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Strafford Vt. Oct. 4th, 1884
My dear Sir:
Your favor of to-day came to
hand this evening. I note what you say
about addressing a meeting of the Edu-
cators of the State at the Capitol. The
pleasure of adressing such an audience
is a great temptation, but I could hardly
attempt it without some preparation, and
at this time I have not at my disposal
scarcely a day that will not otherwise
keep me employed. I must, therefore,
decline your very kind suggestion.

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I have promised to be at Montpelier
for a day or two this week. Then my
home must be put in order to leave
the first week of Nov. for an absence
of six months and the man who has
been with us for a dozen years leaves
us Nov. 1st. There
are
also many other de-
tails not necessary to mention, which you
will understand, must consume time.
The honor to which you refer, if
it should be conferred, will be a very great
one, and I
could wish that I
was far better entitled to it.
I wrote at once after I saw you
to Mr. Barnes and received a kindly
reply, intimating that his project was
for the present postponed for the reasons

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you mentioned to me. I urged that
he had rather pledged himself that we
should have a chance to look toward
the Heavens, whether we ever got there
or not. Very truly yours
Justin S. Morrill
Prst. Buckham,
Burlington, Vt.