Transcribe Lucas, Frederic A. (Frederic Augustus). Letter to Ward, Henry A. (1883-04-21)

Washington, D. C. April 21/83.

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Dear Prof. Ward

  "heaven preserve me from my

friends." I wish that for about twenty minutes you were no friend of mine and not seeking to aid the S. A. T. For to use the terse and vigorous language of ungodly men you have played hell with our catalogue. How you of all men, you who so preach against the sin of officiousness, and hold up to scorn people who do things on their own account - How </u you > could have committed such a terrible piece of folly as having that catalogue printed is a mystery. No one asked you to have the catalogue finished, but we asked for </u proof >. And instead of sending us a line, while we were fretting over the terrible delay, you had the thing finished. My dear Professor no one but Mr. Hornaday and myself knew </u anything > about that catalogue, and it was simply presumption in you to revise the proof not knowing a single price and being totally unable to tell where to make corrections. Moreover the whole copy was not there. The judges names are wanting, and a description of the purposes of the Society, the Taxidermic Collection of the U. S. N. M. descriptions of several pieces and addenda et [corrigenda] of various kinds. I telegraphed the Rochester Printing Co. asking if the matter had been distributed. but it is almost beyond a question that it has. This is a sad blow to us hampered in finances as we