Will be glad to write some articles [for the Century] after December 1. Will send a short story in a few days. Willa Sibert Cather [Stout #206]
People are ultimately more interesting than scenery. Feels restless when the wind keeps her from going riding. Douglass has been on a run for three days, leaving her with a brakeman named Tooker, who keeps house and goes off drinking at night. A big talker. Has been target-shooting with a pistol and may use Tooker for a target if he doesn't drop the polysyllabics. Mainly enjoying the Mexicans in the area, who live south of the train tracks in a delightful village. Hopes to go to Flagstaff and see cliff dwellings tomorrow. W. S. C. [Stout #224]
Weather has been very hot since she left. New Hampshire must be better. Enjoyed their two days together. Was not able to describe Elsie's French clothes adequately to Isabelle. Plans to take Kronstall's wardrobe from advertisements. W. S. C. [Stout #260]
Swedish cousin has died in Paris. Spent a few days in Washington with her cousin's husband after he returned bringing the body. Is settling back into the apartment. Did about 28,000 words on new novel while in Pittsburgh. Has she seen the article about singers in the December McClure's? Fremstad likes it. Has been invited to Boston to visit Mrs. Fields, but can't go until after Christmas. Wishes she [ Sergeant ] were there to go to the ballet tonight. P.S.: Mrs. Fields's primness about a nude figure on the magazine cover is funny. W. S. C. [Stout #270]
Thanks for the cheery letter. Is free of bandages now. Went to Atlantic City for a few days and got sidetracked from her [Cather's] story, but is back on it now. Writing a lot about the mechanics and politics of opera. Is getting acquainted with the Hoyts. Wishes events in Mexico would settle down so she could go see the cities there. Going to Pittsburgh soon. W. [Stout #280]
Glad the book is selling fairly well. How did the Heinemann edition do? Is going to Pittsburgh in a few days. Miss Lewis sailing for Naples toward the end of the month. W. S. C. [Stout #281]
Is offering a revision of the character of Jessie Darcey [singer Thea Kronborg accompanies in The Song of the Lark] and will be glad to revise more. Thea has control over her own fortune; was a liar and was lied to. She expected to marry Fred, despite the fact that her Methodist childhood would not have led her to expect it. She ended up punishing Fred for what she did herself. Won't make all this entirely clear, because doesn't want character of Thea to alienate readers. Isabelle is going away for a few days to rest. [Stout #305]
Appreciates his returning proofs quickly; couldn't finish until she got his help. Isabelle will be leaving for Pittsburgh in a few days and she will follow. In the meantime she and all of New York interested in a group of eight morris dancers staying across the street from her who are causing trouble for their stage manager due to having lost all their gear en route. [Stout #313]
For three days has been on the verge of sailing for Bergen, then to Germany to interview German leaders. Since S. S. McClure was going, there had to be someone else, so Isabelle was going. All off when Judge McClung decided he didn't want her to take the risk. Will get back onto the page proofs. It was a more appealing project financially than the novel will be. Would have needed to be tactful in order to be accurate without being or at least seeming pro-German. Willa Cather [Stout #315]
Curtis Brown won't do much for her book due to resentments left from McClure's days, when she got the magazine out of bad agreements made by McClure. How about advertising at women's colleges? Girls will like the aggressive careerism. Willa Cather [Stout #324]
