events, going to mass, and being invited to participate in a Spanish dance at a kirmess (charity festival).
[page 1]
William Gleason,
Manufacturer of Machinists Tools,
Office, Brown’s Race,
Rochester, N.Y., April 22nd. 1889
Dear Jim,-
Yours rec’d. Once in a while the Gleason family does get
left and there’s nothing like selecting an appropriate time for that
little ceremony. Now we did’nt want that Auger Co. order any
more than a cod-fish wants a gold watch and chain, -it takes all my
leisure moments now trotting up street to wire belligerent customers
that we are working all hands on their particular tools and will ship
them early next week or next month or something to that effect and if
I had one more on the list it would probably be the last strain that
would make my gigantic intellect a blank.
Enclosed you will please
find a token of my affection in the line of a neck-tie. I have now
reached the proud position of being able to tell a new style neck-tie
when I see it, otherwise I should think this was a back number. But
it is’nt. It is the only one Ranney had left of a hundred he put in
Saturday and he had to get it for me out of the show case. It cost
75 cts. and I would advise you to powder your chin or wear an extra
high collar to prop your chin up so that you won’t use up these
dainty creations so quickly. It takes a large proportion of the pro-
fits to keep you supplied in haberdashery. Please return the
photo. of 30” lathe next time you write, not the shafting lathe, be-
lieve you said you were going to honor Prof. Canaga with that, but the
regular. These cost 12 1-2 cts. each and I can’t afford to waste it
[page 2]
on you now your customer has gone up in smoke. It’s a good thing
that the firm was’nt hard up for an order and had not spent a deal
of time and money going after that. People ought to label their
inquiries when they don’t mean anything by them.
There has nothing
particularly exciting happened this last week. Walter Barron is
coming to see me rather oftener than is really necessary because in
an unguarded moment I told him that arbutus parties were fun and
now he wants me to have an arbutus party and take him; but I can’t do
it for Emma could’nt be hired to go if we had him.
Saturday night
Frankie Moshier and Emma and I had a delightful drive out the river
road; Mother put up a delicious lunch for us so that we did’nt have to
wait for supper and started directly I had the men paid off; the air
was balmy and the scenery and the sun-set were on hand. The girls
were in a very hilarious tone of mind so that it was a decidedly suc-
cessful drive.
George Tegg finishes his exam’s May 15th. and starts
for home on the 16th. so that he will probably be here about the same
time you arrive. I went to mass yesterday morning and Father Kier-
nan read a cablegram from the bishop announcing his return about June
1st so that the three of you will be here together. I have just
written to George and hope he will get the letter before he leaves.
I hav’nt written the bishop yet as I have mislaid his address.
They are to have a kirmess at the Parochial Hall and I have
been invited to take part in the Spanish dance but pressing engage-
ments will prevent me from accepting the honor. That’s what I told
them anyway but Mother is so vexed with me for refusing that I may
have to reconsider yet. Will let you know in my next how my back-
bone holds out in this matter. Lovingly, Kate.