Thursday
Dear Pat,
Mother and I are not at all happy about the plan of taking a taxi to New York. Even if the vehicle is large enough to accommodate eight girls and their baggage, it still sounds hazardous. It seems an unnecessary risk with nothing to be gained. You won't get to New York any sooner than the 1:22 train. The cost is about the same (rail fare from Springfield to NY is $4.54, for instance.) As far as baggage convenience is concerned, you could take your bag to the station a day or so before, buy your ticket and check your bag thru to Lancaster. Then just carry your train case while traveling. You could bring more that way with less trouble. Your bus to Holyoke goes right to the station doesn't it? Think it over. Better yet, discuss it with Judy. She looks like she might have a little more sense than you.
I don't know why I can't convince you that Holiday trains out of New York may be crowded to the point of turning away passengers. That's why I think you should try to make the first available train out of Penn Station. If you can't get on that one, you still have plenty of chances of making another. So don't count on taking the 8:00 or 8:20 except as an unavoidable alternative. Besides, don't impose on Jane and expect her to delay coming home just to accomodate. [sic] you. she'll be anxious to get home as soon as possible.
There is one more alternative train that I didn't list because it doesn't stop at Lancaster. It's the American, No. 67, leaves Penn Station at 10:20 P.M. and arrives Harrisburg at 1:35 A. M. The Harrisburg-York expressway was opened as far as Shrinestown today (inspite [sic] of Phil's sabotage) so we can come to Harrisburg pretty quickly. Better than coming to Lancaster at 2:15 A. M. anyway. Nothing in the foregoing shall be construed as an invitation to wait until 10:20 to leave New York.
Glad to see my demand for results brought a 2 in Physics. What is a "Blue Book" anyway? Sounds like a sad diary.
I am sending you a clipping from the Times. If you ever read Hiawatha, you'll get a bang out of it. If you never read Hiawatha, scamper over to your nearest library and do so at once. Your education has been sadly neglected.
See you soon!
Love,
Dad
[An article poking fun at Winston Churchill who was thought to have a trace of Indian blood inherited through his grandmother]