Not fair to accuse her of keeping her address a secret. Had not expected to be daytime telegraph editor when she accepted the Leader job, but when it became available applied and got it, despite youth and sex. Work is like running a race, but hours are short. Hard to write distinctive headlines for a dozen suicides at a time. Has received A Portrait of a Lady [ James ]. Mr. Farrar has come to call, so must break off. Willa Cather [Stout #46]
Elsie enjoying studies, but learned more with her. Please visit if in town. What does Louise think of Arnold Bennett? He may be overly documentary, but is at any rate substantial. Willa Cather [Stout #190]
Sorry to hear of her loss [ Louise Pound's father, Stephen B. Pound, died in 1911 ]. Willa Sibert Cather [Stout #196]
Hasn't answered her letter because traveling. Spent two adventurous months with Douglass. Probably won't get to Lincoln. Needs to return to New York as soon as possible after her brother Roscoe comes to visit. Was ill most of the winter but quite well now. She shouldn't bother reading "Alexander," but may like "The Bohemian Girl." Willa Cather [Stout #238]
Anne Douglas Sedgwick has sent a note written by him praising My Mortal Enemy. Appreciates his favor. Most of her books made out of old memories from which the extraneous has dropped away. Now reading proofs of a book that gave her joy to write, Death Comes for the Archbishop. Willa Cather [Stout #883]
Please do all he can to help Stephen Tennant enjoy Jaffrey. Willa Cather [Stout #1279]
Typescript of A Lost Lady was surely forged. Burned the only one she had before moving from Bank Street. Hopes he will be able to see Libel, current play. Her English friend who is staying at Jaffrey [ Stephen Tennant ] is enjoying the snow there. Glad to autograph books for him whenever he sends them. Going for a walk in the park in a little while. Willa Cather [Stout #1291]
Has been sick in bed for three days. Never got her telegrams. Was in New Hampshire March 14 through 25 [with Stephen Tennant?], but Edith would have received them. Except for these last few days, has been quite well all winter. Glad she is back from Europe. Willa [Stout #1315]
The debate over Joseph Conrad is endless. Prefers a more direct, unadorned sentence style. Few writers can give themselves up to baroque emotionalism and succeed. Turgenev could. Conrad becomes artificial or decadent. Listened to the king's abdication speech on the radio [Edward VIII abdicated on December 11, 1936] and found it plausible and distinguished. An example of rhetorical control. What does he think of the people close to the king? [letter breaks off] [Stout #1350]
Sorry not to have seen her while she was in New York. Was in Washington when she arrived, and then Mary Virginia's husband hospitalized with pneumonia. Then had to do all her work on corrections and design elements for Houghton Mifflin subscription edition on such a tight schedule she could not see anyone except Mary Virginia until finished. Alfred Knopf in Europe, so couldn't be there to help. Please send Stephen's address at Columbia; hopes to see him. Willa Cather [Stout #1356]
