Watching for "The Valley of the Mills" from Mr. Reynolds. Will be glad to give "Mortmain" another reading. Regrets he is taking an ironic tone. Why read and talk at all if one can't be candid? Willa Sibert Cather [Stout #115]
S. S. McClure has reread "The Valley of the Mills" and hopes to see more work from him. Please send his address so she won't have to write through Reynolds. Willa Sibert Cather [Stout #118]
Envies his being in Italy. Is working on the material about Eddy, after three men failed with it. It drives out every trace of an imaginative idea. Why doesn't he like [Pierre] Loti—afraid of real imagination? He covers up his own with slang and imitations of Kipling. Or maybe he fears being sentimental. McClure has paid $500 for illustrations for "The Valley of the Mills." Was in Pittsburgh a couple of months ago and saw the Willards. Only music saves her in New York. Please ask Mr. Reynolds to send her his work personally. Willa S. Cather [Stout #125]
Paul Reynolds sold the clumsy story she told him about for $600. Is on her way to Taos. Hopes he will remember she still wants to do a book about the Southwest and will not commit to anyone else for one. W. S. C. [Stout #359]
Has received the $540 check for "The Diamond Mine." Hopes to have some new material for him in the fall. Willa Sibert Cather [Stout #360]
The Columbian Hotel in this wonderful place is pink adobe, the owner a dark Mexicana. Enjoys taking horseback rides and stopping at people's houses. Sorry she didn't invite him another day and arrange for him to bring his friends, but reached the point where she had to leave. Hopes he will visit in the fall. Has taken Paul Reynolds as agent, and he has sold a story she would never have tried to place with a magazine. Willa Cather [Stout #361]
Sending a photo of herself. Willa Sibert Cather [Stout #362]
Sorry not to have anything to send him yet. Will get back to New York in November and start to work. Glad to see the story in McClure's ["The Diamond Mine," Oct. 1916], but they should have let her cut it as she did "My Little Sister" [by Elizabeth Robins, pub. Dec. 1912 and Jan. 1913]. Willa Sibert Cather [Stout #367]
Pleased with his success with this last story. Please ask Harper's to let her have the manuscript back to do a little revision. Willa Cather [Stout #371]
Can have lunch with him on Monday the 18th. May have a manuscript for him. Willa Cather [Stout #373]