Guide to Reading Letter Transcriptions
Some of these features are only visible when "plain text" is off.
| Textual Feature | Appearance |
|---|---|
| passage deleted with a strikethrough mark | |
| passage deleted by overwritten added letters | |
| passage added above the line | passage with added text above |
| passage added on the line | passage with added text inline |
| passage added in the margin | passage with text added in margin |
| handwritten addition to a typewritten letter | typed passage with added handwritten text |
| missing or unreadable text | missing text noted with "[illegible]" |
| uncertain transcriptions | word[?] |
| notes written by someone other than Willa Cather | Note in another's hand |
| printed letterhead text | printed text |
| text printed on postcards, envelopes, etc. | printed text |
| text of date and place stamps | stamped text |
| passage written by Cather on separate enclosure. | written text |
It's not often that the sight of handwriting on an envelope makes me as happy as did yours, for I knew before I opened your letter that all was going well3. I've lately got a distressing habit of expecting things to take a bad turn rather than a good, so the sight of your writing put one apprehension, at least, to flight. Keep it up, get better and better, be awfully good to yourself—you deserve a lot of coddling. If I am in New York4 at all this winter I'll surely see you.
With all my good wishes, Willa Cather
