Has been visiting Katharine and her brother. Please send trunk keys she left. Why no letters? [Breaks off.] [Stout #20]
Enjoyed visiting Katharine and her brother, who is more charming than ever. Quoted Ella Wheeler Wilcox to each other. Attended New Year's dance with Douglass—a rustic event. Could Mariel retrieve her [Cather's] copy of Daudet's Sapho from Sarah Harris? Doesn't know when she will be back in Lincoln. Here in the country might as well be dead. Is indifferent to everything, even suicide. Willa [Stout #21]
Enclosing a letter to Professor Adams. Has been to see Regent Kaley, who says decision on new instructor to replace Professor Bates rests with regents and chancellor. Please speak to them about it. Is confident she can stay in the job if she gets temporary appointment. Age and sex are against her, but would take it at lower rank and less pay than a man. Willa Cather [Stout #23]
Appreciates her help getting through scrapes during years at the university. Now another one. Keeps making a fool of herself! Keeps trying on personas (the scholarly, the bohemian)! Would consider suicide but knows her stupidities spring from liking someone too well. People always watching her, waiting for her to do something unusual. Feels superficial and useless where she is. Little brother Jack is the one consolation. Has been to a dance with Douglass and actually enjoyed it. Miner girls there. Met a Miss [Anna] Gayhardt and talked all night. Can't talk like this to Katharine [Weston], of course. Hopes to get up to Lincoln soon. Professor Bates very happy in his new job. Willa [Stout #24]
Has accepted a temporary position with the Library. Parents may move to Lincoln. Will be there to help around the first of November and will stay through the winter. Would be interested in some work on the Journal. Has to work, or will begin to resemble Herbert Bates. Has some new prose and poetry being published in the fall. Willa Cather [Stout #62]
Mr. McClure hopes he will do some articles on Germany while there. Especially interested in something on German railroads. Hopes to see him in Boston in two weeks. Willa Sibert Cather [Stout #170]
Mr. McClure will be in the office March 25 to April 5. Please stop by if in town. Will be in Boston April 6–14 and could see him then. Glad for him to write whatever he wishes about Germany. Perhaps the schools? Willa Sibert Cather [Stout #172]
Can offer a four article series, one dealing with German education, one on municipal government, and two others on whatever he thinks important about German civilization. Series title might be "When I Came Home." Will run in four consecutive numbers. All right to do something on German theater for a literary magazine such as Atlantic. Willa Sibert Cather [Stout #174]
Agrees to $2000 for series of four or five articles, no less than twenty thousand words total. Would appreciate his providing appropriate illustrations. Please send photograph of himself other than the one they have already used, plus biographical sketch. Want to give the series good advance promotion. Willa Sibert Cather [Stout #175]
Sorry he found title frivolous, but would like to strike a personal note if possible. Doesn't believe the American Institute in Berlin would have wide enough interest. Willa Sibert Cather [Stout #176]
