Sorry to have been away when she was in town; would have enjoyed seeing her. Liked her poem in the May Scribner's. Will stop off in St. Louis someday to see her and [Zoë] Akins. Willa Sibert Cather [Stout #191]
Interested in her new efforts in play production. Looking forward to seeing her piece [probably "Did It Really Happen?"] in Smart Set. What is she going to do with the Spoon River poet in her anthology? [The "anthology" was a series by Akins published from Feb. 19 to Aug. 13, 1915, in Reedy's Mirror, St. Louis. The series was to have been published in book form but was not until 1994, under the title In the Shadow of Parnassus: A Critical Anthology of Contemporary American Poetry, edited by Catherine Parke.] He is beneath comment. P.S.: Sending some poems not in April Twilights. Novel finished and being set in type. W. S. C. [Stout #415]
Ideas in Boyd's editorial "A Revaluation," which proposed definitions of the novel, need to be stated more clearly. A true artist of literature knows his or her material sufficiently well to write literally, but does not write literally because art is metaphorical or suggestive. Details in writing are there to create effects and serve the end of the literary structure. [Stout #581]
Has a new mink coat purchased by Professor St. Peter [of The Professor's House]. Please ask someone from Mr. Weisz's insurance company to come by and write a policy on it on Friday or Saturday at noon. Is working hard and loving her bishop. Willa [Stout #819]
May quote from the essay she referred to. Believes sketch of Nat Wheeler in One of Ours better than the one of Godfrey St. Peter in The Professor's House. The right readers understand her books instinctually. The wrong ones never understand, but that's all right. Willa Cather [Stout #943]
Has gotten the house cleaned and a new roof on. Former maid now living in Colorado has come to help. Please send two copies of Shadows on the Rock, one of the Modern Library Archbishop, and one of Red Bread, book about Russia, to give for Christmas presents. Brothers and sisters arriving next week. Willa Cather [Stout #1089]
International Mark Twain Society has voted My Ántonia a silver medal, but must go to St. Louis to receive it. She might enjoy reading enclosed report done for the Society. Please don't show people in Red Cloud who are spiteful or would gape at Annie Pavelka to see how dissimilar Ántonia is. Why won't people believe fiction is not a direct portrait of real people? "Two Friends" not about Mr. Miner and Mr. Richardson, but the emotional response to them felt by a child. It recreates a memory. Similarly, Ántonia sums up emotions about immigrant people she knew there. Mr. Sadilek's suicide was the first thing she heard about upon arriving in Nebraska. Her fiction has always been a precise representation of her feelings, never faked or exaggerated feeling. P.S.: Enjoyed seeing Irene when she was in New York. Willie [Stout #1214]
Will not be able to go to St. Louis for the dinner. Still loves Huckleberry Finn as much as ever. Medal can safely be sent to her. Willa Cather [Stout #1240]
Has no photographs of Nebraska in 1885 or 1895. Understands from Professor Pupin [?] of Columbia that it resembled the plains of Russia. Otto Fuchs not a representation of a specific person but a composite of many, as are most minor characters. Blind d'Arnault modeled on Blind Boone. Has also heard of a similar Blind Tom and Blind Noah. Actress Jim sees in Camille based on Clara Morris. Many relics such as the Spanish sword have been found in southwest Kansas. Good reading does not come from factual information, however, but from cultivated taste. Does not approve of required reading of contemporary writers in English courses, which should center on great English writers of the past and on Latin writers. Wishes his students were reading Kidnapped [ Stevenson ] or Vanity Fair [ Thackeray ] rather than My Ántonia. Willa Cather [Stout #1306]
Gives permission to quote from anything in Not Under Forty and conditional permission to quote from letter to Pat Knopf explaining reasons for structure of The Professor's House. Prefers the distinct separations of that form to the mixture of unexpressed feelings typical of modern fiction, though it could have been done that way. Outland's life had become as real to the professor as his own; he became part of the old house. Glad Pat is studying with him. Willa Cather [Stout #1433]
