It is a pity to delay this letter which we all know must be written and which we all want very much to write. However, sometimes Home Duties crowd out the pleasures, and such has been my experience this time, but I will plunge right into Cousin affairs at once, and try to make this a real family letter.

It has been some years since Al and I had had a vacation trip and last August we took advantage of an opportunity which was offered to us.o Boston, Mass. Leaving here on the twenty-third of the month, we went t via Baltimore, Md., Reading, Pa., Yonkers, N.Y. and Providence, R.I., visiting friends and points of interest en route. We spent some very pleasant days with friends in Boston and came back to Pittsfield, Mass., where we were delightfully entertained at the home of Cousin Emily Blanchard and her fine family. Emily took us to visit Williams College, which was all new to us and very entertaining. She proved herself to be a splendid driver also.

After leaving these Cousins, we drove West across our grand old New York state to the border, where we spent some visiting the Thousand Islands and other interesting features. We then came South through New York state to our native Pennsylvania home. As we were anticipating a trip North again to attend the Cousins Dinner, we did see many of the Cousins at that time. We did stop at Nelson long enough to see Aunt Anna Owlett and some of her family, Aunt Laura Maurie, Cousins Mark and Sue Seely and Lena Goodrich and also had a nice chat with Alta Cady. Then we stole out for a ride for an hour and found Cousins Ada Crandall, Jud and Mary Seely, Ann Van Dusen and Frank Hoyt. Our time was getting short, and we left Nelson with only a few days ahead in which to make some short visits to friends in Elmira, and then to enjoy the last leg of our lovely trip visiting Harrisburg and Gettysburg, Pa. After nearly four weeks from home and family, we came back to Washington without mishap, with a pleasant memory which we will never forget.

During the past year some of the Cousins have paid us a visit. Cousin George Buck spent two days and two nights with us and although it was a business trip we managed to do a lot of good visiting, and he did himself proud in entertaining the family at dinner one evening, which we enjoyed fully. On other occasions he has called us on the telephone when passing through, as have Cousin Charles Congdon and Cousin Mary Shipman.¹

In December it was our pleasure to have with us for a week Cousin Doris Selph Drake and her splendid husband Philip. We had never met Phil before and were not very well acquainted with Doris, but we soon found that entertaining a bride and groom of the Campbell Clan is a real treat.

Florence has told you of our wonderful five day trip to Osceola on October twentieth to attend the Cousins Dinner so I will not go into that pleasure further, excepting to say that while it was our first, I hope it is not our last appearance at that annual event.