Once met a Russian violinist who said he would greatly like to see the Mississippi River. He grew up near the Volga and had read Huckleberry Finn in translation as a boy and wondered if the Mississippi was like the Volga. Hard to imagine how the regional colloquialism of the book could be translated into Russian. But the book has enough vitality to shine through even botched language. [Stout #1213]
Sorry to refuse him but does not want parts of My Ántonia or A Lost Lady excerpted for an anthology. Willa Cather [Stout #1217]
Returning Virginia's letter. Mary Virginia's wedding was beautiful. Was at the Little Church Around the Corner, which their father used to like so much when he came to New York. Isabelle insisted on attending. Likes the groom, Dick Mellen, a new M.D. from Harvard beginning internship at Bellevue Hospital. Mary Virginia will continue working at the library. Own plans not clear. P.S. to Carrie: Has the Miner farm been damaged by flooding of the Republican River? [Stout #1263]
No, does not give permission to use "Old Mrs. Harris" in anthology. Willa Cather [Stout #1370]
Cannot agree to send him copies of revised edition of Death Comes for the Archbishop for the section he is using in his anthology, but he may be able to get them from Ferris Greenslet. Not many changes. Likes his selections of poetry. In the prose, wonders why he didn't represent Poe with "The Cask of Amontillado," a better story than "The Fall of the House of Usher." Likes Poe's poetry better than his stories. Willa Cather [Stout #1376]
Glad she enjoys her home, providing a retreat from the fact that all the inheritance of history is in peril. Would like to have a similar retreat. Can't make the cottage on Grand Manan more comfortable without ruining it. Wishes she had not written Starvation on Red River. Too strident, too unbelievable, with none of her own voice in it and not a single character one can care about. Much like The Little Foxes in this respect. Please go back to her own kind of play. Willa [Stout #1474]
Has also been in the hospital recently, having her gall bladder removed. Wishes the surgeon hadn't insisted on Presbyterian Hospital. Appreciates his sending her the Nolans' letter. Glad to hear Robert located a church and served mass. Isn't a Catholic, but believes spirituality is helpful. Believes the anthology for soldiers should have lively material such as they liked reading themselves when they were eighteen or nineteen. Sarah Orne Jewett too quiet and subtle. Young people want to read something that seems like real life to them. Aren't interested in style and form. Hard to think of what would be good. Classic American literature too far removed from present-day experience, and new books often too preoccupied with social problems. They might like some of the early Robert Frost or even some of Longfellow's poems. Perhaps simply an edition of Huckleberry Finn would be best—the most thoroughly American book ever written. Glad he likes Sapphira and the Slave Girl, and particularly glad he liked the epilogue, which retells one of her most important actual memories. Still vividly remembers the moment when Nancy entered the room where her mother and Grandmother Boak and she were waiting, and remembers the afternoons she spent in the kitchen with Nancy, her mother, and Grandmother Boak. [Note: No mention of Cather's mother.] Willa Cather [Stout #1600]
Was away two weeks at Christmas [?]. Wants him to know she had no personal reason for reluctance to approve using an excerpt in his anthology, but prefers to leave such matters to Alfred Knopf, who was out of town when second request, dated December 10, came. Wishing him a happy new year, although it seems unlikely to be possible. Sometimes wonders why human life was put on the planet at all. Willa Cather [Stout #1609]
Her letter was marvelous, with a true sense of personality. People have been set traveling to Quebec by Shadows on the Rock and to New Mexico by Death Comes for the Archbishop, and now she to Virginia by Sapphira and the Slave Girl. Hasn't been back since completing it, or to Quebec since Shadows or New Mexico since Archbishop. Loses a place once she writes about it. Area around Timber Ridge and the Capon River is beautiful. Was very sad to see the double ess curve on the road up from Gore to the top of the ridge. Sorry to have seen Willow Shade in ruins; so pretty forty years ago, but then turned into an apartment house. Still remembers it as it was when Nancy came back. Grandmother really did take Nancy across the Potomac. Willa Cather [Stout #1622]
Taking time out from responding to soldiers' letters to indulge in the pleasure of writing to her and Irene. My Ántonia is twenty-five years old now. It did not sell many copies at first but kept growing and steadily sells four to six thousand a year (though not this past year). Archbishop sells more, but its special appeal to Catholics inflates the market. Moviemakers keep wanting Ántonia, but won't sell it. Had to fight Alexander Woollcott when he wanted to put it into an anthology. Allowed the Readers' Union in England, which serves veterans of the First World War who missed out on higher education, to put out a paperback edition of 20,000 a few years ago, now out of print. Doesn't mean to brag, but feels proud and happy that people still care about the book. Hopes it is a satisfaction for her as well. Enclosing a letter from a Lt. Harrison Blaine that she would like to have back. Willie [Stout #1633]
