Has received Erna's picture. Is impressed that Mr. Seibel has acquired a complete set of Hugo, but they will envy her "Thistle" Stevenson. Has not yet retrieved manuscripts from Axtell and Orr. Beware of Christians! But is attending church with her family. Leaving on hunting trip today. Has a cold. Willa Cather [Stout #41]
Thanks for Elsie Sergeant's book. Overwhelmed with things to do. Will write to him soon about Mr. Llona, who wants to do a translation. W. S. C. [Stout #518]
What does she think of Mr. Llona? Is recently back from summer abroad and hopes to see her. Willa Cather [Stout #519]
Has received several assurances that Llona is reliable. Please write and say he may do the translation for $50 advance and the rest after publication. Please ask Mr. Linscott to return the photograph she sent some time ago. W. S. C. [Stout #520]
Please look at some of Mr. Victor Llona's French translation and see if it is really as bad as it seems. Isabelle says hello. Willa [Stout #538]
Sorry he hurt his shoulder. Her sprained ankle still bandaged. Please give Mr. Llona additional time on the translation. Some of what he has done seems worthwhile. Sinclair Lewis and Floyd Dell have been saying nice things about her. Sorry she couldn't go hear Lewis when he was in Toronto. W. S. C. [Stout #542]
Sending her publisher's pamphlet with biographical information and a list of books with information about her and her work. Has marked the two best. Hard to answer his question about French influence. From adolescence and for many years thereafter read and liked French prose writers from Hugo to Maupassant. Read all of Balzac more than once before the age of twenty, though not much now. Doesn't believe she ever imitated any French writer, but did admire them more than their English contemporaries because of freer experimentation and greater thematic range. Tone of British writers of that period, before Hardy, sometimes mechanical or patronizing, though it doesn't really bother her. Believes French language itself more exciting to her than English when she was younger. Now prefers Prosper Merimée to the others. Likes his reserve, as well as other qualities. P.S.: Suggests he read "The Novel Démeublé." Willa Cather [Stout #988]
Has been meaning to answer Elsie's letter about My Ántonia.� Readers seem to respond more personally to Ántonia than they did with the others.� One must be more experienced and skilled to write truly about actual events than to invent stories. �Increasingly desires to write true stories.� So many average people seem to really love the purely literary treatment in My Ántonia.� Was recently in a book store and saw two women buying it!� One very striking woman wearing furs told the store-keeper to send the other copies of the novel, then left carrying an unwrapped copy.� Edith is better, but has no job yet.� Alfred is near death, and Isabelle is strained.� Food so expensive and influenza all around. Scrimping on household costs is depressing, especially when one wants to serve a good dinner to friends.� Today is Peace Day.� Sad that the Kaiser ended so many monarchies; would like a few weak ones left.� Hopes she won't get too exhausted during her vacation.� Why should flu strike Albuquerque? [In Elsie Cather's hand:� "Please send this letter back.� Elsie"]� Willa
Just ordered a terrific Victor record from an agent: Gorgoza (Emma Eames's husband) singing "La Paloma," an important song in Mexico and one of Cather's favorites. "La Paloma" translates to "the dove," and the joyful song is about a prisoner watching a dove out his window and planning happy days of freedom ahead. Tell her if there is any problem with the record when it arrives. Will should listen to Julia Culp singing "Oh, Rest in the Lord" at the Victor store when he is in Red Cloud next. Willa
Was not worried about business matters when she asked where to find him in January. Occasionally just wants to communicate with him on personal matters. With the loss of Isabelle, she has no one with whom she can share gratifying moments of acclaim. Alfred Knopf likes to know about them, but he is so sure of his own favorable estimate of everything she does that the estimates of others don't really matter to him. To her, however, the opinions of certain others do matter. Cares about Tweedsmuir's opinion, for example, if only because he is a true scholar and his Augustus Caesar book is so fine. Really likes the Swedish review, too, because it understands precisely why her book has the subdued, distant tone it has. This reviewer is also insightful on Lawrence, whom she knew well. Hopes Roscoe doesn't mind receiving such things now and then. Like Knopf, the Menuhins don't really understand that elaborate praise feels unnatural to her. Yehudi once said in an interview that his preferred writers were Victor Hugo and Willa Cather! It takes a long time to get anywhere from Red Cloud. Hopes he and Meta will read over the enclosed items at leisure, and then return them to her. Willie.
