which I may well benefit. Do not think
me a "prig," dear Harry, I beg of you, for I am sure that you
will agree with me that even a seemingly innocent wager on a
football match may lead in later life to a taste for gambling
with dice and cards or even worse. Shall we not agree to make
this our last wager--or at least, next time, let us not lend it
the appearance of professional gambling by giving "odds," such as
I gave you this year.

You must have thought it frightfully rude of me not to have seen
you to the train after that enjoyable evening at the Nassau Inn,
but to tell you the truth, Harry, the nervous excitement of the
day proved too much for me and I was forced to retire. My
indisposition was further accentuated by a slight mishap which
befell me outside the Inn but which need cause you no alarm as a
scalp wound was the only result and a few days' rest in my cozy
dormitory room will soon set matters to rights. I trust, however,
that you will explain to your friends the cause of my sudden
departure and my seeming inhospitality. Such jolly fellows they
were--and I am only too glad to find that the "bulldogs" are as
thoroughly nice as the chaps we have down here. Incidentally, I
discovered, somewhat to my dismay, as you may well imagine, that
in taking my departure I inadvertently "walked off" with the hat
and overcoat of one of your friends whose initials are L. G. T. I
am mortified beyond words and shall send the garments to you by
the next post with my deepest apologies to the unlucky owner.

Rest assured, Harry my friend, that I am looking forward to
visiting you some time in the near future, for I have always been
curious to observe the many interesting sights of "Eli land."
Particularly anxious am I to see the beautiful trees which have
given New Haven its name of "the City of Elms," and the
collection of primitive paintings for which your college is
justly celebrated. And in closing may I make the slight request
that you postpone the cashing of my enclosed check until the
fifteenth of this month, as, due to some slight misunderstanding,
I find that my account is in the unfortunate condition of being
"overdrawn."

Believe me, Harry, with kindest regards to your nice friends and
yourself and with congratulations on the well deserved victory of
your "eleven,"
Your devoted friend and well wisher,
EDWARD ELLIS COCH