Poughkeepsie, 23d Oct. 1861.
Revd. Wm. Hague, D.D.
My dear Sir
I am just in receipt of your kind favor of yesterday, and thank
you kindly for it.    I know your time is precious, I read and hear of your
public engagements, affording you but little leasure for answering
promptly incidential interst.   Your reply enables me to close up my
enquiries about Ostrander.   Never in my long life have I been so com-
pletily gulled by any impostor - he executed his plan over me very
completely and instead of censure I rather commend him for his adroit-
ness.    I shall save more than he made out of me by the operation.   The
only consolation I have in the whole matter is that he has inlisted for the
War, and if he only shows as much courage in battle as knavery in
business he will come off with flying colours.
I thank you for your kind expressions and deep interest you take
in the College enterprise.   I feel as it were a responsibility resting upon
me involving all that concerns my temporal welfare in this life, and my
daily prayers to my Heavenly Father is that it may succeed.    I need the
wisdom and influence of all my friends in our Board of Directors to help
me.   May God spare them for this service is the prayer of
Your humble Servt.
M. Vassar
65
,164.