Dudley, Mass. Sunday
Dec. 23rd, 1877
Dear Bro Charles the Reverend
Your favor came duly to hand and received a cordial greeting. Am glad you are prospering and are appreciated – hope nothing will occur to give you other than smooth sailing over prosperous seas. In Dudley we have at last touched bottom in the church – are without a pastor and your humble servant is reading sermons when we have not money to get a supply. With reference to the piano, I have consulted Moses and have went to see Coggan but did not find him. Moses is quite indignant about the matter and came down to see me this eve and makes this proposition with which I agree. You please send me an order to go get the piano in Academy Hall & move it to some safe place and by the same mail you sent to Moses a line saying you have sent the order to me and telling him that you will make the pay all right as soon as you can, conveniently provided I take the instrument on your order.
If this plan agrees with your judgement [sp.] I will see Mrs. Harris, Mr. Coggan, and Moses and will then decide whether we move the instrument or not. If we take it away they will come to you for the money subscribed, you will refer them to Moses as you paid the money to him. They will go to Moses who says we shall refer them to the instrument and in order to get the instrument they will have to pay the balance remaining unpaid. We think they will not want the piano moved when they understand just how it stands.
I will not use the order until after conferring with Mrs. Harris or until hearing from you again. I will see a majority of those who signed that paper and find out how they stand toward you as I have time. I don’t intend to take the instrument but think I could so represent the case that Waldo will let the piano remain and that Mr. Coggan will use his influence to keep the inferior thing. Have you the receipt that you gave Moses for the money? If you have I don’t see that you have any right to take the piano but if it belongs to private parties, Moses must be that party. If you send the order please send Waldo’s letter along with it preserving a copy of it yourself.
I shall talk to Mr. Coggan & “whom so ever it may concern” that instead of hitting you over the head as they are wanting to do, they in fact are hitting the last man they ought to for Moses has done very much in the interest of Nichols Academy ever since the Annexation scheme.
I can prove too that Mrs. Healy & Mr. Coggan both said that they had accepted the piano and considered it the property of the Academy.
Mother is suffering from a severe cold & Father is well – Ellen, Eddie, Mable wish to be remembered to you & Levi with much love.
Yours affectionately
Anson P. Goodell