What a beautiful place! Camellias and roses in bloom all around. Room overlooks the Gulf of Salerno, as blue as the water in a [Pierre] Puvis de Chavannes painting. Yesterday a festival celebrating the arrival of the skull of St. Andrew in Amalfi seven hundred years ago, but enjoyment interrupted by the arrival of some people she used to know in Nebraska. [Alice] Meynell's essays about Italy in the book Jewett gave her are very fine, especially the essay "The Lesson of Landscape," but A. E. Housman writes with equal truthfulness, and she includes a transcription of his "The Olive," a poem he gave her that she has never seen in print. The "White Heron" and the Dunnet ladies [references to copies of books by Jewett] are always with her. Willa Cather [Stout #138]
Would have liked to go to France with her. Proofs of Pioneers coming in. Not so pleased with it as at first. Is getting acquainted with Olive Fremstad, who is rather overwhelming. W. S. C. [Stout #256]
Has not succeeded in getting Outlook to commit to a publication date for her article. Would she please edit the French in Pioneers? So glad she likes it. Understands she would like a more distinct structure, but that wouldn't suit the country. Mr. Greenslet likes it. Still, wishes to do something different. Would like to be able to write what is in Fremstad's mind. Saw her after she had sung Kundry in Parsifal [ Wagner ] yesterday, and she looked exhausted. Isabelle is visiting. Misses her. W [Stout #257]
Is going to Boston to visit Mrs. Fields for a week. Hopes she will come to visit when she gets back [from France]. Pioneers to be out in June. Has been reading proofs and feels happier with it again. Wants to tell her about the Swedish girl who was the model for the frontispiece; also about Fremstad. W. S. C. [Stout #258]
Trip has been worthwhile after all. Has been walking a lot in the mountains. Fremstad has invited her up to her camp in Maine to visit. English reviews are wonderful. Willa S. C. [Stout #265]
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]
Got home yesterday. Doesn't know why she felt so dismal in the hospital. Fremstad came and cheered her up, showed her how to wear her hair to hide the disfigurement. Blood poisoning seems to affect one's mind. W. [Stout #278]
She is a sport to go fishing with Greenslet. Henry James's latest book, "Brothers and Son" [Notes of a Son and Brother, 1914], is too mannered, with too little substance, to be worth reading. Tortured with afterthoughts and retraction. Hears from Greenslet that Elsie is not going to marry a cubist after all—he seems to have taken the joke seriously. Glad to be away from New York. Will probably go visit Fremstad in Maine some time in June. Is not pushing herself. Enjoying the weather and resting a lot. W. [Stout #282]
Went to Maine June 7 and returned home yesterday. Had a wonderful time with Fremstad and then visited Mary Jewett. With Fremstad, was active every minute, fishing, rowing, hiking, and cooking. What a vigorous woman! Thornton Oakley would do good illustrations for a book on Provence. Scribner's would be a good publisher for it. Going to Wyoming soon. Isabelle will probably go to Italy during that time. W. [Stout #284]
Just a hello. Sorry to have missed her in New York. Won't be back until January. Enjoyed seeing Fremstad when she came to Pittsburgh for a concert. Hopes to find a good apartment in New York. Hears there is starvation in Belgium. W. S. C. [Stout #288]
