Is leaving Monday [16th] to go to Washington, D.C., where a relative is ill. Probably will not be back by Wednesday when he is there. Willa S. Cather Signed by S. J. Bloom, Secretary. [Stout #1333]
Appreciates his note about the book. Hopes the type in the collected edition will look somewhat like that in the Thistle Edition of Stevenson. Will see him in January if it is after the 12th, as she will be in Washington again with her uncle [probably James Howard Gore, Cather's cousin who was more than twenty years older than her]. Willa Cather [Stout #1339]
Extends sympathy for painful sore. Remembers the infected place on back of her head when she was working on The Song of the Lark. Kept putting off going to the hospital; took codeine for the pain and kept writing; was finally put into the hospital after she went into delirium. Didn't write sooner because uncle was ill in Maryland [probably James Howard Gore, Cather's cousin who was more than twenty years older than her], and niece has been distraught with husband's pneumonia. In addition, has been preparing for a subscription edition from Houghton Mifflin. Willa Cather [Stout #1379]
Appreciates the copy of Grey of Fallodon, which she enjoyed reading. Did not like May Sarton's The Single Hound; didn't resemble real people. Very different from The Enemy Gods, which she liked very much. Usually does not care for novels about writers, a genre Robert Louis Stevenson referred to as cannibalism. George Gissing's Grub Street an exception. Doesn't care for very fanciful fiction either, including Walter de la Mare. The fanciful works well in poetry, but not in prose. Willa Cather [Stout #1404]
Is unable to write by hand because of sprain. Now they are even on misquoting titles. Has regretted calling her last book "Seasoned Wood" [instead of Seasoned Timber]. Now Dorothy has called hers "Sapphira and the Slave Maid," which loses the doubling of the "r" sound. Glad she likes what she has read of it. Galley proofs need a lot of correction. Abandoned it in the middle when Douglass and Isabelle died, but had already written the epilogue, which was the target. Has overridden her reluctance to shift from third person to first because the incident such an important one in her childhood. Grandmother Boak a Confederate and lost two sons in the South's army, but cared about justice and actually did take Nancy across the Potomac. Postmistress was her great aunt, Sidney Cather Gore. Enjoyed hearing the southern speech in her mind as she wrote it, especially the black people's speech. Realizes their speech patterns are not consistent in the book, but house servants varied their speech. Might not have finished the book had it not been for the war, but writing it helped her escape the anxiety. Willa [Stout #1497]
Has returned her ballot for the Howells Medal. Continues to hope amendment passed last spring, so inconsistent with the goals of the Institute and the Academy, will be reversed. Plans to attend the annual meeting if possible. Willa Cather [Stout #1498]
Keeps thinking about her and wishes she could write a real letter, by hand. Was saddened by Mary's telegram telling of Walter's [Carrie's husband's] death, but had heard how ill he was. Also heard how beautifully she was taking care of him. Remembers first seeing his picture in her watch case when she was going away to school at St. Mary's. Has spent a great deal of time alone this winter enjoying precious memories like that. Sees very few people besides Mary Virginia and Yehudi Menuhin and wife. Will write again soon. Hand is improving since going to Dr. Ober, a surgeon from Boston. Enjoys remembering evenings she spent with Carrie and Walter ten years ago, when they both gave her good advice. Willie [Stout #1534]
Cather is in California due to the illness of her brother. Is not forwarding mail. Therefore, it will be some time before she can consider writing for the "Schrift Fest" for Dr. Damrosch. Sarah J. Bloom, Secretary [Stout #1546]
Cather is sending her contribution to the "Schrift Fest" for Dr. Damrosch today. If too late to include in the volume, please return it so that she can present it personally. Sarah J. Bloom, Secretary [Stout #1558]
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]
