Sending a check to be used for something for her mother's birthday in May, as she will be in New Hampshire then. P.S.: Ribbons in Christmas box were just to brighten it up. Willa Cather [Stout #1817]
Expected to hear that Elsie had been struggling with wintry weather, but her letter was tenderly beautiful.� Elsie gave Bess a lovely funeral.� How appropriate to have a Christmas tree as Bess decorated so many for children.� Would have liked to have been there.� Read Elsie's letter repeatedly and then sent it to Virginia, but directed her to return it.� Elsie paid the debt all the Cather siblings owe to Bess.� Wants to pay for the roses and any remaining funeral expenses.� Will ought to have whatever money Bess left.� Life is hard to understand:� deserving people get such small rewards.� Gave Mrs. Lambrecht and Annie [Pavelka?] good holidays and purchased winter feed for Annie's stock.� Sent fifty dollars to Jack, wrote the Bishop and Mollie and Gertrude Coon, and gave nieces ten dollars each.� Is enclosing a historical Christmas card from the Society Library. Happy New Year. Willie
Thanks for the letter about Easter in Red Cloud. It gave her a sense of being there among old friends herself. Has been thinking deeply about the other part of Elsie's letter—even took the letter to the Catskills to consider it. Has changed her previous position on the matter: Elsie should sell the house in Red Cloud and move to Lincoln if she wishes. Roscoe wrote a letter arguing why he felt Elsie ought to move to Lincoln, but she was already convinced. Had worried that Elsie would rashly get rid of something personally valuable, as she seemed to be so excited about renovation plans. Much of Elsie's correspondence over the years about the house seemed very animated, and she had disparaged Mrs. Frank Smith's decision to move away to Lincoln. Really believed Elsie loved the place. Now realizes how much has altered and how many people have left. Even the weather seems different (though Lincoln won't be much better). Elsie ought not to be burdened with the house for the sake of Douglass and herself. It will be a solace that the house wasn't sold before Douglass's last trip to Red Cloud. Will pay $250 a year on taxes as long as necessary, but wants Elsie to feel free to sell it. The old friends that appreciated Elsie's efforts are now mostly gone, anyway. If she herself were younger, would purchase it without hesitation. Elsie can get rid of it any way she chooses. Perhaps it would be easiest to leave it vacant and let drifters burn it down. At least it stood there for Douglass until the end. Willa
