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#2076: Willa Cather to Roscoe Cather and Meta Schaper Cather, January 22 [1917]

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My Dear Roscoe3 and Meta5;

Is it twoo late to thank you for the sporty cigarettes and the booful handkerchiefs? Please tell Virginia6 that I liked the pictures she colored quite as well as any of the pretty things she I got at Christmas time. I kept them stuck up over my desk for days and then sent them to her doting grandmother7. That little girl has a nice eye for color, and we must help her to train it. Tell her that I have a lovely little orange tree with nine yellow oranges on it in my window. Someday I am going to send her some delicate little seashells that Isabelle8 sent me from Florida9. I used to love to play with shells.

Did you see a rather trivial little story10 I had in Harpers11?

The British War Supplies people here are dropping off employees at such a rate that I am afraid poor Jack12 will fall from his exalted state and be a job-hunter. Well, perhaps that will be good for him. It is not good thi to have things come too easy when one is too young. But he has had enough success to whet his ambition and to make him try harder. I sent mother a hundred dollars last week to help her out on her expenses in Tucson13, and I shall send her a hundred more the first on March.

I am so glad Virginia liked her beads. I send that young lady anything to wear with fear and trembling; she has such very decided ideas about 'dress'. I'll never forget the tailored hat! How I wish you could box her up and send her on for a few weeks; but she will like it all the better when she is older. Then she must surely come.

Will you please remember me to Elsie Stewart14, and tell her that I was so sorry to hear of her mother15’s death. I would love to send her some little remembrance sometime. What would she like?

I have a book I want the pair of you to read, if I ever get time to fight my way to the Parcel Post, which is the worst run thing in New York2. Please give my love to all the babies16, and don’t forget o to send me some sage in the spring.

With much love to you both Willa
Mr. R. C. Cather3 Lander4 Wyoming NEW YORK, N.Y. STA. C.2 JAN 23 1917 4 PM