Has followed his advice and asked Mr. Crowell to ask $3,200 for the Osborne land. Dropping of atomic bomb has made all her doings seem very small and unimportant. He need not return enclosed newspaper clipping; Major Eliot has been the most reliable analyst of the war. Willa Cather
On September 30, 1946, the bank sent receipt of her $200 gift to the Red Cloud Hospital Fund, a little amount given to be polite. Carrie Sherwood's October letter, which lay unseen until January 22, enlightened her as to the very real need in Red Cloud for the hospital, which she did not fully understand before. Apologizes for mentioning him and the Peoples-Webster County Bank when dealing with the Stern & Reubens firm. Trusted the old man, an expert in copyright law, who used to manage her complicated taxes, but the man to whom he turned over the account, Alexander Scheer, is her natural enemy. PS: Will write a better letter to Trix soon. Dealing with foreign publishers has been grueling. Willa Cather
Please mail a year-end balance statement and a new firm-backed checkbook. Happy New Year. Willa Cather
Excited to see her! Please bring Sidney and come to dinner; can decide when via telephone. Unlisted number is Regent 4-8354. Hopes to talk intimately the way they used to in Trix's Red Cloud parlor. Willa
Appreciated his piece on Fred Maurer in the newspaper. Is thankful for it and will put it in her scrapbook. Sat near the Maurer brothers in Red Cloud High School and saw them struggle with poor reading light and inadequate clothes. They were not dealt a fair hand in life. Kept in touch with Fred through letters to the Gurney girl who cared for him, but stopped after she died. Willa Cather
Loves the roses, but loved seeing her much more. Was very moved to talk with someone from her youth, which hasn't happen since she last saw Roscoe in California in 1941. Felt very homesick after Trixie left. When parents lived, spent a lot of time in Red Cloud in their home—even cut European trips short to do it. Their distinctive house was sold without her knowledge, so never had the chance to buy it; found out about the sale, in fact, from business correspondence with Trixie's husband. Should see one another again soon. Willa
Thoughtful of her to write. Has felt pain before, but the death of Roscoe left a wound that will not heal. They were very close and spent considerable time together. Likes his wife and three daughters. He is irreplaceable. They corresponded often; two of his letters found her after she learned of his death via telegram. He died in his sleep, an appropriate way for someone of such innate gentlemanliness to die. Mr. Florance would have liked him. Willa
Is pleased to have Mr. Foe assume her $1000 farm mortgage on the North half of Northwest Quarter of Section 22, Township 2, Range 12. For now, please just put Mr. Foe's payment in People-Webster County Bank. After July 5 will be at the Asticou Inn in Northeast Harbor Maine working on a new story. Is surprised at Will Auld's treatment of Mrs. Damerell. Thought he esteemed her, but supposes that once honor begins to be lost, eventually it is lost entirely. Father liked Will's uncle, Tom Auld, and both Tom Auld and father were fooled into thinking Will respectable because he neither smoked nor drank. From what the newspaper says, the weather in Webster County looks good for the corn. Appreciates his kindness, which has given her good feelings about Red Cloud again. Willa Cather
The search for letters that Mrs. Howard is undertaking must be bittersweet. Letters composed throughout a person's life can give surprising glimpses into character. However, she has no letters from Sidney Howard, and they only met a couple of times. Would be glad to send the letters if she had them. Willa Cather
Has had a crazy winter too, but unlike Roscoe's it wasn't from weather. Has had to deal with all kinds of problems while Mr. McClure in Europe. Was ill with bronchitis in December, and Isabelle came to nurse her. Even then had to work on the magazine, for magazines, like sick infants, have to be constantly fed. Thankfully she had the Russian material and the Paoli article [Xavier, Paoli, "Recollections of the Shah of Persia," McClure's Magazine 24.5 (March 1910): 525-538] that she secured when in England. Is improved now, but still has to rest and consume milk like a child. Has had good success with the the magazine, however; profits up $60,000 from the previous year. Doesn't get any of that money herself, but does get praise. Do read the March issue, as she worked hard on it, and definitely read "A Joint in the Harness" ["Ole Luk-Oie" {pseudonym of Sir Ernest Dunlop Swinton}, "A Joint in the Harness," McClure's Magazine 24.5 (March 1910): 547-557], which she got in England. Would appreciate his telling her what pieces he likes and doesn't like; it's helpful when people tell her their reactions forthrightly. Certainly doesn't like everything that gets published herself! Has written Mrs. Goudy and Mrs. Fulton. Thanks for the silk stockings at Christmas. Has he seen darling Mary Virginia since she started talking? Has received a letter from Aunt Franc; enjoyed visiting with her, Auntie, and Bess last summer. Loves that far-off, quiet country. If health permits, will go to England in May, and wishes Roscoe could go, too, as she longs for a good talk with him. Wishes she could come out to Lander, but job is very demanding—more so than running Sandy Point. What has become of Jim Yeiser, anyway? Can't get into one letter all the interesting things she'd like to tell him. Will shrug off the office and catch a train west one of these days. Willie
