Hurrying to leave for Nebraska but will answer briefly. Georgine Milmine, now Mrs. Benjamin Wells, of Aubrey, N.Y., gathered material on Mrs. Eddy. McClure bought the material, subsequently lost (along with a first edition of Science and Health) when the magazine was sold. Milmine couldn't do the writing, and after sampling short segments of it done by several other people he chose her [Cather]. This was shortly after she came to New York. Carefully checked the material and believes it is all accurate except the first chapter, written by Burton Hendrick, now with Doubleday. His resentment at being removed from the project may be part of the reason Doubleday does not bring it back into print. Please keep confidential. Willa Cather [Stout #649]
Yes, write to Mrs. Wells [Georgine Milmine] but do not mention Cather's name. Might also write to S. S. McClure for an account of how the material was collected. [Stout #658]
Gives permission for him to use essay "Nebraska" in a textbook. Willa Cather [Stout #941]
She and Edith have leased an apartment and are decorating it. Almost ready to move in. Edith very busy at work; hopes she will resign soon. What about Mary Austin's book [Earth Horizon]? So full of special pleading and self-pity. Not true Archbishop was written in Austin's house—didn't even want to go to the house, but had to, to be polite. Couldn't help it the archbishop was French. Houghton Mifflin had to make deletions [from Earth Horizon] after some 30,000 copies were sold, under threat of lawsuit by H. G. Wells. Has she read Hemingway's fine new book [Death in the Afternoon]? Would like to go to Mexico this winter, but must get settled first. Has heard lots of people talking about Lorenzo in Taos. Willa [Stout #1135]
Glad he sent the English reviews of Obscure Destinies, especially the one from Manchester Guardian. Interesting that he was a professor at Michigan when she received honorary degree there. The first university to give a person an honorary degree is brave. Princeton was brave in giving her its first to a woman. Best wishes with his work at the British Museum. Willa Cather [Stout #1153]
Did not write Georgine Milmine's biography of Mary Baker Eddy, only did some editorial work on it, including a few paragraphs of rewrite. It was done only for the magazine articles. Doesn't believe she ever even saw the book. Indeed, Milmine may have put back in some of the material she cut out. Wishes certain people wouldn't go about saying she wrote it. Willa Cather [Stout #1201]
Has had a mountain of mail to get through since returning from Europe. Glad to find his letter. He is the only person who has noticed her alteration of the text of the aria from Elijah [Mendelssohn's] . Even baritones who have sung it don't seem to have noticed. Of course, the change [from "If with all your heart you truly seek me" to "If with all your heart you truly seek him"] is all-important. Willa Cather [Stout #1290]
No, can't allow him to publish quotations from her earlier letter. Assumed the writer of such an intelligent letter as the one he wrote would know better than to try to use it for publicity. P.S.: Had not realized she was writing to an English teacher who meant to read her letter to his class. Is usually cautious, but apparently not cautious enough. Willa Cather [Stout #1294]
Appreciates his assurance of his good intentions. Willa Cather [Stout #1299]
In response to his inquiry, insists that Georgine Milmine is a very real person and did a good deal of work collecting information for the history [The Life of Mary Baker G. Eddy, first published in McClure's January 1907 through June 1908; published in book form as The Life of Mary Baker G. Eddy and the History of Christian Science by Georgine Milmine, New York: Doubleday, Page, & Co., 1909]. Milmine did not really write it, but four or five people, including herself, worked on it in the editorial room of McClure's. Does not wish to be identified with the book, for was never interested in it except editorially and shared the work with others. Mr. Smith was not there at the time, if memory serves, so he must have heard his stories from somebody else. Please keep this information quiet. Wilson's profession assures his prudence, one would think. Willa Cather
